Faithful

"Oh, dear!"

Rebecca hugged Talia seeing her hurt expression and patted her back.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... "

."It's fine, Rebecca."

Talia got out of her embrace and looked at Rebecca.

"Our relationship was never simple and there are many factors involved. Someone simple like you cannot understand it all, " Talia spoke holding back her tears and forced a smile on her face. She is really used to it. Hiding her true feelings, for her, it's too easy.

"But..." Rebecca knew her friend is drawing that line for her to not cross and still she couldn't help but say it,

"I really think he loves you very much."

"Rebecca..."

Talia looked calm with her frozen expression but her heart bubbled with anger.

'What's with her always taking his side?'

The angry monster inside Talia was awakened by Rebecca's support for Arthur.

"Are you trying to sell me out just to be on his good graces because he is more profitable than me?"

Talia almost spilled out those hurtful words that would have very well broken her friendship with Rebecca but she gulped and swallowed back her words before it left her throat.

Spilled words cannot be taken back!

She herself has first-hand knowledge about the effect of words and she herself almost inflicted such pain on others...

Talia hated herself for being like this. She never shouted in her life and now, she is screaming at Arthur and she almost screamed at Rebecca. She felt like she was not being herself.

Getting angry and screaming, not being able to control herself... It was not her. She never was like that.

And people change... Change sometimes is good. But she herself isn't welcoming this change in her character. She felt irked by herself.

"Back then you thought David was a good guy too," Talia smiled wryly and changed her words. Rebecca sighed realising she has crossed the limit and knew it is better not to speak further.

"You're right. Ah, I just hope you find your happiness, Talia. Out of us three roommates, Cordelia is happy being the Queen, I'm happy with Joe and I hope you'd find your happiness soon too, Talia," she spoke from her heart.

Talia saw Rebecca's eyes getting misty and she wiping the corner of her eyes, walked out.

'Oh, Talia! She really cares about you and what were you about to say to her?'

Talia felt extremely guilty. At that time, Stacy entered and gave her the To-do list and Talia busied herself with work. Work always changed her mood and helped her brain occupied. It helped her not to sink into desolation.

She loved to work.

Before she realised, it had already became lunch time and she noticed an incoming call from David's number and she frowned looking at her phone and it became the third missed call from the same number.

Why is he pestering me now?

At that time, another call came and it was from Arthur. She decided to let it ring but her hand picked the phone up from the table without her permission and her finger had already swiped to connect the call.

Arthur's pleasant voice came from the other side.

"Iris! Lunch is ready. Want to come home for lunch? Fresh and tasty..."

"I'm busy. You eat first" she disconnected the call and rested her forehead on the table. There was a weird feeling in her heart and she didn't know what it was and made her more confused.

She really loved the sudden call from him and his tone was so gentle and caring and who wouldn't be swayed by that? But she needed to keep him at a distance and she didn't know how she could achieve that.

She didn't know how long she was procrastinating but the security in her office building told her about a delivery and she wondered since she didn't order anything and still she told them to let him in.

Wearing a baseball hat and with a bag in hand, entered a figure and seeing him, Talia couldn't help but chuckle.

"Nice getup, Jordan," she covered her mouth while she laughed.

"You... Shut up or else..." Jordan gritted his teeth. He really hated her and he can't even touch the tip of her hair to hurt her and that made his hatred deep and his stress higher.

He was the creme of the crop, the flower on the top of the hill... The Adonis everyone admired until this woman showed up in high school. He was good at all subjects except maths but he worked hard and he used to be the topper everytime.

But, Alas! One fine day this one swooped in with her extremely high entrance scores and her mathematics skills were close to that of the university students at that time even though she was younger than them by two years.

No matter how hard he tried, he cannot beat her natural talents and that made him hate her all through high school. He hated her so much that it had become his habit. And now he could accept the truth and yet old habits die hard.

"Or else what? What are you going to do, McAllister? I dare you," Talia crossed her legs and leaning back on her comfortable swivel chair raised her eyebrows at him.

Jordan was dazed for a moment to see how closely she resembled Jerome Brunton. Not her appearance, but her demeanour... That presence that could swallow the one in front of them to nothingness. Some people... They are meant to rule! She is one of them.

She really is that man's granddaughter!

"Your lunch!" Jordan lowered his grey eyes and tapped the table as he was in deep thoughts.

He didn't know why Arthur suddenly asked him to prepare to annul their marriage secretly just because she asked him to. He looked hurt and he clearly didn't want to annul their marriage but he still decided to.

Why is he willing to twist himself into a pretzel for her? It clearly is not for money or power. There are people willing to poach him off for their companies, offering for doubling his salary and benefits and yet he still doesn't budge.

Why? For love?

But she doesn't care a bit for him!

Love sucks!

"It really is not in my job description to deliver lunches! Tell your husband that," Jordan said with a frown and Talia didn't answer and her indifference riled him up.

"He cooked for you Brunton... He, with his own hands cooked for you and wanted to have lunch with you. It's not like he has nothing to do and yet... And since you asked him not to reveal your relationship, he asked me to wear these... cheap clothes and deliver food to you. He, "The King" is willing to kneel in front of you and do what you desire. Do you think of yourself as Helen of Troy or Cleopatra? Can't you... "

" Jordan! "Talia interjected him and her voice rang like a gong in that room making Jordan freeze for a moment.

Talia wasn't angry at Jordan. She felt tensed at first but it seemed like Jordan genuinely cares for Arthur and somehow it made all her anger go away.

" Did I ever ask him to do that? "

Jordan couldn't answer her. What she says is true. She cannot be blamed for what Arthur does on his own volition. Even if she asks, he could refuse her and do what he wants.

" Have a nice lunch," Jordan's voice softened and he turned to leave.

" Jordan... How many?" Talia stopped him, "You've been with him all these years. How many women has he been with?"

Talia asked out of curiosity. She refused to believe the usual rumors that the King has no woman except his well-hidden wife.

If that David guy who seemed so genuine could cheat... If a man cannot live without physical intimacy for a couple of years... She had no hopes for Arthur. She knew how passionate he was back in high school.

How could he suddenly become celibate for ten years?

She knew Jordan might lie but she still felt like ask him that question.

Jordan turned to look at Talia and and he stared at her for a minute and Talia didn't wavered either as she looked back at him.

"None! Did you hear me? No one! He always wore his ring. He is married to you! And he treated his marriage seriously unlike..."

Jordan didn't finish his sentence and with long strides left her office. Talia felt a sharp stab in her heart. She leaned back on her chair and looked at the ceiling. That light fixture that emitted a bright light gradually became misty and she felt something warm trickling down from the corner of her eyes to her ears and gently trickled down on her shoulders.

Should I really believe Fred ? Is he really pining over me? So does he truly love me like I love him?

But why does it hurt me so much?

Ah, that's right. If he truly loves me...

All the more reason to keep him away from me.

Talia wiped the tears off her face and just then Stacy entered.

"Talia... Are you okay?" she asked concerned seeing her eyes reddened and Talia just nodded and her usual polite smile bloomed in her face as if on cue.

"You ordered lunch?" she asked and her tone held a little blame. "I could have ordered with you too."

"Yes, I was so hungry," Talia didn't tell the truth.

Talia could see Stacy a bit disappointed seeing her not being honest with her. Stacy's pretty brown eyes were filled with gloom since there is nothing she'd do.

After sending off Stacy, Talia ate the lunch Arthur prepared and it seemed like he even made the bread for the sandwich from scratch and the fillings were so tasty.

Since she didn't come to work for days, she had to finish a lot of work and when she finished, it was already evening. She saw Rebecca still working and Talia knew once Rebecca starts concentrating on something, she doesn't like to get distracted and so she left first.

As she came out, her face contorted visibly, seeing David outside. Leaning on the wall, scrolling on his phone, he did look pleasant. He had a neatly trimmed beard and his rimmed glasses complimented him.

Is he stalking?

What does he want? Why is he pestering me?

Talia realised he didn't see her yet and tried to pass through him but as she took a step away from him, she heard him call,

"Talia..."

Realising she has no out, she turned to look at him and was met with a pair of hazel eyes that had the usual expression he used to have back then.

"David!"

Her voice got higher and she forced herself to smile holding back her desire to hit him. She was not a violent person but remembering what Rebecca said in the morning, she had this strong urge to punch him in the face.

In the distance, a pair of green eyes stared at this reunion of the past lovers and a glint of darkness swirled in them and his hands holding a bouquet of roses fisted as he walked to the nearest trash bin.