28 Chapter 28
The Count made his way out of the restaurant, thanking his stroke of luck that she called for help. He was not expecting it, but he welcomed the opportunity with open arms.
He could see Liam was waiting for an explanation, but he was not sharing anything. He believed it was for the good of everyone concerned if he kept this for himself.
At least for the meantime while he sorted this out.
"Sir, you look extra cheerful today." Wesley, his assistant, greeted him as soon as he rode his car.
"Am I?" Count Julius beamed at him, thinking that his assistant might be right. He had never felt this kind of exhilaration in a long time.
He realized he did not care if he saw Eli with his grandson tonight. It suddenly felt like nothing could ruin this moment for him, not even her presence.
He had nothing personal against Eli except that he did not want her for his grandson, but he believed Liam also felt the same way. It was not like he stood in the path of true love.
If Liam truly liked her, he would have married her long ago. And he would not have stopped them. But that was not the case. He wanted his grandson to be married to someone who would be perfect for him.
"What do you need, Sir?" Wesley asked as he waited for instructions.
"We need to bail someone out. Call this man and arrange for their release. I want all records of this incident erased." He explained to his assistant as he sat comfortably in his seat.
"Steve," Count Julius called the attention of his trusted Royal head of his security, sitting in the front seat. Then, he explained what he wanted to happen.
Soon, he was on his way to the precinct. He could not come to the station with all guns blazing. That would easily attract attention that he did not need at the moment.
"You know what to do?" He gave his final words, assured that his assistant could address this simple matter. Wesley agreed with the plan without too many questions. But he noticed his curiosity when he heard her name.
Soon, his car parked before the police headquarters. Then, he allowed Wesley to proceed with the handling of the situation. Steve followed not far behind until they disappeared into the wide double doors.
The rest of his security parked a few cars away, avoiding attention. He also ordered that his security removed their flags from the hood, not wanting another beacon for paparazzi and nosy reporters to identify who they were.
Police stations always had one or two snooping around for stories. "Be ready to leave once they arrive." He told his driver, who nodded his head in affirmation.
The last thing he needed was for the press to get involved. He had to resolve this quietly and without a fuss. More than that, he did not want his grandson to know anything about this incident.
A few minutes later, two girls emerged from the doors and walked outside, down the flight of stairs, and stopped outside his door with his assistant.
"Will you join me?" He asked as his assistant opened the door for them.
They looked hesitant at first, whispering with each other, but they eventually rode in the car. He could not blame them. Even though he bailed them out of jail, he was still a stranger to them.
As soon as they were inside, sitting comfortably before him, his assistant followed and sat beside him. Then the car moved on its way. They could not stay that long in that place, knowing his car was not particularly common in this area.
"Thank you for helping us. We will pay you every cent you spent getting us out of our situation, Your Highness." Luisa was the one who first spoke, looking quite embarrassed to be in this situation.
He could tell she was not the type who liked calling for favors. If his assumption was correct, she might be like her mother. Independent and brave. She always fought for what she believed in without fear of prosecution.
It was a shame that she had to cower and hide in her last fight. But, of course, she was not protecting herself. She was protecting this young lady and her future.
"As I said, call me if you need my help, and there is no need to pay me back. I am glad I can help." Count Julius smiled at the two girls, who still looked anxious at his presence. "I am sure that you have not eaten dinner yet."
"We..." Luisa was about to protest, but he interrupted her.
"Why don't we grab some on the way home? I am a bit hungry myself since mine was interrupted." He continued, not allowing her to finish.
"We can go through a drive-thru. It would be easier." Noreen finally spoke, suggesting a burger joint nearby.
"Why not?" He responded, asking the driver to take directions from Noreen.
Soon, they had several burgers, french fries, and some cold desserts for everyone in the car. Even the Count enjoyed the greasy meat in a bun and the potato strips deep in a red sauce.
He could tell those foods were bad for his health, but it was delicious. One night of sin would not kill him. But it might give him indigestion. Well, it was all worth it, seeing the laughter on the girls' faces.
"Hey, Your Highness. Don't use tissues to wipe your fingers. You are wasting all that juicy goodness." Noreen called his attention. "This is how we do this." She showed him how to lick the oil, cheese, and red sauce from his fingers.
"That's it." She proudly said when he imitated her actions, which made Luisa laugh, eventually making all of them laugh. Soon, he was laughing at Noreen with all her bubbly personality.
Noreen even asked if they could have a selfie picture. He did not understand it at first, then realized it was just a photo on her phone. But the Count made her promise not to post it on any social media. He did not need any proof of this night splashed in the news.
"By the way, call me Grandpapa or Grandpa Julius. I hated being called Your Highness. It makes me feel so ancient." He told them, hoping they were feeling more at ease with him.
"Isn't that too personal? I don't think that would be right." Luisa answered him. He suddenly realized that she was one hard nut to crack.
Suddenly, he pictured her mother when she barged into their secret meeting. It was her first time seeing her in person. She was unafraid to face them all, fighting for everyone to listen to what she had to say.
Despite everything, Count Julius still saluted her mother for her bravery. Raising a child on her own could not have been easy. Then, starting a new life and leaving everything behind. Her successful career, money, and fame.
But most of all, breaking the heart of the man she loved. It could have been the hardest decision of her life. But she still managed to make a good life for herself and this woman, her child, before him.
