The Fall of a Proud Princess

Chapter 8- "I'm sorry for your loss."

DANIELLAH

“I’m sorry son,” Richard hugs him as he stays frozen in the hallway.

It takes him a few seconds to wrap his hands around his father but he eventually does.

“Were you guys close?” I ask when our driver closes the car door.

After seeing his grandfather’s body, Richard urged us to go back to our hotel room and wait for further news.

“Sort of,” he answers after a long time. “He was the one who helped me get it together after college.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” I hold his hand. “At least he wasn’t in pain.”

We all sighed in relief when the autopsy came back and said Barron the 1st passed away peacefully from natural causes.

“I just can’t believe he’s gone.” Conrad’s voice cracks so I wrap my other hand around the one I’m holding.

The next few days are tough for the Hilton family.

Reporters not only hound Barron the 1st’s estate but they follow every family member around making it next to impossible to see them. But I make sure Conrad sees his family.

We have dinner with them the entire week even when he protests but despite my best efforts the days leading to his grandfather’s funeral are hard for him, so I don’t leave his side.

Not even for a second.

I give him sleeping pills when fails tsleep and I eventually get him to eat by bribing him with Bruno. I shomehow convinced his assistant Jeremy to fly down with him which made Conrad happy for a few days.

The day of the funeral is the hardest for him to swallow.

He stayed up the night before holding Bruno and I in his arms so the bags under his eyes are visible as we get ready.

“I hate wearing ties.” He sulks when I walk into the room wearing a Fendi black laser cut crepe dress that ends above my knees.

“You don’t have to wear one.” I pop in the pearl drop earrings Conrad’s mother gifted me for Christmas last year.

My hair is down because I’ll be wearing a hat so they’ll barely show which is a shame because they are gorgeous.

“I know but mom would have my head if I don’t wear one,” he pushes his hair back as I walk to him.

Without my heels on, Conrad is close to 5inches taller than me so I only go up to his mouth which makes it easier for me to tie his tie.

“How do you know how to do this?” He watches me do it effortlessly.

“I practically raised Kai, so there is a lot I know how to do.”

I don’t push it up the collar of his shirt so he can breathe.

“I don’t doubt that.” He pushes hair off my face and cups it, “thank you for being here with me.”

“I’m still your wife,” my heart constricts in my chest. “It’s kind of in the contract.”

I left the divorce papers back in Beverly Hills but that doesn’t mean they’re not in my mind. Except now is not the time to think about it, now it’s time to help him through this.

“Still, I don’t think I would have made it through without you.” He wraps his hands around me in a hug that makes my chest hurt more.

"f**k it," I pull the tie when we separate. "If your mom asks, tell her your wife said you look better without it." I toss it on the bed and he nods in agreement.

I suddenly have the urge to cry.

After I wear the ankle tie open toe heels and put the black derby lace hat on my head, Conrad and I grab our sunglasses and head downstairs where our car is waiting.

The funeral is painful for the family but everyone speaks fondly of Barron the 1st. Conrad doesn’t cry during his speech like his siblings or talk to anyone after.

It’s only on our way to the wake that he looks at me as I remove my hat and sunglasses.

“I plan on getting very drunk at the wake,” he announces.

I'm about to protest because his mom will kill us both but he removes his raybans to show unshed tears that make me wish I was still wearing my sunglasses I nearly tear up.

“Okay.” I give him a bottle of water, “but hydrate first, if you’re not holding my hair back then I’m not doing it either.”

“I’m really glad you’re here,” he fights a smile and takes the bottle.

“You say that now, wait till you see me puke.” I shake my head and make a face “it's not cute.”

The banter is light till we arrive and true to his word, Conrad and his brother Barron the 2nd are drunk by the time its over.

Since their mother doesn’t want anyone to see them like this, she sends them off to bed which means we’re spending the night in the estate. After having a few drinks with the ladies, I sneak off when the conversation about grandkids begins.

I expect to find Conrad passed out drunk in our designated room but he's sitting in the empty bathtub with a bottle of Jack as Bruno sleeps on the bed.

“Did you know that the Hilton woman can drink more than anyone I know?” I pull the strap of my heels. “I mean they can really take their liquor.” I free my other foot and toss my shoes by the toilet.

“The get it form my grandmother, that lady gave me my first drink,” he connects the bottle to his lips.

“Really? My money would have been on Barron the 2nd.”

I pull my dress up so I can go over the bathtub. I enter it and sit on the other end which means I'm facing him as my legs stay between his open ones.

“And you’d be right. But grandma Caroline was the first person to give me my first real drink,” he passes me the bottle.

I’m drunk from ‘tea’ with my in-laws but I know Conrad could use a drinking buddy more than he needs a nagging wife.

“Tell me more about granny Caroline, she sounds like a hoot” I take a swig. “Infact, tell me everything about your grandparents.”And just like that Conrad spills it all.

We spend the rest of night knocking out the bottle as he shares stories about his life growing up in this house. The topic eventually moves to his childhood and family which sheds light on why he wants roots and a family so bad. Why he agreed to get married at 21 and why all this is so important.

Despite the filthy rich part, Conrad and his siblings had a healthy and normal childhood.

I don’t know when I fall asleep or how I end up on the bed still fully clothed but I wake up like that with my husband watching me. He's still in his funeral attire too with Bruno sleeping between us.

“Morning,” he smiles as I stretch out.

“Hey, how are you feeling?” I rub my eyes as he hands me a glass of water and some painkillers.

I have a small headache, so this is perfect.

“Honestly,” he rubs Bruno’s back. “I feel great.”

He does?

“You do?” I scratch the back of my head in confusion.

“I do,” he slides off the bed. “Talking to you last night and offloading was exactly what I needed so again, thank you.”

“Again, it’s all part of the job description as your wife.”

I run my fingers through my hair to comb it out, all our stuff is back in the hotel room so I have nothing to change into.

“Still,” he hands me a toothbrush and hairbrush. “I’m taking you out for breakfast, as a show of gratitude.”

“Hangover breakfast in public while I look like a slob,” I touch my chest. “Hubby, you’re so sweet.” I mock making him roll his eyes.

“One you look amazing, seriously I’m not joking about that.” He opens the curtain to let light in as I blush at his compliment. “And two, we’re obviously going back to the hotel to change then fly out.”

“Fly out?” I run the brush through my hair as I walk to the bathroom.

“Vegas is full of reporters, we’re ditching this joint.” Conrad kisses my cheek as I apply toothpaste on the toothbrush. “But we have to ditch my family first, so hurry up.”

I hide the smile that appears on my face when I hear we’re missing the family festivities. I can’t take any more questions about kids especially when they are divorce papers waiting for me back home.

We make it out of the estate without anyone noticing and despite Conrad’s protest, I leave a note.

After a quick shower and change at our room, we check out and head to the airport but I pass out during the flight and somehow wake up in Japan.

“When you said breakfast, I didn’t think you meant halfway across the hemisphere.” I bite my bagel as Conrad pours syrup on his pancakes.

It’s currently 9PM but breakfast for dinner seemed perfect after the 13hour flight which I can't believe I slept through.

“What can I say? I had a craving for eating out and not having my photo taken.” He smiles.

He’s been smiling a lot since the wake.

Which is a bit morbid now that I think about it but I'm glad to see him better.

“I can’t believe we’re in Tokyo.” I beam looking around.

I thought the lights in New York were bright but the neon lights here are hypnotizing.

“It’s pretty great the first time,” he looks out the balcony of the restaurant we’re eating at.

“Thanks for this.” I sip my drink, “I know you’re here on business and that you didn’t need to bring me so thank you.”

“Are you kidding?” He wipes the corner of his mouth, “you’re thanking me?”

“Yeah—”

“I don’t handle death or loss well. If it wasn’t for you I would be on a bender right now so thank you and cheers to Japan.” He lifts his drink and I lift mine to clink with his.

Travelling with Conrad is different from travelling with my father, it’s actually fun and freeing.

After dinner, Conrad takes me dancing at some club where the drinks are so strong it only takes two cocktails to take me to the state where a 6pack beer does in an hour.

“How are you drunk we’ve been here for 30 minutes.” Conrad smiles as I dance circles literally around him.

I’m so drunk, I’m dancing in public which I have never done unformally.

“c**k-” I nip his ear, “—tails.”

I jump when the base drops, they’re playing a David Guetta song.

“Well you’re doing it again,” he whispers still motionless in the field of dancing people.

“What?” I run my hands through my hair as I shake my hips.

“Making me what to kiss you.” His words make me pause.

I don’t get a chance to respond because the waitress informs us that Conrad’s business associates are ready to see him, he made them meet him here too.

"Let's get you some water," his touch causes goosebumps around my hand.

I’m wearing a leather strapless top and black skinny jeans matched with red heels and a redcoat that I ditched at the V.I.P area. Conrad hinted that he had never seen me in tight jeans so when he offered dinner/breakfast I opted for them.

I’m cutting him slack while we’re in Tokyo.

“Will you be okay for a few?” Conrad asks when we reach the V.I.P lounge, “I’d invite you in but you’re reaching the giggly drunk stage and I won’t be able to concentrate if you’re there.”

“I’ll be good,” I pick up my cocktail from the server’s tray. “Girl scout honor,” I sip my 7 deadly sins cocktail.

I don’t know long how long Conrad takes upstairs but he comes back as I begin seeing double—everything!