The Crown Prince's Baby

Three

Chapter 3

The sun is up and so is Aurora; hearing the sound of running water from Xavier's private bathroom, indicating that he is taking a shower. At that moment, there is knock at the door. "Who is it?" Aurora asks, climbing out of bed and heading over to answer the door. Opening the bedroom door, she is greeted by a sweaty and tired Malcolm.

"Morning, Aurora." he replies, with a bright smile, "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yes, but you look tired." she replies, in a questionable tone.

"Ah~! Xavier and I just went for a morning jog and I came to see if he's out of the shower yet." "Malcolm?!" Xavier exclaims, coming out of the shower with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Didn't I tell you to use your own shower last time?" Aurora turns to look at Xavier, but quickly turns away in embarrassment, not realizing that she's blushing. Malcolm catches this reaction and couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

"Hey! Xavier," he replies, "I think you should hurry and dress up because your wife is turning red."

"Well I can't change with you and the door wide open now can I, Malcolm?" Xavier explains.

"Right~" Once Malcolm has left for his room, Aurora immediately closes the door and locks it for Xavier's sake; but is soon trapped between a half-n***d Xavier and the door the moment she turns around.

"Xavier?" she asks, trying her best not to look at his face.

"What?" he asks, "Can't I look at my wife's beautiful morning face."

"It's not like—" Aurora replies, lifting up her head from the ground. 'Was he always this good-looking?' she thought to herself, 'Not saying that he wasn't good-looking before, but man....did I really hit the jackpot with this guy?' Xavier slowly began to get closer and closer to Aurora's face, in hope that he could steal a morning kiss from her; however, it was interrupted by Mr. Edwin knocking on the door.

"Prince Xavier," he replies, "breakfast is waiting for you and Miss Red in the dining area; please make it on time."

 'God damn it!' Xavier thought to himself, 'Why did you have to come at a good time, Mr. Edwin?!'

"Xavier, I need to use the bathroom." Aurora replies.

"I forgot." he replies, backing away from her, "If you need anything, just yell through the door." Aurora nods and hurries into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. 'Was Xavier trying to give me a morning kiss?' she thought. Aurora shook the thought out of her head and began to wash up for breakfast. Roughly twenty minutes later, she comes out in a white robe and a towel over her head; meanwhile walking over to the nightstand, Aurora sees a note that says:

I'll be waiting in the dining room for you.

I already had my servants pick out your outfit for the day.

So take your time, no rushing.

Unconsciously, she lit up with a smile and thinking to herself, 'That's so sweet of him.' And doing so, Aurora puts on the outfit that Xavier had prepared for her and began making her way to the dining room.

Using her gut's instinct, Aurora has found the massive dining room; however, she didn't expect Xavier jumps out of nowhere and scares the hell out of her. "Hey!!" she shouted, hitting him, "Don't scare me like that."

"Can't you take a joke in the morning, Rory?" Xavier asks, jokingly. Aurora hits him once more and attempts to leave, but Xavier pulls her into a back hug.

 "Xavier!" Aurora exclaims, trying to break free, "Xavier!!"

 "I'm hugging my wife." he replies, resting his chin on her right shoulder, "What's so wrong about that?"

"Well I don't like joking around." she explains, "What if someone—"

"Whoa!" exclaims Xavier's mom, who had just arrived, "Isn't it too early to be cuddling with each other?" The two immediately separate from each other and couldn't bear to look into one another's eyes. "Well, don't just stand there." his mom replies, "Let's eat breakfast together."

Finishing up breakfast, Xavier's mom then asks, "Are you still in school, my dear?"

"Me?" Aurora asks, her big brown eyes open wide with a surprised look.

"Who else would I be asking?"

"I'm in my third year of college, your Majesty."

"You don't need to address me as your Highness or Majesty." Xavier's mom explains, "Just call me mom; I'm fine with just that."

"I'm in my third year of college, mom." Aurora replies, rephrasing her sentence without any hesitation.

"Do you attend a private or public college?" asks Xavier's father, who enters the dining room.

"I attend a public school." Aurora responds.

"I would like you to study from home." he replies, once taking his seat, "I don't want the public to know about your pregnancy with my son and it'll be easier for us to keep an eye on you." Aurora nods slowly, trying to understand the situation.

"Are you ready to see your parents, Aurora?" Xavier asks, getting up from his seat, "If you are, I'll tell Mr. Edwin to—"

"What's the rush, Xavier ?" asks his mom, "Why do you two need to see her parents?"

"Personal reasons, mom." Xavier explains, walking over to Aurora and places his Hands on her shoulders, "Just personal reasons."

***

Aurora continuously looks at Xavier as he's driving the car. 'He looks even more Handsome in casual clothes.' she thought to herself, 'But I feel bad for—'

"If you think that my old man is upset with me," Xavier replies, interrupting her train of thought, "I'm just telling you that he's fine with me not being involved with our family business."

"Why?" Aurora asks, "Aren't you supposed to be taking over after your father when he retires?"

"He won't be retiring any time soon, Rory."

Then, it finally hits her. "Why are we visiting my parents again?" she suddenly asks.

"I wanna know the truth of why they called my parents." he explains, "Your parents should know about the marriage contract that I had planned." They soon arrive at Aurora's house; however, are greeted by landlord, who so happens to be waiting for someone. Aurora immediately climbs out of the vehicle once Xavier pulled up to stop and walks over to ask.

"Is some thing wrong, Brooklyn?"

"Where are your parents, Aurora?" she asks, angrily, "Do you know that they are in debt?"

"Debt?" Aurora asks, "My parents can't be in debt; there must be a misunderstanding, Brooklyn."

"Not from this." the landlord replies, Handing Aurora a written letter from her parents as Xavier is walking up to them. Aurora reads it aloud:

To whom it may concern,

we have left everything behind to pay for the remaining payment on this home.

And we begged that whoever is reading

this letter right now to not contact us or try to find us.

Please don't tell our daughter, Aurora Red, about our disappearance

for we are afraid that she will abandon her

new chapter in life to look for us. We only wish her the best of luck with our son-in-law and our soon-to-be grandchild.

We are sorry for leaving you, Aurora; we never intended to do this to you and our grandchild, but it was the only choice for us to Hand you over to Xavier.

Don't be upset with us; continue to be happy even without us.

Love,

Mom and Dad

"They ran away?!" she exclaims, looking at Xavier. He takes a look at the letter and is shocked as well.

'Is that why they called my parents over here?' Xavier thought, 'They didn't want Aurora to suffer with their debt.' Returning to the vehicle, Xavier lets out a heavy sigh and looks at Aurora, who is still traumatized by her parents' disappearance. "Rora?" he asks. "I can't believe it."

"I can't believe that my parents were in debt." She replies face full of disbelief.

"I'm sure they wouldn't blame you, Aurora, they did what they could to keep you from getting hurt."

"They are still my parents!! I am still their beloved daughter, no matter what."

"And I will be there for you." Xavier replies.

Aurora turns to look at Xavier and asks, "What?"

"Your parents are putting their trust in me." he explains, holding onto her left Hand, "They probably didn't have any other choice." Without any warning, Xavier leans over with his left Hand and gently place it over Aurora's stomach, leaving it there for a minute or two. "Daddy promises that he will find your grandma and grandpa." Xavier replies, talking to her womb, "Daddy promises that he will not make mommy upset and daddy promises to make mommy happy every single day."

Once noon came around, Xavier decides to take Aurora out for lunch instead of heading back to the mansion. "This is one of my favorite food joints." Xavier explains, as their waitress Hands out their menu, "Pick anything you want." Aurora opens up the menu book and was shocked by the expensive prices.

"Why don't you pick, Xavier?" she asks, closing the menu book and placing it on the table, "I don't really know how to—"

"I would like to order two of the chicken caesar salad, one medium-rare steak and one well-done steak, and two glasses of water."

"We'll have it right out then, your Highness."

After she has left the table, Aurora then asks, "How come you didn't tell Malcolm about your whereabouts?"

"I was just worried that he would get in our way." he replies, without hesitation, "He can be a pain in the ... sometimes."

"But he's so sweet and kind."

 "But a pain in the ass."

Finishing up lunch, the two decide it is time to head back home. Pulling up to the driveway, Malcolm immediately comes up to the driver's window, hitting it rapidly. "What do you want?!" Xavier exclaims, as he is rolling down the window. "Why weren't you at the company?" Malcolm asks, while catching his breath.

"Because I had errands to do with Aurora." he explains,

"I don't need you to follow me everywhere, Malcolm."

"But it's my duty!"

"Malcolm," Aurora replies, "I can promise you that we're fine."

"But—"

"Aurora is tired from our trip." Xavier cuts Malcolm off, "She needs to rest."

Malcolm eventually steps away from the vehicle and waits for Xavier and Aurora to come out. "You know what His Majesty is gonna say, right?" Malcolm asks.

"I already told them where we were going." Xavier explains, handing him the key, "They're aware; now park the car." Malcolm stops in his tracks, looks back at the car, looks back at Xavier and then the car again. "Damn it." he says, under his breath.

Entering the mansion, Mr. Edwin and Mrs. Alice come to greet the two. "Miss Red," Mr. Edwin replies, "we've prepared your bedroom down the hall; Mrs. Alice can take you there."

"Right this way, madam." Mrs. Alice replies. Aurora nods and follows after Mrs. Alice to the guest bedroom.

As Xavier heads upstairs, his father walks through the front door and replies, "Mr. Edwin, prepare some tea right away; I have to talk with my son in the office."

"Yes, sir." Mr. Edwin answers, and heads into the kitchen. Xavier turns his head in the direction of his father and can only know what he's about to say.

Once he and his father are settled in the office, Mr. Edwin comes in with a teapot and two tea cups. "That will be all, Mr. Edwin." Xavier's father replies, dismissing him from the office.

Watching his father pour tea into one of the tea cups "Why did you call me in here?" Xavier asks.

"What are your plans with that Aurora?" his father asks, "Don't tell me that you're planning to—."

"Father, you and mom made a mistake in the past and had grandmother accept your sin; why can't you accept my sin?"

"Both our mistakes are different from each other, my son."

"How are they different?" Xavier retorts, "We both got them pregnant in the end."

"Your mother is a woman with class." his father explains, "Aurora Red is a woman without class."

Xavier rolls his eyes at his father's stubborn response. "I can't let her live on her own!" he exclaims, getting up from his seat, "She can't live on her own anymore; I'm her only hope!"

"Then what do you plan to do, my son?" his father asks, "I can't have you and that girl ruin our family's name and face to the public; the only solution is—"

"She is staying here no matter what!" Xavier exclaims, "Aurora will be my one and only wife, according to our marriage contract."

 "What marriage contract?" he asks, "Why haven't I heard about this?"

"You don't need to worry about that, father; but I vow to protect Aurora from you even if I have to dig my own grave."

• • [ end of chapter three] • •