You Again
1217 Words
Jade POV:
“Jade?”
“Yes?”
“We are having a diplomatic relationships meeting, for now since the news of our engagement has not broken yet, you may have full roam of the garden, but please for the most part stay in your room. I do not want a full on war to break out. Your...ex-husband will be attending.”
“I understand,”
“Our wedding announcement will also be made at the end, he will be formally invited to the wedding.”
“I just do not hope this causes a misunderstanding.”
“It won’t angel, why don’t you go down to the garden and put together an arrangement for your room. It usually brightens your day. After I am done with the diplomatic part of the day I’ll take you out to the beach, how does that sound?”
“Lovely, can I borrow a book? I think after I pick my flowers I’d like to read outside.”
“Of course angel, just tell the maid to come fetch me after you pick them and I’ll meet you down in the garden. By the time you’re done we should be breaking for lunch.”
“I will see you later.”
“Don’t get into too much trouble.” I gave him a shy smile. Ever since we have gotten engaged two weeks ago he has been nothing but gentle and kind. He allowed me to do whatever I enjoyed and didn’t expect me to carry out any of the public relationships I needed to have early on. It seemed as though they wanted to keep me an almost secret until the wedding. Not that it would matter, I had decided to go by my full name and title, Duchess Jada Marie DeMerit of House of Mourning Sky, Princess Consort of the Southern Isle Kingdom. By introducing me as Jada Marie, I was a little camouflaged since many people wouldn’t think to compare me to the Empress Jade. Although I was the same person, my life was swept under the rug. No one would dare to compare me to a late empress anyways, it would be an insult to the Emperor of the Western Kingdom.
I had taken off my engagement ring whilst roaming through the garden, the sounds of laughter filled the area as I had picked my last flowers that I had wanted for my room. “Maxi?”
“Yes my lady?”
“Can you fetch Edward for me? He said that he would be breaking for lunch and would like to escort me to the library.”
“Of course, I will get him immediately.”
Everyone here was so nice, everyone was like a breath of fresh air. I had brought a vase with water with me as I arranged the flowers the way I wanted when I felt a hand grip my shoulder hard, spinning me around.
“Jade?” His expression was puzzled, his eyes shown a fiery warmth, one that I had remembered fondly.
“Get away from me.” I said ripping his hand from my shoulder. He gripped me with his other hand as he pulled me close to him, forcing me into his embrace. “I said get off of me!” I tried to push him away but his body was overpowering me.
“What is wrong with you? I have missed you, very dearly. Let’s return home,” he tried to whisk me away in the direction of the exit. I fought with him as his nails dug into my wrist.
“Guards! Guards help me! This man is trying to take me! Help!” I cried out, his hand gripped my wrist tighter before he had begun to drag me. Tears filled my eyes as I saw Edward running towards us, sobs left my mouth as I felt a slap across my face, sending me flying to the ground.
“Prince Edward, always a pleasure,” he said gaining his composure as he looked down at me with sad eyes.
“You’ll walk away from her now,”
Octavian scoffed as he looked down at me.
“She is my wife, had you not taken her from me she would still be at my side.”
“Emperor Octavian, you are a married man now. Chasing after your past is unbecoming. You signed the divorce, you remarried, you had her son legally named under your new wife. You will do your best to leave her alone.”
“Leave her alone? Is that a threat?”
“No, Octavian, but I do not want you anymore. Edward has told me everything that you have done to me, the maid wasn’t the only one, she was just the only one I had caught you with. I did not forget the birth of my child either! Not to mention you are the one who wouldn’t or couldn’t pay my ransom! Or the coverup of my entire life! You come here, to a foreign kingdom, threatening the Crown Prince, threatening war, over his fiancée. You are nothing to me! You are a mistake to me! I only wish I hadn’t spoken to you during our wedding, maybe then I would’ve been banished and led a better life than the one I had spent being lied to by you!” The fury in my eyes caused him to pale. “Do not talk about how you missed me dearly or how you loved me, that, this, this is not love.” I showed him the bruise on my arm as I turned away from him.
Edward gripped me tight as he stared down at Octavian. “I may have stolen her, but at least I didn’t pay for her like a slave. Here she is respected and exclusively the only woman I even pay mind to.”
“You will not talk to me in that tone, Jade, come we’re going home!”
“Why so she can be your mistress? So you can only take her to bed and sweep her under the rug again?”
“Octavian?” Just then I saw the woman who he had replaced me with holding my son in her arms. The sight of him broke me, he looks just like his father. “Octavian stop making a scene! Just pay the man for her companionship and let’s get back to lunch.”
I had never been more insulted. Allowing her to call him by his first name, allowing him to buy women’s bodies!
“Our wedding will be held on the 20th of August. You are invited to attend but I suggest that you don’t. You have already embarrassed her enough.”
Edward led me away from from him, whispering into my ear as he looked worriedly at my red cheek. My head was bowed and I didn’t dare meet his gaze as I picked up my vase of flowers and left Octavian’s cold gaze.
- Writer
