“I’m glad you aren’t angry at us anymore,” Prince Harry, or David as what Victoria used to call her brother, said when the two went in an exclusive restaurant. Harry flew from London to visit his elder sister.
“I think I was angry but all I felt was the old hurt feelings of being rejected by my own father and not being able to spend my life with the real family I could have,” Victoria replied. A waiter came to inquire about their food orders. They gave their requests first before continuing with their conversation.
“I think that you’re luckier because you get to live a very normal life, not being able to grow up being watched by media and now lives with Mum.” Harry told her. “Growing up under the prying eye of the media is not cool. It’s hard to trust anyone, thinking that they have hidden agenda beneath the connection they have with us.” He spoke very quietly so as to avoid being overheard. His lips are just slightly moving. Victoria was told once that her brothers have to learn to speak that way sometimes because some paparazzi have learned about lip-reading.
“Yes, I guess. I was really lucky. How’s Louis?” That’s how Victoria called her twin brother, Prince William. She was asked to call her brothers by their other names to avoid recognition. She is also trying to learn about controlling her lips when speaking to them.
“Fortunately, he managed to find the one who could love him as he is and not what he is as the future king. William loves her, too. If you would have just witnessed how William raged when Papa opposed to his fiancée and how he threatened to renounce his claim to the throne. If that happens, Papa knows that William is always ready to tell the world that he actually has a twin sister, and that the British Crown is actually in danger of being shared by twin sovereigns.”
“Such scandal, David!”
Harry nodded. “I’d love to have you into the family but I love you too much and think otherwise. I’d rather keep you in peace than be thrown in a sea of media hounds. Apparently, William used it only as a threat. He agreed with me that we have to protect you. But we often use it because that’s Papa’s weak point. He could be a bloody raging bastard sometimes when we do that trick to him.” He winked at his sister.
“I’m touched, David. After all I’ve thought ill of you and Louis, you still loved me just the same.” Victoria told her brother. Their orders arrived quickly and they let the waiter set the food for them.
Harry was about to say something when he saw Victoria looking intensely at something, or rather to someone. When he turned to where is it, he found his sister locking eyes with a blonde man standing behind the counter. He doesn’t look like one of the employees. He probably is the owner of the restaurant.
Victoria turned back and found Harry looking at her. “Who’s he? He’s not Clark.” He said, giving her a wicked grin. Victoria introduced them to Clark as her friends, when she attended William’s wedding. His brothers were aware that Clark was her boyfriend. “It seems like you managed to inherit the royal family’s famous scandalous trait.”
“Stop it, Harry. I’m not, because Clark and I weren’t together anymore.” Victoria hissed but Harry kept on teasing. She rolled her eyes. “His name is Nick Carter. All I know is that he is friends with the owner of this restaurant.” She tried to know about it before choosing the restaurant to meet with Harry.
“Oh, that’s Nick Carter, huh?” He said as if he has already heard of him before. He looked at the man who’s now talking with the security of the establishment. “I see, it’s the street bloke.”
“Backstreet Boy.” Victoria raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean by that? And please stop looking at him!” She whispered firmly. “He might think we’re talking about him.”
Harry saw his sister blushing, “Aren’t we? Is he the reason why you chose this restaurant for us to have dinner?”
“You didn’t tell me why you know him.”
“Mum told me and William about him a year ago and how you gave him up just to protect yourself and Mum’s privacy.” Harry replied to his sister. “After a year, is he still that special to you? You wanted to see him that’s why you chose to have dinner with me here.”
“We dated. And for your information, I was thinking about you when I decided to go here for dinner. As your big sister, I am responsible to watch over you as well.” She drew a deep breath before she continue, “From some unknown source, Nick already knows who I really am and how am I related to you. Knowing the full circumstances of it, I still trusted him.” Victoria noticed the uneasiness on Harry’s side. She touched her brother’s arm. “He’s going to protect us while we are here. Don’t worry, David.” Her brother looked closely at her.
“And who’s going to protect him from you, Vicky? You know that it’s dangerous enough to know who you really are. No one should know about it.” Harry asked. His sister went silent. She couldn’t find the answer for that. “You loved him so much, Vicky, don’t you?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure if he feels that way towards me in return.” Victoria said sadly. But as Harry glanced at Nick, he thinks that the man just felt the same towards her sister.
~~~
‘Thank you for loving my sister. I hope you’d take good care of her as much as William and I should have been, Harry.’
Nick drew a deep breath. His chest tightened into feeling some deep emotion upon reading the note sent by the prince. His friend, Ivan, who owned the place, received the note from the prince himself on that night he’s been there with Victoria. It’s been two days since the two have dined in his friend’s new restaurant. Victoria and Harry seemed to be getting along well now, which is a good thing. Victoria looked happy as she listened and talked with her brother. Nick, on the other hand, made sure to his friend that the security was tight within the place. He also managed to avoid suspicion that the popular prince of England was there with his ‘secret’ sibling. Harry made a neat disguise on that night like some artistic aficionado. Fortunately, there weren’t any paparazzi around the place. The media are aware that the restaurant is off-limits for them.
Nick recalled that night again. His hired secret security for Victoria told him that she’s meeting with the prince and Nick immediately went to the restaurant to make sure that she’s being well-guarded. He was suddenly obsessed on protecting her, knowing the circumstances of what she’s doing when she’s seeing one of her brothers. How could he forget the time when Victoria looked on his way? He remembered that special time they shared together. She literally took his breath away and he just couldn’t take his eyes off her. Harry must have noticed that. His note explained it all, including the knowledge that Nick also knows about Victoria’s true identity.
Nick turned to check the next note coming from Kevin. ‘Did you know about this? Kevin.’ Attached on it was Clark’s resignation letter.
