Chapter 88 - Puppet Queen?
"Hmm?" Rose asked as she rolled and opened her eyes. The bright morning light flooding into the room from the window made her close her eyes and rubbed them gently with the back of her hand.
"We are going to eat breakfast outside," Anna told her.
"I will join you soon," she moaned as she slowly got down from her bed after stretching her arms wide.
"Hurry," Anna left that as a message before walking out of the room.
###
"I am going to Star city," she told Liam as soon as he picked her call after letting ring for only a few seconds.
"What?" Liam asked astonished by her sudden announcement.
Anna felt it was right she tell him despite how the issue caused a minor conflict on her mind.. She was bothered by the fact that she felt the need to tell him but after telling him, it did not feel so bad. "I am leaving tomorrow," she told him as she prepared to hang up when her face began getting hot.
"Don't go," he commanded making her halt.
"Why?" she asked not liking the tone he spoke with. It further pissed her off that she actually wanted to agree with him immediately without arguing. No one should have such commanding effect on her, right? He had to give her a reason. He lived basically in Star city, there had to be a reason why she shouldn't go.
"It is not safe for you to come here to Star city," he replied truthfully. He wanted her to come to star city but this journey of hers was too soon. He was yet to fully dominate the whole of Star city. He had a few territories to take over and he could not guarantee her safety outside his territory.
"I am going to go to school there soon. I have to go on a tour to get used to Star city," she explained to him happy that he cared for her safety.
"Wait for a while. I will tell you when it is safe enough to go," he tried pleading with her.
Rose could not pick the plea in his voice as she could only conclude that he was trying to take control over her life and it made her feel threatened. She should not be subject to anyone as a queen, right?
This feeling of being able to rebel was new to her since she had almost never had the opportunity to rebel against anyone. He recognized her as the princess and he should give her the respect she deserves as the princess.
He had slowly made her listen to is every word, inviting her out like he was superior to her but she never felt a negative feeling about it. It made her feel angry at first but she grew to like his presence only after meeting each other a few times.
However, this was different. What was not safe for her was driving alone from his house in the dark lonely road. Star city was the city she might have to spend the most of the few coming years and he was trying to stop her from going.
She moved the phone from her ears and looked at the screen showing his name in a bold font. She now found herself wondering why she decided to tell him. Does that mean this was his plan all these while?
Did he want her to be so dependent on him that she wouldn't do anything without letting him know or that she will always go to him to ask for permission before going somewhere or doing something?
"Is this what you want?" she asked coldly when she returned the phone to her ear.
"What do you mean?" Liam had to ask confused.
"Do want to help me get the throne so that you will be able to control the queen to do just what you want?"
"Uh?"
When he did not give her a reasonable answer, she moved the phone and hung up. She felt betrayed. She had subconsciously believed he cared for her and he did not want anything in return.
"Rose are you okay?" Anna asked worriedly placing the back of her hand on her sister's forehead.
"I'm fine," Rose replied as she removed her sister's hand gently.
"You don't look fine. Is it because of the journey? I really don't want you to back out but . . ."
"I won't back out. There is hardly anything that can stop me from going," Rose replied determined as she encouraged herself. She was actually thinking of not going after pondering over what Liam said but her sister motivated her.
"Thank you. If I will go to Star city, I want to go with you," Anna said with a teasing smile as she wriggled her brows playfully.
"That does not sound cheesy at all," Rose commented with a bored expression.
"I know it does, hater," Anna spat out with joviality.
"I don't have time to hate you. I'm too busy," Rose informed her sounding cruel with a victorious smile on her face.
"Whatever, don't forget my dress. I want to wear it to a party in Star city," Anna said after thinking for a few seconds on how to end the verbal war as a winner.
Rose chuckled knowing very well what her sister was trying to do. She decided to keep quiet to give her sister the victory.
Anna pulled out her tongue for a few seconds at her sister mockingly before walking out of the room.
Rose smile slowly disappeared when her sister left and her gaze fell on her phone. Should she be an obedient girl and stay at home just like he said? Or should she simply ignore his words?
She could not ignore his order but she could not heed to it either. He was perhaps doing this to test her, to confirm she was the perfect obedient girl he wanted to put the throne as his puppet Queen.
"Whatever," she sighed and stood up.
***
"It was your job to tell me what she does and her plans," Liam said between as he stared daggers at his friend and subordinate, Gray.
Gray gulped, this was the first time he saw his boss lose his cool and scold him so fiercely.
"I told you to tell me everything, every little detail but you missed out something very important," Liam continued. He exhaled and combed through his hair with his fingers and huffed slightly.
Gray appeared calm on the outside but it took a lot of willpower to keep himself standing in front of Liam with his head bowed without falling on his knees.
His knees became weak and grew weaker as Liam got close to him. Liam might have been nice to him and his friends but he did not need anyone to tell him how dangerous his boss was. He always got a front seat view of his boss' ruthlessness.
As Liam kept walking towards him, his knees could not keep his legs standing straight and he dropped to the floor on his knees with his hands clasped behind his back and his head bowed deeply.
"I want her to do what she wants to," Liam said squatting down to his friend and placed a firm grip on his shoulder making Gray shudder slightly. "You should protect her. If anything happens to her, I will . . ."
Gray gulped with his eyes squeezed shut as he prayed silently that his boss' wouldn't complete that sentence. His boss never gave empty threats.
He knew he will be in danger if Rose gets hurts but if his boss' complete that sentence, it will be something ruthless and he will have to face it even if a hair on her head gets hurt.
Liam took a deep breath and gave his friend a pat on his shoulder before standing up straight. "She should be well protected at all cost," Liam told Gray and walked back to his seat.
He did not want to hurt any of his three close subordinate. They were his friends and he wanted them to feel they were really friends and not just subordinates.
"Rosaline," he murmured rubbing his face.