Chapter 16: Treat Her Well
 
Vishiea's POV
 
Upon our arrival at the palace, I noticed Rachelle standing at the front door.  She was wearing a displeased expression and casting a stern gaze in my direction.
 
Merely by observing her demeanour, I could sense her intense anger. She was clearly furious with me for being seen with her supposed 'fiancé.' I can't blame her for her reaction. I would react the same way if I were in her shoes.
 
A mischievous smile played on my lips as I eagerly anticipated her response. Her gaze locked onto me, and she swiftly moved in our direction.
 
"Where have you been? And why are you with this woman?" she hissed, shooting me a harsh glare.
 
“Relax," I responded while chuckling, "It's not my idea to go out with him." In the corner of my eye, I noticed him glance in my direction. I had no other option but to agree when he insisted on joining me for breakfast.
 
"I'm not speaking to you, so you know what," she yelled angrily. "Just shut up and walk away before I decide to make things unpleasant!" Her fiery demeanour amused me, and I chuckled softly, "Come on, calm down. I'm not here to steal your man," I said as I continued to laugh.
 
Her glare hardened. "How could you!" She seemed ready to lunge at me, but Darius intercepted, grasping her hand.
 
"Enough of this immaturity, Rachelle," he said harshly. "You wanted to be a queen, aren't you? Then start behaving like one!”
 
"But let's be honest here, even if you were to behave like a queen, you'll never become one," he added, releasing her hand. Rachelle gazed at him, clearly taken shocked.
 
"But, Darius," she began, but Darius swiftly lifted his hand to silence her.
 
"You've already done plenty today. It would be best if you kept your distance," he advised before departing.
 
But as he left, he unexpectedly seized my hand, pulling me along with him. I was too shocked to utter a single word. I only regained my composure when we reached the palace. I removed his grip from my wrist and shook my head in disbelief.
 
"You can't simply do that—" he shook his head. "Trust me, I can. She's been a bitch for years, and I've had enough," he interrupted.
 
I secretly smirked, 'You're still the same, Darius—the same person who betrayed and abandoned me in the past. I suppose old habits die hard.
 
"But she's your fiancée, and you've been supposed to treat her kindly. She's your queen, after all. How can you be so unkind to her?" I noticed his eyebrow arching.
 
"Are you genuinely defending her? She's treating you poorly," I chuckled. Did it trouble him to witness his 'fiancée' hurling curses at me?
"It's hard to watch someone you love be with someone else, especially when she's a woman. Trust me, I understand because I'm a woman, too," I stated with a serious tone.
 
He gazed at me intently and asked, "Have you ever experienced love before, Anastasia?"
 
I met his gaze squarely and replied, "Indeed, I have." He locked eyes with me momentarily, then looked away while nodding.
 
"I bet you've been hurt," More than you imagined, Darius. I shook my head, "That relationship wasn't that special."
 
"Nothing special?" He asked with curiosity. I chuckled softly, "Oh, your majesty, I never expected you to be curious about my life. But pardon me, I value my privacy." I straightened up and smiled, "If you don't mind, may I take my leave now? I have some tasks to attend to." I excused myself politely.
 
"May I know what task? Perhaps I could help?" Oh, will his great majesty lend me a hand?
 
"I think I can handle it on my own. But I appreciate your kind offer," I politely declined, shaking my head.
 
I heard him sigh, "Alright then. Will I be seeing you later?" He asked.
 
I nodded, "If fate should bring us together, Your Majesty." With a courteous bow, I turned away. But just before I left entirely, I heard him murmuring my actual name, Vishiea.
 
I see. He's still not giving up that idea. That's nice and interesting.  I kept walking until I reached my room.
Was thinking. I don't really have anything to do today. I was lying a while ago. A soft chuckle escaped me as I settled onto my bed. Perhaps it was time for a leisurely stroll. With a sigh, I rose and decided to visit my favourite place.
 
I ascended to the fifth floor of the palace. To my surprise, the door's colour remained unaltered. It was still a combination of blue with a hint of gold.
 
A smile formed on my lips as I entered. Once inside, that smile broadened further. It was a private room filled with numerous books. I looked around in awe.
 
I found it hard to believe I was back in this place. My fingers brushed against the books on the table. Everything here was impeccably clean, devoid of any dust or dirt.
 
The books were neatly arranged and well-maintained. Maybe someone's cleaning this place. Whoever that person is, I would like to thank them for taking care of this place.
 
 I was just about to pick out a book to read when I abruptly halted upon noticing someone else in the room. My brow furrowed because I had initially thought no one was around. My curiosity got the better of me, so I approached to get a closer look, and as I got nearer, I realised she looked somewhat familiar.
 
I recollected her identity; she was Cassie, Jaxon's cousin. I couldn't help but wonder what brought her to this place.
 
When she sensed my presence, she promptly opened her eyes and directed her gaze towards me.
 
"Lady Anastasia!" she exclaimed my name. I grinned and approached her.
 
"Lady Cassie, it's quite a surprise to find you here. Are you a fan of books?" I asked. She regained her composure and rose from her seat.
 
"Oh, no, I'm not really into it. It's just so quiet here, so I came. How about you? What brought you here? I'm surprised you found your way here; you're new around here, right?" I nodded.
 
"I was wandering around when I stumbled upon this peculiar door, so I entered. Once I glimpsed what lay inside, I knew I wanted to linger. I'm quite the book enthusiast," I fabricated a tale, though in truth, my love for reading is genuine.
 
She grinned broadly, "I never expected that. I thought you were more into weapons than books. But I guess it's true what they say, 'Don't judge a book by its cover,'" she said and chuckled.
 
She's right.
 
"If you'd like to read, go ahead. I won't disturb you. I'll take a nap right here. But feel free to wake me if you need anything," she mentioned, letting out a yawn. It seemed she had come here to catch some sleep, which I found rather endearing.
 
"Okay, have a restful nap," she nodded, and settled back in her seat. Watching her lay her head on the table, I released a gentle sigh. It seemed I would be keeping her company until lunchtime.