Disclaimer: All characters are not mine. No copyright infringement was intended. Thank you to Stephenie Meyer for creating Edward and Bella for our enjoyment. I just like playing with them, making them my own … even for just a little while.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Masen
Charlie and Linda were preparing to head back to the states. He had a doctor's appointment at the end of the week with his neurologist. My parents made arrangements for their departure. Alice was being detained in the cells beneath the palace. She was on day three of her interrogation. She adamantly refused to answer questions, only saying that she didn't do a damn thing wrong.
The bug in the bathroom on New Year's Eve said another thing. As did her accomplice, who was being deported and exiled from Gevalia. Alice was going down.
She would not terrorize my girlfriend anymore.
Bella was over her sister's bullshit and was getting angry that Alice was denying any wrongdoing. So, I was going to take my girl on a short trip in Europe before returning to the United States. We were going to Paris for a couple of days before spending time in Spain. Bella always wanted to go to Paris and see the Eiffel Tower, Mona Lisa and Notre Dame. I'd been to Spain on holiday and loved its romantic feel.
I wanted to woo my girl; sweep her off her feet and by giving her the world, I'd do just that.
With my mother's blessing, I made the arrangements for three days in Paris and three more days in Barcelona before flying back to New York City. I had a few more official actions to complete as a diplomat before my return to Gevalia for the Gevalian Independence Day celebrations at the end of February. I was hopeful that when I returned, I'd have a new fiancée and Bella would become my queen, my wife, my partner.
I'd finished designing her engagement ring and it was nearly complete, using the diamonds from my grandmother's engagement ring. It was an eclectic blend of an old-world style, with a modern, contemporary twist.
"Masen, I'm going to the airport with my dad and Linda," Bella said. She was adorably dressed in a white puffy winter coat. Her brown curls were hidden underneath a blue hat, with a coordinating scarf and gloves. "I just want to see them off. I haven't been away from my dad since his diagnosis. I'm … worried."
"Bella, Linda loves your dad," I said, pulling her into my arms. "She'll take care of him, cherie."
"It's not that," she shrugged, her hands resting on my chest. "It's my dad and his stress over my sister and her bullshit. It's the renovations of the bakery. It's … I feel like I'm letting him down, Masen. I've been at every single one of his doctor's appointments, save for the one where he was told that he had Parkinson's. Once I found out about his diagnosis, I came back home and you know the rest. I just want to … I want to see him off."
"You're not letting him down, Bella," I murmured, brushing my lips over her forehead. "It was Charlie who suggested we extend our stay in Europe. He knows that you've been working nonstop since coming back from Connecticut after his diagnosis. I made the arrangements for our vacation." I cupped her cheek, staring into her chocolate-colored eyes. "Now, go say goodbye to your dad. I love you, Bella."
"I love you, too, Masen," she smiled, kissing me tenderly. She met up with Felix, who had parked the Range Rover outside of Masen Manor. My bodyguard and valet gave me nod as he got into the driver's seat, pulling away on the gravel driveway.
When she was gone, I walked to the palace through the gardens and made my way down to the cells where Alice was being held for questioning. I made my way through the twisting maze of hallways to the interrogation room. My mother was leaning against the wall, glowering at Alice as she was snoozing on the small cot inside. "She's sleeping?" I asked, leaning down to kiss my mother's cheek.
"She's sleeping," Mom huffed, crossing her arms over her body. "I want to smack that girl stupid. The way she treats her family is abhorrent, disgusting. She is the picture of an entitled, selfish brat. I know it's due in part to Charlie catering to her. He felt guilty due to the loss of her mother. He had to be both mother and father. But, regardless, Charlie did impart a sense of right and wrong. Alice, however, is a sociopath. She only sees how it impacts her. She's always the victim, in her mind."
"What about Lady Kathryn?" I asked. "She openly colluded with Alice."
"We went to go bring Lady Kathryn in for questioning. She's been swept away on a trip, to a country without an extradition treaty with Gevalia," Mom sneered and rolled her eyes. "I sent people to arrest Carmen and Eleazar, but they said that Kathryn was working on her own, with her own staff. They've been brought in for questioning. We're doing some investigating. Carmen and Eleazar may be stripped of the titles, but Kathryn … she's fucked with the wrong family."
"Language, Mother," I chided.
"It's the damn truth, Masen," she said, looking at me.
"What are we going to do with Alice?" I asked.
"She's not a Gevalian citizen, but she will be deported back to the United States, where she will be taken into custody and be tried for her crimes back in the states," Mom answered. She smoothed her dress and stood taller. "I think I'm going to talk to this little heathen."
"Mother," I growled. "You can't …"
"I can and I will. I'm not questioning her. I'm just going to lay down my cards to show that she's fucked," Mom smirked. She slid into the interrogation room, slamming the door. Alice squeaked and fell onto the floor. "Oh, did I wake you?" Alice opened her mouth, ready with some snarky response but the guard inside reminded her that my mother was the Queen of Gevalia, and needed to be treated with respect. Alice wisely closed her mouth and slid back onto the cot, her legs curled to her body. She glowered at my mother, not giving her an ounce of respect that she deserved. "I hope you find your accommodations comfortable."
"They're peachy," Alice deadpanned. "I don't understand why I'm being caged up like an animal. I didn't do anything wrong. I was telling the truth about my slut sister."
"That's where you are wrong, Alice," Mom said coldly, sitting down demurely at the table and folding her hands in front of herself. "What you did was called defamation of character. You also signed an NDA. Remember that paper you signed when you got settled into your room? Renata has a copy and so do I." She reached into her pocket, producing a copy of the NDA. "By signing this paper, you were not to divulge any information about the royal family, Alice. You broke that by contacting that reporter. He's since retracted the article, with a formal apology. My son and your sister are beloved in Gevalia and from what I've seen, adored in United States." She took out a phone, handing it to Alice. Her eyes widened as she flipped through various websites and news articles about Isabella Swan, the American Princess in the making. She'd sent me the same set of links this morning.
With a snarl, Alice tossed the phone onto cot. "What does this have to do with me?"
"It means that you've backed the wrong horse, Alice," Mom chuckled. "Now, here's what's going to happen. You will be brought to the high court and you will be found guilty of slander, defamation of character and breach of contract, breaking the non-disclosure agreement. After that, you will be sentenced and deported back to the states."
"Good. I want to go home. I never wanted to be here in the first place," Alice shrugged.
"Where you will be charged with the same crimes, little girl. My son, the man your sister loves, is a lawyer and he said that the charges could equal time behind bars and a hefty fine. If you can't pay the fine, you'll stay in jail. You're eighteen and will be tried as an adult. Your father has washed his hands of you."
Alice's face fell as tears welled in her eyes. "He told me. He pretty much told me that I'm no longer his daughter. That I was a stain on our family and that I bring nothing but shame to him."
"That sounds about right," Mom nodded. "And I can tell your upset about this, right?"
She looked up to my mom, tears streaming down her cheeks and nodding. "I have no one."
"You have no one to blame for this but yourself," Mom said, a dark smile spreading over her face. "After today, I'll never think of you, but you will remember me and what you did to my family." Blinking to the guard, she nodded solemnly. He stalked over to Alice, tugging her to her feet.
"What? Wait! No!" Alice sobbed. "Please …"
"Take her to the central prison so she can be arraigned. How long is the backlog?" Mom smirked.
"For minor cases? She may see a judge by June," the guard replied, clapping on a pair of handcuffs. "Of 2020. Or was it 2021?" He took her arm, dragging her out of the interrogation room as she sobbed and sniveled for another chance.
Mom turned and walked outside. She wore a triumphant grin. "One thing out of your way, Masen," she said, wiping her hands like she was flinging away an insignificant gnat. "Now, finish making your plans for your holiday with Bella. The Picasso museum is quite lovely."
"Who's to say that we're doing much of anything in Spain?" I smirked. "I may just keep her in our five-star resort, making love to her for the entire time we're there."
"I don't want to know that, Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," Mom said, arching a brow. "I really don't." She scoffed, marching out of the cells. I just chuckled, heading back to Masen Manor to finish my holiday with Bella. I had every intention to spoil her rotten, with my time, my love and my body.
I couldn't wait.
A/N: So, originally, I'd planned on having their holiday be in ONE chapter, but I decided to break it up. So, we're going to have two more chapters for their holiday. Masen will be Paris and Bella will be Barcelona/Madrid along with their return to the United States.