Someone’s Someone

by Curious Girl

I've always been someone's someone. I will always be known as the sister of. The sister of the wonder child; the sister of the Nobel prize laureate; the sister of Princess Anastasia of Romanov; the sister of the next Queen of England; the sister of the Olympian... and the daughter of Troy and Gabriella Bolton. But I am so much more. I am Josephine Bolton.

43. Chapter 43

Oliver

My wife squeezes my hand as she lays on the examination table in Dr. Ross' office. It's early in the morning, far before seven, but we're starting the day the most beautiful way! We get to see our baby again!

And my wife's just as excited as me about it.

"You know, I thought we could go to Tanzania House and talk with the diplomat about our plans. Or have dinner with him after we have made a plan. We also have to discuss the security with Ralph and his team. He will have to hire more men, men with experience in protecting royals. We could-"

"Josephine, we get to see our baby again after seven weeks that have been awfully long! Perhaps it has grown a beard by now!" I joke.

My wife chuckles, "No beard until it hits puberty. Besides, there's not much to see besides limbs, a torso and the head. We will hear it's heartbeat and that's it."

"But Dr. Ross can tell us the sex by now, can't she?"

My wife shrugs, "We're having a boy. I've already told you that. It doesn't matter what she says. It's a boy."

I have a feeling she fears it's a girl like Ana said. "So, that means you don't want to know?"

"It's a boy."

"But what if it's a girl?"

My wife opens her mouth to respond but that's when the door swings open and Dr. Ross walks in.

The blonde doctor in her mid fifties is the nicest doctor I've ever met! "Good Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Bolton!" She greets us with the brightest smile on her lips. She's such a ray of sunshine!

Mr. and Mrs. Bolton - it's probably one of the last time I get to hear that. "Very excited to see our baby again."

Dr. Ross sits down on the rolling chair and switches on the ultrasound machine, "What about you? You caught some sun!"

"We spent a few days in the Caribbean. On the flight home I had the worst morning sickness ever! I couldn't sleep, drink, eat... and I had such a bad headache. I felt like The Princess of Wales did when she was pregnant with her children."

Dr. Ross nods with concern in her eyes, "Hm, usually morning sickness gets better as soon as you hit your second trimester. Let's see how your baby's doing, okay?"

My wife nods before freeing her stomach. It's still flat and toned. If I didn't know better, I never knew she was pregnant. Let alone in the 12th week.

Dr. Ross pours gel on her stomach before placing the transducer on my wife's stomach. "How were the last weeks apart from that?"

I look at the screen and see a blurry mess as Dr. Ross starts moving a transducer on my wife's belly.

"Eventful. You'll hear about it in the news next year."

"I'll make sure to keep my ears open then." Dr. Ross smiles at my wife. "Did you have any cramps or bleeding?"

"Thankfully not."

"If they do happen, I want you to call me. It's unlikely they're going to be any but as I've told you before, the rape could easily have caused a blood clot that could lead to a bleeding if it raptures."

I look down at my wife. "You didn't tell me you could have a bleeding from it."

"It didn't happen."

"Did you guys already have sex after it happened?"

"Yes." I answer Dr. Ross' question with clenched teeth. If I had known that I would have never touched her!

"No bleeding or cramps. Actually, I felt the opposite." Josephine answers with an apologetic gaze at me.

I sigh, there's no reason to stay mad at her. "Are we allowed to have sex?"

"Oh yeah. Until the very end. Sex can help with labour." Dr. Ross smiles at us. "Lots of couples are scared or get uncomfortable when there's a big belly in between but I always advice to get creative." Dr. Ross answers as a loud swooshing sound starts filling the examine room. "That's a very strong heartbeat that we've got going on here!"

I look at the screen that's getting projected on the white wall across us and see the person that my wife and I created together with our love - and sperm and an egg as Josephine would say. The last time I saw it, it was a little bubble but now... now there's a real human! I can see a head and a torso with limbs... and not much else because I don't know how to read an ultrasound but it's a human! It's our baby!

"Wow!" I breathe out, totally amazed by the little person on the screen. It has grown so much since I last saw it! It looks so crowded and tight in there already.

"That's your uterus. We've got two feet here... these are the legs... that's the torso... and these are the little hands and that's the head." Dr. Ross explains to us what we're seeing.

"What is it holding on to?" Josephine asks her. "Is it holding on to the umbilical cord?"

I look at the hands and see that they're indeed holding on to something. It's hands are wrapped around a ball or something rather oblong. "No, I think it's the penis. Are we having a boy?"

"Sweetheart, no dick ain't that long." My wife says to me. "And the heartbeat sounds a little off as well. There's an echo. Is something wrong with the heart?"

Dr. Ross zooms into the hands before changing the perspective so many times that I can't count. I see our baby from so many different angles that I can't puzzle it together in my mind. Then she frowns. "Oh."

"Oh? What does 'Oh' mean?" My wife asks her with alarm in her voice.

"Let me just check something before answering." Dr. Ross answers, totally focused on the screen.

I squeeze my wife's hand, her eyes are focused on the frozen black and white image across us. My wife doesn't even react to my move.

"I knew it! It has twelve fingers, right? Or a tumour! Or some other disease! I knew it! Or it has two hearts! Or a hole in its heart. Is that what we heard? Is that the echo? It's-"

"Twins." Dr. Ross interrupts my wife's rant.

"What?" We both ask out of one mouth.

"See it yourself." The frozen imagine across us changes perspective and I can see two holding hands. Our baby wasn't holding on to the umbilical cord. There's definitely two different hands. "That's the hand of baby A." She points at the right hand. "It's other hand is right here, hidden behind the back. We've got the two legs, the torso and the head. That's the heartbeat." She explains what we're seeing and hearing. Then the image changes and I see the holding hands from another perspective. But this time I see the other hand, it's resting on the belly. That's the baby we didn't see before. It's slightly smaller than baby A. "That's baby B. It was hiding behind baby A. Two feet, legs, arms and hands. The torso and head size look fine as well. The heartbeat is strong. That's why you noticed the echo sound. There's nothing wrong with the heart of either of them. You heard them both at the same time. Congratulations, you're carrying twins!"

Two. Babies. Two babies! We're getting twins! Twins!

I look down at my wife. Her head's as red as a tomato. "Josephine?"

"You said one! You said I was carrying one the first time we met and the second time I was here! One! Singular! Uno!" She hisses at her doctor. "What the fuck happened between then and now?! How the hell didn't you notice that second fertilised egg before?! How could this slip-"

"The twelfth week is the usual time to be saying you're carrying twins or multiples. We found out about this pregnancy when you were two weeks along. The second ultrasound was at six weeks. It's not uncommon to only see one embryo at that time of the pregnancy." Dr. Ross interrupts her in the most calm voice ever. She doesn't seem offended by my wife at all. "There are different sets of twins. There are two terms, mano and di. Mano means one, di means two. The type of twins you have are called Di/Di twins. That means each baby has its own sack and placenta. Their own house and own bed, I guess you could call it. Which in the case of twins is the best scenario you could have. There's going to be very little risk of one of them not making it until the end of the pregnancy. With Di/Di twins, there are two things that could have happened. Either one egg was fertilised and it split into two or two separate eggs were fertilised and they developed into two different sacks. That will determine if they're identical or fraternal twins. If they're identical it means they came from one egg and then split in two and if they're fraternal it means they come from two separate eggs. But that can only be told after you've given birth, especially if it turns out they have the same sex. It will be a surprise. However, I can tell you that they're pretty safe and healthy because they don't have to share everything. Your sister and you shared one sack and placenta, whereas Nate had its own, when your Mum was carrying you, Lorelai and Nate."

My wife stares at her doctor with a gaze so dark that I fear Dr. Ross might go up in flames.

"Congratulations on your two lemons!" Dr. Ross dares to smile but that wide smile drops as Josephine's dark glare doesn't change. "Okay. Your due date has to be moved from July the 17th to June the 19th. Twin pregnancies usually last anywhere between 36-38 weeks. I'm going to print out the images for you and then leave you alone. Our next appointment would be in four weeks."

"About that, we're actually moving to Mauritius for about nine weeks. We want to do social work there and in Tanzania." I explain to Dr. Ross because my wife seems to be too angry to talk anymore. "She can still travel, right? Are there any vacancies she might need?"

"That's so wonderful to hear! Yes, she can still travel and her vacancies are all up to date. There's nothing that would be against travel. Just make sure to not drink tab water in Tanzania." Dr. Ross smiles at me while the printer is printing out the photos of our babies. Our twins!

"Shall we fly home for the checkup?"

Dr. Ross shakes her blond head, "No. You're in a very healthy age and there have been no complications so far, which means the hotel doctor could make the ultrasound and then report it to me."

"You'll fly in for the ultrasounds." My wife decides in a grumpy voice while still staring at the photo of baby B across us. She sent her message her way: she doesn't trust anyone else with our two babies.

Two babies! That's so wild!

"Is that an option?" I ask Dr. Ross.

To my surprise the doctor nods, "Yes, of course." She hands me the black and white images.

I have another look at them. At our twins! "Can you tell us the sex of them?"

"No, not yet but if we're lucky I can tell you in four weeks on Mauritius." Dr. Ross smiles at me again. Then she dares to look at my wife again. But Josephine's glance is still too dark and killing that the doctor's smile fades again. "I'll see you two on Mauritius then."

---

I fill the mug with hot water and watch how the water turns red. I've made a rooibos tea for my wife. It's late in the afternoon and my wife hasn't spoken to me since our appointment at Dr. Ross' practice. She went straight into her study after coming home and hasn't left since. She ate the pasta I cooked for her but didn't say a word to me. She's mad at the whole world right now, but mainly at me.

Because my sperm created twins with her eggs. Really, I'm the only person to blame - along with herself but she wouldn't do that. From my research online I found out that in most cases it's the family's history of the woman that determines whether or not she gets pregnant with multiples. And in Jo's family there have been a lot of twins: she and her sister are triplets with Nate, her Mum gave birth to twins, her oldest sister gave birth to twins and her father is a twin himself. If that's not a recipe for success than I don't know what is.

I didn't expect this appointment to be so life changing as well, but I'm over the moon about it. We're twice as lucky! We're getting twins! Two instead of one!

Now it's even harder to keep my mouth shut towards our families.

I pick up the mug and decide to walk into the lion's den all on my own risk. I open the door of her study and step in. The room is held in creamy colours. My wife's sitting behind her glass desk in front of a stunning view over London. Her focus is on the iMac across her, not on me. There are two mauve coloured velvet chairs across her.

I walk over to her and place the mug on the marbled placeholder next to her iMac. "I made you rooibos tea."

"You can shove that tea up your ass!" She hisses at me, without tearing her gaze off of the screen.

"Alright, I get that you're mad but that's no way to talk to me." I tell her. Even my patience has an end.

She ignores me by continuing to type on her keyboard.

"Look at me." I demand.

But she doesn't listen.

"Josephine, look at me." I say in a stronger voice.

She sighs before lighting her gaze off of her iMac and looking at me. "I've got work to do."

I lick my lips, "I know this may have come as a surprise, but that doesn't mean you get to hide in your lion's den and hope for this to be over soon or go away." I tell her. It hurts me to say these words, but I know all too well what's going on in my wife's head.

"This won't be over any time soon and when it will be over, we will be left with two babies in our arms!" She hisses back at me with anger in her sky blue eyes.

"Josephine,"

"I don't want to talk about it. All I want to do is continue with my plans for Tanzania."

I nod, I should cut her some slack. She'll talk to me when she's ready, whenever she has digested the news. "What have you got so far?" I ask her. I was doing some research about Tanzania in the last hours as well.

"I've started by calling the team at the Commonwealth Trust and asking what they've done so far, which was only donating money. Their focus was on Botswana and Ruanda in the last years, but not on the rest of Africa. So I asked them to send me everything they had, from financial plans to how the soil is there. I've been doing research as far as farming goes. It's the perfect area for all sorts of farming. As the borders to Uganda, Kenya, Ruanda, Burundi, Kongo, Zambia, Malawis and Mozambique are very dangerous, the safest way to get medicine and the material to build the houses, into the country would be by sea. But the Indian Ocean is highly dangerous as its full of pirates and other groups that fight for power. So I thought maybe by air would be an option. It would be the most expensive, but perhaps the only really safe option." She sighs, "But even there we can't be sure, there's corruption going on everywhere and if one of the officials or some of the dangerous gangs hear about our plans, I fear they might want to hijack them."

"How do you want to solve this issue?"

"By using royal armed forces. By using the military of Tanzania and Great Britain."

"That sounds like it could backlash on us very quickly."

My wife nods, "We'd be using tax-payer funded resources when our website states the opposite."

I lick my lips, "Private people are no option?"

"No, not with everything that's going on. I already talked to the government of Tanzania and got green light. I told him about our plans for building schools, kindergartens and hospitals in his country, with the focus being on the countryside. He was thrilled to hear about the plans and excited for us to start working in the new year. The Commonwealth Trust has supported different organisations from education to health, but they never build schools, hospitals, kindergartens, community centres... they support organisations that aim to do this, but more often than not the given donation is not enough to bring the project fully to life, so the money ends up being wasted." My wife sighs with a heavy heart. "Something has to change. We have to change the core of the Commonwealth Trust, the way they operate, in order to help to the full extent. So, that's why I've chosen to support the Commonwealth Trust with our private money. Until the new working model is establish and running smoothly. This might take a year, it might take five, but eventually this will ensure the commonwealth countries will get the help they need and nothing gets wasted. The help provided was a drop on the hot stone, but I want to help substantially, I want to change the system and this is the only way we can do this."

I nod, "Okay. Do you have any idea how much it's going to cost?"

My wife licks her lips before running her left hand through her now shoulder length hair, "A couple of millions, half a billion max if I had to guess. What's going to cost us the most is the transportation of the raw material to build everything, the rest is quite cheap."

"Half a billion pounds for one country?"

My wife nods, "We're not just talking about building a house and then leaving it as it is. There are teachers that need to get paid, social workers that need payment and doctors, nurses and other people that need to receive a monthly payment. And then there's the cost of educational material and medical equipment as well as the medicine itself. We'd be funding the whole thing, from top to bottom."

"Forever?"

"No, just in the first time. Eventually, the Tanzanian government will sign an agreement in which the Commonwealth Trust is going to agree to ensure the high standards and in return Tanzania is going to be the poster child for this new way of operating. The Commonwealth Trust doesn't receive enough donations to be able to do this on their own yet. The organisation might have a royal background, but as with every charitable organisation with royal roots, it has to develop its own ground to be standing on. And the Commonwealth Trust is standing on very shaky ground. We need to strengthen that ground and Tanzania will be the way to do this. Once the other commonwealth countries are going to see what can be done, they're going to want to have the same be done in their country. That's when the country is going to start plugging the Commonwealth Trust very heavily. That will awake future donors' interest. It'll start a chain reaction that will give the Commonwealth Trust enough money to be able to do that in each commonwealth country, one member at a time."

"Does that mean we hold charity galas now?"

My wife shows me a small smile. "Royals don't ask for money. They are the reason why the money is donated. All we have to do is hold Commonwealth banquets, I guess you could say. The banquets should aim to bring the nations together and awake the donors' interest. We would be holding a Commonwealth banquet for each continent. Asia, Africa, South America, North America, Australia, Europe and Oceanica. And we would start with Africa. Officially, it would be a big celebration, similar to the Commonwealth Day Service but unofficially, we would be raising money to fund the changes."

I have no idea how my wife came up with this, but bloody hell is she amazing! This alone shows me that we've made the right decision. "Okay, I trust you on this. Where do I stand in this? What's my part in this?"

"You'll be the connecting piece between us royals and the locals. With your background, you have the appreciation and understanding what's needed to connect to the locals and convince them that we're not some frauds." She informs me. "You're the most crucial piece in the machine. Without you, I could make plans all I want but they would never come into fruition."

Maybe I was born to do this. Maybe that's my destiny, just like it's my wife's. Perhaps, we're going to change the world step by step, one commonwealth country at a time... This is so exciting! "I'll do my best."

"When shall we start packing?" She asks me with a big grin on her lips. She's eager to start with everything.

"Perhaps tomorrow. We have to meet up with Marco one more time to inform him we're basically leaving him and his plans here in London." I scratch the back of my neck. Maybe this wasn't such a good plan after all. Marco and his team have to build our home all on their own. We'll be on the other end of the world. Reaching us won't be so easy anymore, but not impossible either.

"Don't worry too much." My wife tells me before grabbing my hand and squeezing it softly. "Making a change is always hard. We'll be fine."

"Will we? Being pregnant with twins on the other end of the world?"

My wife licks her full lips, "Yeah. I'm not slowing down or putting our plans on ice just because of the news that we've got today. These people need us. They have no one but us."

"Okay..."

"How about you call the King's private secretary and talk to him about our accommodation on Mauritius? Talk to him about security and the staff from our household that will have to travel with us. I haven't made a plan for that. My focus is on Tanzania. Yours can be on Mauritius."

I nod, "Okay. Are we going to make an announcement about it?"

She thinks for a moment. "I don't know. Let's see what Abbot and our communication secretary says. I think we should meet up with our staff before we leave. Informing them via mail is too impersonal and unprofessional."

"And where are we suppose to hold this meeting? At Clarence House? I'm not sure they have an empty room for us on such short notice. Hampton Court Palace?"

My wife nods, "Yeah, let's do it at Hampton Court."

"But it's still getting renovated."

"We'll use a room at the other end of the palace then." My wife says. "I'll make sure of it."

Josephine

Dressed in only lacy black underwear, I stare at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes focused on my midsection. There are two babies growing inside of me but I still look like nothing's happening. My boobs have grown enormously but other than that I still look the same. Very tanned from my honeymoon on French Cay, but still the same.

Except I'm not. I'm carrying twins. Two babies! Two!

I place my hands on my lower abdomen. There are three hearts beating in my body. Three hearts... but why did I dream of only one boy then? Why was there one boy at the beach with Oliver and me? Why weren't there two?

Suddenly goosebumps start covering my bare arms and legs. The smell of cosy evenings in front of the open fireplace with hot chocolates fills my nose and I don't have to look over my shoulder to know who's behind me.

My husband.

I smell him and feel his energy before I even see him. It's like we're magnets. A moment later I can feel his torso behind my back as he embraces me from behind. He places his large hands on mine while resting his chin on my head. After a week and a half in the Caribbean our skin colours almost match. His erection is pressing into my lower back but we both ignore the completely obvious desire of our bodies.

"We have to get ready." I mumble after a moment.

He takes his chin off of my head and places a kiss on my left cheek. "I know this was quite a surprise..."

"Surprise? No, it wasn't a surprise. It was a shock! A bloody tsunami rolled over me the moment Dr. Ross said there were twins in me! Twins! Two babies! Do you know what that means?!"

"It's twice the luck."

"It's twice the diapers, twice the amount of sleepless nights and twice the hunger and cries!"

"It's twice the love as well." My husband says while looking into my eyes in the reflection. We're both in our underwear, him in black boxer briefs and me in a black lacy bra and matching panties. The only jewellery I'm wearing are my wedding rings and the yellow golden necklace with the diamond covered half moon pendant. I haven't taken them off since I got them a little over a week and a half ago and I plan to wear them even when I'm old and my skin is full of wrinkles and pigmented spots.

"I'm not ready for that kind of love. I just got used to the fact that I'll have to push one baby out of my vagina and now it's going to be two? My body is going to change forever. I'm going to suffer from abdominal separation, umbilical hernia, stretch marks and lots more!"

"Stop seeing the negatives and start seeing the positives." My husband suggests.

"I dreamt of a boy. One boy. Singular. There was no sibling. Why did I dream of a boy then? Whose boy was it?" I ask him with a shrug.

My husband licks his lips, "Maybe this was our first."

The sentence, these words hit me so hard that tears start burning in my eyes immediately. I didn't think of it before. Why didn't I think of it?!

Oliver lifts his large hands off of mine and squeezes me softly. "I'm very happy about the twins. I can't wait to have two girls or two boys or one of each. I'm so ready to become a Dad and I know you're going to be ready for that as well. You're just scared and a little shocked. It'll wear off. You'll be fine. You've got me and our families."

I sniff and gulp to ease the tightness in my throat. "We have to get dressed. Our meeting with our new staff starts in an hour."

My husband twirls me around in his arms and presses his forehead against mine. When he looks at me with those sea foam coloured eyes, I always loose it. He's my weak spot.

Like the boy we would have had in a different life.

I wrap my arms around his neck as the tears start rolling down my cheeks. I bury my nose in the nape of his neck as I allow myself to let go and surrender into my husband. He has always been my tower of strength and safe haven. He runs circles on my back as I allow the emotions to pour out of me. I don't need to say a word and neither does he. We always understood each other.

After a few minutes, I pull myself together again. I can't start our first meeting with the brand new team with red puffy eyes. "We have to get dressed." I decide before turning around and looking at my clothes again. There's so much I won't be able to wear. I was hoping to wear at least some of the clothes a little longer but now... now I have to get maternity clothes faster than I thought.

I push the thought to the side and concentrate on the present. It's time for some royal fashion. Oliver and I have to look our best for this first unofficial appointment as royals. We'll be meeting our teams but that doesn't mean I can wear ripped jeans, leggings or wrinkly blouses. I have to look put together.

Although I feel the opposite right now.

"Are you okay?" Oliver asks me with concern in his voice.

"I will be."

All three of us will be, I guess.

---

I put a strand of hair behind my ears and inhale deeply before following my husband into the green drawing room that's going to be our conference room to hold future meetings. Oliver's wearing dark pants and a crisp white oxford shirt underneath his emerald green cashmere sweater. His honey blond hair is the perfect contrast to the sweater, that has the same shade of green as his eyes. It's quite cold in an old palace like this, so I opted for a long sleeved black cashmere dress with thermal tights and black stilettos. I don't know how much longer I can wear stilettos so I have to make the best of it. Half of Hampton Court Palace is still getting renovated, but Rory and George have already given us a few rooms to work in as they're still staying at Windsor. We have a big conference room and offices on the first floor of the left wing at Hampton Court Palace. Our staff is sitting around a big round mahogany table in the green drawing room. An étagère with sandwiches, croissants, fresh fruits and coffee along with plates, mugs and cutlery is standing on a table against the left wall that has a green floral wallpaper. There's a private secretary, a communication secretary, an advisor, an official spokesperson, the master of the household, a project manager, the digital communications lead and a deputy for each position sitting around the big round mahogany table. Team Clarence consists of 14 people, excluding the staff that will help us with Chestnut House and security.

"Good Morning, everyone! Welcome to the first meeting of Team Clarence." I greet them before sitting down next to my husband. They all seem nervous and tensed. It's a bit like the first day of school: Anything can happen.

"We hope you're all doing well and are excited to start with new journey with us." My husband smiles at every member. It's a mixture of cultures, different backgrounds and beliefs, that's sitting across us. We've chosen some traditional British people but also a few from the commonwealth. There are wise people sitting around the table as well as young minds. It's a mixture that's going to create some heated discussions but this is exactly what I wanted. The different views represent the public with its diverse opinions on us and our future moves. I want to have as many different opinions on the table before making a decision.

"We're going to stop talking around the bush and get to work. We called this meeting not only so you can all get to know each but also to discuss the first project that we're going to do." I inform them. "As you can see there's a folder in front of you. This has all the research that we've done so far. We've had a few conference calls with the Commonwealth Trust and agreed that Tanzania would be the perfect way to start this new journey."

"Tanzania? What are the plans?" Sarah, our private secretary asks us. The blonde has graduated from Cambridge University six years ago and has spent the last four and a half years working for The Prince and Princess of Wales. Catherine and William were kind enough to give her to us.

"We want to build hospitals, kindergartens, schools and community centres there. And help with sanitation facilities. Plus wells. In the countryside." Oliver answers her question.

"Will you be on the building site?" The question comes from Andrew, our project manager. Andrew has been working for UNICEF for the last 35 years. He knows how to realise a project in Third World countries. He's exactly who we need for our aims.

"Yes." Oliver answers.

"Tanzania's economy won't be able to fund your accommodation and protection. It's a dangerous country to stay in with your positions." That's Zahar, our advisor. A beautiful African woman in her mid thirties. "Even the tourist hotspot Zanzibar won't be able to do this. I suggest you commute and live in a different commonwealth country."

The suggestion earns nods from the rest of the team. I think those nods will be rare moments.

"That's why we planned to stay on Mauritius while overseeing and helping with the projects." Oliver informs them.

"Château de Labourdonnais is located in the north of Mauritius. It will be our residence until the 8th of March." I tell them. "A day later we will have our first public engagement with the rest of the Royal Family. The Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey is going to be a good way to face the crowds."

"You're planning to stay overseas for over two months?" Andrew asks us.

"Yes. Our focus is the Commonwealth Trust and how we can help all nations that are a member of the commonwealth. Besides our official residence Chestnut House won't be complete until March anyway."

"I suggest we announce these plans as soon as possible. Let's wait until the King has published his statement about your joining the family and then within a few days, we can let the bomb drop that you're staying on Mauritius and are helping Tanzania." Andrew suggests. "In the name of the Commonwealth Trust, of course."

"We also need to have a statement ready about your excitement of joining the family, the work you plan to do... that sort of stuff." Zahar tells us."When do you plan to launch your website?"

"After the King has issued the statement of course." Andrew answers for us. "Which would be in the first week of January. When do you plan to leave for Africa?"

"We're going to spend New Year's Eve abroad so we thought we'd fly to Mauritius immediately after our holiday." Oliver answers.

"And we thought perhaps some of you would want to join us there. As an official work trip, not a holiday. Although Mauritius is a rather dreamy location to be working from."

"You're inviting us to join you on Mauritius?" Sarah asks us shocked. She's as shocked as the rest of the team.

"Yes. I suggest all the deputies to stay in London, so we have a proper connection channel. But the rest can fly over to Mauritius with us. Château de Labourdonnais is not too far away from the five stars hotels. We'd be funding the accommodations of course. We would be holding regular meetings at the Château and create an office there for you."

"We're not leaving you here all by yourself. We're a team, you are our backbone. Wherever we go, you will follow us." Oliver promises them.

"We'd be delighted!" Asher, our official spokesperson, says with a wide grin on his lips.

"Oh, yes! We definitely want to join you there!" Sarah grins. "I've never been to Mauritius!"

"Good." I smile with relief in my eyes.

"Are you going to take royal reporter with you?"

"Yes, we want to bring out a documentary every year with the work that we've been doing for the Commonwealth Trust." Oliver answers Andrew's question. "So, there will probably be a few reporters from the Royal Rota along with a videographer and photographer."

"But we also want to release a documentary about Tanzania and the work that we're going to do there separately. It's going to be the first big achievement and I think we should highlight it as such. However, we don't want the focus to be on us as royal couple. We want to be the shining light that's highlighting the issues of Tanzania and present solutions, but there won't be personal questions answered on these trips."

Andrew nods, "Very wise choice. We want to avoid another royal tour that turned into a whining and complaining interview."

"Exactly." Zahar nods.

"Good, I'm going to source the royal reporters, videographers and photographers." Andrew informs us.

"I'll be writing the statements." Hilary, our communication secretary inform us. She has previously been working in politics. While politics and royalty seem to be separated, they have more in common than one might think. Reporters tend to rip royal statements apart as much as they do with politician's words. So, we had to get someone who knows how to play the media. The Harvard graduate knows how much meaning one single word or punctuation can have. She's the right person for the job. "And have another look at the website." She promises us.

I nod.

"And I'm going to call all officials in Tanzania and Mauritius to make sure the materials for the projects can get through the borders." Andrew flips through the pages of the folder in front of him. "I see, you have already put a section about transportation into the folder."

"Oh, yes. But that folder is by all means not complete. That was everything I could come up with in the matter of a few days."

"A few days? This folder is as thick as the bible!" Andrew cries out.

I shrug in response, "I want to know what I'm dealing with before signing on to a project this big."

"I think what Andrew meant, was this will be very useful information for us all." Sarah gives Andrew a side eye.

I chuckle, "How about you have a look while enjoying this selection of breakfast options? Pour yourself a cup of coffee or English Breakfast tea, get yourself a croissant or whatever else you fancy and enjoy this early morning."

"Or if you prefer you could go to your private offices next door if you're more of an introvert type." My husband suggests. "But we all want to get to know you and I'm sure you're eager to get to know us. In the years ahead we're hopefully going to turn into a very good oiled machine and a tightly woven net. You have all earned this position. You are all worthy of working with us and are exactly where you're supposed to be. My wife and I are planning to do a lot of oversea work."

"How much exactly?" Andrew asks us.

"We want to visit each commonwealth nation on a regular basis. Actually, my husband and I thought about hosting a Commonwealth Forum at Balmoral Castle. Get all diplomats together on one place to hear about their issues and find a solution that doesn't tackle nation by nation but globally."

"Your work ethic is very different than from the previous president and vice-president of the Commonwealth Trust." Zahar mumbles.

"And when were you planning to host this forum?" Asher asks.

"We could do that before Christmas. Invite the Royal Rota and set the rules with everyone." Zahar suggests.

"I want it to be a full weekend." Oliver explains.

"A weekend?"

"Yes. It's a lot to go through and I don't want to sit there and sip tea." I back my husband up.

"The diplomats won't be leaving the country before Christmas Eve. We can hold it from the 17th until the 19th. But we're going to need a bigger room for it. Perhaps the ball room of Balmoral would be fitting."

Andrew nods, "Yes, I think it's a good idea. Not only to introduce yourself but also your work ethics and your roles."

"Then I'm going to write the invites. With your royal coat of arms as a letterhead instead of your cypher. It's more powerful that way." Hilary says while taking notes. "We should also use the font that's used on the website. I assume that's your handwriting, Your Royal Highness?"

"Yes." I admit.

"Good. It will give the letter a personal touch. No one can expect of you to write 54 invites but we can at least make it look like you care."

"Which I do." I insist.

"Of course you do. Just the fact that your willing to hold a forum which lasts over an entire weekend highlights your profound interest in the Commonwealth, Their issues and the work that you're so dedicated to do. These aren't just invites. They send out a bigger message. They set the tone ahead of the meeting. It's important to give them a glimpse of your profound knowledge without coming off arrogantly."

"And I will send them out as quickly as possible." Sarah nods at Hilary.

I can't believe how eager our team is!

"Can we all sign them?" Oliver asks them.

"You want to sign 54 invites?" Sarah asks with wide eyes.

"Brilliant idea, Your Royal Highness. That will give it a personal touch, show the importance each nation has to you. Definitely!" Hilary nods with a smile on her lips.

"Good, then start pouring yourself a coffee or make a tea. Let's have breakfast together, I know I'm starving." I say with a wide smile on my lips. Telling our team about the pregnancy can wait. At least until the 9th of March.

Once everyone starts filling their plates with food and their mugs with coffee, the atmosphere starts to relax.

"How are you planning to commute between Tanzania and Mauritius?" Sarah asks us.

"We thought we could fly with our jet."

"Everyday for three and a half hours for just one way?" Andrew asks.

"Yes." Oliver nods.

"Perhaps you should commute there twice to three times a week." Zahar suggests. "The tabloids will find out about the whole commute thing. It's going to be the first dirt they'll find."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Okay. Then we'll commute twice a week. Monday and Friday." I decide. It's not the close watch I wanted to have over the projects but it will have to do. Tanzania is not Rio.

"And you should take some photographs. I hear, you're quite the talented photographer, Your Royal Highness." Zahar tells me with a wink.

I blush, "I'll definitely bring my camera with a few different lenses but I can't promise anything good."

"Have you thought about your first Instagram post?" Sarah asks us.

"Actually, I was planning to keep it empty, apart from a welcome message, until the royal rota has seen our work in Tanzania and Mauritius." I answer.

"How about we use this first post to introduce the whole team?" Oliver asks. "Would you be up for that?"

"I promise to take the best photos." I ensure them with a smile on my lips.

"I don't know. I'm not looking my best today." Sarah mumbles while blushing.

"Oh, no we don't have to take the photos today. We can take them on another day but I think it's a good idea to introduce Team Clarence that way." I say to our team. They're getting their own sections on our website but I feel like Instagram a different kind of introduction. Something more personal. Oliver and I need to be as transparent as possible towards the Brits. Otherwise this might cost the King his crown. Or worse, the monarchy's end.

Oliver

Having dinner at Frogmore House is definitely a nice way to end the week. Tonight George cooked. He made a classic Shepherds pie and a fresh salad, that he harvested in their own garden with his daughters. It was very good. Nate, Char and their babies came over as well since they live next door. It was a big family dinner with five children and six adults - and two unborn additions. I can't wait to have the same kind of dinners in our new home, Chestnut House. There was a time in my life when I would have freaked out just by the idea of having dinner with the future King, his Queen and the spare. But now they're family and I feel as comfortable as I can be. We can talk about everything under the sun. There's no crown when we're sitting at the table together.

We're sitting at a large wooden table in the open living area. Everything is held in white and the transition between kitchen, dining room and living room is seamlessly. A huge window front is providing enough light and the open fireplace is lit because it's bloody cold in England at this time of the year. The roads can be used for ice skating and everything around us is covered in snow. It's beautiful and reminds me of my time in Finland with Josephine. Of these beautiful Northern Lights that she chose to describe her feelings for me.

"So, you're going to combine a holiday and work then?" Charlotte asks us.

I chuckle, that's so typical of her. She always sees the bright side. "Well, it's more work than a holiday."

"I don't know. I'm sure you're going to spend a few hours a day at the beach. Early in the morning or late at night. Mauritius is just too dreamy to stay inside all day. You should really explore the island. And the same goes for Tanzania. I've heard Zanzibar is pretty amazing. And the safaris there are truly worth an experience even though they might give your security a heart attack." George smirks. I have a feeling he has given his security a heart attack more than once.

"And then when you come back we're going to be neighbours!" She claps into her hands with the brightest smile on her lips. Her navy eyes are glowing. Living near her best friend has clearly been one of her biggest wishes.

"You think the stables are going to be renovated by then?" Josephine asks her back.

"Yeah, sure. We'll tear the whole thing down and build our own home like you guys. The horses are getting new stables anyway. They'll be living better than us in those stables if we hadn't decided to tear them down." Nate shrugs. "And when are you guys moving into Hampton Court Palace?"

"We'll move in after New Year's. First week of January." George answers. So that means we will all live on the same grounds when Josephine and I come home from Africa. We'll be neighbours - with acres between us.

"How much stuff are you taking with you?" I ask them.

"A few personal items." Rory answers my question. "We're going to use this as a weekend home."

"Every weekend?" I ask with a frown.

"No, she didn't meant it literally. She meant it more like an estate when everything's too much. It's her sanctuary." My wife explains to me.

"I thought this was French Cay."

"It is. But that's the English version, I guess."

"I thought that was Swansea."

"Swansea's in Wales. Big difference." Charlotte reminds me.

I'm getting a headache. That's way too many options. Too many mansions.

"Have you told Oli about our Christmas tradition yet?" Char asks my wife, luckily changing the subject.

I frown, "What tradition?"

Josephine licks her lips. "We have a Christmas concert. Sort of."

"What? You expect me to sing? I can't sing!"

"Don't worry about it. It's categorised by families. Gabi and Troy always sing a duet. The kids sing in a group. Then it's couple pairings. Nate and me, Rory and George, Della and Wlad... You get the vibe. We always sing one song. And then all men and women split into two groups as well."

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "I can't sing!"

"Then just move your lips when it's your turn." Nate suggests. "And about our men group, trust me you'll learn the dance moves in no time!"

"Dance moves?!" I ask my brother-in-law shocked.

"Sasha can't sing either so that's why I've sung with Ana for the last years. You don't have to sing with me." My wife calms me down. She takes a sip of her water. "Rothschild didn't do it last year as well. Ana and me are a great team. Our voices have a great harmony."

I lick my lips. Just the fact that she mentioned her ex tells me how much she wants me to do this. "Tesoro, I really can't sing. Dancing is in my blood but singing... not so much."

"It's fine." She says with a shrug. "We can perform a salsa instead."

I really can't sing but for Josephine I would give it a try. "What are you guys singing?" I ask George.

"Oh that varies. I think this year we're doing 90s so it's NSYNC for us men and the Spice Girls for the women."

My Mama used to listen to them! I pinch the bridge of my nose. "I'll dance. But I will not sing." I decide. "And the same goes for my Mama and brothers. Really, you don't want to hear us sing. The Rodriguez family can't sing." I mean, we don't even sing under the shower or when we're cooking and Josephine expects me to perform a song live for their Christmas concert?!

"But the Bolton can." Char smiles at me. "They all have angel voices."

"Do you want to start right now?" Nate asks me. "I can show you the steps and Rory and Jo can sing the song."

"Now?"

"Yeah. While the babies are still asleep."

"Oh, didn't you guys have your ultrasound this week?" Rory asks us.

"Yeah and it was quite... quite something." Josephine answers. It's clear to me she doesn't want to tell them we're getting twins. Probably because she hasn't processed the news yet.

"Seeing our babies on that monitor was the highlight of my week. Until they were born, of course." George says with a smile on his thin lips. His brown eyes start glowing.

I show him a smile and bite on my tongue to stop it from yelling out the news.

Nate gets up from his chair, "Okay, come on. We don't have much time for you to learn the steps."

True, Christmas Eve is just a little less than a week away. I can't believe Josephine didn't tell me about it!

"Which song are you guys dancing to?" Rory asks Nate as I rise from my chair.

"Bye Bye." Nate says.

Josephine can't hide the grin on her lips as she looks at her sister. "That's such a classic. We know the song by heart!"

"Char and George won't sing as well?" I ask.

"Nah, Royalty Card." Char sticks out her tongue.

"We're almost royals as well!" I start arguing as Nate starts pushing the sofas in the living room. Apparently we need quite a lot of space.

"Man up and follow my moves!" Nate demands before nodding at the rest of the family that remained seated.

George stares at his iPhone. Probably looking for an instrumental version of the song.

"One, two, three!" Char counts down. A second later the instrumental version starts filling the open living area.

"I'm doin' this tonight, You're probably gonna start a fight. I know this can't be right. Hey baby come on, I loved you endlessly, when you weren't there for me. So now it's time to leave and make it alone I know that I can't take no more. It ain't no lie." My wife starts singing.

"I wanna see you out that door. Baby, bye, bye, bye..." Rory chimes in with her sister.

"Bye Bye; Don't wanna be a fool for you; Just another player in your game for two;You may hate me but it ain't no lie, Baby, bye, bye, bye... Bye Bye." Char and George sing along.

I am shocked by the sound I'm hearing. How the hell are they so good?!

"Hey," Nate snaps his fingers in front of my eyes and I wince. "You have to concentrate here!"

"Sorry. Can we do that again?" I ask him.

Nate nods before snapping his fingers again. "We're starting at the top!"

Josephine

I decided to have a traditional pie at Goddards in Greenwich today. Goddards is a family run business that has been serving pie and mash since 1890. They are serving handmade pies which are baked throughout the day daily here. It's one of my favourite little gems in London. I was still a toddler when I first visited this restaurant. It's a cosy place. The air conditioned licensed restaurant can seat 125 people so they have plenty of space to enjoy a pie and mash. On the first floor you can take in the views of Greenwich. They have traditional wooden benches along with long tables and chairs. They also have highchairs for younger customers. The restaurant looks lovely with all the Christmas decorations. There are red and white baubles, stacks of greenery and classic Christmas tunes are filling my ears.

It's a place where I can go absolutely incognito. Caio, Johna and Maria have fallen in love with this place as well. Oliver and I took them here a few days ago. Today, Oliver's getting royal lessons by George and Nate. Char and Rory are busy with the children and royal duties. I was sick of my penthouse so I decided to go here.

I continue with my research for the Commonwealth Forum weekend as I wait for my pie to arrive. I've ordered a root vegetable pie. Fresh carrots, parsnips, swede, potatoes and onions with a touch of rosemary and thyme make this a wholesome treat. My fourth treat in two days to be exact. I know they say you're eating for two - or three in my case - but I never believed them. Until I got pregnant myself. Maybe I really am eating for three.

It feels that way sometimes.

"Your pie, Jo." David, one of the owners, brings me my pie. The people here use my nickname, because I've been visiting this place regularly since forever. They're lovely people.

I gift him a smile. "Thanks David."

"Enjoy. Is there anything else you want?"

I think for a moment. I've been craving strawberry jam like crazy for the last three hours. But that's not something they have here.

Suddenly, an idea plops in my head.

"Any chance your place can be rented for a private event?" I ask him. This would be perfect for the first Team Clarence Christmas party.

"Yeah, sure. What day where you thinking of?"

The Commonwealth Forum is on December the 17th until the 19th. So maybe our Christmas party should be on the 21st. "How about the 21st?"

"Sorry, we're booked for a birthday. But we're free on the 22nd."

"Then I'll take that."

"Great. Is there anything special you want us to make?"

"I'll get back on you for that. But I definitely want you to make those vegetable root pies."

David chuckles, "Alright. Just mail me the details."

I nod and watch him walking away. I am alone on the first floor. A view of Greenwich full of snow has been distracting me in the last half hour. I love London in winter.

My ringing iPhone rips me out of my thoughts. I look at the screen and see my brother-in-law's name. "Hi!" I greet him after picking up.

"Rothschild's doing an interview." Wladimir's heavy Russian accent fills my ears.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"A fucking tell-all interview!" He hisses.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. Shit! "When?"

"Channel 4. It has already been filmed and will air in four days. On Sunday at prime time."

Of course Edward Rothschild chose the biggest British channel. Knowing him, he also made sure that the interview gets published at prime time. It's like he bloody knew of the Commonwealth Trust Forum that Oliver and me are holding through Friday until Sunday. It's like he knew we were going to be at Balmoral Castle, far away from London. "You've got to be joking me!" I breathe out. "Do you have the footage?"

"No."

"Shit."

"Is there anything special he can talk about?"

"Besides how I embarrassed him in front of the world on our wedding day?"

"Could he use the letter? Publish it?"

"Fuck!" This is getting worse and worse.

"What was in it?"

"Something about how sorry I was and that we didn't meet in the right lifetime. Stuff like that." I try to remember what I wrote but this bloody pregnancy brain almost makes it impossible for me to remember anything!

"Did you mention Oliver?"

"No, I don't think so."

"You don't think so?!"

"Yes! Believe it or not but pregnancy brain is a real thing to bloody go through!" I hiss back at Wlad.

"Alright, where are you? We should discuss that in person."

He very well knows where I am. "Greenwich. I was just about to have my pie."

"Order one for me. With lamb. I'll be there in twenty minutes." He says before hanging up.

Edward Rothschild is a bloody nightmare! I hurt him but he's turned into a psychopath that just won't stop!

I stare at my schedule about the Commonwealth Forum weekend. It's a few days away. I am looking forward to it. All diplomats from each Commonwealth embassy is going to attend this forum, which will go from Friday to Sunday. 54 commonwealth nations at one place at the same time - that's never been done before. It's going to be held at Balmoral Castle. All guests will stay there. Oliver and I are staying at Craigowan Lodge. Craigowan Lodge is located on the Balmoral estate about one mile from the main house. More rustic than the castle, the seven bedroom stone house was frequently used by Prince Charles and Princess Diana when they would visit Balmoral during the summer months. But after they got divorced the estate remained empty until Rory and George's wedding. I was looking forward to spending the weekend there and get the minds together of all commonwealth nations.

But now I have to deal bloody Rothschild!

I dig into my pie with my fork, imagining it being Rothschild's heart.

Oliver

I get the perfectly grilled bell peppers and zucchini out of the oven just as the doors of the lift open. "Hi! I've made hummus, sourdough bread and roasted from veggies in the oven." I yell and turn around as I hear more than a pair of feet walking in. Behind my wife is Wladimir. "It's enough for you as well."

Wlad just nods in appreciation. Wladimir's the same age as Troy but just like our father-in-law, he looks nothing like someone in his mid fifties. He is build like a brick wall. Nothing can destroy him.

"We've got some bad news." Josephine announces.

"Bad news?" I ask as my alarm bells shrill in my ears.

"Rothschild has given an interview. It will be televised on Channel 4. In four bloody days!" Josephine hisses.

My mouth falls open, "What?"

"He's going to drag me through the mud like I did with him. And he will do the same with you, too. He will talk about how I left him at the altar, how I chose you over him and why you and me are the bad guys. This will ruin our reputation before we've even entered the royal family!"

"Is there anything we can do to stop that?" I ask Wlad.

"No. The trailer for the interview just aired." The Russian man says with a shrug. His silver eyes are filled with anger though.

"Is it bad?" I ask them.

Josephine gets her iPhone and hands it to me. "See it yourself."

"A Channel 4 exclusive interview with Edward Rothschild. The dynasty heir talked about the most painful day of his life." Edward appears in a perfectly fitted grey sweater. It was filmed in his living room. He's wearing a silver watch with a sapphire circle. I notice the ring immediately. Those are the sapphires from my wife's old wedding ring. I know it. She knows it.

But no one else does. The world thinks it's a pretty watch.

We know it's a trophy.

And a slap in our faces.

"Be careful who you trust, the devil was once an angel." Edward's posh British voice fills my ears. I hate it. I hate him. "Get ready to hear his side of the story. Only on Channel 4."

"We've got to stop this!" I breathe out.

"We can't get out hands on the footage." Wlad explains to me.

"Then turn to the royals. Ask the King to put his foot down." I suggest.

"We can't do that because we're not officially part of the royal family." My wife says.

"So, we're just suppose to sit back and watch that bloody interview air at prime time?!"

"Pretty much." Josephine shrugs.

"No, there's got to be something we can do about it." I insist. "Can't we... I don't know make sure the footage gets erased from their computers or something?"

Wlad shakes his head, "Not on such short notice."

"How about George? Can't he pull some royal strings?" I ask them.

"He's already standing on shaky ground with Rory. I can't ask them to do that for us."

"Why not? We're bloody going to Mauritius for them!" I almost yell at her. I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Sorry. I... I just can't believe we have to let that happen."

Wladimir licks his lips. "Maybe I've got an idea."

Josephine

Tonight's Dino Snores Night at The Natural History Museum. I bought tickets for Johna, Caio and Oliver after we saw Night at the Museum, Night at the Museum 2 and Night at the Museum 3 in the movie theatre downstairs. I've rarely used that feature of Landmark Place but seeing their faces were worth it. They've never been to the movie theatre so the whole experiences along with popcorn, nachos and soft drinks were worth it. I've never seen them smile more. Johna and Caio were fascinated by the movies so I thought it would be a good thing to do with their big brother. It's a Rodriguez night out in a way. Probably for the last time for a very long while.

However, I didn't expect to feel so lonely in my penthouse. I tried to distract myself from my loneliness by working a bit more and looking over the plans for the Commonwealth Trust Forum again.

I take another sip of my lavender tea as I flip the page of my book. I'm laying on the sofa in the open living area. The fire's out in the open fireplace and the snow has started again. Suddenly, my iPhone vibrates on the coffee table. I close the book and look at the screen. It's a link for an article sent from Wlad.

Revealed: The handwritten letter showing true tragedy of Josie and Edward Rothschild's breakup!

The Express can exclusively reveal Josie Bolton's handwritten letter to Edward Rothschild as she tried to heal the rift between them. It's the new climax in the epic love story between the couple that so dramatically failed when Josie left her ex-fiancé at the altar. While we didn't hear of the last conversation between the ex couple, we do now know why they failed - and why they were set to fail from the beginning. Josie's beautifully written letter in her calligraphic handwriting to Edward is full of metaphors, tragedies, allegories and hyperboles. In a way, some could say it's a lyrical masterpiece.

As if she knew it would be read by the public.

Dear Ed,

It is with the heaviest heart that I write this to you, knowing I did something unforgivable to you. My actions must have shattered your heart into a million pieces and for that I am deeply sorry. I saw the sadness in your eyes when you realised I wasn't going to marry you, that I wasn't going to be by your side 'til death do us apart, but I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think of anything that could take your pain away, explain my decision to hurt you and leave you, so I remained silent and let my actions speak. Slipping off the ring you gifted me in hope of a future together, was the hardest thing I ever had to do.

Nothing haunts us like the things we don't say, so I've chosen to put my words on to paper.

I blindsided you with my actions and words. I've said yes when I should've said no. You welcomed me into your loving family and I welcomed you into mine, but in the end our perfect fit was just that. It was too perfect. We were too similar and not different enough. I love you, but not enough to stay by your side 'til death do us apart.

Over the last few months, I have become someone I don't recognise anymore. Unnoticeably at first, I crumbled inside until nothing of me was left. My morosity in becoming a Rothschild got the best of me. I wasn't ready to be loved by you and I wasn't ready to give you my love. So, my mind distorted the reflection in the mirror. When I saw my reflection, I saw a woman that's perfected the Rothschild mask so much that she's lost the Bolton in her core.

They say hurting someone can be as easy as throwing a stone into the sea. But I didn't realise how deep the stone could go. I'm so sorry for not stitching up your wounds, for not being able to be who you wanted me to me. But I was busy bleeding too. I know I have shattered your heart into a million pieces and it's not something that can ever be forgiven. You are not someone that deserves to be loved with half a heart. I could be anything in the world but the moment the car stopped in front of the cathedral I realised I never could have been yours.

Because my heart is held in somewhere else's hands.

I've made a big mistake but saying I do would have been an even bigger mistake - one we'd end up regretting for the rest of our lives.

Our love was real but maybe, it was just not the right lifetime. I hope you find what you're looking for. I hope you find the kind of happiness that exists on your own terms. I hope you find the kind of love that makes you a softer person. I hope you find your soulmate, because it's clear that wasn't me.

Maybe, when we're ready, we'll meet again and you'll understand what I mean.

With love,

Josie

I have to read the article twice to really understand what's happening here. I forgot what I wrote but now that I've read it again, I remember why I wrote that letter. Because I was terribly sorry for the pain I caused him. But that was in a different lifetime. It was when I still felt like Josie - instead of Josephine. Instead of Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Clarence.

What the bloody hell did Rothschild do?! Has he completely lost his mind?! I have written that confidential letter as an apology! It was meant to stay private! It's bloody confidential!

I inhale deeply. He's just doing everything to make sure everyone will tune in for the interview. He wants as much publicity as possible. He wants everyone to see this interview. He wants fucking press coverage.

He wants to destroy me!

"Josephine?"

I look up from my iPhone as I hear my husband's voice calling me. A moment later he walks down the hallway and over to me. In his left hand he is holding a bag from the Natural History Museum. His yellow golden wedding ring is perfectly polished and shiny. "What are you doing here?"

"Johna found it too scary to sleep underneath a giant whale or dinosaur skeleton so we all went home before the kids all went to bed."

"But that's not the point of those tickets. The whole point of Dino Snores Night is to sleep in a museum. Just like in the movies! Johna loved the movies!"

"Yeah but I think he was afraid that all the statues, skeletons and other objects would come to life at midnight." Oliver explains to me with a shrug.

I bite on my lower lip. I haven't thought about it that way. "I'm sorry. I thought it would be a really cool experience for your brothers."

My husband sits down next to me and shrugs. "I'm glad we did the private tour. That alone took us nearly three hours. It was really cool to see all the objects there."

"Maybe we'll do Dino Snores for adults then."

My husband's eyes start sparkling, "Can we?"

I nod, "Of course. We might have to take Ralph with us but it's not impossible."

"That would be so awesome!" He says with a grin on his lips.

"But you guys had fun aside from that?"

"Oh yes, definitely!"

It sucks that the evening at the Natural History Museum didn't turn out the way it was suppose to but I am happy my husband is home with me. "What did you guys do? Tell me what happened."

"The evening started with a fascinating talk from some scientists on how animals survive the cold. Far from the dry lectures I remember from my school days, it was engaging and all of the kids were completely hooked. Then we were split into small groups and sent off into the dinosaur exhibit. We had a printed activity sheet with a challenge to unscramble some letters and discover which dinosaur is hidden in the clues. Now, this might sound a little like your usual school trip so far…but now imagine that it's pitch black. All you had to guide you was a tiny wind-up torch and two over-excited children tugging at your hands and hopping up and down with excitement - even Caio enjoyed it! The walls were ridged with fossils, and looming over us were enormous ghostly dinosaur skeletons of all kinds. And then when we rounded a corner in the dark, we sensed movement and heard a roar, we shone our tiny torch to see a full-size animatronic Tyrannosaurus Rex glaring down at us, mouth gaping!"

I grin. I imagine that's when Johna lost it. "Johna didn't wet his pants?"

"He almost did. But it was so cool! And than later that night, we got to learn how paleontologists use skeletons and partial skeletons to deduce what dinosaurs would have looked like, how they moved and what they ate. The scientist who ran the workshop made it sound easy. Using our new knowledge, we drew our own dinosaurs from unfinished skeletons, adding in the bones we can safely assume were missing, muscles and ligaments to tie everything together, making space for a big stomach, and finally adding and colouring in the skin." Oliver says before picking up his gift bag and pulling out a shirt. It's a white shirt with two skeletons of whales. "I chose a bigger size for you so you can wear it a little longer."

"You made that for me?" I ask him with tears in my eyes.

"Yes of course. I'm not a very talented painter but these two whales are suppose to be our twins." He explains to me with a soft smile while pointing at the two whales. "I thought you could wear it to sleep when your clothes don't fit you any more."

"That's so sweet!" I say before kissing him. "Thank you so much."

He runs his fingers through my hair, gifting me that look of love.

"I don't know what went wrong. It sounded like you guys had such a good time."

"We did. Until it was time to roll out our sleep bags." Oliver tells me. "Hanging from the ceiling above our cosy sleeping bags was a spectacular blue whale skeleton over 25 metres long - that's about three times as long as a London bus. The whale's name is Hope and was unveiled by the Princess of Wales. When Johna wanted to shout he had met her and that she was at his big brother's wedding, I had to stop him. I told him we would see her again on Christmas Eve and Johna said he wanted to quiz her on that whale. While Hope isn't a dinosaur, it was enough to make Johna wonder about what would happen when midnight strikes. I guess all the movies got to his head."

"Aw, I'm so sorry. It sounds so cool. I bet Caio wanted to say."

"He's still mad at Johna about it."

"We can take Caio with us when we do Dino Snores." I promise him.

"We each got gifted a soft toy out of pity." Oliver reaches into his gift bag again and pulls out the soft toys. "Johna didn't want his so he gave it to me." It's a green Triceratops travel cushion and a white and grey Triceratops cushion.

I chuckle, "Perhaps next time you guys can sleep over in the backyard of Chestnut House."

My husband shows me a smile that I only see when he thinks of our unborn double luck. "I can't wait for sleepovers under the stars with our twins."

"Those will be happening without me. I don't do well with a tent and a sleeping bag." I admit. I love the nature but not enough to sleep in a sleeping bag on the floor. I prefer a cosy bed in a cosy house.

"Really? But you loved being in nature when we were in Finland."

"We slept in an igloo there. Sleeping in a sleep bag is not my thing."

"And if we use an air mattress?"

He really wants to do that with me. I lick my lips. "Maybe then I'm going to give it another try."

"How was your night?"

"Sadly, not as eventful as yours. I reviewed our plans for the forum and then had a long bath before snuggling up on the sofa with a good book."

Oliver's green eyes look at the book, "I hope Lucinda Riley sweetened the pill of me being gone." Then his eyes move over to my iPhone. The press article is still open. "What's that?"

I sigh, "Wlad just sent me this. Rothschild published the apology letter I wrote him."

"He did what?!"

"He just wants to create as much fuzz as possible before the interview airs. It will die down."

"This is a privacy breach! You wrote that letter for him, not for the whole fucking world!" Oliver hisses. "How dare he release such intimate information!"

"It's not worth getting angry about." I tell him. "Wlad's plan will work."

"And what if it won't? What then?"

I don't know. "We'll figure it out."

My husband sighs before switching the iPhone off. I'm surprised he doesn't want to read the letter.

He is probably the only one who hasn't read the letter by the morning.

Josie's letter decoded! Everything you need to know about the dynamic of her relationship to Edward Rothschild and WHY IT FAILED!

Josie Bolton leaving Edward at the altar shocked the world. The sister of The Duchess of Oxford has written a five page long letter, explaining her decision, hoping to smooth the pain. The bombshell letter comes just days before Edward is holding his first ever interview, in which he's ready to talk about the biggest heartache he ever felt.

But people who read the letter, can't help but wonder about the writing style, in particular the wording. Josie's words have been carefully chosen yet the letter reads like a poem. Her curly, almost calligraphic styled letter is full of drama and signal words. It's full of metaphors, tragedies, allegories and hyperboles. In a way, some would say it's a lyrical masterpiece. Her writing is extremely elegant and distinctive. Over five pages, the sister of The Duchess of Oxford and The Duke of Windsor pours out her heart and puts on an act that no one has ever seen.

And we're here to decode it for you with our handwriting experts.

Josie started the letter with the following: "Dear Ed," Addressing her ex this way shows the connection they had. However, Ed is a very common nickname so their connection must've been not that close.

"It is with the heaviest heart that I write this to you, knowing I did something unforgivable to you." Yes, Josie you did rip his heart out and poured acid on it, right in front of the world's eyes. Using the words 'heaviest heart' and 'I did something unforgivable to you' reveals she is a 'narcissistic showman whose self-control is wavering', say handwriting experts. Josie shows a highly stylised and slow handwriting. She is ultra cautious, is well aware that the world has their eyes on her and that is just how she likes it. This is not a spontaneous or intellectually creative woman but a consummate performer and strategist. There is a strong right slant and her letters have often been retraced. There is enormous emotion as well as energy but she is both self aware and self orientated.

The letter continues with the following: "I saw the sadness in your eyes when you realised I wasn't going to marry you, that I wasn't going to be by your side 'til death do us apart, but I didn't know what to say. I couldn't think of anything that could take your pain away, explain my decision to hurt you and leave you, so I remained silent and let my actions speak. Slipping off the ring you gifted me in hope of a future together, was the hardest thing I ever had to do." She seems to be okay to put her feelings into words right now. Using the wedding phrase ''this death do us apart' is cynically chosen. She's rubbing salt into Edward's wounds on purpose. By reminding him of the worst day of his life and the future together they will never have. However she suffers from slight anxiety and in this instance her usual regularity and over control of pen strokes does show some wavering and a slight uneven baseline - she is showing some wavering of self control. But not much!

"Over the last few months, I have become someone I don't recognise anymore. My morosity in becoming a Rothschild got the best of me. I wasn't ready to be loved by you and I wasn't ready to give you my love. So, my mind distorted the reflection in the mirror. When I saw my reflection, I saw a woman that's perfected the Rothschild mask so much that she's lost the Bolton in her core." She says she wasn't ready to love him but she was ready to accept his proposal - and the millions of pounds worth engagement ring. Also, creating the idea that she lost herself in the wedding planning process just shows how manipulative Josie Bolton is!

"They say hurting someone can be as easy as throwing a stone into the sea. But I didn't realise how deep the stone could go. I'm so sorry for not stitching up your wounds, for not being able to be who you wanted me to me. But I was busy bleeding too. I know I have shattered your heart into a million pieces and it's not something that can ever be forgiven. You are not someone that deserves to be loved with half a heart. I could be anything in the world but the moment the car stopped in front of the cathedral I realised I never could have been yours. Because my heart is held in somewhere else's hands." Is Josie Bolton really implying her pain was worse than Edward's, so it was okay to be quiet for ten months and come back into the scene with a brand new, still unnamed, husband?! In what delusional world is she living it?! The last sentence is particularly telling. Clearly, she was still in love with someone else - let's assume for his sake it's her now husband. But if she was in love with him, then why did she let her relationship with Edward go that far?

"I've made a big mistake but saying I do would have been an even bigger mistake - one we'd end up regretting for the rest of our lives. Our love was real but maybe, it was just not the right lifetime. I hope you find what you're looking for. I hope you find the kind of happiness that exists on your own terms. I hope you find the kind of love that makes you a softer person. I hope you find your soulmate, because it's clear that wasn't me. Maybe, when we're ready, we'll meet again and you'll understand what I mean." No Josie, we will never understand how you ditched the most handsome and good hearted man in the world.

You had it all - and you threw it away just to make bigger headlines. You stole the show on your best friend's wedding - the royal wedding of the spare nonetheless - and you make sure to be the one taking the official photographs of the new princesses - and be credited on the Instagram post.

She ended the letter with the words "With love, Josie". It should've been Without love, Josie.

Our expert continued to analyse other stylistic features of the letter that could give an eye into Josie's mind. The pressure of the pen is strong - she is physically and sensually as well as materially motivated. The somewhat incongruous and visually dominating leftward upper zone flourishes appear to be tacked on - this is the 21st Century female equivalent of the Dandy, the fop or indeed the showman - and yes the narcissist. There are circles within circles in the smaller letters which show her secrecy and unwillingness to reveal her true inner thoughts. She is stubborn and unlikely to waiver in her thoughts but she is ambitious, very hard working and driven. Her emotional barometer (seen in the handwriting slant) is set to the right, which means that emotional responsiveness is high - Josie wants to be friendly and apologetic, she wants to communicate and express herself. Also, the spacing of the words is tellingly quite wide and irregular, which also tells us that she gave great thought and consideration to the content of what she's saying, to the extent that it was naturally causing her to feel quite a bit of anxiety.

This matter is clearly affecting Josie deeply.

She has strong left tendencies (where her endstrokes sweep up and backwards), which reveal how much she reflects about things that have happened to her in the past, and how it's impossible for her to forget people who have meant so much to her in her life. She is seeking for forgiveness.

And the elaborate strokes or embellishments that sweep across the tops of words look like little protective umbrellas, giving further credence to her deep feelings on the matter. She's like an oyster that doesn't open to everyone.

They also reveal her vulnerability - the chink in her armour. Surely this is enough proof how much Josie cared for Edward? Yes she did something horrible to him, but she also loved him and cares for him.

Josie's handwriting is very stylised, revealing her perfectionist streak and desire to hide her true feelings under wraps. However, there are other clues. The whole piece of writing has clockwork regularity, and the rhythm is stilted and contrived, which shows how much self-discipline Josie exerts to keep her emotions and actions under control, so she doesn't do or say the wrong thing. There are also many starting and covering strokes at the beginning of words - in the vertical axis (seen in the thickness of letters) - which also tells us how much thought she has given to writing this letter, and how hard she was trying to say the right thing and beg for forgiveness. These almost invisible accoutrements reveal how something that has happened in the past has been the source of decision to not wed Edward. Clearly, Josephine was torn between to men. But she only realised it on her wedding day.

You can't even make this stuff up!

All in all, Josie's letter is serious Hollywood material. You can just imagine how she was sitting at her desk with a pen in her hand, balding her eyes out as she poured her heart into the words that dropped on the pages like the tears from her eyes.

Yeah, sorry no. We don't believe a word this narcissist wrote.

Josephine

I watch how the last high commission team of the last commonwealth nation arrives in the spectacular ball room of Balmoral Castle. The Ballroom is probably most famously known as the setting for the annual Ghillie Ball, Queen Victoria started the tradition in 1852 when she wanted to thank her servants and other members of her staff for their good service. The ball is a much anticipated event for everyone at Balmoral because of opportunity for the servants to socialise and even dance with the King and her family. It happens twice a year in the summer. One Ghillie Ball for the servants and another one for the whole royal family as they all come together once a year. But today it's the showroom of another kind of event. 54 different nations are represented here. It's a pot filled with different ethnicities, cultures and beliefs. With the newest addition being the Maldives. I still can't believe we managed to put this forum together within a few weeks. Every nation came! I guess that's a taste of the kind of power I'm going to have now that I'm a Royal. We've come together for the first forum of the Commonwealth Trust to discuss the issues they're facing and to come up with a solution. 2.4 billion people live in the 54 commonwealth countries and the issues they're faced with on a daily basis seem just as diverse when really they're very much the same. They're sitting at a huge mahogany round table in the ball room of Balmoral Castle. The massive fireplace has flames dancing it in, to keep us warm on this cold and snowy December Friday. We've also invited the Royal Rota to cover this weekend as we've joined the royal family. The journalists and cameras are seated at the wall so they won't interrupt us a lot. They will document the first Commonwealth Trust Forum. It's not been officially announced yet but the news coverage still needs to happen - just after January the first. That's part of the deal.

It's part of our new roles. Our new lives.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first Commonwealth Trust Forum." I greet them with a smile on my lip. Oliver and me put on our royal fashion game. While he is in navy slacks, black polished shoes and a grey cashmere sweater, I am wearing a black cashmere dress by Club Monaco with beige LK Bennett heels. We both look polished to perfection. "I know the last weeks have been quite a whirlwind so before we start making plans and negotiating on where financial support might be needed the most, there's one thing my husband and I really want to know."

"How can we help?" Oliver takes over. "We've taken on the roles of president and vice-president to support the Commonwealth Trust as much as possible. We don't know how the last president and vice president handled this-"

"They didn't! All they did was hold the title but they didn't once asked us to come together like this!" A man from India says, causing everyone to agree with a nod and a loud yes.

"They preached about helping but they didn't do much!" A woman from Australia says to us.

"Well, we're here to change that." Oliver tells them with a smile. "We're not going to dictate you what to do. We want to work with you on a global solution for the issues but first we want you to help us understand these issues."

"Our plan for this weekend is to write down the issues of each commonwealth country, look at similarities and come up with a solution that helps across the borders. Without the question of financing this at first. I want to know what you need, not how much it will cost. The finances is our department." I ensure them with a smile on my lips. Our budget is pretty big and if it's not enough Oliver and me are going to finance the rest privately. "Each of you have a folder laying in front of you with a register and blank pages. I suggest we start working."

"Josephine and I have created templates with the most important issues from our point of view. We want to use this network, platform and resources to build and shape together with people from across the Commonwealth, to support people in realising their dreams and hopes for the future. We want to strengthen the work that has already been achieved and establish new projects but to do so we must all work together and form an united front to tackle these issues."

"We've divided the subjects we want to focus on during this weekend into education, health, environment and sports." I explain, "I suggest we start with the Pacific and move our way from continent to continent."

As Oliver and I sit down, I try to keep my mind far away on all the rumours, the headlines and the letter that Rothschild has asked to be published ahead of his interview that will air in two days. He really wants to make sure everything on this planet will tune in.

But I have better things to do. I have a job to do.

I have a Commonwealth Trust Forum to hold.

---

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this chapter. I hope you truly enjoyed it!

Surprise! Jo and Oliver are getting two instead of one baby! Do you think they'll have two girls/boys or one of each?

Is Oliver really going to sing on the Christmas concert?

What do you think of Jo's letter to Edward?

Please review to share your thoughts of this chapter.

I hope you stay healthy and are safe wherever you are in the world.

In gratitude,

Nicole