Eleanor's POV
“Will you get out of here?”
“Get out of here!” I shouted at Carl. “Go meet your nanny, why will she let you come out here?” I shouted at my soul. I'd never done this to him before but I couldn't contain my anger. Because of him, I might get into a scandal.
Tears clouded in Carl’s eyes and he ran off me. I turned back to the eight guys right in front of me, my eyes darkened as I looked at them. I didn't want to answer their questions, anger mixed up with frustration right in my chest. I turned around in rage, hoping to go meet the contest committee and demand that they resolve the eight finalists. I wouldn't be needing them again, I just didn't think this was the best option in finding a marriage partner any longer.
I chose to take the shorter way which was along the dark staircase. On top of it was a hallway. I rarely use this way because of how dark it looks. Even when I knew there was no one that would hide here to attack me, yet I didn't find it comfortable being afraid of the dark. The rays of the sun didn't reach here really well because of the structural design here.
As usual, I expected this place to be dark and gloomy with no single iota of sound. When I heard some low whisperings as I approached, I slowed down the pace at which I was walking.
“This is unusual!” I whispered to myself, stopping to think if my ears were just deceiving me. “Perhaps, it's done imagination!” I tried convincing myself. I began to walk again but this time careful not to let my heels click on the concrete floor, I controlled my footsteps. I was as well trying to confirm if the sound coming from under the stairs, usually dark, was real or the work of my mind.
“I've really succeeded in my plot. Can't you see such a great success which I have achieved?” The voice came up clearer and it was Adela’s voice. I shrieked in shock. She chuckled and it seems she must be speaking to someone over the phone. For a second, she didn't say a word and I guessed the person she was talking to was saying something from the other end.
“Yes, my two candidates have made it to the finalists. They are among the eight she's going to choose from.” She laughed out so loud, happiness wouldn't let her control herself. Right here, I stiffened, pulling over to lean by the wall. My eyes poked out so wide and my lips pulled wide apart, remaining this way. I wasn't drifting to a lost world with thoughts, for a few seconds, I lost my consciousness due to shock.
She's talking about me!
My heart sank, knowing the kind of person my adopted sister is. She wanted to see me down, sad and unhappy, if she could do it, she would get me exiled so she gets everything to herself. She hasn't stopped blackmailing me before my parents and others living here in the palace. One special luck I have each time she does this is that she's always discovered to be lying and this hurts her so much. Of all she has been doing, this is the height of it all.
I remembered that I wasn't done listening to all she had to say, I pulled my attention and focused back to hearing what's gonna say next. When my breath finally came back to me, I tried to take it slowly to avoid announcing that I'm here. are very sensitive to sounds, as well as other things. We could mask our scent at any time, the reason why she couldn't use this to detect me.
“Constantine among them is a vampire and Viktor is a mafia king. These are two baddest brutal killers, with the sneakiest escapades. My billion dollars wouldn't be in vain.”
“Huh?” I gasped, suddenly covering my mouth to prevent making a louder sound.
“Don't tell me she gave these guys a billion dollars to kill me?” I doubted this myself, gradually bringing myself to believe how my sister would do this to me. The billion dollars, even though we are royals and quite rich, is enough for her to do a whole lot of things with it, even taking it into charity. I just wished I'd recorded this, I would show it to my dad. I pull out my phone to record the remaining statements she would make.
“Oh, yeah!” She sounded like responding to something the person from the other end was telling her.
“Alright bye! I'll chat you up in case there's no chance to speak confidentially with you.” She said to my greatest shock, her footsteps were now heard.
She's climbing up!
I didn't want her to see me nor to know I was listening to her. I thought of what to do in a swift second, I slid my phone into my purse, bending quickly and taking my shoes off, then I took to my heels, running towards the initial direction I wanted to go. There was no one here and no one saw me running, one thing I became glad about. I didn't know where she was heading to but even if she was heading this way, before she even climbed on the hallway, I'd reached the bend. In the next few steps, I might be coming across anyone, so I dropped my shoes back to the ground, placing my feet on them. I wasn't running any longer, I just decided to quicken my pace.
I will certainly ask the contest committee to resolve the harem! I vowed. I didn't raise my face to check on anyone who was passing by. My heart was at its peak of anger, I didn't even reply to those greeting me. They must have seen that there's no iota of joy on my face and should pass by. Well, they were just fulfilling their civic responsibilities by greeting any royalty they passed by. I couldn't blame them much.