Chapter 141 - Lifting A Finger (1/2)

”Jeez, Mom. I can wipe myself clean.” Maxen pulled his face away from Queen Isla but his mother was not someone who won't get what she wanted.

”Everyone, hold Maxen down. I need to clean his face.”

”Seriously?” Maxen's eyes bulged out of its sockets, finding his mother's early morning nagging incredulous. Bending to her will, and to her height, he let her wipe off the lipstick stain on his face, and could not help but smile as he listened to Queen Isla hum whilst her eyes were trained on his face.

When she was satisfied with her handiwork, she gave him a double pat on the shoulders. ”Jack,” she called forth. ”Maxen and I will talk in the tea room.”

”As you wish, Your Majesty.” Jack gave a curt nod, gesturing to the tea room's way. His mind was in a trainwreck, cooking up a back-up plan in his thoughts just in case the king decided to give Notios Estate a visit too.

Inside the tea room, Maxen lazily sat in one of the seats, still in his striped pajama. He raised a single brow on his mother as he regarded her queenly presence.

Ever the early bird, Queen Isla wakes up at four in the morning every day—an hour earlier than Maxen and the king. So when she heard the news of the royal physician visiting Notios Estate in the wee hours of the morning, it sent red flags to her mind.

On a typical day, it would take her three hours to get prepped for a trip outside the palace, but not that morning. She randomly picked her outfit, forgoing bath, while her make-up was done in the car ride to Maxen's official residence.

”You almost gave your mother a heart attack,” Queen Isla huffed, placing her teacup down on the saucer.

”Yep. I can see that. Your shoes aren't matched.”

”What are you talking about, silly child?” She glanced at her feet and chuckled. ”Oh goodness gracious. It is not a match! See what you're doing to your mother?”

”Whaaaaat have I done this time?”

”You… check-ups should be done in the morning, Maxen. It won't look good if the prince suddenly asks for a team of medical staff in the middle of the night. People might misread it, and who knows how much it would affect the economy.”

Maxen cleared his throat, straightening up in his seat. To say that he was uncomfortable receiving a morning lecture was an understatement because, at that rare moment, he wished it was the king in front of him and not his mom.

How could he talk back to the person who repeatedly reminded him of the pain that she endured for eighteen hours during her labor and his delivery? Little did Maxen know, Queen Isla was in the twilight zone the entire time after receiving an epidural.

”First of all, it's not for me. It's for Olivia.”

”What? Is she pregnant?” Queen Isla's hand flew to her agape mouth. Uncertain what to feel over the news although she knew she was getting ahead of herself.

”What? No. She's not. Mom, what are you saying? We're not even married yet.”

”Well, then why are you cohabitating if you're not? It sends the wrong message to other people. And it's not your name that would be maligned but hers. Did you even think about that?”

Exhaling through his nose, Maxen closed his eyes for a brief second, calming himself. He then traced his sight to his mother who haughtily raised a brow on him when their eyes met. ”People should mind their own business,” was his only comeback.

”People won't mind their business because you're a public property, Maxen. We all are. So I suggest…” Queen Isla shimmied in her seat and cleared her throat. ”I don't want to sound like your dad, but I suggest that if you want to keep on staying under one roof, then do it elsewhere and not in your private residence just to keep the sanctity of the place.

”You know the history that's attached in Notios Estate. It's the first thing you learn, before the alphabet and counting, so you have to keep in mind that if you disrespect the house, you disrespect the name that came with it.”

Running his hands down his face, he let out a heavy sigh, hating the suffocating feeling of being controlled by the weight of the crown. ”We're only here for the animals and intend on going back to her penthouse in a week. Okay? Can you relax now?”

Queen Isla tipped her head to the side. ”Animals? What animals?”

”She borrowed rescued animals from the conservation society.”