Chapter 156 I Used To Be Adler's Princess
So, she drew in one big breath and thought to herself, \'Let\'s have it.\' "Are you going to talk about your recent attitude towards my husband brother, or do I have to tickle it out of you?"
Adler gave her an angry gaze, one that worried her and caused her heart to drop. She had only seen this angry side of him towards her when she had just taken possession of Scarlet\'s body. It made her uncomfortable, being stared at with this deep anger. Unconsciously, without realizing what she was doing, Scarlet rubbed her hand across her chest, over her heart, then she looked down at her hand and stopped.
"Not now," he replied.
"I can\'t take the anxiety brother, I am unwilling to wait until later to find out what exactly is wrong. Did Esong offend you? Or was it me? Have I done something that caused your ire?"
"It\'s not urgent." He insisted, "It can wait."
"No." Scarlet held her ground. "You are clenching your jaws and fists, at this rate you are going to fight someone and that someone is probably going to be my husband. Before anyone does or says something that cannot be taken back or undone, please talk to me."
Adler unclenched his fists and he said to her, "Fine, let\'s talk." He invited her into her car which had been following them slowly. "Tell your guard to give us some privacy."
"Tion, ten steps please." Scarlet told him. And after he got out of the car and stepped precisely ten steps away, Adler exposed his phone to Scarlet, asking her to read the contents.
She looked at him, now equally as angry as he was. "Where did you get this from?" She was looking at her private emails and personal conversations including the contract between her and Esong.
"I have always had access to your emails since we moved here. It was done for your own protection." He answered her, looking none too guilty.
With rage, Scarlet pushed his chest lightly and yelled at him, "It\'s an invasion of my privacy. Do you even know how betrayed I feel knowing that my brother has been reading my private emails and accessing my messages? I have never poked my nose into your personal business because its per-so-nal." She emphasized that word. "I am changing all my passwords right now."
"Is that what is important to you right now?" He grabbed her hand and asked.
"Yes." She replied with anger in her voice. "I can understand you monitoring me when I was still crazy after all I was still trying to get into contact with the royal family..."
"It was not just contacting them, you insulted and threatened them in many of your emails which never reached them by the way because I made sure of that. Our father asked me to keep an eye on your communications and it was a good thing otherwise you would have gotten our entire family killed. But that\'s not what\'s important right now, I want to know why you entered into this kind of contract with a man that is supposed to be your husband. I have been doing my best to stay out of it, ignore it and look the other way but every time I see him holding and smiling at you in public. Acting like a great husband, I am enraged because I know its all lies. He is using you, punishing you for the past." He shook his head and looked down, "I can\'t stand it sister, I want to protect you but I know that I can\'t beat him in a physical fight and even if I could he is royalty. I cannot touch him so all I do is glare and snap at him when possible. I feel so useless..." he sounded defeated. "You should end it, before he breaks your heart."
Scarlet had once though that Adler exhibited all the traits of a sis con, he loved her too much that at times, he forgot boundaries by poking his nose into all of her personal business. He was extremely protective of her, treating her more like a father does a daughter than a brother treats a sister. She knew that Fey and Precious were keeping him apprised of some her affairs and she looked the other way but maybe she needed to draw a line, however small or weak it was, it was necessary.
"Do you remember what you all told me to do when he was coming here?" Scarlet could not stand to see him breaking down like this still. "Everyone told me to suck it up, smile and be extremely nice and welcoming to him. Basically, I was to say yes to everything he wanted while doing my best not to anger him."
Adler gripped her hands tightly and shook his head, "Not this Scarlet, not this way. This is not what we meant, I will not allow him to use you like one of those..." he broke off and punched the car seat.
"That contract is not me being used, its me taking control of a bad situation. It\'s my way of apologizing to him, righting my wrongs and ensuring that my son, I and our family is safe, together and stable. With Esong by my side his mother will not be able to take Justin, with his support the royal family is now on good terms with us. With him by my side this planet is ours and all those who would seek to take it from us are terrified. I proposed the contract brother, not him." She admitted that last part because she did ask him to sleep with her first.
"What kind of crazy talk.." Adler looked at her with disbelief on his face.
"I am not your princess anymore." She blurted out. Then she placed her hand in Adler\'s and repeated her words, "I am not your little princess anymore, the one you promised to protect all your life. That is what I used to be when we were young but no more, I am Esong\'s wife now. We have grown up brother, you cannot always be my hero with your mighty sword simply waiting to slay all my dragons. There are things in my life that I have to handle on my own without running to hide under your wings for protection. When you get married someday you will understand that the relationship between a husband and wife can be complicated. The smiles you have seen Esong give me are genuine, he holds my hand whether we are in public or private. He does not force intimacy on me and he dedicates his time to training me even though he does not need to. There was a space between us which was filled with hatred, rage and suspicion, we have filled that space with friendship and companionship. I do not need to hear a confession of love from that man today, what we have right now is good enough for the start. What I need from Esong the most right now is to know that he will have my back for the next two hundred seventy two years of my life."
Adler was still hesitant, shaking his head in refusal to buy what she was saying.
"I have made my peace with it brother, if you love me, do the same. We have bigger problems right now like the loss of food in the fire. I need to know how much we have lost and how it will affect us. There are a few men who failed to pass the RGB test but they can be recruited as fire fighters. I need to you to gather them right now and we can move forward from there."
"We are not done talking about this."
"Yes we are." she grabbed his arm, "Get the men and come to the castle grounds."