𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘦𝘯 𝘍𝘳𝘶𝘪𝘵 : 𝘈 𝘙𝘦𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘺 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦

Chapter 13 : The Hard Truth

Soon enough, Theodore Bancroft started realising the harsh reality of living by himself.

They took refugee in Ophelia's late grandmother's modest little house, which only had rats living inside it.  Even after managing to make it suitable for living, Theodore found the modest arrangements quite hard to cope with.

He had been used to luxury and getting catered to for everything throughout his life, and not even for a single moment he had to do hardwork on his own.

The place provided the privacy and security they needed from prying eyes, but in matter of comfort, it became incredibly difficult for Theodore to live in. On the contrary, having been grown up in modest circumstances, Ophelia found the lifestyle easy enough.

Theodore was patient in the beginning, tending to Ophelia, learning to do housework, helping her in everything, but slowly he grew tired and started longing for the life he has in Mayfair. He did not show or express emotions, of course, and tried his best to hide his true feelings,but he could not keep them suppressed for long.

On a particularly rainy night, after trying to find dry logs everywhere and failing, Theodore grunted in frustration.

"Can't light up the fireplace now." He murmured to himself, closing his eyes and resting his back on the wall.

Ophelia was asleep, unaware of the earl's growing frustration about their current lifestyle. She woke up at the sound of rain patterning loudly against the window and found Theodore sitting with his arms around knees. He seemed deep in thought.

"...Theodore?" Ophelia asked softly, slowly approaching him.

-"I could not find any dry log outside. No fire for tonight, I suppose. " Theodore said as Ophelia sat down beside him.

-"That is not a problem, do not worry my dear." Ophelia smiled and got closer to him but Theodore suddenly had an outburst.

-"Well, perhaps to you ,it is not a problem Ophelia, but not to me. I find these situations growingly frustrating." He said, his voice getting increasingly loud.

-"But it was your plan, my love, to live a private life far away from Mayfair. Surely you did not expect to live luxuriously miles away from your estate?" Ophelia was shocked, she had never seen Theodore so frustrated before.

-"Indeed, it was. I suppose I did not think this through." He let out a long sigh.

-"Do you regret it?" Ophelia asked quietly, after a long pause.

-"No! No, Ophelia, certainly not, I just- I mean, I only -" Theodore tried to speak but got interrupted by an angry Ophelia. He was stunned too, to see Ophelia so furious for the first time.

-"No, I understand. I understand Theodore. The truth is, you have always been a forbidden fruit for me, they taste the best but there is a reason they're forbidden. I should have understood, nobility and common class could never go together." Ophelia stood up suddenly,  hurt and enraged all at once.

-"Ophelia, wait I-" Theodore tried to explain but got interrupted once again.

-"I wish to be alone." And Ophelia went inside, shutting the doors behind her loudly.

The rain pattered against the window, the sole witness to the increasing rift of the once perfectly happy couple.

***************
On the day before the wedding, Emilia's special etiquette tutor paid a visit to ensure Emilia was perfectly trained to be a part of the royal family.

"Your posture is not correct, Miss Chbosky, you must try harder!" The tutor said as Emilia attempted to correct her posture for the fifth time.

-"I can't do this. Mama, I just....can not." Emilia broke down, not being able to take the tremendous pressure anymore.

-"But darling, you have always wanted to be the prince's bride-"  Mrs. Chbosky was confused to see her daughter so unhappy and bothered.

-"Indeed! I suppose I was so enamoured with the idea of being the prince's bride, I never thought of the huge responsibility I'd have to undertake as the princess of Bamburgh, or my duties as a royal!" saying that, Emilia stormed out to rest in her room, breaking down once again.

The harsh reality was hitting them all. Hard.