Tellers of Lies [UNEDITED]

Chapter 4

Calix

Isha Sen is everything that I do not want in my potential future partner.

I have been furious at the woman because of the burden and disappointment I have had to go through this past one week. And I am not sure the irritation at her will die down any time soon. When Father told me about his fake-dating brilliant plan, I wanted to jump off a cliff. Literally speaking. But who am I cross the mighty ruler, right? After all, I need to maintain a poised and graceful image for the sake of my brother, the Crown Prince. Just the way I have since I was thirteen.

It is pathetic. But it is after all my bitter reality.

I am not a person who is very fond of attending social events. For the sake of being a prince, I have to attend them anyway. As father says, to recognize my duties and responsibilities. And I am definitely not a party-going or club person. That is Carlos, who sneaks out of Nirvana once in a while to attend clubs and party hard. He should be thankful and nicer, since I have never snitched on him. Pity spoke to me, and I understood that not all Crown Princes can stay cooped up in suits and attend meetings, while also training rigorously for the future throne, that is to be his. I understand due to having been the past Crown Prince.

I was leading my life perfectly. Quietly. In my own world and preparing to become Carlos's right-hand Royal Minister when, Isha Sen came into my life like a tumultuous whirlwind.

Father was right. Too much kindness is harmful at times. I simply wanted to comfort a heavily intoxicated lady, who seemed to have mistaken me for her past lover. Who would have thought that she would go to the extent of kissing me?

It wasn't a bad kiss. A voice speaks inside my head and I have to immediately shut it off at the ridiculous thought.

"Listen, uh..." Isha trails off while I guide her through the long corridors, after our meeting. "I never got the chance, but I am sorry, Your Royal Highness."

I send a curt nod. Isha's lips are put up in a straight line at my lack of response, but she doesn't prod further.

She stumbles again on nothing and grasps my arm to steady herself. A sigh of infuriation leaves my mouth at the clumsy woman. She isn't even wearing heels, yet she doesn't fail to lose her balance. This will be twice, including when she had made an awkward mess out of herself, in front of the King.

No etiquettes. Absolutely no manners. Just so not very my type. Yet, I have to tolerate this clumsy, insufferable woman, who wears shirts that mock Politics, on meetings with the King and goes around drinking when she clearly has a low alcohol tolerance. Even her hair is tied up in a messy bun.

Not that it makes her look less beautiful.

I suck in a tight breath, drawing a curious glance from the lady beside me. My mind has been a mess from stress and nothing else and I blame all of it on Isha Sen. So much so for trying to comfort a drunken woman, who possesses absolutely no sense of responsibility.

"Are you alright, Your Royal Highness?" Isha asks with a concerned gaze. Well, I think it is rather a gaze full of pity. Other than pity, none has shown me concern ever, so why would an outsider bother is out of my understanding.

"None of your business, Miss Sen," I answer in my monotonous voice, although it may have sounded quite rude.

"Rude." And as expected, she murmurs under her breath, but it is clearly audible.

"You might as well be showering me with profanities and I would still hear it, judging from your incredible sense of producing murmurs."

I stifle a chuckle when Miss Sen's face visibly grows with fury and shock. She did not expect such a straightforward, sarcastic response from me, it seems.