Once upon a Princess (Atypical Series #1)||✔️

21. Let Bygones be Bygones

ALEXA

"I have to attend a meeting with the King of Yurin in five minutes. What do you want?"

I spun around in the ergonomic chair like a crazed little girl and intentionally ignored his question .

After a few minutes of spinning, he snapped and I was grateful for it because I was beginning to get dizzy but I wanted to have the upper hand.

"Can you stop acting like a five year old? What do you want Alexandria?"

I halted by slapping my hands unto the table and the sound made my father flinch.

I internally snickered at that.

" Just came to say hey."

His eyes were still trained on the paperwork before him but his brows rose in question.

"You know... considering I've been back for nearly a week and I haven't seen you since. This is actually the first time I've seen you in over a month."

He rose his head briefly and gave me a forced smile, "Nice to see you Alexandria."

I gritted my teeth and tried my best to keep my cool.
I pasted a grin unto my face that I knew would provoke him.

"So! How are you?"

He gestured to his pile of papers on his desk.
"Lots of meetings and negotiations."

"Ah. Yes I see, but how are you?"

"I just answered-"

I let out a frustrated sigh and he finally lifted his gaze from the papers to survey me.

"Father... did you even miss me at all? Are you even glad that I'm back?"

He blinked.

"Of course I'm elated that you're back."

My provoking smile slid off my face as a gasp escaped my lips.

I was convinced that when I returned to the palace, it was through a different dimension.

First Graham and now Father.

"I-"

He cut me off when he continued to speak, "You being gone caused too many negative publicity. Plus there was a decrease in guards and all that money that Isabelle was demanding we use for the ransom. It grew higher and higher each week."

He shuddered as his dark eyes narrowed at the desk before him.

My stomach sank.
Any hope of my father possibly being... fatherly, was thrown out the window.

"Wow," I muttered, "Poor you huh?"

A smug smile tugged at his lips, "It's not easy you know... having the whole country on your shoulders. It's a very demanding task."

He shrugged before continuing, "But it's my duty."

I narrowed my eyes in irritation as my self-control began to wear off.
"It's your duty to be a father also but you pretty much failed at that a long time ago."

His eyes snapped in my direction so quickly that I flinched.
"What?"

I stared back into his cold eyes and pressed my lips into a straight line.
"You heard me. Always the kingdom this, the kingdom that, it's never about your personal life. You weren't born on Celayise's throne you know?"

His intense glare should have made me squirm but it didn't. I've grown accustomed, I was never one to let anyone intimidate me. I was no pushover.

He sat back and a small smile appeared on his lips. A chill rippled through my body at the sight and I knew that this wasn't good.