“Neither did I,” Chris says.I cringe.“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry,” Penny says, “I didn’t know it was your room.”“It’s okay Penny,” he chuckles as he steps closer to her.“Woah little bro, she’s mine,” I say, he gives me a dirty smirk and I roll my eyes, “Penny let’s get out of here.”She hesitantly walks to me.“Wait, why did you come in here?”“None of your business Christopher.”“Now, now Henry, let the lady speak for herself.”Penny looks at me and then at Chris, “We were playing hide and go seek.”Excuse me.Chris laughs, he doesn’t believe her.“Did your tiny penis finally scare her off?” he laughs, I glare at him.Penny looks down, embarrassed.“Come on Penny let’s get go.”She walks toward

Goddamit, seriously.I apologise to Penny and walk to the door.“Leave Sonja, I told you that I want nothing to do with your crazy self,” I yell through the door.“You don’t mean that Henry,” she wines.“Henry Crawford open this door, right now!”I knew it, I fucking knew it.I open the door and find Sonja standing next to my father with a little smirk on her face.“Father, I don’t have time for your games.”My father looks over my shoulders and gives a disapproving look.“I see you’re sleeping with the help again.”“Excuse me!”“Henry, you need to-”I hear a door slam behind me and turn around and Penelope is no longer behind me.“That is no way to speak to my queen,” I fume, “I don’t care who you are, I will not tolerate people disrespecting my woman like that.”

That's a new one."Wait, you're marrying him now?" Ashby roars, "You barely know the guy, Penny.""First of all, I'm not marrying him yet, secondly I'm helping him get out of this mess that I created," she says calmly.I try not to grin when she says that there is hope for both of us to become more."Penny, this isn't for you, you weren't made for things like this."Penny looks at Ashby with her mouth ajar, I can tell by the look in her eyes that she's hurt.Ashby does not seem to care at all."I can handle this Ashby, and as my friend, I thought you

"Mom, I know what dad is trying to do and I can't believe he would do this to me," I say frustratedly.'Honey, I'm sorry about your father, I really thought I had gotten through to him.' She replies."I know you did your best mom, it's not your fault. Have you heard from him?"'No dear, he's probably off on his escapades or whatever he gets up to.'My mother knew that my father has always been unfaithful and the likelihood of him having children out there is high but we haven't heard anything about that. My mother could never find it within her to leave him, after decades of marriage, I'd find it hard to leave too."You don't have to stay with him mom, you can leave him and Chris and I will look after you, you know, that right?"I hear her sniff, she's crying, 'I know Henry but I'm doing this for you,""You don't have to mom; I don't care about this stupid monarchy and I can look after you with or without the throne."'I have to go; we'll talk soon, okay?'I sigh, "Okay mom, I love yo

"Henry, please calm down and hear me out," she begs, her voice trembling with desperation.The room feels suffocating, the air heavy with tension. Henry's eyes are ablaze with anger, his fists clenched at his sides. The revelation has hit him like a freight train, and he struggles to make sense of the whirlwind of emotions."No, no, mom, why didn't you say anything?" Henry's voice wavers, a mix of hurt and betrayal."I didn't know until it was too late," she sobs, her shoulders shaking. "I found out after you two had split up, I confronted your father, but he threatened me and warned me to keep my mouth shut or there will be consequences."The weight of her words hangs in the air, and an eerie silence follows. Henry's mind races, trying to process the magnitude of the secrets kept from him. He glances around the room, searching for answers that seem elusive.Oh my gosh.As the gravity of the situation sinks in, Henry moves to sit beside his mother, pulling her into a hug. Her body tre