Chapter 8 The Distressed Princess
"Layla, this is for you. The clerk said it has a self-heating function for massages. Try it out later! ... And this is for Alice. Keep it for her until she gets back."
Rebecca returned to Pinewood Mansion by evening.
She kept her marriage to Frederick a secret from the school to avoid any unnecessary drama.
She hid it from Alexa to prevent her from getting too emotional.
But she had no intention of hiding it from Layla.
Seeing Layla's eyes redden with impending tears, Rebecca smiled and reached out to hug her. "Layla, don't worry about me. There are plenty of couples out there who live their whole lives without love. Mr. Windsor and I might get along just fine too!"
She wanted to curse Dennis, hoping a bolt of lightning would strike him down sooner or later.
She also thought about how heartbroken Alexa would be if she found out.
Layla didn't say a word, just nodded continuously.
Thinking of Frederick, Layla felt a stir in her heart.
Even without love, there had to be some level of care, right?
Her mind replayed the scene of Frederick carrying Rebecca through the door, his expression cold and intense, as if he was ready to destroy the world.
Layla opened her mouth to speak but ultimately said nothing.
"Even without a wedding or a reception, today is still a good day. We should celebrate!"
Patting Rebecca's hand, Layla signaled her to go rest, then turned to instruct the kitchen to prepare an elaborate candlelit dinner.
As night fell, Layla and the servants left.
Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the snow fell softly, creating a picturesque and romantic scene.
The fireplace crackled with fragrant wood, filling the air with a faint scent of pine.
The world was silent.
Standing at the top of the stairs, gazing at the cozy living room, Rebecca felt a moment of daze.
Frederick had kept his word.
He promised her all the privileges of being Mrs. Windsor and delivered them promptly.
The once-empty dressing room and jewelry boxes in the master bedroom were now filled with her favorite brands.
An unlimited black card.
The disappearance of debt-collection calls.
And a customized treatment plan for Alexa, with meticulous care in the hospital.
Just yesterday, she was worried about a hundred-million-dollar debt and Alexa's illness.
Overnight, she seemed to revert to the carefree rich girl from the Getty family.
Only now, she had a new title.
Mrs. Windsor.
Frederick had given her so much, yet she had nothing to offer in return.
No matter how you looked at it, Frederick was getting the short end of the stick.
Feeling a bit guilty, a humorous line popped into Rebecca's mind: "I have nothing to offer but myself!"
Well, they were already married, so she had already offered herself, right?
She decided to do her best as Mrs. Windsor.
Lifting her gown, she walked to the dining table. Seeing the food was getting cold, she called Frederick.
"Frederick..."
His voice on the other end was as clear and cold as the icicles hanging from the eaves outside.
Her head, slightly dizzy from the wine, instantly sobered up.
Everyone in the banquet hall fell silent, stopping their chatter.
Frederick walked to the window. "What's wrong?"
"When are you coming home?"
Rebecca's voice sounded pitiful. "I'm so hungry. I only had a steak at Meet for lunch, and it's cold, so I got hungry quickly. If you're going to be late, can I eat first?"
She... was waiting for him to come home for dinner?
Frederick's gaze softened.
He could almost see Rebecca sitting at the dining table, resting her chin on her hand, waiting for him.
"About... 15 minutes."
Frederick's voice was deep. "If you're hungry, go ahead and eat. I'll be home soon."
He returned to the dining table, raised his glass to the guest of honor. "Let's call it a night. Tomorrow... no, tomorrow at noon, I'll host you all again."
With that, he downed his drink and left.
Everyone was stunned.
A multi-billion-dollar deal, scheduled weeks in advance, and he just left?
They were speechless.
The Maybach sped towards Pinewood Mansion, stopping right in front of the villa without even entering the garage.
Frederick got out of the car, his face dark, and strode inside.
"Rebecca, what were you thinking?"
He quickly took off his coat and draped it over her, then pulled her inside.
Seeing Rebecca shivering from the cold, he looked ready to scold her.
"I, I... Achoo!"
Rubbing her nose, Rebecca grabbed a wool blanket from the sofa and wrapped herself in it, then moved closer to the fireplace. "You said you'd be home in 15 minutes, so I came out to check if you were here."
"I didn't expect the door to close when I lightly pulled it. It's all your door's fault, and that darn..." wind.
Her voice trailed off as Frederick's gaze grew colder. She decided to shut up.
Rebecca was wearing a burgundy strap dress.
Her long hair cascaded around her shoulders.
Her face was pale from the cold, and her nose was red from sneezing.
She looked like a distressed princess, pitiful yet adorable.
Thinking about how she had run out barefoot upon hearing the car, Frederick's expression softened.
"Frederick..."
Seeing Frederick turn to leave, Rebecca's voice caught in her throat.
Before she could figure out where he was going, he returned from the bathroom with a steaming white towel.
He tossed the blanket aside and picked her up, placing her on the blanket.
Frederick grabbed her foot and wiped away the dirt.
It tickled a bit.
But Rebecca didn't dare laugh.
She watched him retrieve a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet and place them in front of her.
Her heartbeat finally returned to normal, and she let out a sigh of relief.
The Frederick just now was really... scary!
Thankfully, he wasn't that unreasonable...
Before she could finish her thought, Frederick pulled her up and led her to the door.
He registered her face and fingerprints.
Seeing Frederick's stern face, still looking angry, Rebecca smiled appeasingly. "I wasn't out there for long, really! The door locked just as I saw your car, really!"
"Frederick..."
Seeing Frederick turn to leave, Rebecca asked casually, "What's the door code?"
Her face and fingerprints were registered.
He had to give her the code, right?
In case the facial recognition didn't work with makeup or the fingerprint scanner failed.
Frederick paused.
Under the bright chandelier, his face was dark and handsome, like a movie star returning from an awards show.
But his expression was unreadable.
Realizing she shouldn't have asked, Rebecca quickly said, "Never mind, I don't need to know."
But Frederick led her forward.
His expression was natural, as if the momentary lapse hadn't happened.
Only his voice carried a faint trace of unease. "The code is 1028."
Her heart skipped a beat.
Rebecca was stunned.