Chapter 7 — Welcoming Rain

The dining hall was silent as everyone continued eating quietly. Diana greeted them politely before Ivan pulled out a chair for her. They plopped into their respective seats.

"How are you liking everything so far, Ms. Stevens?" Raiden, the Duke of Sussex, asked. He knew there was something off about the couple. It was surely the proof that they weren't in love, because if they were, they wouldn't be awkward around each other. Raiden had to find the real truth. A stranger conjured out of nowhere couldn't be queen.

Diana gave a small smile, hiding a glare with which she wanted to kill Raiden. "I am loving everything here a lot so far." Except for your annoying presence, she thought. Diana wished she could say that aloud.

"Glad to hear that," said Suzanne. "Diana, starting tomorrow, Ruyeli Stainer will be coming to train you. She will make you the perfect queen material. Are you excited?"

"Yes, Your Maj—"

"Mom, dear. I said you can call me 'Mom'."

"Yes, Mom. I am so excited." It was hard for Diana to call the queen 'Mom'. Only Rain had that right; Suzanne was her to-be mother-in-law. However, Diana had to pretend until she made sure that Rain would get her respective rights. "I have a request to make, Your Majesty." Her eyes were on the king.

Devin nodded his head, as a sign to continue.

"I have decided to make my only friend in London, my bridesmaid. We couldn't get enough time to hang out or enjoy it properly. As I have only two months before I get married, can she live here in the palace?" She continued when no one responded, "I want to enjoy my time with my friend. If she stays by my side while the wedding preparations are made, it will boost my confidence."

Ivan gazed at her with a confused look. What is going on in her mind? Why didn't she tell me what her next plan was? We were supposed to plan everything together. He tried to think about what her plan was.

"Who is this friend whom you’ve decided to make your bridesmaid?" Suzanne's green eyes pierced through Diana's brown ones. She could already guess Diana's plan, but she wanted to confirm the name from her mouth.

Diana exhaled, "Rain Summers."

"Oh. Rain Summers is Ivan's friend too. Is that how you knew her?" Suzanne inquired. She already understood everything.

Diana nodded.

Devin looked at the queen, asking her whether he should or not be having an eye conversation. Suzanne nodded in his direction.

"Sure, Diana, I will make arrangements for her here. She will be here tomorrow."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Diana couldn't stop herself from grinning. She created a way for Rain to enter the Palace and spend time with Ivan.

Ivan frowned. He didn't like the fact that Diana hid things from him, especially when it was related to their lives. Besides, the thought of Rain living in the palace made him feel weird. He knew it was an invitation to trouble. He made a mental note to ask Diana about this sudden plan later.

"What is this now, a guest house?" Raiden retorted. Floresa's glare made him shut his mouth.

"I hate him!" Diana hissed.

Jasper, who was sitting next to her, chuckled. "Believe me, he's just harsh to people he barely knows. He will open up soon, and you'll see his good side once he starts knowing you."

She deadpanned, "I cannot wait to see that day."

"Jasper is right," Ivan meddled in. "He's tough from outside but soft from inside. Just give him time to know you."

Diana bit her lips and nodded.

"It's time for me to go. Suzanne?" Devin got up and glanced at her. Suzanne smiled and followed him.

"The king is going on a trip for a new project. He doesn't go until Suzanne drops him till the jet," Floresa answered the question before Diana could ask. "Their love is so cute! Don't worry, soon, it'll be your future too."

As if! I will never have a future with Ivan, Diana muttered in her mind. The thought of never having a future with her best friend slightly saddened her, but she covered it up with a bright smile.

"Diana, I need to talk to you." Ivan got up and she furrowed her eyebrows. Nonetheless, she stood next to him and entwined their hands after he extended a hand.

After they reached their bedroom, Ivan narrowed his eyes. "Why didn't I know about the plan?"

"What plan? The one about Rain being my bridesmaid and moving in?" she asked and comfortably settled on the bed.

"Yes! You should've told me that you were planning this." He plopped next to her.

"I just wanted to surprise you."

"Surprise me? Why?"

"Ivan, you seemed so stressed about everything. You were practically blaming yourself for destroying four lives."

He looked at her in disbelief. He was wondering how she guessed even though he never uttered a word about it.

Diana unlocked her phone and showed Ivan his girlfriend's text. "She just wants to be there for you all the time. She wants to support you by staying close to you. Don't you think she thought about everything before dropping this text?"

He let out a deep breath. "It's so hard for me to adjust. I’ve never lived with anyone in the same room before. I will try my best to make you feel comfortable. What if Rain starts doubting or gets insecure?"

"I am sure you will try your best to make her comfortable too." Diana's brown eyes met with his green ones. "You need to get the stress out of your chest. If you see Rain there for you, it will calm you down. It will assure you that come what may, Rain will never leave you. After all, she really loves you a lot."

He admired the way Diana understood everything and said soothing words. She is right. Why am I stressing out when I know that everything will go as per our plan? his inner voice questioned himself.

He heaved a sigh in relief. Without even trying, Diana made his stress disappear. Looking at her beautiful face made Ivan feel that he was not the only one tied into this cruel destiny. She was suffering as much as him, yet she was still trying to support and be there for him.

"You're right. I am worrying for no reason. After seeing Rain, I will be happy," he let out, but it felt like he was assuring himself. I love Rain. Rain is my girlfriend and the love of my life. I love her, he repeated in his mind.

"You sleep on the bed while I sleep on the couch," Diana said and surprisingly, she wasn't sitting next to him anymore. She was speaking from the closet room, taking out her clothes.

"Or you can sleep on the bed while I take the couch."

"I didn't give you an option, Ivan. I was telling you a fact." She started walking towards the washroom. Before Ivan could say something, she spoke with a cold look on her face. "No more arguments on this. Who is Diana Stevens to make the prince sleep on the couch? So do as I say."

He smiled, shaking his head in amusement. This was the Diana he knew, the one who could make the worst scenarios the best and the best scenarios the funniest. She was perfect for everyone. No wonder her nature impressed his family.

Ivan placed a big soft pillow and a comfortable blanket on the couch. Then he went to the bed and put the blanket over himself after lying down. "Diana is perfect. This is the reason why I don't want Rain here. Rain will start to feel insecure, seeing Diana's perfection. She will feel low," he mumbled to himself, "God, please take my side for once and help me. Stop this game."

Diana got out wearing her comfortable pants and a tank top. She preferred to sleep like that. When her eyes fell on the couch, she saw the pillow and the blanket neatly arranged on one side. She glanced at the sleeping Ivan and smiled.

"He is so sweet. I hope Rain never leaves him. He deserves the best. I know it is hard for him to share his room with someone else. He always dreamt of marrying Rain and living with her. He wished to make breakfast for her and shower her with love every morning," Diana whispered to herself while lying down. "It will happen. Ivan and Rain will be together."

As they both drifted into a nice sleep, the queen was thinking about how to bring Diana and Ivan closer. "Mark, make sure Rain's room is at least a ten-to-fifteen-minute walk to Ivan's room."

Mark was standing in one corner. He said, "Your Majesty, should I place her room next to Prince Jasper’s? He can keep her distracted and make sure that she doesn't pry into the private life of Prince Ivan and Ms. Stevens."

"Call her Princess Diana. She will be addressed as a princess," Suzanne said. She was thinking of the idea Mark gave. It was not that bad after all. "I will talk to Jasper. Meanwhile, arrange her room next to Jasper's."

Mark bowed hearing Suzanne, who made her way to Jasper's room. As soon as she stepped inside, she saw Jasper was watching football. Jasper was two years younger than Ivan, his age being twenty-two, just like Diana.

"Mom? What brings you here?" he asked in confusion because Suzanne barely visited him.

Suzanne smiled warmly and sat on one of the white couches. "Come. Sit next to me."

Jasper quietly obeyed her. He was eager to know the reason for his mother's sudden visit to his chamber.

"I need your help, Son," the queen let out. "Everything is going downhill."

Suzanne told him everything from the beginning. Jasper’s amusement grew with every passing second.

"I cannot believe that Ivan doesn't love Diana. Everyone is pleased by her. Her nature is like that. How can he not like her?" Jasper also knew that Diana was perfect for Ivan when he first met her.

"I know, honey. I didn't tell anyone about this. I am making them live together so that they can develop feelings for each other. I know they will within these two months but—"

"But it won't happen as long as Rain Summers keeps interfering in their lives," Jasper completed Suzanne's sentence. "Don't worry. I will make sure that Rain barely gets time to meet them every day. She won't be able to disturb them."

"I will be trusting you again, Jasper, don't break it," she warned.

Jasper nodded. Jasper didn't know there would be a day where his mother would ask for his help. It basically meant that the queen was willing to trust him again. He wanted to help Suzanne because she trusted him again. This time, he wanted to impress her. Besides, he wanted to do something for the new royal couple. Because of Diana, Suzanne came to him. He was grateful to Diana and his respect for her increased. "Diana and Ivan will get married, but only with each other. I will make sure of that."

"Because of Diana, Mom trusts me again. I’ve got to play cupid and handle this matter." Jasper took out his phone and checked Rain's ID on Instagram. "Get ready, Rain Summers. I will make sure you forget every inch of Ivan Candelstone."

***

Across the country, even though it was one in the morning, Rain couldn't control her excitement. She was eager to live in the palace and be there to help Ivan and Diana. She would be meeting Ivan after two years. When he proposed to her three years ago, that was the last year of college. After Rain got into her family business, Ivan started to become busy with his work. They never met personally since then, and they had to continue talking over the phone instead.

“I wonder how it would feel meeting him again after a long time?" she muttered, "I will hug Ivan tightly and never let him go."

Little did she know that her dreams were walking into the trap designed to crush them.