Mine: His Caged Princess
Chapter 21

FLASHBACK

Tiara felt that she behaved like a kid by reacting in that way after learning about Wylder’s confession. It had been two weeks since she ran away from his home after knowing his place by driving to his area because no cab was around his place. Also, she just couldn’t travel in some cab, or it would have been the headline or breaking news in all news channels.

She could have behaved more maturely than she did. But Wylder’s confession had shocked her to the core. She never saw that coming.

It wasn’t the first time someone expressed his feelings in front of her, but never… never did she behaves like this with anyone. But at the same time, none of them was her best friend. She had never expected this from Wylder, but could she blame him?

No one could control his or her feelings.

‘I can’t lose my best friend just because he liked me at some phrase in his life.’ Tiara thought while resting between her shoot. She was trying to cover as much as possible for the loss that she did to the director by disappearing all of a sudden. She knew it was so unprofessional of her, but this was something that she did for the first time in her entire career. No one minded her absence, assuming she was sick, observing her weight loss.

It was surprising to her that from the moment she had learned about Wylder’s feelings, she had stopped thinking about her rejection. She had stopped thinking about Theodore, at least during the day. But every night, she used to cry for hours until she finally fell asleep. After all, a strong woman was one who was able to smile the next morning like she wasn’t crying last night.

Tiara replied to her fan, who had commented on her recent pictures. After replying to a couple of them, she scrolled down and found a meme that matched her situation.

‘A boy and a girl can be best friends, but eventually one of them will fall for the other, maybe at the wrong time, maybe too late or too early, maybe for now, maybe never, or maybe forever.’

Tiara turned her head and found Michelle reading the contract before Tiara would have signed it. She recalled asking about Wylder, to her which she had replied, ‘That bartender said that you two are a family friend. I didn’t want to believe him, but then your elder brother confirmed the same on the call and asked me to leave you under his care.’

Of course, it was a big FAT lie, but Michelle did what her boss asked her to do because he didn’t want to reveal his truth this sooner, and in case Tiara was planning to stay away from him, then telling her the truth made no sense to her.

Tiara couldn’t help but dial Colton’s number, “Hey, Big Bro!!”

“What is it?”

“Can you care to ask how I am doing here? Alone and away from home?” Liara teased him, and the call disconnected in the next second. His brother never entertains stupid things. She dialed his number again and cared direct to the point, “I want Wild’s number.”

At the same time, someone was screaming in pain from the other end, she bit her cheek, feeling bad for the person whom her brother was torturing. “How many times do I have to tell you that send me a text instead of calling me? Creature around me can hear you. And the last thing I want any of them to find about my family.” Colton hissed.

“It’s not that they can harm me, Brother,” Tiara said, shrugging her shoulder because she was positive that her family would always be there to protect her, especially her eldest brother, Colton.

“Tee!! My enemies are increasing. As long as alive, I will protect you all and stand in front of all like the great wall of china. But what if something happens to me someday?”

The teasing smile on Tiara’s lips disappeared. She didn’t care about her protection much, but the whole thought of Colton not around her scared the shit hell out of her.

“Don’t say like that, Colt. I know life is unpredictable, and no one knows what the future holds for us, but in case the great wall of china starts to fall, then his whole family will be there to hold him.” Tiara assured him. She was very well aware of Colton’s inner battle with darkness along with time. “Don’t worry about me much!! And don’t be hard on yourself for all the things that Lee did.” She added.

“I know, Colt!! Though you will never share but I know you think you failed as a brother to protect Lee from Theodore’s love trap. But trust me, Lee knew what she was doing, and Theodore didn’t trap her in his fake love. He loves her for real.” Tiara tried to explain to her brother, who wasn’t happy with Liara claiming Theodore a rogue and kicking her career aside. Well, her brothers weren’t the only ones who thought in that way; even her father was upset with all. Bradon Haysbert broke all his ties with her sister for going against him.

Little did everyone know, this was one of the ways to stop Liara, but she did what she wanted to. She chose her fated mate before her family, and everyone was trying to adjust to that news.

Tiara knew that everyone needed time to adjust to this change in their life, but eventually, moving on was the second name of life.

“That doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t match Lee’s standard.”

“Isn’t this hypocrisy that a man can marry a woman who is not of his standard and society can accept that, but if a girl does the same, then everyone starts pointing out their fingers at that couple?” Tiara questioned. “Come on, brother!! It’s time to grow up. Don’t forget dad was a billionaire when he married mom, while Mom was from a middle-class family who had never earned a penny. Mom was nowhere near dad’s standard at that time. But now, both are successful and have their business of their own in a different sector.”

“If you think so much about equality, then care to explain why did you reject him even when you were marked by him?” Colton questioned.

‘I didn’t reject him, brother. He did.’ Tiara wanted to say, but then Colton would hurt Theodore down and torture him and hurt him for hurting his sister.

“Because he wanted to return back to the forest instead of staying in living in the human world,” Tiara told him the half-truth. It was true Theodore wanted to live in the forest while her career was in the human world. “Do you know the story of two birds?”