Chapter 37: Chapter 37

Diana was staring blankly at the beige-colored walls. Her gaze kept flitting to the mahogany door as she waited anxiously for his arrival.

It’s been more than two hours and there was no sign of Zachary. Diana was nearly on the edge of losing patience. The maid who brought her dinner also had no clue about the King’s whereabouts. And out of deference to his commands, she couldn’t step out of the room.

But now her patience had started wearing out.

“URGG!! WHERE IS HE??“, Diana screamed and jumped to her feet.

“Fine then. I am going to sleep now. I am done with him,” grumbling she stood up to the couch and pranced to the bed. Her eyes once again shifted back to the door. Diana stared at it for the longest time. Finally, the dam broke and she let out a painful sob.

“Damn him!!” She started crying while cursing him in her mind. Zachary had nearly crossed all his limits of hurting her. First tearing her gown then berating her listening to his mother now when she wanted to apologize, he left to God knows where. She could hear her heart tearing by his callous attitude. It felt as if he doesn’t care about her.

After bawling her eyes out, Diana harshly wiped the corner of her eyes and stood up with a new mission. A mission to settle the scores between them. She then went to the closet and picked up a pair of short pants and a lacy black bra.

“I won’t wear what he wants me to if he’s gonna act this reckless. Leaving without informing me. Screw him, I will sleep in comfortable clothes”

Diana muttered angrily under her breath while changing her clothes. She then went straight to the bed and was about to get under the covers when Zachary entered the room.

He looked exhausted. Tiredness was dripping from his face. Diana frowned when she noticed his unkempt appearance. Tousled hair, hooded eyes, and the sullen look on his face twitched her heart. The first few buttons of his shirt, which was tucked out of his trousers, were undone giving a perfect view of his toned chest.

Zachary softly closed the door and bolted it. Raking his fingers over his already disheveled hair, he sauntered in when his eyes landed on Diana.

Diana noticed his facial expressions changing as his eyes roamed all over her from top to bottom. She gulped when she saw him clenching his jaw but ignoring him, she continued arranging her bed.

Surprisingly Zachary didn’t say anything and headed to the bathroom. Her jaw dropped as she didn’t expect him to leave like that.

“He isn’t angry?”

Around 20 minutes later, Zachary came out of the restroom. Diana gulped watching his broad shoulders and his tanned well-sculpted upper body that was bejeweled with fresh water droplets. He was only in his black trousers with a towel dangling across his neck as he dried his hair with it. The scene was way too hot to handle.

Zachary smirked when he saw Diana through the mirror who was drooling all over him.

“Inviting troubles for yourself?”

Diana jolted when she heard his thick, velvet voice. Her face turned red as a tomato as he caught her eye raping him. She looked down while biting her lower lip, resisting the urge to smile.

“Uhmm, where were you? I was-”

“I am not bound to answer your questions. Go back to sleep.”

He suddenly snapped at her taking her off guard.

Diana was too stunned to react. She looked at Zachary but he completely ignored her and tossed the towel aside. She stayed silent for a few minutes when fury kicked in with full speed. All the pent-up rage that she had bottled up inside her since morning exploded like an inferno.

“W-Why are you always hurting me? I-I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU LIKE THE PAST TWO HOURS AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?? WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH YOU, ZAC??”

She screamed her lungs but her heart broke when Zachary brushed off her words with a dry chuckle.

“Sorry for disturbing your sleep, your highness.” He quipped and sat down on the bed with a thump. Placing his palms on the mattress, he leaned back on his arms facing the ceiling and closed his eyes.

Diana was puzzled by his bizarre behavior. She crawled to him and stared at his worn-out self. He was taking deep breaths and it looked as if he could fall asleep any minute. Her heart crumbled as Zachary indeed looked tired.

Keeping her anger aside, she went near him and crawled on his lap. His eyes shot open when he felt her skinny arms coiled around his large torso.

“What’s the wrong Princess?“, he queried but Diana shushed him and tightened her grip.

“You’ll feel good. I am taking your pain.”

His eyes widened when he felt her swallowing her pain. Her body turned limp while in the contrast, he felt a surge of new energy within him. With a swift motion, he tore Diana away from him and looked at her with blazing eyes.

“THE FUCK YOU ARE DOING?“, he bellowed.

Diana gave him a muddled look, “You don’t look well so I am trying to help you.” She mumbled. She was confounded as to why was he getting angry when she was only trying to heal him? Leaning forward, she placed her lips on his and kissed him. Zachary grabbed the back of her head. Diana slowly wrapped his arms around his neck thinking that he was responding to her but instead he peeled her hands away.

Diana squealed in surprise when Zachary abruptly picked her up in his veiny arms and placed her on the bed. She looked at him only to flinch back in horror when she noticed his blazing red orbs glaring at her menacingly.

“Stop sapping your energy. I know what you’re trying to do alright?“, he growled. Diana opened her mouth to explain to him but he cut her off harshly midway.

“Princess, I am already too pissed. Stop annoying me and go back to bed this instant. Do not, I repeat do not interfere in my matters. A lot is going on with me right now and I have no time to deal with your childish tantrums.” He seethed.

Diana was stunned but most importantly hurt by his heartless words. But ignoring her painful expression, he continued slicing her soul more.

“I have become so sick of you. I know your cute ass was waiting to get scolded for donning only a bra and shorts that reveal your buttcheeks. To be honest, I wasn’t surprised. What can I even expect from your brainless and extremely stupid self? Let me remind you that I told you to wear decent clothes only when we are outside not when we are alone. I wouldn’t mind if you sleep naked in my arms or roam within these four walls completely bare. The fuck Diana, I am tired of convincing you that I am only trying to protect you but you’re simply being a pain in my ass.”

Zachary muttered and looked away in annoyance. Diana remained rooted on her spot. Never in her life, someone had talked to her this brutally. His words felt as if multiple shards of glasses piercing her heart. She was too shocked to even reply to him. Her eyelids turned heavy as they got filled with tears of embarrassment, pain, and betrayal.

Was this a way to protect someone? By humiliating them?

Silence engulfed both of them. Finding no response, Zachary looked down only to see her staring down with tears rolling down her pink cheeks. His jaw dropped when it dawned on him.

What has he done?

“Princess, I-”

Zachary extended his arm in concern and tried to hold her but Diana quickly moved back. A hurtful look crossed his eyes but Diana without saying shifted to the farthest corner of the bed. Pulling the covers, she dipped her face in them and slept while back facing him.

Zachary stared at her balled figure with moist eyes. He slowly climbed onto the bed and got under the covers. Shifting to her, he tried to hold her but his guilt forbade him to touch her. Blindsided with rage, he didn’t even realize that his Princess was only trying to help him?

Exhaling a deep breath, Zachary moved back and kept staring at her sleeping figure the whole night ruefully.

Next morning

Zachary groaned feeling the scorching heat of the sun burning his skin. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up when he saw a blurry image of a fragile figure. Blinking his eyes multiple times, he sat straight to look clearly. No sooner did his vision clear than he spotted Diana who was fastening the knots of her cream-colored gown.

Just like a moth that is pulled by a flame, in the same manner, Zachary got down on his feet and started walking towards his solace. His hazy eyes were dead set on her flawless back. Diana stiffened when she noticed Zachary standing behind her through the mirror. His pained eyes weren’t powerful today to hold her cold, unforgiving eyes captive as she simply looked away and carried on tying the knots.

Her actions were halted when Zachary grabbed the lace and started tying them gently. Diana couldn’t control the tingles that passed through her spine whenever his finger made contact with her bare back. After securing the knot, she expected him to remove his hands but instead, he wrapped them around her waist and pulled her closer to his chest. Placing his chin on her left shoulder, he let out a sigh when she averted her gaze from him.

“I am sorry”, he rasped. Diana still didn’t respond.

Zachary sighed sadly before flushing her dainty figure to his bulky frame, “I know I crossed my line yesterday and my bestial acts can’t be forgiven with a simple apology. But Princess, I don’t know what to do anymore. You might be thinking that I am only trying to make you dance to my tunes by ordering you around but I swear on my life, it isn’t like that. I was too busy yesterday and the exhaustion took a toll on my sanity that I didn’t think twice before spewing shit. But please baby, forgive me this once. I promise I wouldn’t repeat it.”

Zachary apologized earnestly. He tried to be as sincere as possible but his words fell deaf on her ears.

His hopes rose when Diana grabbed his hands in her small palms but they committed suicide the moment she pried them off gently. Moving away from him, she picked up her hairbrush and started combing her locks. Zachary was flabbergasted. He didn’t expect her to be this harsh. His guilt was overpowered by his stubbornness as he again tried to hold her when a knock at the door stopped him.

Zachary closed his eyes and turned around. Picking up a shirt from the couch, he threw it on him before opening the door.

“The presence of His Highness has been requested by King Orkus in the meeting hall.” A guard told him while bowing his head.

Zachary nodded, “Alright. I will be there in a minute.”

He replied gruffly and closed the door. Diana heard him but didn’t give any reaction and headed to the balcony.

Zachary glared at her retreating figure with blazing eyes. Ripping the shirt off him, he kicked the table in rage in frustration.