Butterfly Effect

17. Trouble In Paradise

The news spread like wildfire.

Gaia Moore was blacklisted for her supposedly questionable views, and suddenly the Egyptian's melancholic state had vanished.

Except, that didn't mean Julian didn't still think her period was approaching. He did, which meant the princess treatment had begun.

She leaned against the headboard, stifling a yawn as her bleary eyes met the tall figure standing before her. In his hands, he held a wooden tray adorned with an assortment of breakfast delicacies and a vibrant bouquet of red roses.

"Good morning, my angel. How did you sleep?" Julian greeted her, a loving smile gracing his lips.

Still in her pajamas, she realised it was only seven in the morning.

Julian was an early riser, much to her chagrin.

As he placed the tray on her lap, he leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on her swollen lips. It was a sweet gesture, one that would have been appreciated had she actually been on her period. However, since that wasn't the case, she found it unnecessary.

Jana murmured softly, her voice laced with vulnerability. "Ju... It's too early for such an extravagant breakfast."

Although it was a common occurrence for him to see her in her sleepy, vulnerable state, no one else had the privilege of witnessing it.

"I know, baby, but I didn't want to miss sharing breakfast with you," Julian explained, joining her on the bed. "My day starts in approximately an hour."

"You're busy the entire day?" She frowned, her mind filled with a whirlwind of thoughts.

"Try week. I fly to Germany tonight, should be back Friday evening," he confirmed, sighing when he noticed the look on her face.

Suddenly, it was all making sense.

No wonder why he was being so sickly sweet.

He picked up a knife and fork wrapped in a napkin, speaking carefully as he did so. "Don't get upset, you know I can't change the schedule. It's out of my control."

Her frustration, which she had assumed would dissipate with the downfall of the supermodel, only intensified with his revelation.

"It's always out of your control," she scoffed, watching him butter her scone before he brought it to her lips. "I can't even remember the last time we spent an entire day together, Julian. It seems like work is all you have time for these days."

"Jana, my love. I don't want this conversation to turn sour. You're unwell, and I want us to have a pleasant breakfast before I have to leave," he pleaded, his voice filled with concern.

She took a slow bite of her scone, her frustrations continuing to bubble up.

Unable to hold back any longer, she let her true feelings pour out. "How do you think that makes me feel, Julian? You're always consumed by work while I sit here, waiting for you. It's as if I'm some kind of docile doll, who you only see when it suits you."

"S'il te plaît chérie ne discute pas à ce sujet." he urged, speaking softly in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

That was the final straw, and her eyes flickered with an undeniable rage. Immediately, she pushed the tray off her lap and began to throw the covers off her body.

"You're such a fucking asshole sometimes!" she snapped, her emotions rushing through her. "You have no idea how this makes me feel. Do you really think that breakfast in bed before leaving me for days on end is good enough?! I'm not your little plaything, I won't fall for the shitty coverups before you spring on the bad news. Do you think I'm that stupid?"

Desperate to calm her down, Julian reached out and tried to grab her arm. "You're not being fai–"

"Don't touch me!" Jana pulled her arm away, tears streaming down her face as she glared at him. "I can't believe you. I thought you understood me, that you cared about my feelings. But all you care about is your fucking duties. It's never enough!"

His expression softened, his own frustration evident as he spoke. "You know that's not true. I love you, and I'm doing everything I can to make sure we have our time. But the demands of my role as King-"

"Are more important than our relationship?" she interrupted, her voice filled with hurt. "I can't keep living like this, Julian. I need more from you. I need your time, your presence, your love."

He looked at her, his eyes filled with a mix of regret and determination. "Baby, come on. I don't want us to fight about this, let's just forget about it. It's stupid."

Her scoff merged in with her sniffle and she roughly swiped at her tear-stricken face. "So my feelings are stupid now?"

"No... no they're not. That's not what I meant." He cursed under his breath, putting a hand to his face. "Fuck. Jana, please. Don't do this, not before I'm about to leave for so long."

"You know what? Go to Germany and stay there for all I care." she spat, a nasty taste staining her prickly tongue. "I'm serious. I don't want to talk to you or even look at you right now. Maybe your trip will make you realise how valuable to you I really am."

His eyes widened in disbelief, realizing the gravity of the situation. He never wanted it to come to this point, where their love was hanging by a thread.

He reached out to touch her arm, but she flinched away, her eyes filled with a mix of anger and pain.

"Jana," he pleaded, his voice filled with desperation. "I never meant to make you feel this way. I love you more than anything, and I can't bear the thought of leaving things on a weird note."

"Actions speak louder than words, Julian. If you truly love me, you need to show it. I need to see effort being made, not just empty promises. I don't want you to go. I want you to stay in France, with me."

His expression looked pained, studying her face for a good moment.

He knew she was being deadly serious.

Yet, the ultimatum wasn't one he could agree too.

"It's out of my contr–" Of course it was.

Her eyes watered immensely, and he knew then he had lost that vulnerability for a long time.

However, she didn't cry. Her face merely blanked, turning to stone.

"Have a safe flight." She didn't appear to be genuine, it was like she was forcing herself to be polite. "Don't bother trying to call, I won't answer."

A week.

She wouldn't see him for an entire week.

A swirling uncertainty engulfed her thoughts as she pondered whether this moment marked the genesis of a torrent of negative karma that would cascade upon her, an aftermath of her recent deeds.