Ditching the Prince

Nineteen: The Midnight Visitor

Chapter Nineteen

The Midnight Visitor

Sleep has been elusive for the petite architect for a week now. Her night thoughts were still centered on the things that her father have shared to her about him and her mother, their early struggles and the hardships they both endured.

However, there is one thing that kept bugging her consciousness and it is focused on the relationship between her parents and Prince Aaki's mother.

Her parents being block mates during college and her father and the prince's mother being best friends all their lives were two of the many things signifying that they knew each other.

The young royalty himself, told her that Alfonso Arias and his late mother were childhood friends. They even studied in the same university and worked for the King together.

"My mother is your father's childhood best friend. They were friends all their lives, they even went to college together. They were both working for my father when my mom got pregnant with me. You see, I'm one year older than you."

"Your father then went home in the Philippines but later on came back to be my personal tutor and since then, he's been with us."

As far as she could remember, these were the prince's exact words. And it sounded like her father chose the prince and his mother over his own family.

This made her flinch literally as if feeling the physical pain brought about by the thought. However, this time, her logic and their recent reconciliation made her more broad-minded giving her father the benefit of the doubt.

Now that she knows her father, a part of her is also aware that if this was true, there's surely a rational reason behind this.

"They must've known each other." She was sure about this. Yet, there is one thing that she's not so sure at all—that is, if her mother and Charina, Prince Aaki's mom were friends.

"You're spacing out again, mio caro. Is there something wrong? Is there something bothering you? Are you ill?" The Italian adviser inquired looking at the young woman with intense but understanding eyes.

Although still a bit daze from her deep musing, Pippa perked up upon hearing the man's kind voice. "Does Papa speak about us often? I mean, before, about mama and me?" She didn't respond to the old man's query but her question was more than enough for an answer.

Automatically, Vittorio Altamari realized why his one and only professional ward was in trance the whole morning. He has noticed that Pippa had been everything but productive which is very unlikely of her.

The whole morning the hardworking woman sat in her chair with a faraway look in her eyes. She was still and quiet, obviously preoccupied with intriguing thoughts.

"Yes, dear Fonzy talks about you all the time especially when you were younger. That is why we knew you even before. His stories are quite vivid. It was like you were growing right before our very eyes." He smiled serenely at this, although it faded immediately with his next words, "he also talks about your mother but not as often."

The old man inhaled deeply before pressing on. "Talking about Louise and her depression makes your father sad and anxious. This is why he seldom mention her. He knew that it affects us all especially the persons close to him." The man replied truthfully.

This lit up Pippa's face not in the most pleasant way but still in an amiable manner. "You knew about my mama's condition? You knew her?"