72. Words Like Eggs.

*Words like eggs, should be handled with care. For words once spoken like eggs once broken can never be repaired.

[Luke]
It wasn't hard to find Claire's location. After the King lashed out on me, he left me alone, more or less grounded because he didn't allow me to leave my room.
I sat on the floor thinking about all that was going on, I couldn't believe Claire would betray me this way, then again I couldn't believe it, but I couldn't understand how the press could have gotten hold of those pictures.
I swiped through the tabloid news on my phone and the comments were getting meaner by the second, the scandal was getting bigger and it was really affecting the image of the royal family.
I found out that the press were outside Claire's home wanting to talk to her and I just knew that I couldn't sit still and do nothing any longer.
Liam helped me escape from the palace with a disguise and I had to be extra careful outside because my face was currently on the front page of every newspaper and magazine.
I wore some jeans trousers, a hoodie, and a ball cap, I also had on some sunglasses and a nose mask.
I called Sophie's number because I knew that Claire wouldn't take my calls.
"Hello," I spoke into the phone and held my breath as I waited for her harsh words to fill my ears.
"Jean?"
"Yes, it's me," I said and waited again.
"Why are you calling me?" She asked coldly.
"I'm sure you've seen the news."
"Yes and…"
"I want to help Claire stay out of the news, this is my fault and I want to bear the weight of the scandal alone," I said.
"Thankfully nothing has reached America, yet, we don't know if anyone will connect the dots soon." She sighed.
"I won't let that happen, I need to speak to her, is there any way you can help me?"
"Bold of you to assume that I will help you get to her." She sneered.
"Please I'm begging you, I need to speak to her, it will be better if I speak to her soon."
"I'm only doing this because I think it's the best for my friend, don't for a second think I'm doing this for you." She sighed.
"Thanks, I appreciate your help." I smiled.
"Wait, how did the pictures get out?" She asked and I frowned, just how stupid did they think I was.
"That's exactly what I want to find out." I frowned.
"You don't think that Claire did it do you?" She asked.
"I don't know what to think," I answered truthfully.
"You're really stupid, do you know what she did yesterday?" She demanded angrily.
"She went out and got so drunk, she passed out at the club, and you think she went to the press with the pictures, shame on you, because of you she's planning on returning to the states." She snapped.
"What, I did not know that." I looked around guiltily.
"Just tell me where she is and I promise we'll talk things true, I want you to know that I'm truly sorry about how things turned out, I planned to tell her the truth but I could never find the right time, I love her so much, you know that, don't you?"
"I know that you truly love her and that's why I'm helping you, I also understand your position because I know what it's like to keep a secret from someone you care about."
"Thank you, Sophie."
"I'll send you my address, she's currently at my house and I hope for your sake that she listens to you." She said and ended the call.
My heart began to beat rapidly as I made my way to the address she sent me.
She was living in a large apartment building, I asked the receptionist for the number of her room and when she gave me, I took the elevator and made it to the last floor, after a shist walk, I made it to her apartment.
"You!" Claire glared at me when she opened the door, she looked sleepy but still as beautiful as ever.
"Please let me in, I need to speak with you." I pleaded when she was about to slam the door in my face.
"I do not wish to speak to you, I already told you that." She sighed and moved away from the door allowing me to enter.
"Where is your phone?" I asked her immediately after I entered the room.
"What?"
"You're aware of the brewing scandal, aren't you?" I asked impatiently.
"Oh, I see." She stood hands akimbo staring me in the eyes. "And you're here to blame me is that it?"
"No, but I think you've been hacked, I don't know how much information is being taken from your phone."
"I don't know where it is, I haven't seen it since yesterday." She folded her arms and moved away from me.
"Claire." I stretched my hand to stop her but I snatched my hand back immediately. "Please just tell me where it is."
"I'm not a liar like you, you know." She snapped at me.
I looked at her in shock, Claire had really changed in a short while and I realized how much I'd hurt her.
"I'm really sorry, Claire."
"No, you're not, you're the same like everyone else, my father, my mother and even you, you're all liers and you all deceived me." Tears slid down her eyes and she wiped them off immediately.
"I don't know what to say to make you forgive me but please just stop crying," I said and this time I couldn't stop myself and I pulled her into my arms.
She rested her head on my chest, her tears dropping on my shirt for a few seconds before she began to hit my chest with her fists.
"Damn you, damn you, Jean or Luke, I don't even know what to call you, how dare you, how dare you do this to me." She cried.
"Please calm down, Claire, please I beg of you calm down, I love you, I love you," I said repeatedly and held her face in my hands.
I leaned down about to kiss her before she pushed me away roughly and slapped me hard across the face.
"I don't love you anymore and I regret loving you, you want to know where my phone is, okay I'll tell you, it's with the press."
"Don't say that, I know that you're hurt but please don't say that."
"Yes, it's true, I gave my phone to the press because I wanted to hurt you the way you hurt me, are you happy now?" She yelled.
"I don't believe you," I said as shock gripped me and I stumbled backward.
"Better do, I'm no longer the naive Claire you knew, I wanted revenge and I got it, I hope you rot in hell." She screamed at me. "Now get out and never show your face to me ever again."
I rushed out of the apartment and I did not stop till I was in the lift, fortunately, I was the only one there and I fell to the floor because my legs couldn't support me anymore and I began to cry bitterly.
I couldn't believe what I'd just found out, it was indeed Claire who had put my family in such a scandal.
***
"You'll go out in twenty minutes, Sir." My assistant told me and I nodded.
The palace media had taken control of the scandal and I just had to make a statement, they called a press conference and I was waiting to address them.
I hadn't spoken to Megan because she wasn't in the country, she was shooting some ad or something in Paris and she hadn't gotten back home.
"Your royal highness, can you tell us how you got involved with the woman in the photos."
"We know that she is an American, did you meet her during your study there?"
"How does Megan feel about the ongoing scandal?"
"How do you feel about your face being exposed to the public?"
"How does the King feel about the scandal?"
"Does this mean your engagement to Megan is canceled?"
"Are you going to take responsibility for the young woman?"
"Stop!" I yelled as they continued hounding me with their questions. "I called you here to address the issue, won't you let me speak first?"
"We're sorry, your royal highness."
"I'm sure you know the name of the woman by now and her family's background in America, I met her here in Denmark." I started and cleared my throat as emotions began to overwhelm me.
"She made all of this up." I winced as I lied but I had no choice but to continue. "She took those photos on a private outing that we'd gone together because I considered her a friend, she'd also been to Harvard and we just got along because of that, she blackmailed me and tried to get some money from me because she's been estranged from her father for some time now."
"How could you say that?" Liam grabbed me by the collar and shoved me against a wall in my room after the press conference.
"I hope you know that now, she will never forgive you." He said.