Zella
“No! He took me completely by surprise. I didn’t know he was going to propose.” I laugh and tell the mob of models around us.
“It’s beautiful!”
“You’re so lucky!”
Then I hear, “How dare you embarrass me like that!”
I look up to see Tiara confronting d’Artagnan. She looks furious. But he doesn’t appear to be the least bit fazed by her outburst. He stands there in his uniform, tall, proud, and devastatingly handsome. That image alone radiates what kind of person he is to have served in the capacity he has.
But when our eyes connect, I’m struck by the deep inner peace I see in his, and her treatment of him washes over me like hog slop.
I whisper to the girls, “Excuse me, ladies. I have to go rescue my prince from the wicked queen.”
They giggle, then turn as a single mob to stare at her. She glances our way with such hate in her eyes, they groan, then flee before she unleashes her fury on them, and I’m left standing there alone to face the witch.
My jaw clenches, and when she turns her wrath on me, I’m ready.
“And you! How dare you prance your grotesque, hideous…” She screams, waving her hand toward me.
I put my hands on my hips and lay it out for her. “Listen, you evil witch, shut the fuck up right now. Don’t you dare steal the spotlight away from Cathy’s success and our happiness.”
She puffs up, shocked.
“This isn’t about you, but if you make yourself the center of everyone’s attention, you will forever be known as the evil stepmother who spoiled everything!”
She stands there, gasping, trying to will me to drop dead, but she heard every word I said. d’Artagnan steps around her to stand behind me, encircling my waist with his strong hands, then kisses my neck. “Ah,” he croons softly in my ear. “You are even more beautiful when you are feisty.” I lean my head over, closing my eyes, and savor the way that feels, letting go of the anger she stirred inside me.
Then he stops, steps to my side, puts his arm around my shoulders, draws me under his protection, and becomes the bigger person, “My apologies, Mother. I had intended to propose at the restaurant tonight, but Rapunzel looked so ravishingly, beautiful in the wedding gown with her big tits and big ass bouncing down the runway,” He winks at me, and I smirk, knowing that at least the desire I see is real. “I couldn’t wait. I couldn’t stand the thought of all the other men not knowing she was mine.”
Cathy chimes in, “If it’s any consolation, Mother, I didn’t know they were seeing each other either.”
Tiara’s eyes narrow as she latches on to that point. “Is that so?”
“They’ve been dating but didn’t realize who each other was.”
Tiara humphs her disbelief. “I find that extremely unlikely.”
“To him, she was Rapunzel, and to her, he was d’Artagnan.”
“Hmm,” She glares at us but glances around. “We will discuss this further at the restaurant.” Then she spins on her heels and stomps away.
Cathy breathes a sigh of relief. “Lord, I thought for a moment, she was going to slap you, Zella.”
“What?” My eyes narrow, and I ask her, “Has she slapped you before?”
She smirks, “In the beginning.”
“Oh my god, boo!” I blurt. “I had no idea she was physically abusive.”
d’Artagnan says, “You have no idea what she is capable of.”
I turn to watch her walking back down the runway, waving to people, smiling, as if she’s the princess and not The Wicked Queen.
Chapter 12
d’Artagnan
