Chapter 9
Revolution
Harry didn’t know what to say to Isabella Clarke.
A few hours after the Centennial Party of Mary Mediatrix Hospital, Harry found himself sitting in the couch of the VIP waiting room in an airport in South Africa- a newspaper with his and Chelsy Davy’s picture at the front. His hands clenched and he sighed before checking his phone- no messages nor missed calls from Isabella Clarke.
Surely, she had already seen it you fucking sob. His mind insulted and the prince can only place his phone back on top of the table. Who told you that meeting an ex when you had ditched the recent one as smart?
“I haven’t seen Chelsy in years.” He mumbled trying to reason out his actions. “I thought it was reasonable.”
But he now realized that it was not reasonable. He ditched an important event for the Clarkes to meet up with an ex. He ditched his girlfriend for an ex. Which part of the earth is that reasonable? And with the tabloids practically rubbing salt on top of Bella’s wound, Harry is quite sure Bella is upset with him. Before Harry can stand from his seat, his phone started ringing and he saw Catherine’s name flashing on the screen.
“What the bloody hell were you thinking?!” The now Princess of Wales screeched before Harry can even say a hello. ”Seriously? Ditch her and then meet with Chelsy? What in the bloody-“
But Catherine’s rant was cut off and a bit of commotion can be heard on Catherine’s side before William’s voice came through, “Are you out of your fucking mind, Harry?” he asked and Harry flinched.
“I thought it was reasonable.”
“Reasonable?!” Kate screeched from the other line and Harry realized that he had been put on speaker. But Kate didn’t talk for a few seconds before Harry heard a sigh. “That’s not right, Harry. Isabella’s dealing with a lot. She had been dragged through mud for almost a year and kept quiet about it, never saying anything. She’s dealing with the paps hounding her and people telling her how she doesn’t deserve you and here you go proving everyone who dragged her correct.”
“I realize that now.”
“As you should.” William answered agreeing with Kate. “Harry, I don’t know..” he sighed. “This might be too much for her, you know?”
Harry’s heart started pounding inside his chest; the thought of Bella actually leaving him after this mistake of his hurting him. “I’ll explain it to her. She’ll understand.”
“Let me tell you something, Harry.” Kate suddenly spoke and Harry can hear the babbling of the baby princess Olivia faintly. “There’s no going back from that one.”
Isabella, although suffering from a massive hangover, went to the hospital the next day even though she’s not supposed to work. She sat on her table and started sifting through her patient’s records just to distract herself from thinking too much about Harry- or feeling hurt. To say, she doesn’t remember the last parts of the centennial ball last night- she’s also sure that her father had to carry her out of the limo to the inside of her house.
She doesn’t like it. She doesn’t like how she feels about her relationship with Harry- or she’s just suffering from a bad case of hangover. Bella sighed lightly throwing the folder on her hand onto the table before leaning back and looking outside. It’s a wonderful day in London, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and people outside doesn’t have an umbrella on their hands. It made the doctor smile. She’s not this. She used to be fearless. Free. She used to walk along the roads of London loving life- feeling the sun. She used to go to breakfast, grab lunch, or even go on dinners without having to worry of cameras being shoved on her face.
Being with Harry took that part of her away. Being with him took away her freedom and she’s ok with that; she dealt with it. For almost a year, she kept her mouth shut. She was patient, she was understanding- she had become a wallflower.
“This has got to change.” She mumbled to herself with a new sense of determination as she pushed herself out of her chair, grabbed her bag, and walked out her office- all the while dialing Abi’s phone number.
“Why are you even awake?” Abigail Simons answered groggily as Bella stepped inside her car and swiftly closed the door. “Why are you waking me up?”
Bella chuckled, “Would you like to grab some lunch and do some shopping?”
“Lunch? Shopping? You?” Abi confirmed and Bella can hear the rustle of her duvet from the other line. “Ok. You got my attention. Why do you want to go have lunch? You said that you’re avoiding the press. Is it about the article still? Have you not talked to him yet?”
As Abi asked the flow of questions, Bella tried to find the proper answer to everything. Why? Why is she doing this? Why is she baiting herself once again to the press? But as Abi’s end started silencing, Bella finally found the best answer to give her friend.
“Let’s give them hell.”
“Who are you and what have you done to Isabella?”
But Abi met up with Bella in a restaurant named Ceru in South Kensington looking like she is about to walk in a runway. Thankfully, Bella knew how her friend dresses and chose to at least try out something new- meaning, she’s not dressed in her usual sundress or dress pants. “Oh look at you!” Abi gushed as she walked towards Bella who’s sat at the table tapping her fingers idly. “Are you possessed or something?”
Bella’s insecurity reared its head and she leaned forward to her friend with furrowed eyebrows. “Do I look bad?”
“Look bad?” Abi scoffed. “You look God damn modern and exciting. It’s a major improvement.” She continued gesturing towards Bella’s outfit. “Whatever it is you’re going through, it did you fucking good.”
They had lunch just like how they did when they wear still in medical school but now, Bella doesn’t look like some hippie beside her friend. It was apparent that someone had tipped her whereabouts to the press because as they got out of the restaurant, the paps swarmed around them like bees. This time around, she didn’t put her head down- she walked like she owned the place. She’s confident with herself and she’s not going to lose that over her jealousy and disappointment towards Harry and his ex.
As they shopped around Camden Markets; buying off clothes and organic foods from the street market, Bella’s phone started ringing and she looked at the screen to see an unknown number flashing on it. “I’ll just take this.” She told Abi thinking that a patient must be having an emergency. “Isabella speaking, who’s this?”
“Ah, you must not remember.”
Bella furrowed her eyebrows as she heard the voice of an oddly familiar man from the other end of the line. “Henry? Henry Cavill?” she asked and the man from the phone chuckled. “How did you get-?”
“Before you think that I am a crazy stalker as Abi describes, you gave me your number last night willingly.. While I battled to get both you and Abi in the limo.” He cut Bella off. “I just wanted to ask how you are.”
With the creases on her forehead deepening while she raked her brain to remember that scene, she took a glance at Abi before saying. “We battled you?”
“Like normal drunken women.” Henry confirmed.
“Did I say or do anything embarrassing?”
“You just cried about the whole being ditched for an ex.” Henry answered straightforwardly and Bella groaned. “While Abi tried to French kiss me.” He continued making Bella scoff. “Don’t worry. All forgotten and never to be told to anyone.”
Sighing, Bella said, “Thank you. And I’m fine. I am currently with Abi doing shopping.”
“You two are not drinking again are you?”
“No. I just recovered from the hangover.” Bella said quickly as if another touch of alcohol to her lips will kill her. “You’re welcome to join us, if you want. As a sort of apology to the trouble we caused you last night.”
Henry gave out a chuckle, “I’m afraid I cannot take you up on that offer. We’ll have to reschedule it. I’m currently on my way to the airport.” He answered. “Have to go back to L.A.”
“Oh.” Bella said and she felt Abi tap her on the shoulder. “Have a safe flight then.”
“See you soon, Doctor Clarke.”
“Who’s that?” Abi asked as Bella started running through the ignored messages from Harry, William, and Kate on her phone. “Is it a patient?”
“No.” Bella sighed placing her phone in her bag; not yet ready to face her problems. “Apparently, you tried to French kiss Henry Cavill while I bawled my eyes out.” She continued to answer Abi’s curious look towards her.
“Did I succeed?” Abi asked curiously and Bella laughed.
But as she drove home, the happiness that she felt while with Abi started dissipating into loneliness and hurt. She’s angry, she’s jealous, and she’s insecure. She’s angry not just because Harry ditched her to meet up with Chelsy Davy; she’s angry because she feels like she doesn’t deserve being embarrassed like that. Her face is, once again, all over the tabloids. Taunting her. Breaking her little by little that she’s now having a hard time keeping herself together.
She doesn’t have anyone to voice out her feelings to. Albeit, she had probably told Henry Cavill a lot when she was drunk but when she is sober, she has no other choice but to keep everything in especially since Harry doesn’t seem to realize what she’s going through.
It didn’t shock her to see a black Range Rover parked inside her gates. “I shouldn’t have given him a spare key.” She mumbled to herself before parking on her usual spot and getting out of the car.
When she entered her home though, she stopped dead on her tracks to saw Catherine standing inside her living room. “Ta-da!” the former duchess said awkwardly as she saw Bella’s reaction. “I am terribly sorry for my intrusion but I just really need to talk to you.” She said walking over to Bella who’s debating whether she should or shouldn’t curtsy. “Woman to woman.”
Bella’s mind is going crazy though as she prepared tea for her and Catherine; a woman to woman talk about her own relationship is not something Bella is used to. She’s more used into being the one giving out advices towards Abi, not the other way around.
“I got your key from Harry’s apartments.” Catherine explained as Bella softly placed a china filled with tea in front of her. “I snooped and rummaged through his drawers because he once mentioned about your keys. I didn’t break in to your home or anything.”
Bella smiled towards Catherine. No woman in their right mind can think ill of this royal. Surely, she has her quirks but Bella can see good in Catherine Middleton. “It’s ok. You don’t look like the usual pap.”
By this, the princess can only give the doctor a sympathetic smile. She knows how it feels to be hounded and hunted like Isabella Clarke. Truthfully, Kate knew that Bella must be feeling much worse than former did; reason being because it is obvious that the doctor is being hounded more. “Look, I know what Harry did is absolutely wrong and I understand if you’re really upset with him.”
Biting her bottom lip and her eyes staring at her cup intensely, Bella could only nod at Kate. She doesn’t know how to respond or if she should say how she felt to the royal before her. “It’s ok.”
“We both know that it’s not.” Kate said in a matter-of-fact tone that made Bella look up at her. “If this relationship works out, Isabella, I will be the only person who can understand you more that anyone in the family.” She said and Bella nodded realizing that Kate is right given both their circumstances. “I need to know how you feel so I can help you.”
How do I feel? Bella asked herself as she let her hands wrap around her hot mug. “I feel.. hurt.” She finally blurted out. It won’t hurt if I tell her. “I think I lost myself with everything that’s going on.” She continued giving Kate a small glance to which the latter returned with a comforting smile. “I tried my best to satisfy everyone; I avoided doing things to prevent people from thinking ill of me, I lived for a year in constant fear that I will get caught by the paps doing something so mundane yet it’s twisted into something bad.”
Kate watched Bella intently; she can see the tension on the woman. She looks so broken. She thought as she watched Bella quickly wipe a tear that’s trailing down her cheeks. “Did you talk to Harry about this?”
“No.” Bella answered shaking her head with a soft laugh. “We haven’t even talked properly lately. He’s busy and I understand. I guess that’s my job- to always understand. Even him ditching me.” She continued and a hiccup came out of her throat as unwilling tears suddenly started flowing once again. “I’m sorry. I’m too emotional.”
Harry, you prick. “It’s normal. I know how it feels like.” Kate comforted now standing up from her seat and walking towards Bella. “It’s always difficult with them.” Kate continued as she hugged Bella. “Believe me, I’ve cried bucket loads of tears with William.”
“Does it ever get better?”
Does it, Kate? “There will be a time when everything just falls into place.” She answered. “William and I; we have had a lot of times when we needed a break from each other so we can let things fall where they should.”
Bella chuckled as she wiped the remaining tears off her face, “If it’s meant to be, it will be.”
“He told me that quite a few times.” Kate giggled. “William, I mean.”
As Bella watched Kate drive away after their talk, she realized how much she had been holding in. Even if her mouth will say that she understands or that she accepts it, her mind cannot. It’s not because she doesn’t love Harry or that she’s giving up but it’s because she feels so alone in her and Harry’s situation that her mind starts hurting her own heart. And as she said; if it’s meant to be, it will be.
I think we need a break.
(AN: I know, I know. I don't have much of Harry/Bella scenes for the last chapters. It's just that I cannot create a story that has a scene between the two all the time in That Thing Called Fate. TTCF is a story of how Bella copes with being involved with a royal and it's hardships. So, yes, this story is not always going to be rainbows and butterflies but I promise that fate will do its trick in the end. Anyway, thank you for reading!)
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