Flash Marriage: Shrewd Wife, Devious Husband
Chapter 250: The Secret Backer

Chapter 250: The Secret Backer

The king was in his eighties and as they didn’t expect it, they were stunned for a minute. Not to make the situation awkward, Tony immediately bowed while Marcella tried a curtsy for the first time in her life.

The King and the Queen then politely welcomed them and introduced them to the Crown Prince. Next to them were William and Margaret.

When they were introduced as the eldest son and daughter-in-law of the Crown Prince, Marcella was so shocked. She looked at Tony and although he tried to hide it, she could see that he was shocked too.

They thought William was someone important from the royal family, not the second in line to the throne.

"Now I feel bad for talking to you casually, Your Highness," Marcella said.

"Oh, no, no..." William refused.

"I chided him for treating you like an equal when you are much older than you," the King interrupted and said.

Marcella realized the first time the King bowed was not an accident. He did that on purpose for everyone to see.

But why?

They were given a top-tier welcome. They had arranged for their stay in the palace with the royals. They even asked them if they preferred to stay elsewhere if they found the accommodation lacking.

Marcella wanted to laugh. It was a palace! How could they lack anything?

In the afternoon, they had time to rest. Marcella was lying on Tony’s lap as he read documents.

"I couldn’t find anything about the King’s business dealings, Birdie," Tony said running his fingers through her hair.

"Hmm..." Marcella drew circles on his knee. "Hey, Tony... I suddenly had this thought. Could he be our backer?" she asked.

If the King held immense power without any record, could he be the one protecting her all this while?

"I think so too," Tony said and kissed her forehead.

"But why?" Marcella asked.

Tony let out a deep breath. "Maybe Don DeAngelo made a dealing with him for one reason or another?" he said with doubt.

"Maybe..." Marcella said rolling to her back. "Wow! Look at the paintings on the ceiling. This palace is artistic; reminds me of the Palace of Versailles. It must be nice living in a palace. Even walking here gives this feeling of self-importance...When they bow at you and curtsy to you, it’s like... I shouldn’t like it but I like feeling important."

"It does?" Tony raised his brows. He didn’t think his wife was vain like this. But she can be whatever she wants to be.

And when she becomes the first lady, she will get the feeling every day.

Wherever they went, they were treated with the utmost respect—the same respect the King received, to the point Marcella felt awkward. They didn’t even let her pour herself some water and wanted to do it all for her. She dropped her lipstick accidentally and one rushed to get it to her before sanitizing it. Marcella was overwhelmed.

Turned out, she didn’t like getting worshipped!

The answers to their questions were answered after the dinner that night. The King and the Queen along with the Crown Prince and William were there in the drinks room.

The King visited their country with the family some thirty years ago. Their daughter had gone out alone thinking it would be safe. Unfortunately, she went to the wrong neighborhood and got attacked. Thankfully, she was saved by someone and brought back to the hotel they were staying.

Unfortunately, the girl didn’t ask for the name of the man who saved her.

The King was pissed and wanted to file a complaint and bring those goons to justice. But the cops didn’t care and blamed his daughter for going there at night alone.

The king was pissed and along with his daughter, went back to the place to find the men who tried to hurt his daughter. He wanted to hang them in public which was the punishment for such crimes in his country. When he found the men, they were already half-dead as a man had singlehandedly beaten up those men.

The daughter told the King that it was the same man who saved her. "I have two daughters at home. I did what any responsible father would do. Scums like these shouldn’t be allowed to live to hurt another girl," the man said. The King formed an instant connection with that man.

"It was my dad..." Marcella said.

That was so like her father.

The King nodded. "He was a virtuous man," he said.

"Dad had principles..." Marcella said wiping the corner of her eyes. She loved it when someone talked positively about her father.

"I should apologize," the King said standing up. Everyone else stood up with him. "I promised him that I would repay the favor by protecting his family. But I forgot all about it. I am not virtuous like him. I remembered my promise when it was too late. Forgive me..." The king bowed his head.

Marcella stood up along with Tony. "Please raise your head, Your Majesty," she said.

She couldn’t accept an old man bowing his head in front of her like that. Not to mention he was a literal King.

"You did keep your promise by protecting my family. I know my dad would be happy looking down on us," she said.

When she lost her father and mother, she thought she was left alone. She even blamed her dad and she had since then learned how much respect her father had garnered all his life. She was not angry at the King for breaking his promise. He was a human just like the rest of them. He must have been overwhelmed with his work and forgot about the man he met one day in another country. It was acceptable.

But he did an admirable thing by protecting her for decades. That was more than enough.

Tony held her hand as her voice shook. So, he was their secret backer. Finally, he got to give a face to the figure powerful enough to protect them till then.

The King looked up and he was relieved as if a weight had lifted from his heart. "When I heard that you married someone with ambitions to go to the White House, I knew I could support him. That’s why I waited till now to reveal myself."