Chapter 19 - 19: Princess DianaChapter 19: A Memorable Encounter

    Diana was a deeply emotional and sensitive woman, someone easily moved by art and beauty.

    Her friendship with Michael Jackson had begun over their shared love for pop music. And her relationship with her lover, Barry, had blossomed from the excitement of a horseback riding show.

    During that time, Prince Charles, his mistress Camilla, and Lady Dale had been openly seeing each other, which left Diana feeling hurt and desperate. When she first saw Barry on horseback, looking dashing and confident, her emotions had surged in response.

    What began as a form of rebellion soon grew into genuine love, and they''d even talked of running away together. But it hadn''t taken long for their affair to be discovered. Barry was quickly reassigned, and just three weeks later, he tragically died in a car accident.

    Barry''s death hit Diana hard.

    It was at a public event soon after that Charles, almost offhandedly, informed her of Barry''s death, delivering a blow that shattered her heart.

    The realization had a profound effect on Diana. She finally saw that her marriage was beyond saving, that she had neither the strength to drive out the third party nor the hope to win back her husband. She decided to walk her own path.

    In February 1992, Diana made a bold public statement. During a Valentine''s Day trip to India with Charles, when tradition called for a romantic gesture between the prince and princess, Charles leaned in to kiss her cheek. But Diana turned her head at precisely the right moment, leaving him publicly rebuffed.

    The rejection played out before the lenses of over 150 photographers and a crowd of 7,000 spectators, marking the end of any illusion of marital harmony.

    In December of that same year, England''s Prime Minister John Major, speaking for the royal family, announced that Charles and Diana were officially separating.

    Diana had turned to Queen Elizabeth for help, but her plea was met with indifference. The Queen replied simply, "I don''t know what you should do. Charles is a lost cause."

    Seeking support from Prince Philip was equally futile.

    At one point, Diana confided in her inner circle: "My father-in-law told my husband, ''If your marriage isn''t happy, after five years you can go back to her.''"

    Realizing that she was alone in her struggle, Diana accepted the painful truth that the royal family would offer her no support.

    In 1996, she made the courageous choice to divorce, convincing even the Queen of her resolve. The Queen ordered Charles to sign the divorce papers, ending their 15-year marriage.

    Despite the split, Diana retained her royal title of "Her Royal Highness."

    Afterward, Diana dedicated herself to charity work, throwing her energy into causes that mattered to her.

    Her return to London this time was to raise funds for a North African charity hospital.

    London was a city filled with painful memories for her. Her heart had been heavy until she heard that haunting melody drifting up from below.

    ...

    As evening fell, a knock sounded at the door.

    Diana, already dressed for dinner, sprang up, ready to call for Mary to open the door, but then hesitated, suddenly unsure.

    "Mary, do I look all right? Does this dress make me look... heavy?"

    "Miss, you look beautiful. The dress is perfect, and you''ll absolutely charm this young—this gentleman," Mary replied with a smile as she moved to open the door.

    "Good evening, Miss Diana. I''m here for our dinner."

    "You—you—you..."

    Diana was rendered speechless, for standing at the door was a neatly dressed, handsome young boy.

    "You''re Mr. Martin Meyers?"

    Standing at the door like a miniature gentleman, Martin gave a polite bow, then lifted his head with a confident smile.

    "Yes, Miss Diana. I am Martin Meyers." Sear?h the N??eFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    "Wow... I can hardly believe it. I imagined the singer downstairs to be a refined gentleman, an adult!"

    Though still visibly surprised, Diana quickly composed herself. Years of royal training had taught her to react with grace. She curtsied in return, her elegance instinctive.

    "You''re half right, Miss," Martin said with a playful twinkle. "I am a refined gentleman—just not an adult."

    Diana couldn''t help but laugh, covering her mouth. "You''re such a delight. Where are your parents?"

    "They''re back in America. I came here alone... well, with my bodyguard."

    "And you''re American? I couldn''t detect an accent at all!"

    "I have a bit of a gift for languages," Martin admitted, a touch of pride in his voice.

    Diana laughed again. The same words from an adult might have seemed arrogant, but coming from this young boy, they felt charmingly innocent.

    "Your language skills certainly come through. So, young sir, was it you singing that song? And did you write it yourself?"

    "Actually—"

    "Call me ''Miss,''" Diana interrupted gently.

    "Of course, Miss Diana. Yes, I was singing it, and I also composed it."

    Plagiarizing an elven melody didn''t bother Martin in the slightest.

    "What?"

    Once again, Diana found herself struggling to contain her emotions.

    "Are you serious?" she asked, needing reassurance.

    "Miss Diana, don''t view me as a regular eleven-year-old. I am... quite the prodigy."

    "A prodigy?"

    "Exactly! But, Miss Diana, aren''t you going to invite me inside? Talking across the threshold feels a bit odd, don''t you think?"

    "Oh, of course! My apologies, I got carried away. Please, come in. Mary, would you pour a glass of juice for our young gentleman?"

    "Yes, Miss," Mary replied cheerfully, giving Martin an encouraging smile. She hadn''t seen her mistress smile like this in years, and it filled her with warmth.

    As Martin stepped inside, Diana led him toward the elegantly set dinner table, smiling warmly at her young guest. For the first time in a long while, her spirits felt light.

    [??———?———?———?]

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