Nicholas held Elva safe and secure in his arms as he stood to his full height. Elva buried her face into the corner of his neck and shoulder. He gently patted her back.

He glanced down at Elva, his gaze so tender that it made my heart clench.

“There, there,” he whispered. “You are safe now.”

“Oh my God,” said one of the other girls in the room, fanning herself. “Of course he’s good with children.”

“Someone pinch me,” said another. “I think I’m dreaming.”

Nicholas’s soft expression hardened as he glared out at the rest of the room. “Whose child is this? Why is she here?”

I started forward, but the girl in the pink dress spoke before I could reach him.

“An outsider sneaked in, unless she’s a maid.”

Some of the other girls snickered at my expense.

“She can’t be a participant,” another girl fake-whispered, loud enough for half-the room to hear. “I thought we had to be virgins, and she’s got a kid.”

I wanted to disappear into a corner. Whether virgin or not, I was nothing compared to the rest of these girls.

My clothes weren’t as nice as theirs, and my figure wasn’t like what it had been at the Academy. I’d lost much of my musculature. I was skinny from too many nights of skipped dinners.

Elva’s wellbeing had always come before my own.

Her sake was the only reason I continued forward rather than hide in embarrassment. I stopped only when I reached Nicholas.

He looked at me, and I looked at him.

I’d forgotten how gorgeous his eyes were, golden brown with flakes of green. When we’d dated, I had spent hours looking at them, trying to memorize that color, but it had seemed different each time.

Before, when I’d stared long enough, I could earn a bashful smile from him. Now, his face was totally devoid of emotion. He looked at me like I was a stranger.

Did he… not recognize me?

he truly had sealed me away in his past and

save face. I could be a great embarrassment to him,

Maybe he hated me.

the outsider.” The girl in

was monotone. Another moment

led me to an adjoining room, separated

hurried toward him. “Your Royal Highness, please remember that per the

man, who nervously

an exception,” Nicholas

The

stepped forward and closed the door behind us, leaving Nicholas, Elva,

I might be sick. I had never imagined I’d meet Nicholas again, and especially not

even to say. What would he think of me, to see me as I was? To see me

cried herself

his perfect façade cracked.

stayed gentle on Elva, his arm looped more

dare you hide my child from me?”

my thoughts skidded to a stop. I blinked once, twice, but, no, I couldn’t make

Eloquently, I said, “Huh?”

at Elva, softly sleeping in his arms. She was three years

memory. We’d been so young then,

finished in clumsy haste. I couldn’t remember where he was when he’d climaxed. But, hadn’t he been wearing

that fueled it seemed to slide into bewilderment. His gaze shifted, like he was trying to

I said, hoping

wanted children. He’d even said so on television. For me to hide a child from him would have been a cruelty. He

name. But she’s

before the anger

to say, he seemed to struggle to

glanced between me and Elva.

tell that to Nicholas. Elva was mine in every

unspoken question for him,

startled. What could cause that

and he immediately

gently, he lowered Elva down onto one of the plush couches in the

be mad at Mommy,” came Elva’s quiet

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255