Chapter 0397

I immediately looked to Nicholas. His eyes were wide, locked straight on Bridget. Beside him, Julian was equally flabbergasted.

Looking at Bridget, I found she was staring straight back. Her smile softened. She seemed more genuine than before.

At once, Nicholas and Julian broke out with big smiles of their own. Each cut straight through me.

“Isn’t that Bridget, the movie star?” Tiffany whispered from beside me. On the other side, Jessica grumbled, “What hope do any of us have now?”

Nicholas moved first. He rushed toward the edge of the platform and then hopped down. He all but ran to greet Bridget at her car. She held open her arms and then hugged.

“Shit,” Lilliana cursed. I wouldn’t agree with her on much, but in this, I felt our opinions were in tandem.

The cameras moved closer, eager to capture the reunion on film. Nicholas’s smile was brighter and happier than they usually see. Typically for the public, he was so reserved, but for Bridget, his old flame, he was more like the person that I knew.

They ended their hug but stayed near. They looked at each other. I couldn’t hear what they were saying from my distance, but it seemed friendly and familiar. At one point, they both started laughing.

The only person with a face more dire than my own in the crowd might have. been Julian. His smile at first seeing Bridget shifted into a grim sort of frown.

I remembered his stories about how Nicholas stole away his true love. I could see now, how that would have so fully upset him. My own heart felt like it was shattering into pieces.

But then Bridget looked past Nicholas to Julian and waved him closer. Like a golden retriever on a leash, his luminous smile immediately returned, and he hopped off the stage to join her. She pulled him into a hug too. He held her tightly.

My heart cracked in half twice.

In the distance, the protests of the crowd dimmed down with Bridget’s sudden arrival. Instead, they seemed at first confused, and then excited. A chant began, Bridget, Bridget!” like the deeds of the past were forgotten and gone, and all that

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mattered was the sudden arrival of a mega celebrity.

arrival was what they needed to save themselves. And if her

bit back a growl. My emotions were still running high. My wolf was pacing unhappily across my mind, her words a whisper in my

stands too closely

not our mate, I reminded her.

not agree.

the princes had finished their reunion with the princes, Nathan came forward to with the microphone. She blew kisses to the

words in the microphone echoed

she said, and even her voice was beautiful. “I’d like to thank the royal family for asking me to join the competition. And it is amazing to have so much support from my

to the crowd. One girl shrieked so

I, Elva, and the other candidates

an… entertainment.” That was not a compliment, but Bridget just smiled brighter. She’d likely heard any and all insults before. Maybe, coming here, she’d

some amusement,”

bright smile, like she fully intended to outdo Bridget’s in sheer

meet you, Bridget,” Lilliana said. I wondered if she might have actually meant it this time. One actor might respect the ability

without much fanfare. “Hello.”

did so while staring down at the ground.

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her teeth.

start packing my bags now. “Nonsense,” Bridget replied magnanimously. “We all have equal chance.” Tiffany snorted

Bridget. Though with her heart firmly tied to Mark’s, she hadn’t much to worry about. “Nice

just as bright as it had been at the start, like meeting all these people was no great effort. Maybe as a superstar celebrity, she

she said and held out her hand. I shook it. Then she looked down at Elva, who watched her back with wide eyes. “And this must be

pretty,” Elva

you,” Bridget said kindly. “A lovely compliment

then half–hid behind my

Bridget. “She gets embarrassed with too

“She’s lovely. I want a family of my own someday, once I find the right gentleman, of course.” She glanced behind her to where Nicholas and Julian stood, not too far away. “Nicholas

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