𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 | ✎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟒𝟐

Reluctantly, I take his hands off of me and lightly push him away with my body. "Not now. My parents are probably wondering where we both are."

Alex lets out a deep, frustrated sigh, his head sinking down to my chest. He peppers a few more kisses along my collarbone and exposed cleavage before pulling back once and for all. "You're right. Let's go."

₊˚ʚ ᗢ₊ ˚✧ ﾟ.

A few hours later, all of us arrive at La Stella d'Italia—a five-star, exclusive restaurant known for its exquisite food and excellent service. The restaurant is reserved only for those with power and money, and my family is included in those categories.

The restaurant's opulence doesn't go unnoticed as we enter, with gold chandeliers hanging overhead and tables decorated with fine china. The waiters are all trained to a T with elegant manners and impeccable service—something that I've been aware of. This isn't the first time I've been here.

After each of the staff bows before us, we take our seats, and the servers come up to each of us to offer us drinks and take our orders. The prince, of course, orders a bottle of expensive wine, while my parents both order a glass of red wine.

I hesitate before answering, but I decide to order a glass of water. My nerves are getting the better of me, and I can't stand the idea of drinking wine with Marco.

While waiting for our food, Marco leans close to me, and I instinctively recoil back, not wanting to be near him. However, he continues to edge closer, and I can feel his body heat near mine, sending shivers down my spine. I clench my fists, anger and resentment building inside me.

"What's the matter, mi amore? Are you afraid of me?" he whispers in my ear, his breath hot on my cheek.

What a dick.

I don't want to give him the satisfaction of responding, but I can't help myself. "I'm not afraid of you. I just can't stand the sight of you," I retort out loud.

"Ah, so you do feel something for me," Marco taunts, the amusement clear in his voice. "I always knew you were hiding your true feelings."

I glare at him, my anger threatening to boil over. "Don't pretend like you know me," I snarl, my voice low and dangerous.

My father claps his hands loudly, breaking the tension between us. "Elena! As the future queen, you will be expected to carry out your duties with dignity and grace, not acting like an unhinged child."

Biting my tongue, I refrain from lashing out at my father and creating a bigger scene. I know that I have to be more mature now, but with the people around me, sometimes it's hard. My father does have a point, though. As the future queen, I can't let my emotions control me.

My gaze shifts to Alex, knowing that out of anyone, he can keep me calm. He's standing in the corner, his blue eyes narrowing in a calculating way. But his eyes soften as he makes eye contact with me, and I immediately feel better.

Finally, a server arrives with a feast for each of us. A delicious-smelling spread of antipasto is placed in the center of the table. Frittata and the classic Italian spaghetti accompany the dish, and the spaghetti looks the most appealing by far, drizzled perfectly with fresh marinara sauce.

Marco digs into the food without waiting for anyone else, immediately taking a bite out of the frittata. "What's this?" he asks while chewing. "This is—"

Suddenly, he starts to choke and wheeze the food out of his mouth. His hands slam down on the table, startling everyone sitting—including my parents. The prince's face is a deep shade of red now, and he looks furious.

"You ignoramus!" he chokes out, clutching his throat with his calloused hands. "Are there eggs in this?"

"What?! Of course, there are eggs in the frittata," the waiter replies, his voice anxious and shaky. "It is a traditional Italian dish; it is common knowledge that eggs are a key ingredient."

Marco coughs and tries to speak, but no words come out. His face continues to turn a brighter shade of crimson, and his breathing becomes more shallow. Everyone at the table is watching him in concern, except for me. I can't help but feel a sense of relief.

A staff member rushes towards the choking prince, who is still struggling to dislodge the food from his throat, and performs the Heimlich maneuver, causing him to cough up the egg that had gotten stuck.

Prince Marco regains his composure, and he's even angrier now. He scowls menacingly at the waiter before looking at the manager, who has come out to help. "I want him fired. NOW!" he demands.

I drown out the rest of the scene that unfolds before me. There's something else on my mind now—something most people would consider sinister for a princess to even think about. Frankly, I don't give a damn.

All I have to do to kill Marco is sneak eggs into his food.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.・。.・゜✭・.・

authors note: once again so sorry for not updating frequently like i usually do. rly trying to get my motivation back for you guys. ty for reading, seeing comments and votes makes me feel accomplished 🤍