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Rush
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Chapter 29: Rush (Grace's POV)
Later that same day, Ronan left me at his place with his grandma for a while, saying he had to run an errand. When he got back home later in the evening, his grandma left. We said it would make more sense for her to stay because we'd be leaving tomorrow anyway and she could stay here during that time but she was determined to leave us alone and left, taking Lulu with her. Ronan and I repeated the routine we'd developed over the past few days and then fell asleep.
Much to my dismay, the next day we arrived back at the palace, where I got the biggest heart attack of my life when my father told me I was getting married to Lucas tomorrow. No engagement, no nothing, straight to the wedding. "That doesn't make any sense," I scoffed.
"I know honey, but we've already delayed everything for so long. I'm afraid we have to cancel the engagement altogether and you'll have the wedding straightaway."
I blinked and stared at him in utter shock. "How is that possible? That doesn't make any sense, dad!"
"Honey..." He sighed, looking over at Ronan pleadingly.
I frowned in confusion, turning to Ronan. He took a look around and then sighed, grabbing my hand. I stared at him in shock. Aren't we supposed to keep our relationship a secret?
"Come with me," he whispered, pulling me towards the staircase and then up to my room.
"What are you doing?" I hissed. "I thought we were keeping us a secret."
"Not from your father," he mumbled, his eyes scanning my face. "Grace, there's something I didn't tell you. About our plan."
"You didn't tell me anything about our plan, actually. It's your plan," I murmured, rolling my eyes.
"I didn't want to tell you until I was sure and I couldn't be sure until your father responded and he didn't respond until this morning, okay?" he rambled quickly.
"Tell me now then," I pleaded.
He nodded. "Yesterday, I didn't go running an errand. I met your father."
"What?"
"Listen to me."
I huffed, folding my arms across my chest and staring at him impatiently.
"I'm the one that asked your father to bring the wedding closer. I'm the reason it's happening tomorrow."
"Ronan!"
"Shh!" He clamped his hand over my mouth, glaring at me. I bit his finger and he chuckled softly, pulling his hand back. "Ouch, Princess."
"Ronan, I'm serious. What is going on?!"
"Listen clearly, okay? It's all happening in a rush, I know—"
"You think? I'm getting married tomorrow and I didn't even know it until now!"
"Grace! Listen to me," he scolded.
I stared at him. "I'm not marrying Lucas."
"You're not. That's why the wedding is tomorrow. Your father will come up here in a minute to talk to you. As far as Judith knows, it's to explain why the wedding is happening so soon. But in reality, he's coming to tell you what we're doing, okay? Any question you have, don't ask him, ask me later."
"Later when?!"
"Later. I'll come get you. Your father will be here any minute, so I'm waiting outside, okay?" He leaned in, pecking my lips a few times before turning to leave.
"Ronan."
He didn't pause and left, closing the door behind him.
I am so confused.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
I stared ahead of me, processing the plan for tomorrow. "Oh," I mumbled, dumbfounded.
"Yes," my father sighed.
"Wait, so you're..." I turned to him in confusion. "You're helping us?"
He nodded. "You're my daughter, Grace."
I swallowed, wanting to bite back the venom that I knew would drip from my words, but I couldn't hold it in any longer. "That didn't seem to stop you before. You never... took my side, you never stopped Judith." I glanced at him. "You never stopped to think about me or Atlas when you killed mom," I spat, harsher than I intended to but there's no nice way to put that.
"I'm not trying to justify my actions, Grace, but there were problems."
"Problems that led you to murder her, dad? Really?"
"I know what I did was wrong, there's no forgiving it. I regret it," he said softly. "But I was foolish and I fell into the trap that was set up for me."
"Trap?"
He shook his head softly. "I don't want to suck you into that mess. It's the past and I know I'll be punished for the things I did whenever it comes down to it. But I don't want you to be stuck in the miserable life almost all royals, and forced into. You want out, I'm happy to give it to you, honey."
"You said I'll still be the princess of Astella though," I frowned in confusion.
"You will. Just without the burden that comes with being a princess. You'll have the privileges instead. Because that's your birthright, okay? You were born to be a princess. Not born to be tied down to royalty. I don't want that shackle around your ankle. Ever. Your mother felt very burdened as the queen. She wanted to step down too. She wasn't able to, but I don't want you to feel that too. You're free, Grace. You're the princess of Astella, nothing can ever change that."
"But I leave your duties up to you. If you want to stay here if you want to live in Astella as a normal citizen would... It's all up to you, my dear. I want a good, happy, bright future for you. If you see that in Ronan, of course, I'll allow it."
I stared at him, feeling a lump slowly building in my throat.
"Arranged marriage is..." He shook his head in disapproval. "It happened to me after your mother."
"Wait. You didn't... want to marry Judith?"
"No," he sighed. "It was arranged as an alliance. Forget it, sweetheart. Look forward to your future, hmm?" He stood and I looked up at him, blinking back tears. "I'm very sorry for everything that happened to you and with you over the years, Grace. I'm sorry I wasn't enough of a father when I should have been." He patted my head and then left silently.
I let out a heavy breath, my chest feeling burdened. I lay back, draping an arm over my eyes while a tear slipped. I heard my door open and from the way, my heart rate picked up and my senses picked up on him, I knew Ronan was here. I felt the bed dip beside me and I looked over at him, a tear rolling down the side of my face. "You could have told me, you know," I mumbled.
He sighed, wiping the tear with his thumb. "I wanted to give your father a chance to fix things with you. Whatever's left of it. Did it work?"
"It did," I whispered. "Thank you."
"Of course, Princess."
I stared at him quietly, gathering my thoughts and emotions, knowing damn well that it was too fucking soon. I'd be ruined if we didn't last, but it's a risk I'm willing to take, especially with the courage my father has given me, now that I know he really does have my back. "Ronan."
"Yes?"
"I think I love you."
His lip twitched up into a smile. "I think I love you too."
"Really?" I chuckled softly.
"I love you," he said reassuringly. "And we'll be just fine, okay? We just have to follow the plan, right?"
"Right." Just follow the plan tomorrow and everything will be just fine. It'll be us. It'll end with us.
.
.
.
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Chapter 29
Sorry but just like the title of this chapter, I'm rushing the ending of this book.
I wrote this book to work on my writer's block a little so I could stop quitting my books in the middle, and I really want to move on to the next book so I'm just wrapping this one up. consider this a short story y'all, please <3
next chapter: ending