Everything is hazy in the morning. My head is pounding, and there's gauze wrapped around my hand. I have no idea where they came from, and I don't remember much of what happened yesterday either. All that comes to mind is the disagreement I had with Alex.
Yawning, my hands grasp the back of my head as I roll over on my bed. My body is aching, but I manage to check the alarm on my nightstand. It's only 4 AM, which surprises me because I never get up this early, but I could also make use of this extra time.
I roll over some more until I fall off of my bed with a large thump, but I couldn't care less. Right now, I need a long and hot shower, and that's what I plan to do.
Slowly finding my balance, I get back up on my feet and head to my private bathroom. I don't even bother turning the light on; instead I just turn on the shower as quickly as I can.
With a sigh of relief, the scalding water from the showerhead washes away the pain that was once coursing through my entire body. The heat soothes my aching muscles, and I let the water cascade down my face and neck, washing away all the tension of my day.
I stay in the shower for a long time, just enjoying the warmth and the feel of the water on my skin. By the time I finally give up the luxurious shower and step out, I feel refreshed and ready to take on the day.
I dry myself off quickly, pulling my silk robe on and sliding into my fuzzy slippers. With a towel around my shoulders due to my damp hair, I step inside my room just in time for Sofia to arrive to get me ready.
Though when I take a look at the handmaid, she isn't her normal bubbly self. Her expression is taut with anxiety, as if she had seen something she wasn't supposed to. It seems like she's holding something back or is worried about something, but I can't figure out what.
"Sofia?" I question with a concerned brow lifted, approaching her calmly. "Is everything alright?"
Sofia's eyes widen slightly, but she doesn't seem alarmed by my question. In fact, she seems relieved that I noticed something different. "Yes, everything's fine; thank you," she replies, a small smile spreading across her face.
Even with those words, though, her voice is shaky and her hands are trembling slightly. With those factors added to her initial concerned expression, I can't help but wonder if there's more to the story.
However, I keep my suspicions to myself for the time being. Instead of being nosy, I respect her decision not to speak much about her current state and sit down on my chair so that she can get me ready.
₊˚ʚ ᗢ₊ ˚✧ ﾟ.
By the time I'm done getting ready, my headache only worsens. My memory is still very foggy as well, but the minute I see Alex when I step out of the door, my mood just seems to sour even more.
No matter how angry I seem to be at him, though, I can't deny the fact that he always looks like a piece of art. The way he moves, the way he talks slowly and crisply, the way his blue eyes capture me every time—all of that is enough to make even the strongest woman fall to their knees.
"Good morning. How'd you sleep, Princess?" Alex asks, and I catch him staring at the gauze wrapped around my hand, making me wonder if he had anything to do with my injury.
Choosing to remain stubborn as I always am, I deliver a sharp glare in his direction. "Good," I say bitterly, "because I didn't dream about you at all."
The bodyguard's head cocks teasingly to the side. Moving forward, he towers over me, forcing my back against the wall. "That's a surprise. You were definitely on my mind when I was resting. Then again, maybe I need to be in your bed instead," he whispers slyly.
With a look of surprise, I gasped softly at his words. My heartbeat starts to rise, and my breath catches in my throat. I wasn't expecting him to be that bold, but a mischievous smile still forms on my lips.
"I'm not sure if I'll let you have me just yet," I answer, teasingly running my fingers through his hair. "And if you really want to make me feel better, you could go ahead and give me some ice cream."
Alex's expression softens, and he leans closer. "Anything for you," he says with a slight chuckle that makes it hard for me to stay mad at him.
I nod my head in the direction of the kitchen, which is down the corridor to the left. The only thing that could possibly soothe my hangover is a nice scoop of strawberry ice cream, and I want Alex to walk me there.
He gently takes my injured hand, making sure he doesn't squeeze it too hard. "Is your palm feeling better?" he inquires softly, his lips making contact with my skin.
For a moment, I stay frozen in place as his words fill every inch of my body with pleasure. His lips against my hand feel so intimate and tender, and his teasing smile is like kryptonite to every ounce of resistance within me.
I can't hold back my appreciation anymore. Alex always knows how to make me feel better, even when I thought I hated him the most. "Ice cream it is," I sigh, leaning my head against his shoulder as we make our way through the hallway.
It feels like I'm wrapped in a warm blanket, shielded from the outside world and all its stresses. Whenever Alex is with me, I feel like everything is going to be okay.
But before we can even reach the end of the hallway, we happen to pass by the guest bedroom Ava sleeps in, and the noise of a bed creaking coming from inside causes me to stop in my tracks.
What the hell?
"You hear that too, right?" I murmur, turning to face Alex, who nods and also has the same confused expression on his face.
The strange rocking noises coming from the other side of the door seem to grow louder with each passing second. I have no idea why Ava would be making these kinds of noises in the first place, but I can't help but feel increasingly concerned the more I listen.
Walking closer to the door, the sound of heavy breathing catches me off guard. Alex and I exchange suspicious looks, and if anything, I'm glad we're on the same page here.
Together, we slowly open the door. While it may seem weird, Ava isn't supposed to bring guests to her bedroom. Especially with all that's happening now. But my eyes widen when the person in her bed appears not to be a stranger at all.
Marco.
I open my mouth to speak—to shout—but Alex beats me to it. "What the hell are you doing?" he questions harshly, looking at both of the royals with a disgusted expression.
Both of them are thankfully covered with the bedsheets, and Ava simply sits on the edge of the bed, her hair in a loose bun, as she stares both of us down with a proud smirk. "What does it look like I'm doing, Mr. West? You just have to ruin all the fun, don't you?"
I gape at her in shock, wondering how the hell she seems to have no sense of shame. But now, it's my turn to yell. "What the fuck is wrong with you?"
The blonde princess smiles coyly, not ashamed at all of her actions. She glances at Alex, who's fuming with rage, then back at me. "I think you already know the answer, Elena. Your husband is very, very handsome—and I think he knows how to please a woman."
I narrow my eyes at her, and I can feel my blood boiling. "And you have no shame for what you're doing, do you?" I confirm.
"Me? No shame? I feel great about this." She laughs with a shrug, and her grin grows wider as she leans over and kisses Marco on his cheek.
My face contorts into a frown of disbelief, and I find myself slowly reaching out for Alex's hand, which I take and squeeze tightly. "God, you're both disgusting," I scoff.
Marco sits up on the mattress, and his atrociously hairy chest sticks out of the bedsheets. It looks even messier and hoarser than his actual hair. "Don't be such a brat, Elena. You've made it perfectly clear you don't want me."
Is he stupid?
"Oh, don't flatter yourself, dipshit," I fire back. "I couldn't care less about you. What I do care about," I pause for a moment to look at Ava, "is you."
Ava huffs, her expression darkening, and suddenly I get an idea of what this is all about. Marco sits back against the headboard and folds his arms across his hairy chest, looking like a child who got caught doing something he knew he shouldn't.
"This is just a game to you, isn't it?" I ask, my voice steadily quieter as I stare at Ava, who quickly slips a robe on and rises from the bed.
"Why does it matter?" Ava groans, taking a swig from her water bottle on the nightstand as if she couldn't care less about the tension in the room.
"I'll tell you why it matters," I snap, shaking my head angrily. "Because you're supposed to be one of my closest friends. Can't say I'm surprised, though. I always knew deep down that you were a backstabbing slut."
"Oh, please, let's not start pointing fingers at each other here," Ava shoots back, her expression turning dark as she gives me a death stare. "If anyone here has been a backstabbing slut here, you're one of the first candidates. Don't pretend you've been faithful to Marco."
The minute she finishes her sentence, my body stiffens, and Alex and I exchange uneasy looks. My heart drops once I realize that not just Ava, but Marco as well, knows about my little rendezvous.
After taking a moment to regain my composure, I try to throw her off. "I don't know what you're talking about," I reply through clenched teeth, playing dumb in a desperate attempt to get her off my back.
Ava rolls her eyes, as if she's not impressed with my defense at all. "Please, El," she scoffs, "don't act like you haven't been doing anything with your bodyguard. I've seen the way he looks at you."
The way he looks at me?
"Who can blame you, though?" Ava adds a second later, her voice having a teasing yet malicious edge to it. "He is quite the charmer. It's truly a shame he's a commoner instead of a prince, though."
The more she talks, the hotter I feel. It's only a matter of time before I explode on her, but I manage to hold my temper back for a few moments. I suppose Alex has been helpful with my anger issues after all.
Taking a deep breath, I let go of Alex's hand. "Get out," I demand, my voice eerily calm yet dangerously serious at the same time.
As soon as the words leave my mouth, Ava just laughs. "Why? Because I know the truth about you?" she mocks viciously with a smugness that makes me want to slap her across the face. "Look at you, El. You're a bodyguard's whore."
I close my eyes and take another deep breath, trying to calm myself by counting to ten in my head. "Get out," I repeat, my tone even more intimidating.
Ava's taunting smile contorts back into a scowl, and she walks toward me, clutching her robe tightly. "You can't tell me to get out. It's your father's palace, not yours. If you attempt to kick me out, I'll just tell him about Mr. West. Do you really think he'll be pleased to find out his daughter has been sleeping with the help?"
Alex steps forward to say something, but with my arm, I block him off, wanting to take matters into my own hands. "You're not telling him anything," I begin in a honeyed tone. "If you do, I can assure you that the help would be more than happy to dispose of your dead body discreetly."
The other princess's eyes widen, and for a moment, a look of terror flashes across her features. She clearly didn't expect me to be capable of issuing such threats. "You're bluffing," she hisses. "You're not capable of being malicious."
A taunting laugh escapes my lips—just looking at her look so defeated and desperate to win is enough to lighten my mood. It's like watching a worm on a hook. "Oh, but I am," I reply coolly. "And I know Alex would do whatever I asked of him. I guess that's a perk of being a bodyguard's whore."
"You can't threaten us, Elena," Marco suddenly snaps, butting into the conversation with his unwanted two-sense.
I'm getting sick of him already.
Alex speaks for me this time, sending Marco a glare that would send shivers down anyone's spine. "Do I need to remind you what happened last time you spoke out of line?" he inquires sharply, his hand letting go of mine and going inside his suit jacket.
The prince's expression quickly morphs from victory to surprise, then to fear. "Listen, we'll go!" he blurts out, throwing his hands up in surrender. "Nobody has to get hurt or be taught a lesson."
Ava rolls her eyes and scoffs, crossing her arms as she processes the fact that she has lost for once. Her eyes watch Marco carefully, trying to gauge his sincerity. After a moment, she nods and fixes her disheveled blonde hair.
"Fine. I'll leave too," she relents.
Both of them slip on something more while Alex and I turn away in common decency. We might've barged into the room in the first place, but we're not that low.
After, we walk down the hallway with them to the palace doors. Ava is finally getting sent back to Austria, and Marco will just go anywhere he pleases—as long as it's not here.
Before they can exit out of the gates, though, Marco turns to me with a grim expression. "This isn't over, Elena. Just wait until I'm crowned king," he murmurs venomously, his voice low enough so that only I can hear him.
My fists clench at my sides when he finally walks away, his annoyingly fancy limo waiting for him. I know deep down he's right, but I also know he's way in over his head. He has no idea how desperate I am to get rid of him.
At this point, I don't care what anyone else thinks. I'm not above murder, and certainly not for that disgusting excuse of a prince. Everyone could call me crazy, and I wouldn't give a shit.
Just as long as he's gone from my life for good.
.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.・。.・゜✭・.・
authors note: RUSHED ASS ENDING GUYS I TRIED 😔 watching elena slowly lose her sanity lowk hits different tho