Whoever said "all good things must come to an end" was not jesting. He or she did mean it and somehow knew it was an inevitability.
The happy and refreshing day Aidan and I spent with our friends, the beautiful and elating moments under the sunset that we had on the boat, the countless sweet and eager kisses we shared, the tight unbroken embraces that we held on to like it were the last just maybe the last.
That reality hit us as soon as we entered the gates of the villa with a visibly anxious Gali approaching us and furiously signing, "Where the hell have you been?! Do you know what time it is?! How can you be so irresponsible?!" He glared at Aidan.
"What's wrong? We were just..." Aidan tried to explain but I cut in.
"Please don't blame Aidan. It was my fault. He just wanted us to go to that gelato place but I convinced him to take me to a tour around Como for the rest of the day." I explained as I looked at Gali imploringly.
"It doesn't matter," he signed with a frown. He then sighed and continued to sign. "The Crown Prince has been looking for you. He said it's urgent."
For some reason, I felt a burst of anxiety hit me. It shouldn't be an extraordinary matter for my brother to be looking for me but there was something in the way Gali signed and the intensity in his eyes that told me something was wrong.
"What for?" I asked.
He shrugged. "I don't know." He then looked at me and Aidan and our hands which I didn't realize were still intertwined until Gali's intense stare rested on them. He gazed at me again with a more somber expression then signed, "But before he asked for you, the dauphin was with him."
That was it. It's over.
The day of hope that we had was actually just a short respite from the harsh realities we need to face.
I looked at Aidan and held his hand tighter as I took a deep breath. What if we ran away right that moment and never look back? What if we just follow our hearts and defy everything that was telling us that our love cannot be?
We would be happy, that's for sure.
But for how long?
Can we be truly happy?
If we run away, it will definitely anger my family. My brother and father will search every corner of the world to find us and retribution will be exacted not just to him but also his whole family.
No. I can't do that to Aidan. I can't do that to Gali.
"Aidan..." I sighed as I released his hand from my grip.
"No." He objected and held my hand tighter.
I twisted my hand away and held back my tears as I whispered, "I'm sorry." He kept trying to keep holding on to my hand but I was determined to be let go.
In fear of hurting me, he did and one by one tears trickled down his cheeks.
I guess we both knew at that moment, It's over.
I immediately turned my back from him before he saw my own tears and ran into the villa.
***
I walked out of my brother's study feeling physically weak like the weight of the world was dumped on me, a dull ache in my heart threatened to explode and my head was at sixes and sevens.
I wasn't mistaken.
My brother has accepted the dauphin's proposal. Our bethrotal was finalized. The formal engagement ceremony will be immediately prepared and done in Reidonia in a week.
Nikolai has sealed my fate and he would not be disobeyed.
How could I disobey him when he threatened Aidan's life?
"Don't even think I don't know why you are refusing this arrangement, Maiena!" He harshly told me. "It's because of that treacherous bastard Aidan!" I've never heard him so angry before and his eyes showed an expression I could not recognize. If he wasn't right in front of me, I wouldn't have believed that it was my brother I was talking to. "You WILL do as I say or I will make sure you can't refuse me again. By any means necessary."
Of course I chose to save Aidan.
***
***
After the Princess left the Crown Prince's study, the dauphin entered.
With a smirk, he placed a black USB flash drive on the desk.
"I'm glad you made the right decision, Your Majesty." Prince Philippe grinned smugly. "I told you our dearest Princess can bend, if "spanked" the right way." He winked.
Prince Nikolai grabbed the flash drive and gripped it hard until his knuckles turned white. He didn't respond to the vile man in front of him in fear of saying something that will only make things worse for him and his sister.
"Remember, I have more of those. When I'm happy, I will give you a little reward like this, oui?" He said in a very heavy Etazurian accent. "Don't worry. I am a Prince of my word. I will destroy all of the files after the wedding." He looked down on the Crown Prince who was still seated on his chair. "Adieu!" He chuckled wickedly and left.
********
A/N:
Hello everyone!
Pretty crazy past few days with the virus, huh? Way crazier than this chapter for sure. 😅
So, how have you been? Are you affected by the quarantine? I sincerely hope that you and your families are all safe and healthy. 🙏
I will try my best to keep this book and some others (if I can) updated. It's my own little way of helping you spend the time while staying at home.
Keep safe everyone! Let's all pray for this crisis to be over soon. 🙏
BTW, here's the prompt for this chapter.