ROME
“Thank you for coming with me.” Prince Thayer glanced at me as I sat with him in the backseat.
“Anytime.”
He then smiled as if he had read my mind. “Or you miss your friends back home.”
I met him in the eye. “They are my brothers. We are still brothers whether I see them every day or once a year.”
He nodded in understanding. “I have a pretty good idea. Ash and Lud are like brothers to me, too.”
“Yeah. You three are pretty tight.”
“True. Three peas in a pod.”
“So they helped you kidnap your wife?”
“Yeah. We stick together even in my stupidest actions.” He laughed, meeting Ash’s gaze in the rearview mirror.
“I have a fair share.” I smiled as I recalled how my best friends told me I was an idiot and had the dumbest idea to plot revenge against Carly.
Ash cleared his throat. He was our driver for today to the Polo game. Prince Thayer was the guest of honor, and my company was one of the sponsors.
“You have something to say, Ash?”
“We didn’t actually have a choice at that time, Your Highness.”
I joined Ash in laughing. “That’s exactly what Linden would say.” I was barely one month in Winterbourn, but I had already missed my brothers. I missed our meetings at the resto-bar, their laughs, and their pranks- the way they made fun of me.
You would only realize you cared about someone when they were far from you or were not in your life anymore.
“You okay?” the Prince asked.
“Yeah.”
“My sister still doesn’t have any idea I know everything?” Thankfully, he knew how to change the topic when things got awkward or emotional.
“She has no clue.”
“And you are happy with that?”
I looked at him. “No. I hate lying to her and pretending that I don’t give a-”
“But you have to do it.”
“This won’t be for long. Our wedding is fast approaching.” I looked away. “And I missed her. She might think I was cheating on her too.”
“Possibly. Carlott overthinks. You both love each other, and you both are suffering because of your mind games.”
“This is not a mind game. Carly hurt me, and she never trusted me. Do you know how it feels? And she lied to me about her identity. What does make our relationship? Built with lies?”
“But you are giving it a chance.”
I took a deep breath before I spoke. “I love her, and she loves me. I understand that she had to lie to me about who she was. Maybe that’s a good thing because she knew my intention is clean, that I’m not a douchebag like she thought I was.”
He chuckled, shaking his head.
“What?” I asked.
“I remember my wife. She hated my gut when she found out who I was.”
“And you kidnapped her. If I were the Duchess, I would hate you too.” I looked at Ash. “Won’t you agree, Ash?”
“Definitely, sir. But that was our idea. Kinda low, but effective.”
I cackled. “Well, you two are still very much in love. So, I guess it’s worth it.”
“Just take it easy on Carlott.”
“I know.” I nodded.
We arrived at the Polo field. It was already crowded. I came with him, and he thought it was good publicity for Carly that Prince Thayer and I were good friends, and I also had free time.
Before we went to our seats, we shook hands with the guests, aristocrats, and players. We did a post for the photographers. And it still felt weird to see my face and my company on the 3D screen. “So this is your life?”
He smirked. “Your life now, too, Rome.”
“Well, who would have thought?” I couldn’t help but smile.
Thayer was like an ordinary person without an audience. He was friendly, funny, and genuine, and he loved his sister very much.
“You will get used to it. My advice is don’t care too much, as long as you know you did nothing wrong. Just be her anchor. She’s kinda fragile right now.”
“I know.” I swallowed the guilt down my throat.
Last week, I joined him at the gala and two of his engagements while Carly was busy with hers.
The game just started after acknowledging Prince Thayer’s presence and me. I still felt strange when they called my name after the royal.
I wasn’t much of a Polo fan, but yeah, for the sake of friendship and my love for Carly.
***
After the game, I stayed in his office with Thayer for a while. He had another meeting in five minutes.
“I should go.” I stood up and offered my hand.
“Really?” He shook it.
“Yeah. I have a business to run, Thay.”
He laughed softly. “I am sure your business is just fine. Going somewhere?”
“Home.”
“Are you sure?”
When he arched a brow, I was confused. “Yeah. Why?”
“Go ahead. I’ll see you next week.”
“Sure. Let Warren know.”
Warren was my new assistant. During the inauguration of my office, Carly was with me for the ribbon cutting. That was two weeks ago. I hadn’t been able to join her in her appearances. In my defense, I was also busy processing the papers and making the SH Global office possible in two weeks. I was so busy at that time- I went home late and woke early in the morning. I was also working on the house I purchased. So basically, Carly and I were strangers in the manor.
Even if I could use help from the palace, I chose to do it by the book.
“Did you know Domeon came to visit her yesterday?”
I eyed him, searching if he was messing with me or telling me the truth.
“What the-” I stopped, letting my anger cool down for a moment. “What did he want?”
“I don’t know. Probably about charity.”
“Wow. I thought he was egocentric and shallow and only cared about his biceps and image.”
He just laughed at my outburst. “Well, some kids love him, and he visited aspiring football players.” He slapped my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Carlott’s heart is secured and locked. Calm down now before you break your jaw.”
I stared at him one more time before I walked out.
I arrived at the manor. As always, Carly wasn’t home yet. She was always swamped with work. Sometimes, I felt like she worked a lot, and I knew the wedding was stressing her out. I wished she would come and talk to me rather than spend most of her time at the office.
I realized we focused too much on our jobs, and my sweet revenge, Linden called it. I hadn’t been checking up on her to see if she was okay.
Although my mother and the wedding coordinators and planners had kept me updated, Carly and I had not sat down to discuss further our own wedding. Only we decided to choose local designers to make her gown and the gowns of her bridal party. Right after the official announcement, I let my mom add the guest list I gave her. From Carly’s side, her mother, the Queen, did the part.
And it sickened me that I went too far with teaching her lesson. And she seemed fine with our arrangement-too fine that I felt she didn’t care anymore.
I should have known. Princess Carlott was rebellious. If she managed to be Carly for three years away from home, sure as hell, she could play a fake happy wife in front of her people.
I mean, I missed her a lot. I thought of her every day, but did she think of me too? What if, too late, I found out she had run out of love already? What if she didn’t want to marry me anymore? What if she chose and fell for that asshole Domeon?
I dialed Cossima.
“Sir Rome, how may I help you?”
“Is the Princess still in her office?”
“No, sir. We are meeting somebody in the restaurant?”
“And that somebody is?”
“A friend, sir.”
“Great. Don’t tell me. How is she?”
“The Princess, sir?” Cossima seemed hesitant.
“Yes. My fiancée, Cossima.” I went a little hard on her. I knew she had things to follow, but I was her boss’ fiancé, for God’s sake.
“She’s great. Maybe you should tell her to slow down, sir. Honestly, I am worried about her. The wedding is next month, and she’s stressing herself. I’m afraid she will get too skinny. You know. I don’t mean to-”
“Just say it, Cossima.”
“Are you two okay?”
“We’ll be fine. Our wedding is making us anxious. I also have to make things done and free my schedule before our wedding. So I have to work double time. Can you do me a favor?”
“Sure, sir. Ask away.”
“Just keep an eye on her, and encourage her to rest. I barely see her at dinner and breakfast.” I sighed deeply. “I’m worried about her.”
“May I say something, sir?”
“Please.”
“I think you two should take a break from your work, sit down, have a fine tea, cuddle, watch movies, or something. What’s the point of working too hard if your relationship is falling apart?” She was right, and it scared the fuck out of me. “I’ve been noticing changes in her, and it’s not my position to question and interfere with her life as long as she’s not in danger.”
“Thank you for telling me, Cossima.”
“You’re welcome, sir.”
I went to my room and worked with something on my laptop. I thought of many things about work to exhaust myself. Otherwise, I would just jerk off, thinking of Carly.
I may have dozed off. It was passed one in the morning. Every night, I checked on her to make sure she was already in bed. Even if I couldn’t touch or kiss her, I could rest at night knowing she was asleep and safe.
I went to her room. I have a spare key Seth gave me. I realized Seth and Carly had a deeper relationship than detail and protectee. He treated Carly like his sister or his daughter, and I trusted him he would protect my fiancée with his life.
She was already sleeping, tucked in an old rose duvet.
My heart bled to see her sleeping alone with a crease between her eyebrows. I wondered if she was dreaming or if she was sad before she fell asleep.
I drew a deep breath.
We shouldn’t be in this position if not because of my stupidity. I knew she had made a mistake, but what I did went a little too far, and we ended up hurting each other instead of sorting out and working on our relationship.
I began to worry, afraid that I might lose her forever.
I traced my finger on her cheek.
She was a heavy sleeper. She didn’t even feel me coming to visit her every night like a creep.
“I love you, sweetheart.”