CARLY
It had been a month since our engagement. Today the Caprean celebrated the newly crowned King Isodore III and my mother, the Queen, Queen Aimbrose.
There was a lot to celebrate. My also brother became the heir apparent, and my fiancé secured the ten-year contract deal for the housing project and a football dome.
As for me, I was well-received by the people, thankfully. I got their respect back. My duty became one of the most important things I had ever had.
Despite many good things happening around me, there was only one thing I couldn’t fully have- Rome was slipping off my fingers. He utterly changed- he was the complete opposite of the man I met months ago, as if I didn’t know him anymore.
He always came home late and was still asleep when I went to work.
We barely talked. I knew his company was flourishing, but he just changed. He became cagey and secretive. And I was losing all hope and option I had left.
“Are you okay?” my brother asked me. He looked dazzling in his royal military uniform.
“Yeah. Congratulations.” I squeezed his hand. “I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you, Carlott.”
“I know you and our father will make a difference and will make this country thrive.”
“Us, sis. We will all do it together.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.” He kissed the side of my head.
“But what’s been bothering you?” Before I could answer, he might have noticed my gaze was pinned on Rome chatting with other ministries. “What’s wrong with Rome?”
“Did you notice changes in him?” I looked at my hot fiancé. He was getting ravishing every day, or maybe, it was just me who found him more attractive. His tux looked too good on him that it exuded pure masculinity. He should be restricted from wearing one. I felt like I was falling in love with him over again while he was falling out of love.
“Yeah. A lot.”
My heart beat extremely fast. I swallowed. “Like what?”
“He worked hard. He engaged with a lot of charities. He also helped me encourage investors and billionaires he knows. But that’s not what you’re asking.”
“I think he is cheating on me.”
He burst out laughing. “What? What made you say that?”
“He’s cagey. He barely talked about our wedding. He barely talked to me. After the engagement party, he just became distant, like I had some kind of an infectious disease. He always came home late. I wonder where did he go.”
“Carlott, he’s at his new office all the time. He’s still adjusting to a different time zone, connecting with his family and friends back in the U. S, but cheating on you? That’s impossible. Ask him. And I’m sure he has reasons. It’s better than speculating something your fiancé didn’t do.”
“That’s quite a lot of time adjusting that he even chose to ignore me. He has a lot of time with you than with me. He might as well get a nobility rank.”
“Carlott, not again.”
I blinked off when tears stung my eyes.
“You two are having fun?” My heart nearly stopped when he was already standing before us.
“My sister. She wonders what you and the ministries were talking about. I told her, you are probably teaching them poker.”
Rome smiled as in smile it reached his eyes. Wow. He was really a good actor in front of my family.
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s dance.” He offered me his hand, and I took it even if my heart hurt.
Once we were in the center, he placed his hand on my back. We started dancing with other guests.
He looked at me. “That was not what you and your brother talked about, was it?”
“It’s nothing important.” I looked away. I didn’t want him to know that I just accused him of cheating, and I was hurting. Our relationship may not be like a normal couple, but we were still committed to our goals.
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay.” But that was not the same okay I used to hear from him. He was not convinced by my answer. But that was all he got from me.
After we danced, I grabbed a drink.
“Easy on that, sweetheart. That’s your second.”
“How did you know? It’s not like you even look at me. Or why suddenly you see me after weeks of giving me the cold shoulder.”
“Storm, what is it all about?” He held my elbow.
I emptied the flute. “I said nothing.”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Yeah, it is. I’m going to talk to my parents.”
“Okay.”
I went to my parents with the country’s officials.
“Carlott.”
“Mother,” I whispered. “Tell father that I’m leaving. I might have drunk a little. I apologize if I have to leave early.”
“Go ahead, darling. Take care. Is Rome coming with you?”
“No. He’ll be staying a bit.”
“Okay, honey.”
I arrived at the manor, wondering what I should do. I went to shower, changed into something comfy, and put on my robe. I put some bridal magazines on the bed, then I started browsing wedding gowns even if I had already chosen my own.
My hand landed on the engagement ring. Am I worth wearing it?
I grabbed my notebook.
-Does he still love me?
-Lord, please, give me a sign.
I missed Rome- the Rome that I met in his office, not the one I met earlier.
We lived under the same roof, but we were like strangers. We had never had sex since his proposal; honestly, I missed sex. I missed sleeping with him. Or maybe I was just too lonely and desperate right now that I kept seeing some changes in him.
I went to another magazine. Then I felt someone was watching me, making me freeze. When I lifted my gaze from the magazine, he was there standing at the door, his bow tie was loosened around his neck, and he was not wearing his coat anymore.
“Hey.”
“You left alone?”
“Yeah. I’m kinda started to get drunk.” I went to flipping pages again, even if my full attention was on him.
“And you did not even tell me?”
I sighed deeply. He’d been a jerk to me, and now he was expecting me to answer him. I’m a princess, for God’s sake. “Why would I do that?”
“Because I need to know.”
“That I was leaving. You do that all the time, and I never asked.”
“Because I was just going to work.”
I went back to check the magazine. “Yeah, right.”