“How long did you wait, Piper? A week? Two? It couldn’t have been long.”

He sounds like he’s jealous. Or was that an illusion? He doesn’t care about me and is just mad at me.

Maybe the latter is more logical.

His dark eyes burned into me, leaving my heart in scorched tatters. Never in a thousand years would i

have thought Nicholas would be so vicious to me.

“It wasn’t like that.” I said, to try to defend myself.

He crossed his hands over his chest. He wasn’t going to listen to me,

“Why even come here?” he asked me.

“My application was selected…”

“Why even apply? Were you trying to get to me?”

“No,” I said.

“Maybe you regret your child’s father. Maybe you want me back.” He laughed once, bitterly. “Like you

have a chance.”

The words sliced into me as surely as if he’d been holding a knife. He had changed since I’d known him.

Three w

years ago, he’d been kind and patient. I’d given him my heart and he’d gently cradled it. So many

nights, we’d laid under the stars, trading kisses and stories.

Once, when he’d spent all night looking at me, I had told him, “You’re missing the

starlight.”

He’d replied, “I can see it in your eyes.”

The man before me now was nothing like the one I had known. The man here was arrogant, indifferent. and imposing in how he carried himself.

Breaking up with him had never been something I wanted to do. It hurt me still, thinking upon it, so I had tried to push it to the back of my thoughts

and caring for Elva, that I

now and seeing what he had become, brought all those feelings crashing back

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was so different now that I couldn’t help but wonder if I was misremembering the past. Maybe he’d never been kind. Maybe I had been too

that young,

to my own voice. The hurt made it easier.

a mistake, and

the only woman who ever dared to break up with

turned and left me, then, walking out into the sitting room, and then out into the parlor. I thought he might slam the door behind him, as enraged as he was, but instead,

Elva continued resting, undisturbed.

hate him. So

cruel, insensitive bastard but he liked children. He’d been kind to Elva. He didn’t

wanted to hate him, but

beside the couch where Elva

he would have revealed his secret in time. Maybe the three of us

was a

very

was wasting time, staying here. I needed to go home and look for another job, as soon

I

cushion. I was so drained, from the trip,

own eyes slid

me Excuse

open

over me. I beg your pardon, miss, but the King

the sleep from my eye.

already disappearing out of

couch, watching me with curious eyes. “Is it time for

to be quiet though, okay?

Luna are talking.”

“Okay”

into my arms and camed her

the parlor, the royal family was standing atop

on one side. The

the bills in my purse. He was pale with

far, like he

he said, calming the crowd and gaining their attention “Congratulations on

pleased by your presence and

and whispered something in the King’s

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