Chapter 0257
I entered the dining room and sat down for breakfast across from Tiffany and Veronica and beside
Susie. Susie gave me a supportive smile.
“How’s Elva?” she asked.
“She was just exhausted,” I replied. “I let her sleep in this morning.” 1
“Oh good. I was worried.” When Susie said something like that, I believed her.
Jessica sat on Susie’s other side. She quietly ate her breakfast without making much fuss. However,
further down the table from her, Olivia and Lilliana were both glaring at me.
“I’m surprised the King let her stay,” Olivia said loudly to Lilliana, who agreed.
Tiffany rolled her eyes. “I wasn’t aware that was any of your business, Olivia. Maybe you should focus on
yourself.” Softer, to only Veronica and me, she grumbled, “Like usual.”
“Did you say something, Tiffany?” Olivia called.
“Nothing to worry about,” Tiffany replied.
Olivia frowned. Everyone went back to their breakfast.
Lilliana, however, did not seem as willing to let things go. “Piper’s behavior from the gala is inexcusable,
no matter what you say. She doesn’t deserve to even be eating breakfast with us, let alone, to stay in the
competition.”
“Let it go,” Veronica said.
“No,” Lilliana snapped. Her wilting flower façade had been crumbling for a while now. I noticed at the
gala last night. She’d glared more than usual when Nicholas’s back was turned. Usually she’d hide it
better.
I wondered if it had to do with how Nicholas had been giving Olivia and me more attention than he had
to her, when she had been the supposed favorite for so long. Lately, it seemed, she had been falling out of
favor.
“Could you imagine someone like that as Luna? Our Kingdom would be the laughing stock of the entire
continent. She’s a disgrace, An embarrassment. Someone should show her the door before she makes
everything worse.”
someone should be you, Lilliana?” said Nicholas from the
Lilliana instantly paled.
snickered into her
herself off her chair. “Oh, Prince Nicholas, you must
eyes
him before. Usually he bought
This time, he glowered.
to judge my hearing, as you have judged Piper?”
“N–no… Of course not…”
1
competition, and no one especially not you can say she
allowed her to stay.
closer to him, desperation in her eyes. “Please, hear
return to your breakfast.” Nicholas glared
he turned to me. “I would
are ready to go.”
I pushed my plate
other, then I accepted Nicholas’s arm and
me from
were out in the hallway, I said, “Thank
right saying that to
talking about
what
while.”
looked at him sideways. I didn’t think he’d been able to see through
veneer.
well
my assent. “Is she
why I asked. I didn’t want to know the answer if the answer was yes. Maybe it
somewhat.
that I was playing with fire. But I still couldn’t stay away.
much
“She was never my
that meant I was his favorite instead, except the
I…” I didn’t
okay, Piper,” he said. I
the kindest man I had ever met by fair. Brave and strong. Valiant,
sense of justice.
make a great King. And
be able to see him as
pulled me into
tugged me into his arms and
mouth. “What was that
couldn’t wait anymore,” he said, like that was reason enough. Maybe
I said. “Make it last until next
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