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I pause at the doorway, glancing back at her, but she’s still turned away, staring out the window. An urge to rush to her, to take her in my arms and tell her I love her, that I want her to be mine, that I want to raise the baby as a couple, fills me.
But I stand where I am, because all of that is unrealistic. If Hailey and I did rush into a relationship — even a marriage — it would be clear to any observers that I’d only be marrying her in order to cover for the pregnancy.
And yet… that wouldn’t be the whole story. Not at all.
Because in another life, under a different set of circumstances, I would have already given my all to Hailey, and I would be on the fast track to picking out a ring and planning where and when I want to get down on one knee in front of her.
That’s nothing more than a fantasy, though, and people with as much responsibility as I have can’t afford fantasies.
So I step out of the room without another word, closing the door behind me. The weight of our future presses down on my shoulders, and of all the problems I thought I had an hour before, none seem as big as the one I’m suddenly facing.
CHAPTER 20
HAILEY
It doesn’t matter how long I stare at the ceiling. The answers and the assurance I need still don’t come.
Gilded trim gleams in the late-morning sunlight streaming through the windows, but the beauty is lost on me. My hand drifts to my still-flat stomach, and a wave of longing crashes over me.
I need to talk to someone. And not just anyone. An ache for my best friend, the person who gets me in ways no one else can, fills me.
I need Millie.
Grabbing my phone from the nightstand, I’m about to hit call on her name, but then I remember we’re thousands of miles apart. Quickly, I calculate the time difference. It’s still too early to call her in New York. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I toss the phone aside.
Luca’s reaction to the pregnancy replays in my mind, his shock and disbelief a hot knife to my heart even now. I can’t blame him, not really. This isn’t something either of us planned for or expected.
But still, a small part of me had hoped for… more. A glimmer of excitement, maybe even happiness.
I shake my head, trying to dislodge the unrealistic thoughts. Luca is a prince, soon to be a king. His life is complicated enough without throwing an unplanned pregnancy into the mix — and a pregnancy with a woman he’s not even in a relationship with, at that. I can’t expect him to be thrilled about this.
A soft knock at the door interrupts my spiraling thoughts. “Come in,” I call out, pushing myself up to a sitting position.
A maid enters, carrying a silver tray laden with food. The aroma of roasted chicken and freshly baked bread fills the room, making my stomach growl. She sets the tray on the bed beside me, and I notice a folded note tucked beneath the plate.
“Thank you,” I say, offering her a smile. She nods and exits the room, closing the door softly behind her.
As hungry as I am, I leave the food to wait for a moment more and instead unfold the note, my heart rate picking up as I recognize Luca’s bold handwriting.
Hailey,
Please meet me in my study after lunch. We have much to discuss.
Luca
I stare at the words, a sense of unease settling in my gut. The formal tone, the brevity of the message — it doesn’t bode well. I set the note aside and pick at the food, my appetite suddenly gone.
What could he want to discuss? Is he going to ask me to leave? To keep the pregnancy a secret? The possibilities skitter through my mind, each one more distressing than the last.
I force myself to take a few deep breaths, trying to calm my frayed nerves. Whatever Luca has to say, I’ll deal with it. I have to, for the sake of our baby.
But as I finish my meal and prepare to meet him, I can’t shake the feeling that everything is about to change once again, and not necessarily for the better.
My stomach in knots, I freshen myself up and take the long journey through the palace, with its never-ending halls and countless doors. Too soon, I’m in front of Luca’s study, where I take a deep breath and knock.
“Come in,” he calls, voice muffled through the heavy wood.
I enter the room, my heart pounding away in my chest. Luca is sitting behind his desk, his expression unreadable, but his blond hair is sticking out to the sides like he’s been raking his fingers through it — or grabbing at it in frustration. He gestures for me to sit in one of the chairs opposite him.