Page 92 of A Royal Mistake

“There’s nothing you can say to change my mind.” A bitter laugh rolled off her lips. “I’m done listening to people who think they know what’s best for me.”

“Pippa, please.”

The smoke detector shrieked, the ear-piercingbleep-bleep-bleepdrawing his attention to the wisp of black smoke that curled along the ceiling.

Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

He stole a glance at Pippa and turned to the stove, switching off the gas and moving the charred bacon to a different burner.

It was just as well. His appetite had been scorched right along with his heart.

When he turned back to Pippa, Sarah stood at her side, hand resting casually inside her jacket. Sarah’s attention slid easily between them. “Is everything alright, Your Highness?”

Pippa held his gaze as she answered. “We’re leaving. Please get your things and meet me at the door.”

The bodyguard nodded assent and slipped away, moving soundlessly down the hall.

“I suppose I should thank you,” Pippa said, taking a step back. “Not just for your help with Stanley International, but for this valuable life lesson. I can assure you it’s one I won’t forget. You know what they say, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice…”

His gut clenched. He couldn’t lose her. Not now. Not when he’d just found her. “Please don’t do this, Pippa. I love you.”

“If only that were true.” She gave a wistful smile that cracked his chest wide open. “Goodbye, Henry.”

HSH PRINCE HENRY, WORLD’S HOTTEST NEW ROYAL

Here atThe Daily Scoop, we pride ourselves on ruling the world of celebrity gossip and we dare say, we’ve outdone ourselves once again. Real talk. The only thing that motivates us faster than the prospect of free drinks is a royal scandal, and with Herr von der Recke clocking so much quality time with The Princess Royal, we knew it was time to get digging.

Turns out, there’s more than meets the eye to the hottie with a heart of gold.

Like any super hottie worth his tights, Heinrich von der Recke has a secret alter-ego. That’s right, lovelies. Von der Recke is just a pseudonym for His Serene Highness Sebastian Josef Benedikt Maria Nikolaus Franz Heinrich of Liechtenstein, Count Rietberg. Try saying that three times fast. Us? We’re going to stick with HSH from here on out.

Looks like Liechtenstein was playing the odds, sending not one, but two sons to vie for the hand of Valeria’s Crown Jewel. It’s a bold move and we have to admit we never saw it coming. From the looks of things, neither did Their Majesties. #BackupPlan #WellPlayed

After all, the oft forgotten Count Rietberg has always been a recluse and despite ages (okay, hours) of research, we couldn’t find a single picture, royal announcement, or social media post mentioning the youngest son of Liechtenstein’s ruling family. The last mentions of him in the press date back nearly two decades, when the prince’s car was run off the road by an aggressive paparazzo trying to get exclusive pics of his royal holiday.

Look, we don’t blame HSH for being camera shy. There were a lot of conflicting reports about the accident, but they all agreed on one thing—he was lucky to survive. So we can’t help but wonder why he’s put himself back in the spotlight now. Is it simply royal duty or something more? Hit us up, HSH. Inquiring minds want to know!

22

Pippa rolled onto her back,staring up at the yellow canopy above the bed. Yellow was her favorite color, but its cheerful countenance did little to improve her mood. It had been three days sinceThe Daily Scoopbroke the story about Henry. Three days since he’d smashed her heart to bits with his lies. Three days since she’d barricaded herself in her suite like a bloody coward.

Who could blame her?

The tabloids were tittering about what a fool she was, and if the remaining suitors were still in residence, well, it just proved they were in Valeria for all the wrong reasons. Not that it mattered. Only Pippa seemed to give a damn about their motivations, but that was hardly news. Their Majesties had made it clear from the outset of this ridiculous charade that they were looking for a political alliance, not true love.

Which, she supposed, made their official statements truer than most. The palace had declined to comment on the situation with Henry, stating the Liechtenstein royal was a guest of Liam’s, not an official suitor.

Her heart gave a painful squeeze, and she pulled the blanket up over her head.

It didn’t matter if her relationship with Henry was palace approved, because against all odds, she’d fallen in love with him. In love with the way he could push her buttons and challenge her and make her feel more alive and more seen than she’d ever felt in her life. With Henry at her side, she’d felt like she could do anything, be anything. With him, the shackles of royal life had been almost bearable.

But it had all been a lie.

Henry wasn’t the man she’d thought. His name wasn’t even Henry, for fuck’s sake. It was Sebastian.

Sebastian.