Page 118 of Reign

“I’m worried we’re rushing things,” she told him at the same moment that Jefferson said, “I don’t think we should get married.”

When she realized what he’d said, Daphne was struck by the sheer absurdity of it all: the bride and groom in the wedding of the year, both independently calling it off mere hours before the ceremony. Of all the contingency plans the palace PR team had made, she doubted they had one for this.

A voice sounded from the doorway. “Oh my god,seriously?”

Daphne turned to see Gabriella Madison standing in the open door, her mouth curled into a vicious red smile. As they stared at her in stunned shock, Gabriella crowed, “It’s a good thing you’re calling it off, Jeff, because Daphne ischeatingonyou!”

Nina and Samantha stumbled up behind Gabriella, each of them grabbing one of her arms as if they were bouncers at a club, trying to drag out an unruly guest. But they couldn’t stop Gabriella’s next words.

“She slept with Ethan last night!”

The silence that followed was the sort of ringing, profound silence that comes in the wake of an explosion. Nina and Samantha were both startled into letting go, and Gabriella wedged herself further into the doorway, glaring at Daphne like a cat toying with its prey.

“You brought this on yourself, Daphne. If you hadn’t confronted me yesterday, I wouldn’t have even realized you were hiding something. From the way you kept begging me not to tell anyone, it made me wonder what secret you thought I knew. So I followed you back to the hotel.”

No one interrupted Gabriella. No one even seemed tomove. It was as if they’d all fallen under an enchantment and were paralyzed where they stood.

“I saw Ethan go into your room late last night, then leave this morning around dawn.” Gabriella made atsk-tsknoise. “The girlfriend and the best friend? Could youbeany more painfully clichéd?”

Jefferson’s hands clenched into fists at his sides. Daphne tensed, expecting him to lash out at her—

“Gabriella, you need to leave.”

He spoke with a sharp, unmistakable authority, something he’d picked up in his days as Acting King.

Gabriella put a hand on one hip, all pretense of civility gone. “Are you serious? Your fiancée cheated on you and you’re angry atme?”

“This is between me and Daphne.”

Gabriella barked out a humorless laugh. “Until I tell the tabloids, and then it’s between Daphne and the world—”

Jefferson took a few steps forward, until his face was close to Gabriella’s.

“Let me make one thing very clear. You are not going to repeat what you just said, not ever, not to anyone. In fact, I suggest you leave town,” he added. “You’ve done enough damage lately, don’t you think?”

Gabriella took a step back, eyes narrowing. “This isn’t the Middle Ages, Jeff. You can’texileme because my father embezzled some money.”

“Of course I can’t exile you,” he agreed. “All I can do is personally ensure that you are never invited to a single party in this town ever again. And this has nothing to do with your father,” he added. “I would never punish someone for the actions of their parents. This is because you are selfish and vicious, and a terrible friend.”

Daphne fell a little bit in love with Jefferson right then,for being such a consummate gentleman. For extending the umbrella of his protection over her, even when she so clearly didn’t deserve it.

Gabriella stamped her foot like a petulant child, then whirled around and stormed outside.

Samantha shot them a worried glance, mumbling about how Gabriella had tricked the guards into letting her back here. Then she and Nina left, quietly shutting the door behind them.

Daphne looked up at Jefferson, and her resolve momentarily wavered. He was so achingly handsome, like the fairy-tale prince of her childish daydreams.

“Thank you,” she breathed.

Jefferson nodded stiffly. “I would never let someone slander our relationship like that. But…is it true?” he asked, in a softer voice. “You and Ethan?”

“Yes.” There was no point in denying it.

She had always prided herself on her ability to read Jefferson, so she saw the emotions that flickered over his face in rapid succession: shock and anger and pain and, underneath it all, unmistakable relief.

He didn’t want to get married today, and she was making that decision easier for him.

“Was it a one-time thing, or did it happen more than once?” he asked hoarsely.