Chapter 40
“Adeline.” It was Pierre. I turned to face him. He handed me a folded piece of paper. “We were looking for you. Elias had to run down to Versailles to handle some things. He left you this note and said he tried calling you but couldn’t reach you.”
“Oh. My phone must still be off from last night.” I shoved the note inside the side pocket of my bag and focused on not thinking about the conversation I’d overheard. “Are you taking me to the airport?”
“Yes.”
“Let’s go then. I don’t want to be late.” I brushed past him and walked out.
“Are you okay?” Pierre asked in the elevator. “You’re shaking.”
“Just . . . a lot on my mind.” I glanced away from him.
Pierre got on a phone call as we stepped out of the elevator and continued to talk as we were on our way to the airport. I took my phone out and turned it back on and saw a text message from Elias, one from Etienne, and another from my mother. My mother. She’d have a ball with this if I told her, so I decided I wouldn’t. I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions until I spoke to Elias directly. When Pierre hung up the phone, he exhaled heavily. I didn’t look up from my phone, but I felt his eyes on me.
“Do you think you’ll be able to handle this forever?” he asked. I set my phone in my bag and met his gaze.
“The traveling back and forth?”
“Well, you’d have to stop traveling back and forth this often at some point.”
“Maybe. Maybe not. He hasn’t proposed or anything.” I shrugged a shoulder. And according to his conversation with Emily’s father, it wasn’t his intention.
“He’d be an idiot not to.”
“Why? Because things are going so well?”
“I’ve never seen him this happy.”
“Do you think that’s because of me or because he feels like a good king now?” I asked as the driver parked the car. My door was opened by one of the security detail, but I remained seated, looking at Pierre.
“I don’t understand the question.”
“You’re his personal secretary, right? His confidant. The person he runs everything by.” I grabbed the handle of my bag.
“Yes.”
“Was the reason he broke things off with Emily and asked me to be his girlfriend because he knew it would help his reputation?”
“Adeline.” Pierre looked shocked, and it was the only reaction I needed from him to confirm my worst fear.
“So it’s true.” I shook my head, trying to fight the tears I felt coming. “He used me.”
“No. He loves you.”
“Does he though?” I blinked, wiping a tear. “Who else knew about this?”
“There isn’t anything to know, Addie.”
“Who else knew, Pierre?”
“The queen. That’s it.”
“Of course.” I laughed, getting out of the car. “God, I feel so stupid.”
“Wait.” Pierre ran after me. “Adeline, you can’t just leave like this. He’ll want to talk to you.”
“For what?”
“To explain.”
“Explain what?” I yelled.
“Wait.” Pierre pushed a button on his phone. “Eli. Yes, I know, but there’s been...” He paused. “I know.” He paused again. “Adeline needs to speak to you.” He paused again, then frowned as he looked at his phone. When he looked up, I knew Elias had hung up on him.
“Wow.” I shook my head again.
“He’s in a meeting with the Pope. He can’t just—”
“He shouldn’t have answered the call then,” I said. “You said I needed to speak to him and he hung up.”
“It’s the Pope, Addie.”
“Yeah, well, I hope the Pope has time to listen to Elias repent for his sins.” I walked toward the plane. “And let it be known that the only reason I’m still taking this flight is because I refuse to pay for a ticket right now. Let the Crown pay for their newest employee.”
Pierre didn’t follow me on the plane, but there was a security detail waiting for me. A woman named Mayra. I’d met her previously. Today, I didn’t even wave at her. I just walked to the last seat, sat, and started to cry.
Chapter 41
Elias
“How could you let her get on that flight?” I paced the Hall of Mirrors, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“What was I supposed to do?”
“I don’t know. Stop her and bring her here where I could speak to her.” I dropped my hand and looked at him as I paced in his direction. “What did she say? How did she look?”
“She was upset.”
“Jesus.” I sighed.
“Why didn’t you just tell her from the beginning?” That was my brother, who was standing by a window looking out into the gardens. “It’s not like you were using her. Not really anyway. You love her and wanted to be with her. This was a good way to deal with both.”
He was right. I should have just have been honest with her. At least then, I could have explained the timing but reassured her that no matter what I would always choose her.