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A’s Note: English is not my first language, and I’m sorry in advance for mistakes. I appreciate every advice I can have❤
Warning: Mentions abortion.
Riley walks back into the ballroom, she’s just about going to the restroom when Drake stops her. “Hey Brooks, I was searching for you all night. Where have you been?” Drake asks, noticing her bloodshot eyes.
“Hey, hey, are you okay?” he put his hands on her shoulder, a puzzled look on his face. Riley couldn’t bear to meet Drake’s eyes; she knows she will end up crying in his arms and this time is not the time to feel down.
This time they need to find Cordonia’s enemies, Cordonia needs her to be strong. Liam and the country need her. That’s the least she can do to return the favor for what Liam and Cordonia have given her, a liitle price to pay Drake presence in her life.
She forces a smile on her lips, trying to hide her mixed feelings. “I’m okay, Drake. I want to go to the restrooms, if you’ll excuse me.” she walks past him without looking back. Maxwell sees Riley leave the room in a hurry and spots Drake’s leave behind. Maxwell approaches Drake and pats his shoulder.
“What happened, Drake? Is Riley fine?” Drake turns to see Maxwell standing beside him.
“I don’t know Maxwell, she just back from somewhere and she had bloodshot eyes.” Maxwell guides both of them to the balcony near of them. Maxwell thinks about what happened an hour before.
‘Madeleine has a point. Liam behavior with news of the engagement is so resilient, yet he hasn’t chosen a new suitor like Cordonia’s tradition. Maybe if Drake talks to Liam, he will open up to talk about his feelings and he can deal with them and move on.’
With that thought, Maxwell decides to tell Drake the conversation between Liam and Madeleine when he and Riley overheard.
Drake listens carefully and nods slightly, trying to take in what Maxwell saying. Drake knows Liam loves her, Liam is head over heels with her since the first time they met in New York, and it’s too suspicious if Liam’s reaction with their engagement is too stoic. It seems Liam’s try to hide his feelings for both of their sake.
“Do you think Liam is still in love with her, Max? Or you think that Brooks still has feelings for Liam?” Drake asks.
“I don’t know what Liam and Riley feels, and I can’t talk about it. But Drake, have you ever talked to Liam about your engagement? about your feelings to Riley with Liam?” Maxwell asks back.
“I haven’t had a chance to talk with him about it, and Liam already has a lot on his plate now. Cordonia’s now is in danger.” Drake answer as he rubs the back of his neck.
“I think, you should talk to him. Maybe this is the right time if you want to talk about it? Clearing everything before you start a new life?” Maxwell look at him hopefully.
“Do you think that is a good idea? We are all here to find the attacker and Liam is focusing on it, I don’t want to bother him with something silly like this.”
“It’s not silly Drake. It’s called feelings. Do you ever place yourself in Liam’s shoes? Do you ever think about how Liam’s feels about your engagement?”
Drake doesn’t answer, he merely looks to the garden, lose in his own thoughts.
“Drake… Riley came here to be Liam’s wife, Liam thought she loved him. Hell it Drake, he even down to his knees for her. Liam is a royalty, Drake.. and he never has chance to feel love, especially a true love like he feels with Riley. He lost Riley when they were in love and now when everything clear, he lost her again and the worst is.. he has to see the love of his life marry his best friend.“ Maxwell sighs and look at Drake meaningfully.
“Max, Liam is my best friend but we never talked about my relationship before, it’s a personal matter for me. I think he doesn’t mind with my engagement, because I didn’t mind too if Riley chose him.”
“That’s easy for you to say because Riley chose you, but what if you are the one unchosen? I do believe you can’t say that so easily.”
“Heh. Maybe. But she chose me, right? Liam should accept that. You don’t know how hard it’s been for me being his shadow in my entire life. For once Maxwell, please, please allow me to have one thing that Liam can’t have.” Maxwell gasp.
“Drake! You can’t say that. It’s Liam we are talking about.The one who always had your back and looked out for you.”
“For God sake, Maxwell. I know who he is. He is a king and has the world at his fingers. People are always nice to him, and people will do anything for him, he can have any girl he wants in the world. It’s not a big deal to lose one girl for him.” He took a deep breath before continuing his word.
“Max, I just want to feel happy and be selfish one time in my entire life. Just for once, this time I don’t want to know what Liam’s feel. I.. don’t want to sacrifice my love for Liam’s sake Max.. and she chose me. That’s it. He should accept it.”
“I don’t ask you to sacrifice your love for him. I just want you to talk with Liam, like a best friend does, well that’s if you still think he is your best friend.”
“And then what? Do I have to know he can’t be happy for me? To know my best friend still has feeling with my fiancé? I can’t Maxwell. I can’t talk to him. Whatever he feels, that’s something he’ll have to deal with himself. Like I’ve done many times for him.”
“You’ve changed, Drake.” Maxwell pouts and looks at him sadly.
“I haven’t changed Maxwell, and this is nothing but me when I am falling in love.”
“Then maybe your love changed you.”
“I don’t mind the change if I can have the love of my life.” He sighs and leans in to the pillar behind.
“If you say so, just prepare yourself for the explosion when everything becomes too much for you to handle.”
“I am not letting anything happen, and I will take Brooks back to America and leave this damn country. I don’t care about her duchy. We’ll leave this country and Liam behind. It might be the best chance for us to start our new life. I should find her and talk about this.” He said and takes his leave.
______
*****
Riley enters the rest room and picks the corner stall. She secures the door and just leans back to the wall behind. She remembers the moment when she and Liam together. She is extremely selfish, she knows she shouldn’t do that to Liam. She should have told him she has feelings for Drake, so Liam wouldn’t have to ended his engagement with Madeleine. But Riley knows that Madeleine isn’t the right person for him. Liam deserves someone who loves him like she did back then. Riley is just about to scream when she hears the restroom door open, noticing someone entering.
“Kiara, are you okay?” Penelope asks.
“I just haven’t felt okay since the explosion, and I feel so terrified after the bombing. I think I should leave the court, Penelope.”
“Have you talked about that with Liam and Riley?”
“I already have talked to them all.”
“Did they accept your decision?”
“Of course not, but leave is the best for me. I swear I’ll be strong and support our country, but it seems I don’t strong enough to see Drake and Riley get marries. I still love him, Penelope. You know how long I’ve love him.” She sighs as she presses the faucet to wash her hands.
“I want to support the crown and I love my country but being here and seeing both of them fall in love is too much for me. I never know how to deal with these feelings. All of my courses never taught me how to deal with myself.”She shrugs, and Riley could hear her start crying.
“It’s hurt Penelope. I can’t.” she covers her face.
“Oh Kiara, I’m so sorry, I never know how it feels to fall in love. But I think how sad I would be if I saw Merlin and Morgana be owned by someone else.” iara wipe her tears and glares at her.
“Seriously Penelope? You equate me with your dog? Penelope, this is my life! I still can’t believe you are my friend. Just forget this talk. I need to go now.” She grabs her purse furiously and a stick falls near Penelope feet. Penelope grabs it quickly as she can.
“Kiara… this is a.. pregnancy stick! Are you.. are you pregnant? Penelope this is a great news! Congratulations!” She hugs her happily.
Kiara’s shocked as she manages to release her embrace, she holds Penelope hand, as she slightly grabs the stick from Penelope.
“That’s not your business, and you are not telling what happened in here to anyone else. Do you understand?” She glares at her.
“But Kiara, if you really pregnant you shouldn’t leave this county. You can’t and it’s too risky for your baby. Don’t you want to marry? I can be your bridesmaid or a God Mother!” She said excitedly.
“I am not going to raise this child and I can’t marry because his father is marrying someone else soon.”
“He marries someone else soon? Kiara… Is the baby’s father Drake?”
Kiara hesitates for a moment before she answers Penelope.
“Yes. It’s Drake. Penelope, I would appreciate if you keep this secret. I’ve an appointment for an abortion soon, so this is just between us. Do you understand?”
Riley’s face goes pale, she covers up her mouth to hide her scream as tears run down on her face.
‘This can’t be happening…’
______
*****
‘Breaking news: King Liam admits he still has feeling towards our American Duchess, does it mean she will be our future queen?’
“Bastien, why are you always disappointing me?! How did this happen?!” He glares. “Take down the news and pull off the video from the media. Now!”
😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱 is there another chapter? This was amazing 😉