Chapter 62

FELIX

As it turned out, finding Mila was the easy part.

Getting her to forgive me? That was going to be much more difficult.

I could feel her hesitance and worry in my gut. Our magical connection had not faded, despite our fight. The good news was that I could tell that she was torn, and did not outright hate me.

The bad news was that she was definitely really, really angry with me.

I saw her run away up the stairs while her sister was vying for my attention. I had managed to slip away only moments later, and had looked up to see her small figure framed in the top windows of the house.

I loved Mila. I loved her with everything in my being. The idea of her feeling lost and alone ached in my very soul. Seeing her, tiny and sad, so close and yet so far away… it hurt even more than her leaving.

And so there I was the next day, on her doorstep, another bouquet of flowers in hand. I would bring her flowers every day for the rest of her life if it meant that she would forgive me.

Nadine was the one who opened the door.

“Felix!” She squealed. “You’re back!”

“Hi, Nadine,” I said.

Due to the fact that Mila was adopted, she and Nadine looked nothing alike. Nadine was all golden curls and rosy cheeks, whereas Mila had darker eyes and straight brown hair. Nadine was certainly a pretty girl, but it was completely disingenuous to act like Mila wasn’t also gorgeous.

A part of me wondered if Nadine knew how beautiful Mila was, and that was why she was constantly torturing her adoptive sister.

“Are you here for Mila?” Nadine asked, leaning against the doorframe. I could easily see through her flirtations, and hoped that Mila would realize that I only had eyes for one sister.

But I had a plan. Perhaps by showing kindness to her family, Mila could see that I was committed to her and only her.

“I was hoping to take you and your mother shopping,” I said to Nadine. “If that’s alright with you, of course.”

Nadine’s face lit up.

“Mother!” she screeched into the house. “Felix is going to take us shopping!”

Mila’s mother, Mary, rushed to put on her shoes. Mila appeared at the top of the stairs. She surveyed her mother and sister. I lifted my hand in a wave to her, but she frowned.

All I could do was keep trying.

I took Nadine and Mary to the local farmers’ market. Nadine was clearly known about town, and everywhere we went, people were fawning all over her.

“Nadine is fairly popular, no?” I asked Mary as we watched her greet her train of admirers.

Mary exhaled heavily. “She’s always been very sociable.”

“And Mila?” I asked.

Mary shot me a sideways glance. “She’s an introvert, I’ll say that much.”

Nadine pranced over to us and looped her arm through mine.

“I can’t believe you wanted to spend the day with me, Felix,” Nadine drawled. “I feel so honored.”

“I just want to get to know Mila’s family better,” I said lightly.

“Mila’s the most boring one out of all of us,” Nadine said. “Isn’t that right, Mom?”

Mary hesitated. “Nadine is certainly the life of the party.”

Nadine turned back to me, eyes gleaming with greed, lust, and just a hint of smugness.

“I would be a great diplomat,” she purred. “Aren’t you on the market now that you and Mila broke up?”

“We didn’t break up,” I said. My heart started racing. Maybe this whole thing had been a mistake. I wouldn’t put it past Nadine to try to set us up. She seemed desperate to be a royal, and even more desperate to stake her claim over something that had once been her sister’s.

“That’s not how I see it,” Nadine said. She tightened her grip on my arm.

Mary stared at the two of us for a moment before saying, “I just think Nadine is better suited to the demands of royal life than Mila would be.”

I scowled. Mary clearly thought she was being kind and protecting Mila, but really, all she was doing was comparing her two daughters.

Nadine leaned in close to me. Her breath tickled my ear.

“Besides, I’m much more fun in the bedroom than Mila ever could be,” she murmured. “Don’t you want to take me back to your place?”

I dropped her arm instantly.

I spoke as little as possible on the ride back to the Bensons’ house. If any of them sensed my sour mood, they did not comment on it.

I helped Mary unload the bags from the car before saying, “I’d like to talk to Mila. Where is she, exactly?”

Nadine wrinkled her nose. “If you must. She’s staying in the attic.”

I made my way up the steps to the attic. The space was tiny, dusty, and cramped. Every breath felt painful. I couldn’t believe Mila was staying in a place like this.

“What are you doing here?” Mila asked as I entered.

“I wanted to talk to you,” I said softly.

“Don’t bother, Felix,” Mila said, her face flushing red with anger. “There’s no use in pretending you’re not attracted to Nadine.”

I could feel my mouth fall open. “Mila, that’s insane–”

“It’s not insane!” she said, her eyes filling with tears. “My whole life, everyone has loved Nadine more than me. My parents, my friends, everyone. Once they meet her, it’s like I never existed.”

My heart broke for her.

“And I know you would choose her if I wasn’t your Destined Bride,” Mila continued. “Just admit it so we can all move on. This hurts, Felix. Watching her fawn all over you hurts me. Watching the two of you spend time together, it all just hurts.”

“I just took her shopping,” I protested. “Your mother was there the whole time.”

Mila shook her head. “The same thing you did with me?”

Oh. Oh. I had not realized that maybe Mila would have interpreted my actions as a seduction towards her sister and not an apology towards her. Of course, I was sure that Nadine must have rubbed the shopping spree in Mila’s face.

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I wasn’t trying to… I just wanted to make things up to you. I thought that by being kind to your family, you would see that I was committed to winning you back.”

“My family isn’t kind to me,” Mila said simply. “I appreciate the effort your’re making, Felix, I really do, but that isn’t the way to go if you want to apologize to me.”

I hung my head. “Are you terribly angry about the farmers’ market, then?”

Mila shook her head, her tears falling more rapidly now. “That’s now what I’m most upset about, Felix. I’m still angry at you for lying to me. For weeks.”

“I know,” I said, desperation rising in my chest. “I know, I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”

“How can I trust that you’ll never lie to me again?” Mila asked, her eyes shining.

“Because,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I love you.”