Chapter 66

MILA

Felix and I sat on our hotel room bed, holding hands and breaths. I stared at my blank phone screen in anticipation.

DING!

And there it was: the headline of the century.

PRINCE FELIX OF FRESONIA ANNOUNCES ENGAGEMENT TO AMERICAN CHEF MILA BENSON.

Underneath the bold title was a large picture of the two of us, my diamond ring on full display.

Felix squeezed my hand. “You alright?”

I nodded, silencing my phone and slipping it into my pocket. “It’s kind of a relief to have it publicly announced. No more hiding.”

Felix kissed my cheek. “It’s you and me now, Mila. As it should be.”

As it should be.

We were picked up by Joseph to go to the nearby private airfield. King Ivan and Queen Rowena were arriving from Fresonia that day to host an official engagement banquet for us in the United States before we returned to Felix’s home country.

I would also be formally announced to foreign dignitaries and the people of Fresonia. That was perhaps the scariest part of all of this–learning what the people thought of their new American princess.

Felix swore that the Fresonian people would love me. I wasn’t so sure. This was a country deep-rooted in tradition, and I was anything but traditional.

The King and Queen were thrilled to see us reunited. On the car ride back to the hotel, Rowena informed me multiple times that she was beside herself with excitement over me getting back together with Felix.

“I know these last few weeks have been hard on you,” she said, glancing sideways towards her own husband and son. “But we’re really glad to have you back, Mila. And that you are truly part of the family now.”

I bowed my head in gratitude, aware that the car had become slightly tense at the acknowledgement of the secrets Felix had revealed.

King Ivan cleared his throat. “Will your family be attending the banquet tonight, Mila?”

I stiffened at the mention of my adoptive family.

“Yes,” I said carefully. “They plan on being there.”

Frankly, I was planning on using the banquet as a trial run for my parents. If they could behave themselves, if they were truly interested in turning over a new leaf in our relationship, then maybe… maybe there was hope for reconciliation.

The King and Queen had insisted on hiring professional hair and makeup artists for me, and Felix had helped me pick out a pale pink gown for the evening’s occasion. When I looked at myself in the mirror, I didn’t see Mila Benson staring back at me.

I saw a princess.

Felix came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling my back flush against him.

“You look beautiful,” he murmured into my hair. I smiled and sighed.

“Are you nervous for tonight?” he asked.

I leaned into him, enjoying the proximity. I knew it was the last private moment we would have for a while.

“How could I be when I have you?” I said softly.

The banquet was being held in the ballroom of our hotel. When we made our way downstairs, I was shocked to see that Felix and I were not the first to arrive.

My parents and Nadine were all glammed up and talking to reporters. My father had actually snatched a microphone from a poor newsperson and was jabbering away. I groaned as I saw Nadine preening for the cameras.

I wandered over to where my family was standing, hoping to pull them away from the reporters. When my father saw me coming, his face lit up and he pulled me into an awkward side hug.

“Mila! My precious little girl,” he said, beaming with pride. I squirmed in his grip.

“Are you close with your family, Mila?” the reporter asked.

I opened my mouth to answer, but my father cut me off.

“She’s always been our perfect angel,” my father gushed. “We’re all very close. We were so devastated when Mila moved to Fresonia. You can imagine how thrilled we were when she found herself a prince!”

Was he seriously lying to a reporter about our relationship? After years of telling me how little he respected me?

“We’ve had our ups and downs–” I started, but my father immediately jumped in.

“More ups than anything else,” he said. “Mila is adopted, as you may know, and we reminded her every day of her life how lucky we were to have chosen such a wonderful daughter.”

His words made my eyes burn with tears. Not once had my family ever made me feel chosen or special or even loved. And now that I was engaged to a prince, they were pretending that I was their most prized child.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

“Can I talk to you all for a minute?”

I gathered my parents and Nadine in a private corner.

“What the hell is all this?” I asked. They just stared at me blankly.

“What? What’s wrong?” my mother asked.

“This whole thing with talking to reporters, telling them we’re some big happy family?” I raised an eyebrow at the three of them.

“We are happy,” my father said.

“I’m glad you are,” I said, aware of the temper creeping into my tone. “But that’s not exactly how the last twenty years of my life have been, have they?”

My parents exchanged a wary glance. Nadine pouted and crossed her arms.

My father slung an arm around my shoulders and pulled me against his side.

“Listen, Mila, we think it’s high time for a fresh start,” he said smarmily. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “We’d like a suite at this here hotel to stay in for a few weeks.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You have a house right down the road.”

My father smirked. “Maybe, but here we can really rub shoulders with the uh, wealthy elite. What do you say, Mila? You have money now. You can cough up a few hundred to get us a room.”

Disgusted, I pulled away from him and rejoined Felix. He raised an eyebrow at me.

“We can talk later,” I muttered.

I just wanted to get through this banquet.

NADINE

I watched Mila stomp over to her prince and whine in his ear. My stomach churned at the sight of her in a ballgown and tiara, being greeted by foreign dignitaries like she was someone who mattered.

If only they knew that Mila did not matter at all.

For our whole lives, Mila had been pushed to the side. I was always the star of the show, the apple of my parents’ eyes. And now to be shoved to the side just because she managed to snare Felix?

This whole situation was ridiculous. I was boiling with rage.

I watched as one of the British princes bowed to Mila. That was my breaking point.

I stormed off to the bathroom, desperate for a moment of peace. When I pushed the door open, I saw a woman in an elaborate evening gown crying over one of the sinks.

“Sorry,” I said, squeezing past her to get to a stall.

She didn’t even look at me, just kept mumbling to herself.

“I can’t stand that bitch,” the woman muttered, splashing water on her face. “Doesn’t deserve Felix.”

Was she talking about Mila? I studied her curiously. “Who do you mean?’

She huffed. “I’m not going to explain myself to you. For all I know, you’re spying on behalf of the crown.”

I sauntered over to her. “Believe me, I am far from a spy for the crown. Far from a supporter, actually. Mila is my adopted sister. I hate her. And I hate that she thinks she’s a fancy princess now even more.”

The woman’s eyes widened. “You’re Mila’s adopted sister?”

I extended a hand. “Nadine.”

She clasped it. “Lady Isabella. I’m who Felix was supposed to marry.”

“And you hate Mila too?” I asked, feeling my heart starting to race in anticipation.

She cocked an eyebrow. “More than anything.”

“Good,” I said, leaning against the bathroom counter. “I think we just might be good friends, Isabella.”