Chapter l174

Chapter 0174

I didn’t want to think about Nicholas anymore, so I made my way over to Joyce instead. I knew his two

brothers well but not him, and that seemed a shame.

When I drew near, Susie glanced up to smile at me. “Oh, Piper. Have you met Prince Joyce? Should I introduce you?”

How could I say that if I met him, I didn’t remember? That would be unbearably rude.

“I don’t remember if we’ve met,” Joyce said in my silence. He looked at me eyes of burnt umber, watchful and calculating.

“I’ll introduce you, then,” Susie said. “Prince Joyce, this is Piper. Piper, please meet Prince Joyce.”

“Nice to officially meet you, Prince Joyce,” I said, giving a small curtsey.

He nodded.

We both didn’t move for a moment, me standing with Joyce gazing up at me. Then he motioned toward one of the chairs near him.

“Please, sit,” he said.

I did as he asked, taking the chair. Then there was silence again. Prince Joyce didn’t seem to care for small talk. Meanwhile the quiet was making me anxious. I worried my fingers together in my lap.

“How are you enjoying the competition so far?” I asked him.

“It’s okay,” he said.

I glanced at Susie. She shrugged.

“Have you decided who you are going to select for the elimination ceremony?” I asked.

Jessica perked up, eager for the answer. Meanwhile Susie seemed a bit downtrodden. My heart went out to her. If only Mark could make a choice himself, but the competition wasn’t for Beta’s.

“I haven’t given it much thought, honestly,” Joyce said. He quickly covered a yawn with his hand. “If it were up to me, we wouldn’t even be doing this competition.”

“Oh, no?” I asked.

“How am I supposed to find the perfect person for me during a popularity contest? No one cares about ne anyway. They didn’t before the contest, and they won’t after. I have no hope of wearing the King’s

not true that no one cares about you,” Jessica said softly.

He didn’t seem to hear her.

“Let my two brothers fight over it. I just want to be left alone.”

Glancing at Jessica, and the way she frowned, I prompted, “Wouldn’t it be nice if you did find love

though? I admit it’s not an ideal situation for love to spring from, but imagine if it did.”

“No one is going to be interested in me with my brothers around,” Joyce said. “I wouldn’t even bother with this, except my parents would nag me to death if I didn’t put in appearances.”

Jessica worried her bottom l*p with her teeth. Her previous attempts to gain his attention and declare her interest had gone unnoticed. She took a breath, maybe to muster her courage, and said too loudly,” I’m interested in you!”

Half the room turned to look at her. When she noticed, her face went as red as a cherry tomato.

But Joyce had looked too. He had heard her this time. His eyes were wide and his mouth slack.

He said, “You are?”

Jessica hid her face behind her hands. She nodded.

Joyce continued to stare at her for a long time.

Susie and I traded quick smiles.

Jessica and I weren’t close friends by any means, but I still felt proud of her. It was difficult to admit feelings for anyone, let alone a prince. Especially one as purposefully oblivious as Joyce.

I admired their connection for a moment, before a soft cough behind me claimed my attention.

Charlotte had found her way to my shoulder. Her dire expression immediately spiked concern into my chest.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” I asked.

She leaned in closer to whisper/“Elva has another fever.”

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