Chapter l355

Chapter 0355

The next morning at breakfast, the candidates were gossiping as per usual. Topics were spa rse, especially since we weren’t allowed to watch any television. But the girls amused themselves with who was feeling under the weather, and who was wearing what to the ball.

I tried to participate more than I had before. My heart still ached some, but talking with Veronica and Julian had helped more than I realized. Though Susie had previously known, it was difficult to speak freely with her, as we were always around others when together.

It was nice to have so many friends around me, ready to support me.

Beside me, Elva was digging into her waffles. She had two cheeks full when Nicholas walked through the door.

She tried shouting his name, but I quickly reminded her, “Finish chewing. Then you can go say hello.”

She eagerly nodded and chewed at a faster pace.

“Slowly, now,” I reminded her, worried she might choke.

Nicholas continued walking as if he hadn’t noticed. Maybe he hadn’t. He seemed laser-

focused today as he marched straight to Olivia.

Olivia slowly lowered her fork. She tapped at the corners of her mouth with her napkin.

A camera crew followed Nicholas in and quickly found different positions as Nicholas stopped

at Olivia’s side.

“Olivia,” he said.

She batted her eyelashes up at him. I didn’t hate her for it. I knew this was part of the game, and Olivia very well could have been the best contender in the place. She came from a well- connected pack. She was well-trained and strong, both in physicality and me ntality.

So I didn’t hate her. But I did hate what was taking place right in front of me.

I would have run away if I could have. But that would only draw the camera lenses to me. For Nichola s’s sake, for the sake of his sacrifice of our near-relationship, I had to keep my

backside in my chair and endure.

“Yes, Prince Nicholas?” Olivia said sweetly.

“Will you accompany me on a date tomorrow?” he asked.

“Why, I would be honored,” Olivia replied.

“Good.”

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My already-tattered heart shattered further in my chest. But I tried to keep my expression

muted, as the other girls’ eyes widened in excitement. It had been some time since there had been any kind of fresh gossip. This would sustain them for days.

Only Susie frowned at the news, and glanced at me. Veronica held no reaction; she merely continued eating breakfast.

Elva, however, heard every word, and did not have the experience to know how to hide her reaction. Or the knowledge that she should.

“No!” she shouted.

“Shh, Elva,” I said gently.

But Elva wouldn’t hear of it. As I reached for her, she scurried under the table, only to reappear on the other side, closer to Nicholas.

I rushed toward them, desperate to stop the scene, but I couldn’t get close enough before Elva spoke.

“How could you, Nick-lass?”

“Elva,” Nicholas said. His eyes held sympathy. “Please understand -”

“Why don’t you ask Mommy on date?” Elva said. She had real tears now.

I froze. The cameras panned up from Elva to my face. Nicholas looked too. I didn’t know

which was worse.

Quickly, Nicholas cleared his throat and dropped down to one knee, joining Elva at her level.

“Now, Elva,” Nicholas said softly. He wasn’t his usual unguarded self with Elva, not with the cameras watching, but he at least curbed some of the edge. “I have to spend time with every

lady.”

Elva only frowned deeper. “Then why not Mommy?”

“Elva, honey,” I said, stepping toward her. I placed my hands on her shoulders. “It’s okay. Please don’t bother Prince Nicholas.”

“It’s all part of being a prince,” he said.

Elva touched my hands with her much smaller ones. “Why are you talking so weird?”

Nicholas blinked, startled.

“You are being mean,” Elva said.

“I’m not…” Nicholas started to say, but I could see how Elva must have felt. Compared to his

usual charm, this colder version of him must have seemed like night and day.

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Nichola s’s panic was clear on his face. The kingdom wasn’t ready to handle who he was in private. Or, perhaps more accurately, Nicholas wasn’t ready to share that side of himself.

I immediately stepped in. “Oh, Elva. You know Prince Nicholas is a very important prince. He

has

many duties and responsibilities and plays many roles.”

“I guess…” Elva didn’t seem convinced.

I laughed for the cameras. “I think we’ve all read too many stories about prince charming.”

Some of the other girls laughed in solidarity. Every little girl enjoyed the fairy tales of princes

and white horses. Even, it seemed, the girls who had known princes personally.

Elva’s face switched from annoyed to confused, and the cameramen seemed to grow bored of

it. They turned the cameras onto Nicholas instead.

Nicholas rose to his feet. His relief lasted only a moment, before vanishing under his cool

princely veneer.

Eventually, I was able to coax Elva back to her pancakes, and Nicholas made his retreat.

Later, as Charlotte helped me tailor the base of the dress we’d made for the ball, she couldn’t keep from sharing her own gossipy news. Having a friendship with Charlotte was ideal. Not only was she a great conversationalist, and a staunch ally, but she could also watch television and fill me in on the outside world.

The outside world right now, apparently seemed really invested in my love life.

“What,” I said, my voice tinged with disbelief. “You are telling me that people are making polls for which of the princes I should choose?”

“Not all the princes,” Charlotte said. “Just Julian or Nicholas.”

“But I’m only dating Julian.” As far as they knew. Charlotte knew better but didn’t call me on it, with Elva and the nanny in the room.

“It doesn’t matter,” Charlotte said. “A certain part of the public has become borderline obsessed. They analyze every stolen glance and touch you have ever shared with Prince Nicholas. There’s several compilations on the internet.”

Compilations of touches? Looks?

“Sometimes they cover it on the evening news,” Charlotte said.

“That kind of gossip can’t be considered news.

“It can, when it’s included with the day’s recap. Since things have been slow, they’ve been looking to the fans to fill in some of the content to fill the daily program,” Charlotte said. She stuck a pin into the dress to mark where we needed to hem.

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“Then surely, the majority are siding with Julian. I must have twice as many cl*ps with him.”

Charlotte shrugged, but didn’t say a word. That didn’t bode well.

“Charlotte…” I’prompted.

She avoided my gaze. “It’s fairly evenly split.”

“Evenly split? How?”

“The looks, Piper,” Charlotte said, and gave me a look of her own right now – one that said, they can see right through you.

Was I giving too much away? The heart wanted what it wanted, that was true. And I was never a very good liar.

Was the public truly able to see straight through me, to see that Nicholas was the one I truly wanted?

Maybe they saw through Nicholas too.

Whatever else this meant, one important thing was clear to me.

I needed to try harder to sell my fake relationship with Julian.

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