Page 71 of Princessa
Upon their arrival, they walked into the stateroom. I stood waiting, hands at my sides balled up into fists.
Iris was sobbing, head down, when she crept in beside her father. He wore an expression that clearly said he was sick and tired of her shit.
“King Matteo, Queen Isadora, Prince Grayson.” He stood tall, his pot belly larger than I’d recalled. “Sorry to be meeting under these circumstances. Seems my daughter has done something that has turned everyone’s world upside down.”
My father motioned for them both to sit down on the couch across from where he was seated next to my mother.
“This won’t take long, so we shall stand, thank you,” said Lord Godiva.
My father nodded. “Very well, get on with it, please.”
“Unbeknownst to me, Iris had taken it upon herself to install a rather tiny spy camera—tested years ago during my years at MI6—in Grayson’s bedroom around the time she paid him an unwelcome visit to plead for him to give her a chance.”
I felt my nostrils flare, my palms sweat, and my heart explode.
“Apparently,” Lord Godiva went on, “her little spyware captured, shall I say, anintimatemoment between Arabella and Prince Grayson. Last night, she confronted Arabella and threatened to release it to the media unless she left Prince Grayson.”
Mother let out a gasp, nearly collapsing into the couch.
My father got to his feet, words flying out of his mouth like cannonballs. “What kind of a person thinks it’s okay to try and ruin someone’s life?”
“Apparently, my daughter, Your Majesty. But I assure you, this is where it stops. Iris is being sent to South Africa on a mission of self-reformation.” He nudged his daughter with his elbow. “Give. Him. The. Video.”
Iris straightened as she advanced toward me, more timid and humbled than I’d ever seen her. She handed me a flash drive. “Here it is. Please accept my sincere apologies. Arabella is an amazing woman. She was willing to sacrifice her heart for you and her loved ones back home. I can only dream of finding love so true.” She wiped a tear and shrugged. “Villains deserve a happily-ever-after too.”
Unconvinced, I needed to know what sparked her decision to confess to her father. “Why the sudden change of heart, Iris?”
Seeing Iris with sunken shoulders, eyelids down, it seemed I may have been looking at a twin—the good one since Iris was the spitting image of evil.
She spoke softly. “It was something Arabella said. Your future wife told me that, even if she were out of the picture, you wouldn’t come running to me.” She sighed. “All this time I’d been caught up in the novelty of being someone—anyone’s—princess. Never had I thought about being the love of somebody’s life, that person they come running to. I wantthat, not some title. So even though I don’t particularly wish to go to South Africa”—she peered over to Lord Devon—“Father’s right: it’s time for a much-needed reformation. Who knows? Perhaps I’ll meet my one and only during the process.”
After they left, the sorrow I felt behind Arabella leaving turned to anger.
Why didn’t she feel comfortable coming to me? She left—abandoned me without giving me—her supposed hero—a chance to fix things.
Days passed, and Mom still had no luck reaching Arabella’s parents to make them aware of what went down with Iris.
I spiraled in and out of darkness.
Drinking. Sleeping. Repeat.
Did I fail at protecting her from Iris?
Mom showed up to my cottage, looking like she was ready to whip my ass. “Go get Arabella. You have no reason to be angry with her.”
“Oh, come on,” I snapped, voice broken and cold, matching my damaged soul. “You know I’ve every reason to be angry, hurt,done. She took off without coming to me, without trusting that I would never allow anyone or anything to take what we had. Arabella abandoned me—our love—like yesterday’s fucking trash.”
“Mijo,she did what she thought was best for her family, best for you, and ultimately, what she thought was best for Andorra.” She shook her head. “Don’t you see? She’s already thinking like a princess—noble and regal-minded, putting others before herself.” She stepped close, gaze up as she cupped my face. “You chose a good woman, Grayson. Don’t let your angry pride get in the way.”
