The Sheikh's Mistaken Twin - Completed.

Chapter Seven

Summoned by his father, Kaden had no choice but to attend, where his grandmother greeted him, giving a real update on his health. One that is kept out of the palace media releases. A lot worse than they made it out to be. The wolves were howling at the door. The wedding will help, a show of strength, a connection between two kingdoms.

His father had around-the-clock care in his private room. All his comforts are seen to, be managed by drugs. Taking a deep breath, Kaden entered the darkened room, the curtains closed, the sunlight too strong for his eyes.

Kaden hated seeing the man his father had become because of cancer which was a cruel death. One of many who suffered the cursed disease. Cheeks hallow, eyes sunken, skin grey, drip in his arm, releasing morphine when needed by a press of a button that he controlled.

Before he had been such a strong, proud man, in control of his country, going up against others who had tried to take over the oil-enriched lands. That control had slipped because of his illness. He had stepped in, with talks and help from the neighbours, where there were deals made.

A wedding between the two countries.

He would have stepped up for his country, yet the princess had her eyes on another, Masoud. His younger brother, and would make a more suitable match. Everything had been going to plan until the rumours reached him, about Australia and a certain redhead named Ronnie Veronica Jacobson.

So he took her out of the equation.

The problem now was, he wasn't sure what to do with her.

The wedding seemed so far away, like a dark tunnel with no light at the end. One he was desperately looking for. Reports kept coming back from Australia that he arranged. There had been no reports of her missing. Now even from her Gran. As for her work, she was away for a month, as organised, with everything in place.

After the wedding, they would take her home and no one the wiser that she had disappeared, just gone away because of work. One hefty payment should see her happy. Yet doubts lingered over that. She didn't seem that interested in the grander things in life, spending mostly in the library, often taking an armful of books back to her room.

She was always polite to the staff, and happier she had more freedom to move around, always wearing the caftans, not one of the fancy dresses. Not once had she flirted with him. Just throw Norwegian names from mythology. Not nice ones at that, wanting to go back to Thor!

It had taken some convincing that the food wasn't tainted, staff taking the first bite to prove the point. Her lack of trust hurt more than he wanted to admit. Trust that had to be won, and he meant her no harm, growing angry at his brother for putting him in this position.

For putting her in this position. She didn't come across as one being involved with a married man, even an engaged one. If she had been seeing Masoud, she didn't know he was engaged by the reaction in her eyes. 

The blue in them shone out under certain lights. Her hair was always plaited over the shoulder, and the loose hair forming that plait shrouded her face with thick russet hair like a hood, shaking away the image from his mind.

He stepped closer towards the bed, reaching out to touch his frail loose skin hand. Dark, shrewdly aware eyes snapped open. "What is this about another woman?" his voice raspy.

"What woman?" he asked.

It seemed someone has been talking out of turn, which will need to be dealt with. If he got wind of what was going on, there will be hell to pay. His father had ruled with an iron fist. A lot he didn't agree with. There will be changes, under his rule, yet had no real say while his father still lived and was the ruling head.