Race for the Throne | Formula One

70. Funeral

Charles gave me space for the rest of the day. I ran into some of the others in the halls and they acted normally towards me so I figured he hadn't told anyone what I said which hurt me more because it meant he was suffering alone. It took all my resolve to not find him and beg for his forgiveness. As soon as Mateo had returned I told him exactly what had happened. I could tell he didn't like doing it but he reassured me that my plan was the right one. The rest of the day flew by and before I knew it everyone was saying their goodnights. I wouldn't see any of them again until the funeral because we would all be going separately. Biting my lip, I hesitated in front of the closed door of my old room. There was a sliver of light under the door so I knew Charles was in there.

Charles' head jerked up as I opened the door. He was sitting in bed, shirtless, hair messy from a shower, book open in his hands.

"Hello, my love." his eyes were uncertain.

I merely nodded in his direction, my throat was so tight that I couldn't speak. Stopping at the dresser, I grabbed a few things I needed that I had taken out of the other room.

"Are you coming to bed?" His voice was quiet.

I kept my back to him as I shook my head. "I'm sleeping in my room tonight."

The bed creaked as he got out. He stopped behind me. "Do you want me-"

I cut him off. "No."

Tentatively, he touched my arm. "Did I do something wrong?"

My heart shattered at how timid his voice was. "Just stop."

He dropped his hand. "Kat, I just want to-"

"Stop trying to help, you can't! You're just making things worse." I spun around, voice rough with unshed tears but it came across as anger.

Charles took a step back as if I had physically hit him. "What?"

"You don't know at all how I feel right now. You're not royalty, you don't understand any of this." I stormed out of the room, leaving him standing there, a broken look on his face.

I ran to the study where Mateo was waiting.

"Why was that the most painful thing? I can't do it, I can't hurt him anymore. I love him." I closed my eyes, fighting back tears.

Mateo rubbed my back. "You can stop, you can explain it all to him."

I pulled back and wiped my eyes roughly with the back of my hand. "Him staying alive is more important than how he feels about me."

Mateo pressed his lips together but nodded. We poured over the letters and the messages from Jacques until early in the morning. Unfortunately, they all said the same as they had before. I rubbed my eyes as light streamed through the partially opened curtains on the glass doors to the garden.

I checked my watch. "Time to get ready."

Chelsea was waiting outside the door of my room for me. I nodded to her and we went in. I showered quickly and pulled on a robe before she joined me in the bathroom to do my hair and makeup. She pursed her lips as she tried to cover the dark circles under my eyes, clearly knowing that I wasn't sleeping despite my weak lies.

Once she was done, she left me to put on a dress that I picked from my closet. Mateo was in the hall, waiting to escort me to the funeral.

He stopped me once we were in the courtyard. "You can take today to grieve."

"I'll grieve once I know no one else I love is going to join them." I slid into the car.

Mateo got into the passenger seat and signaled Peter to begin driving. The caravan to the funeral began. People lined the streets, they were mourning their loss as much as they were curious to see me.

What A Mourning: Sovereign Princess Kathrine of Monaco holds funeral for the royal family just days after their assassination disregarding the mourning period as she plans coronation

Formula Funeral: Charles Leclerc was present at the funeral but was not seen arriving with the Sovereign Princess  or sitting with her during the ceremony, leading many to speculate that there may be trouble brewing between the couple