The Prince That Got Away ( A Royal Romance Novel )

Friends and Enemies from the Past

Emilia's POV:-

"Your Majesty." Tiffany drops into a curtsy.

Technically she should be addressing me as Your Highness but I don't bother to correct her. When she gets up she can barely meet my eyes.

"Hello, Tiffany."

"How are you doing? It's been such a long time. I love your dress that's Stella McCartney isn't it?" She gushes.

"Yeah, I guess." I had just grabbed one of the more casual items in my closet. I hadn't cared to check the label. It made sense that Crystal would never stock my wardrobe with anything that's not designer.

"It looks great on you by the way."

Her ingratiating behavior immediately puts me on my guard. I remember Louis teasing Rick about him dating one of his exes. I never got around to asking him who that was. Was it her? Was she trying to get close to me to extract information from me that she could pass on to Rick?

She has dark circles beneath her eyes and as she walks beside me I notice that she has gained a lot of weight. She's wearing a loose-fitted cardigan that covers her entire torso and hips along with baggy jeans. She just looks so different from the girl I knew in high school.

Shockingly this is the same Tiffany who used to fat shame girls with even an ounce of belly fat and she always wore fitted dresses that flaunted her body. I wonder what happened to her since all these years.

When I approach the table everyone looks up at me surprise and curiosity in their eyes. I guess they weren't expecting me to come. For a while, I am reminded of all those times I used to walk into class always feeling unwanted and unwelcome among my classmates. I almost bolt but I manage to get ahold of my nerves.

Luckily I see Tessa wave at me from the corner of the table. And then I see the familiar blonde-haired guy sitting beside her.

" When did you get back Roman?" I ask him surprised to see him.

"Yesterday. I tried calling you but you didn't pick up. I think you thought I was a stalker. I had my number changed."

He has grown even more broad-shouldered since our high school days. I had been a little pissed at him when he had gone on his trip because that left me with zero friends. But then again it wasn't his fault that apart from him and Tiffany most of the friendships I have had never lasted beyond a point.

"There's so much you need to catch up on." I settle down on the seat beside Tiffany that she saved for me.

"I am so sorry Emilia. You have been through so much but I wasn't here for you." He says. I then notice all the other people at the table trying to listen in on our conversation.

"It's alright Roman. We will talk about this later." I try to change the topic.

It's too bad that everyone's attention is completely on me.

"I always knew that you and Louis would end up together." Lexi Kingston announces sounding a little drunk as she waves her drink in the air.

"Oh really?" Roman arches an eyebrow looking skeptical.

Tessa quietly munches on her salad never looking in Roman's direction some
thing I had seen her doing since I got here. I don't think Roman noticed since he also hadn't looked at her even once.

"Yeah ever since that party I had at my place. When I saw him taking her home I got this feeling that there was something going on between them."

I am about to correct her that there was nothing going on between us at that time but one of the girls starts asking for more details about what happened that night and the others follow suit making me feel even more uncomfortable.