the princess' viscount|| anthony bridgerton

2

benedict's pov
i head home to get ready after hours of us making up for lost time. she's my best friend. always has been. always will be. i hold animosity for what anthony had done. they were in love...deeply. engaged. but he ruined it all when he decided to fuck siena. she walked in on them. and instead of screaming and making a scene about it...she handled it with a grace i could never have. she simply backed out the room. and left. tears down her face.

i walk in the house and smile seeing ella. but the smile wipes off my face seeing her...she's crying and clutching her heart. i rush over "dear ella what is the matter? are you alright? what can i do? did you see anthony yet?" stroking the tears off her face and she nods "i saw him but i must go" going to leave and i stop her "what is going on ella you're worrying me." she sniffles "anthony and i are done benny" what? how can that possibly be? they are in love in a way i've not seen since my parents! he was just planning the wedding and for a venue! i ask "what? i'll speak to him at once. you sit right here i'll get through to him" she stops me "don't. he's upstairs with his singer whore in our bed. we're done benny there is no way of saving us i'm afraid. i must go" what?! how could anthony do this to her?! i snap "then i'll go upstairs and duel him at once" she grasps my face "what i need is for you to be safe. to be happy. i don't want this to divide the family you hold so dear benny. i need to leave. okay? i'm going back to whales. i just need you to stall him while i pack" i tell her holding her hand that's holding my face "you're my family too and i hold you in high regard. you're my sister" she sends me a smile "and you are my brother but i must go. and to move on as much as my heart will allow. i will write to you always. you can even travel and come see me in whales. you're always welcome" i sigh "there's no way i can keep you here with me"

she asks "will you be so cruel to hold me here while he moves on and marries his whore? put me through that?" "he said he's going to marry her?" i ask hurting for her. angry. she nods and i hug her tightly "go and write me as much as you can. heal your heart and move on. he did not deserve you sister" and with that she's gone.

i snap out of it and anthony asks "have you got any word of a visitor or something of importance for the season?" i shake my head not telling him she's coming. he doesn't deserve to know ahead of time. he deserves the shock. he deserves to regret his actions seeing her for the first time in three years. and he deserves the way she's going to treat him during this. i reply "nothing of importance. it's your coming out season brother" he decided to come out. said he's going to marry for duty, though his heart still belongs to ella. he kicked siena out of his life when he discovered her leave. he hasn't touched a woman since.

it doesn't make it better. he should've never touched another woman while engaged or in any other kind of relationship. i warned anthony about hurting her. warned him against getting with her if all he's going to do is hurt her. and he fucking did it anyway. we haven't been the same since she left. animosity for him still lingering for what he's done to my best friend and sister.

he nods "it's a business transaction. there is no love and won't be ever" he says that but she's back. he's going to throw that notion away so fast. try with her. and she's going to cast him aside. be hurt and angry. even though her heart still wants for him and his. she doesn't want to, and doesn't deserve to be put through him again. she deserves to have peace and to protect her heart. but i don't want her or even him to suffer too much and end up hating their lives because they don't have one another. anthony got a lot of work to do and to make up, if he even can. i stand and he asks "where are you going?" "to pick up my date" i say. mother asks "you have a date? i'd love to meet her" i shake my head with a chuckle "we're just friends but she asked me to accompany her" mother smiles "either way id love to know her." and i head out to Ella's place again.