NOT ROYALE ENOUGH [18+]

14

❥ SARAH ❥

I stood before the door, knowing the press awaited on the other side. I could picture the camera flashes and the flood of absurd questions I would have to answer.

"Ready?" Alfred asked. I took a deep breath and nodded.

Alfred, with his white gloves, opened the door. My head felt heavy, but I forced myself to focus. As I entered, I noticed a woman sitting in a chair.

"Sorry, I think I'm in the wrong room," I said, starting to leave.

"You aren't in the wrong room, Your Highness. I'm Grace Matthews from the Greta Kingdom press," she said, standing up with a notebook and pen.

This must be a joke, I thought. She was the only one here, and her smile seemed forced. She clearly had questions, and I wasn't confident about answering them without Chris's help.

Just then, the door opened, and Chris walked in. He seemed distant, just like when he was with the tailor. Was he always like this, or was he just bipolar?

"Hey, love," he said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek, surprising me.

"Am I just in time?" he asked cheerfully.

"Uh... yes, dear," I said, taking his hand as he pulled me closer. I accidentally stepped on his shoe. Expecting a reaction, I was relieved when he just clenched his jaw and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Sorry," I whispered, knowing the woman was watching us closely, anticipating something to go wrong.

He turned toward me and briefly nodded, "Not a problem, love," he said with a gentle smile that left me feeling conflicted.

This wasn't the man I had spoken with just a few minutes ago.

Was he putting on an act for the woman's benefit? It seemed so, but it felt strange to see him playing a role that I was supposed to be handling.

"May we take a seat?" Grace suggested, her eyes examining us with each step we took until we both settled on a love seat.

"So, I understand that this is the first time his Highness is revealing his girlfriend to the world," she began, adjusting herself and readying her pen.

"My fiancée," Chris corrected her suddenly. I turned to look at him, then back to Grace, who appeared confused.

"I..."

"I want you to refer to her as my fiancée. Am I understood?" His voice was stern and serious, cutting her off before she could finish. I wanted to nudge him, to tell him there was no need to correct her, but I was too shocked to speak.

"Of course, your Highness," Grace replied, her voice slightly shaken, losing the confidence she had when she started talking.

"And yes, I have decided to reveal her to the world," Chris continued.