by Jenna Brandt
Three more unmarried noblewomen came to stand in the group around Max, adding to his own flock of admirers. With all the attention, perhaps tonight wouldn’t be as bad as Max first anticipated.
The group of women around Max had grown to a half a dozen, all of them flirting and fawning all over him. Lily knew she shouldn’t care, but every time a new woman joined, her jealousy grew a tiny bit, causing her to be angry with herself over her unwanted reaction.
Lily had been justified in ending things back when they were at boarding school. Max was just the same as he was when they were young. He continued to behave abhorrently, flirting with anything that had an ample chest and long legs. What was wrong with him?
“Did you hear my question, Lady Liliana?”
Shaking her head, she glanced over at the black-haired man standing next to her, who had pulled her away from the other men to a more remote part of the room. “I’m sorry, Lord Michael. I was distracted. What were you saying?”
Michael’s focus turned towards where Lily had been looking. A wry grin formed on his face. “I see the Crown Prince has garnered your attention like every other eligible woman in the room.”
“It’s not what you think,” Lily stated adamantly. “He just has a way of making a spectacle of himself.” Then remembering who she was talking about, she quickly apologized, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that about the Crown Prince.”
“On the contrary, it’s rare to have a woman at the royal court who isn’t obsessed with his Royal Highness,” Michael said with approval. “It’s rather refreshing and makes my chances of keeping your attention much more possible.”
Little did he know, his chances—along with every other man—ended the previous day when she agreed to marry Max. A decision she was regretting more and more as she continued to watch Max’s behavior with the other women. Perhaps she should have asked for time to pray about the decision before agreeing, considering what she had gotten herself into.
Would he continue to behave this way after their engagement was announced publicly? Or even worse after they were married? They hadn’t talked about their expectations, but respect was paramount in any functional marriage as far as Lily was concerned. She didn’t want to be married to a man who would brazenly flirt with other women.
“There you are, Lady Liliana,” Lord Joseph Rogers’ familiar voice greeted. “I’m sorry I’m late, but my flight from China was delayed.”
“I didn’t know you were coming back to Triola,” Lily said with a welcoming smile. “It’s good to see you.” Turning her attention to Michael, she politely dismissed him. “Excuse me, Lord Michael, but I need to speak with Lord Joseph about a work matter.”
A look of disappointment crossed the other man’s face as he nodded, then gave a leery look to Joseph before scurrying off to find another woman to chat with.
“I figured you could use all the support you could get being back here. I know you try to avoid it as much as possible.”
Lily nodded her head, glad to have a friend by her side. “It’s been difficult, to say the least.”
“You must tell me all about it when we don’t have prying ears,” Joseph stated in a hushed voice, gesturing with his head to all the surrounding people.
Their conversation was interrupted by the announcement for everyone to take their seats for dinner. Joseph escorted Lily to her seat. Glancing at the other names, Joseph observed with surprise, “You’ve been assigned to sit next to the Crown Prince. That should be rather amusing from the rumors I’ve heard.”
“They aren’t all true you know,” Lily heard Max state from behind them. “Though I’m sure it’s easier to believe them than to think highly of your prince.”
Joseph whipped around, an expression of astonishment mixed with embarrassment clearly on his face. “I’m sorry, your Royal Highness. It was wrong of me to speak of such a matter.”
“Lucky for you, I’m much more relaxed than my father,” Max said with a shrug. “I don’t ruin people’s lives simply because they don’t approve of me. Of course, I’m not king yet, but that will change in the future,” he added, making the warning in his statement clear.
“If you will excuse me, sir, I need to find my seat.”
“Yes, it would be best,” Max stated, with narrowed eyes.
Once the other man was gone, Max pulled out Lily’s seat for her. As she slid into it, Max asked, “Who was that imbecile, anyway?”
“You don’t remember him?”
Max shook his head. “Should I?”
“His father is the Earl of Shundry. We all grew up together.” Then remembering who she was speaking to, she said mockingly, “But it makes sense you wouldn’t remember him. Lord Rogers doesn’t wear a skirt.”
Max pressed his lips together, a gesture she knew meant he was holding back his temper. After a moment, he said, “I’m surprised that man is the son of an earl. His father should have taught him to behave better than that, especially at a royal function.”
“In his defense, he didn’t know anyone besides me was listening,” Lily explained.
“And why would he think it appropriate to joke with a lady in that way? More specifically with you?” Max asked, almost as if he cared what her connection to Joseph was.
“We’re old friends.”
“Just friends?” Max probed further, taking the seat next to her.
“Yes, just friends. We have worked on several goodwill projects together. He was just with me at the orphanage in China.”
“Well, from the way he was looking at you since the moment he got here, I think he wants to be more than just friends,” Max observed.
“You were watching me?” Lily asked in confusion. “Why would you do that?”
“I want to know what I’m getting into with our arrangement. I don’t want to take on a jealous boyfriend on top of everything else.”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” Lily said, crossing her arms. “I haven’t had a boyfriend since boarding school.”
“Really?” Max asked with surprise. “That long? Why?”
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’ve been busy helping other people. It doesn’t really leave room for anything romantic. Of course, you wouldn’t know what that’s like,” Lily stated with sarcasm.
“Liliana Lockhart, that is not how I raised you to speak to your future king,” she heard her mother say from behind her.
Immediately, Lily felt heat flash across her body, embarrassed that she had let Max goad her into speaking out of turn.
Lily’s eyes fell to the table as she said, “I’m sorry, Mother.”
“It isn’t me you should be apologizing to,” her mother chastised.
Forcing herself to raise her eyes to meet Max’s gaze, Lily whispered, “I’m sorry, your Royal Highness. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s all right. Let’s just let it go and move on,” Max stated dismissively. “It will be a long night.”
The rest of the evening passed by with cordial conversation between her and Max, but it remained superficial and polite. By the end of the evening, she was exhausted from monitoring her every word, and felt no better about her situation with Max than she did before the night began.
Chapter Four
Max could feel his father’s eyes prying into the back of him, watching every decision he made as he glanced through the documents in front of him. The king had insisted Max work alongside him to make sure he was prepared for when he took his place as the head of state for Triola.
Max, on the other hand, would have much preferred to simply relax in his suite, have gone to play cards at the local gentleman’s club, or to spend time with a couple of the noblewomen.
“You missed that one,” his father pointed out a section in one document regarding the repairs to several of the bridges in the capital’s heart. “When you go through the briefings about public work projects, you need to make sure you read every part. There can be crucial parts we need clarif
ication on before we approve them.”
“Yes, Father,” Max said with a nod of his head. Though he would rather be anywhere else, a small part of Max still wanted to impress his father and show him he could handle the workload of being king.
“Once we are finished with this, we will travel over to Grace Memorial Hospital. A new children’s wing has opened, and they asked for the royal family to make an appearance.”
“Good thing I wore a suit today, rather than coming to work with you in sweats and a t-shirt.”
His father made a disapproving grunt under his breath before saying, “I hope for your sake you’re joking. It’s bad enough you’re constantly photographed with a myriad of trashy women, but at least you always manage to get photographed looking appropriately dressed.”
Max found it amusing his father drew the line at wearing casual clothing. Thank goodness he didn’t know all the other things Max had done that he would consider far worse.
“Is that why you want me to come today? To help clean up my image?” Max questioned, though he already knew the answer.
“Yes, our primary focus over the next two months is to restore the public’s trust in you. That way, when we announce your engagement to Lady Liliana, it will help solidify your re-branding.”
“Whatever you think best,” Max muttered under his breath, resolving himself to accept his father’s commands for the time being. Hopefully over the next two months, he could find a way out from his arranged engagement. He had no desire to be married to Lily.
A half hour later, the royal family arrived at the hospital. As their chauffeur pulled into the reserved parking spot for their limo, Max prepared himself for the paparazzi that would be waiting. They would expect their arrival and target him. He had no desire to answer more questions about Starla or his lifestyle. Max simply wanted to get this appearance over and retreat to the safety of the palace.
“I shouldn’t have to remind you to be on your best behavior,” his father stated, making it clear he expected Max not to mess up the beginning of his redemption tour.
“I will make sure to turn on the charm in all the right ways,” Max affirmed. “Believe me, I want this to go smoothly just as much as you do.” Max knew the sooner he got the public back on his side, the sooner he could get back to living his life the way he wanted.
The king, queen, and crown prince all exited the limo, claps and cheers echoing around them. Mixed among them though, were a few boos and nasty comments directed Max’s way. Perhaps getting everyone to overlook his choices would be more difficult than Max thought.
“You’re disgracing Triola by being with that tramp singer,” one woman shouted. “You should be ashamed of yourself.”
The crowd hurled several more insults at him as he made his way to the platform. Max didn’t easily embarrass, but the public’s reaction made Max uncomfortable. He suddenly wished he hadn’t been forced to come to this appearance, but knew he had to make do until he could leave.
What upset Max the most though, was the fact he did not understand why everyone was so upset with him. He knew the tabloids and news outlets had been harsh, but he honestly thought it was to drum up business. He didn’t realize it was what the public thought of him as well.
As he climbed the steps to the top of the platform, his eyes caught familiar faces. Apparently, his father had invited the Lockharts to attend the event. Not surprising, since he had made it clear Lily would be a constant presence to get the public used to seeing them around one another.
Someone from the crowd shouted another unflattering remark about Max. Lily’s eyes momentarily darted over to him. She had a look of pity on her face before she quickly averted her attention to the king who was taking his place in front of the podium.
Max wasn’t sure what to make of Lily’s reaction. Part of him was grateful she cared, but a bigger part of him didn’t want to be pitied, let alone by the woman he was being forced to marry. If for no other reason than to change Lily’s image of him, he wanted to sway the public to his side again.
“Good afternoon, my fellow Triolans, I am grateful to be here with all of you to celebrate the opening of the Grace Memorial Hospital Children’s Wing. For too long, Triola’s sick children have had no place of their own to go, but with state-of-the-art equipment, the finest doctors and nurses, and a completely modern facility, that will no longer be the case. Moving forward, these children,” he gestured to the youth sitting on the platform behind him—a couple held crutches in their laps, a few sat without hair (a trademark of cancer) and one in a wheelchair, “will have a place where their voices can be heard, where they can feel valued, and where they can receive the best care in the world.”
There was clapping and cheering around the outdoor venue, and for a few moments—Max’s past was not the focus of the day. Though he knew it wouldn’t last, he was grateful to have even a short reprieve.
Lily’s attention should have been on the king as he finished his speech, but she couldn’t keep her eyes from drifting to the back of Max. He was holding up respectably, despite the negative beginning to the afternoon. When the people first screamed at him, Lily had felt bad for Max, but it quickly changed to admiration as she watched him.
Having the constant barrage of insults would have broken lesser men, but Max had held himself upright and refused to let them crack his veneer. She found that rather attractive, but of course, didn’t want him to know that.
The royal family, along with the Triola nobility and politicians, made their way into the lobby of the children’s hospital for the reception. The children’s wing had floor-to-ceiling glass windows that allowed the natural light to flood the area. There were a few dozen tables set up around the area, which included a table filled with an array of delicate desserts. Waiters were weaving in and out of the crowd, handing out appetizers and drinks to the guests.
“You need to find a way to put yourself next to the Crown Prince,” her mother urged, discreetly gesturing towards Max.
“I can’t very well march myself up there and plant myself next to him,” Lily countered, not liking the way her mother insisted she press herself on Max.
“Well, you shouldn’t do it that way, but if you slowly work your way over to his side, it can be done in a natural way.”
Lily let out a heavy sigh as she shook her head. “Mother, I don’t know why you are acting like it’s so important. You’ve gotten what you’ve always wanted; I’m engaged to the Crown Prince.”
“Unofficially,” her mother leaned in and whispered. “That can change in an instant if you don’t keep yourself relevant. A better option can come along and steal him right out from under you. It’s your job to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
Time, it seemed, had not tapered her mother’s desire for social advancement. It didn’t feel good to be a piece of bait on a hook to make her mother’s plans a reality.
“If you will excuse me,” Lily stated, moving away from her mother. Instead of heading towards Max though, Lily headed towards the restroom. She needed a break from everyone.
As she headed down the long glass corridor, she tried to muster up the courage to approach Max. The iciness between them had not thawed, and Lily wasn’t sure if it ever would. Perhaps she was doomed to be in a marriage in name only rather than find a way to have a true connection. She wasn’t naïve enough to hope for love, especially with Max, but she had hoped they could at least find a way to be friends. But over the past few days, their silent war had not ended. She saw no sign of a white flag on Max’s part.
Lily stepped into the restroom and made her way over to the counter. She glanced at herself in the mirror, knowing her appearance needed to be spot on for photos that were sure to follow. From the side, she heard three women enter the restroom. They were giggling and whispering between them. As they got closer, Lily realized they were talking about Max.
“I heard that Starla and Prince Maxwell are secretly married, and that he’s returned home to tell his parents,�
�� one woman stated.
“No, that can’t be the case or she would be with him,” the second woman countered. “I think he’s home to help rule the kingdom. His father is getting older and probably needs the Crown Prince to pick up the slack.”
The third woman snorted as she rolled her eyes. “No way, Layla. Prince Maxwell can’t manage to be photographed without being drunk, let alone run an entire kingdom.”
Though part of her agreed with the women, there was no way she would stand by and let them bash Max. It was that type of gossiping that was causing negative reactions to Max and the royal family.
Lily turned around to face the other women. “I think all of you ladies are mistaken. I’m sure Prince Maxwell has returned for the right reasons.”
“And who do you think you are, exactly?” the second woman challenged, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. “You sure seem to think you may speak on the prince’s behalf.”
“Wait a minute, I recognize her. She was standing behind the prince during the ceremony,” the third black-haired woman stated. Turning her attention to look at Lily, she asked with curiosity, “What’s your connection to the royal family?”
“I’m Lady Liliana Lockhart, the daughter of the Earl of Northrop. My father is an advisor to the king.”
“That means you know all sorts of privy information regarding the family. You can answer all the questions about why the prince has returned to Triola,” the second woman stated. “This will be perfect for my blog.”
Lily hadn’t realized that she was talking to someone connected to social media. She needed to be extra careful with what she said. “I’m only at liberty to say that the Crown Prince has returned to reconnect with the people of Triola.”
“Well, he’s doing a lousy job so far,” the first girl stated with bitterness. “Over the past few years, he seemed more preoccupied with globetrotting around the world with celebrities than being our prince.”