Page 54 of Lily and the Billionaire Prince

“You claim to love her?”

Henrik thought the question over, knowing he needed to word this carefully. “Under the circumstances, I can’t call what I feel ‘love’ yet, sir. I haven’t been granted enough time for that luxury.”

“You’ve had plenty of time with the other women you’ve been seen with. You’ve had plenty of time to fall in love with Lady Eden.”

“You of all people should know that being in the same room with someone doesn’t ensure love.”

This silenced him.

Henrik took courage and went on. “Lady Eden is as daft as a fence post. She cares only about looking pretty and having others tell her the decisions she should make. She constantly bickers with me and I do not like being with her. I want a woman who is kind and generous, a woman whose drive and ambitions and her ability to use a clear perspective when determining what the people need. Grandfather married a common woman. Why not me?”

“Yes, but this Lily of yours is gone,” Father snarled. “She left of her own accord. She wasn’t cut out for this life.”

“Because you made her feel unwelcome.”

A servant in all-black attire and with a trimmed beard cleared his throat and entered. The King and Henrik both gave him their attention. “Excuse me, Your Majesties, but there is something you both should see.”

Tablet in hand, the servant showed another screenshot of an email from Lily, this time begging this actor to align with King Toothpaste and that she was willing to do anything it took to have his compliance. The King saw it first.

“Oh, good heavens,” he said at the most recent picture with a derisive caption about the real reason the prince wanted a woman who wasn’t quite princess material.

“How did they manage to post another one?” Henrik asked, galled. Poor Lily. How this must humiliate her. “I thought you secured my page.

“We did, sir,” the servant said with wide eyes. “I’m not sure how they’re hacking into your profile. Every security measure we take, these people only seem to find a way around it.”

“Close his profile down,” the King ordered.

“Get that picture removed,” Henrik added. “At once. Block others from accessing my page or posting on it, and see if you can’t track whoever is doing this.”

“Yes, sir,” the servant said with a bow before leaving the room.

“Now, you see what she’s done?” the King snapped, throwing a hand toward the door. “She only used you to get herself out in the public eye.”

“She’s not like that. She was devastated when she admitted these emails had been tampered with without her knowledge.” Lily didn’t seem like the kind of woman who would degrade herself for this kind of attention. She’d held herself too well to surrender to anything like this willingly. She’d also been so distraught when she’d confessed the emails’ existence.

She’d said Damon was holding the threat of posting these over her head. If the imbecile was posting them now, that meant she’d done something to displease him. Worry shot through Henrik in an instant. Was she in danger?

“Father, I need to find her.” Where had she said she was going? She’d only mentioned Italy. She hadn’t said specifically where. Maybe the driver who’d taken her this morning knew…

“Not now, Henrik.”

Just then a booming clang sounded. Fueled by his sudden burst of adrenaline, Henrik dashed down the stairs to the castle’s main entrance.

The orchestra members had long since gone. They’d been promised compensation for their silence.

A footman stood at the open front door, questioning whoever had arrived. Cold air swept in, and Lily joined it, short hair, pained, lovely face, and all. Her expression wilted and she caught Henrik’s eye with something like an apology. Tears stained her cheeks.

Relief flooded over Henrik. He hurried toward her when she was thrust aside by the rugged man who followed in after her.

Unlike Lily’s apparent misery, this man lifted his chin in admiration of the castle, casting his appreciative gaze around as if the place belonged to him. His expression was full of wicked intentions. This was a man with too many marks on his soul. His countenance shouted with ill dealings, and his lips curved into a derisive smile.

“Who is this?” the King demanded.

“Henrik,” she said weakly. “I’m so sorry. I never meant for any of this.”

Henrik approached the man, already having an idea of who he was. Lily had never told him what her ex, Damon, looked like, but Henrik was sure this intruder was he. “You heard the King. State your identity and your business here, sir, or be gone.”

“I want half of everything you’re giving her,” the man said without complying or saying anything about himself.

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