Page 107 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

With a lump in her throat, she stepped forward, her head bowed as she gathered her skirt and curtsied with one quiet word. “Father.”

“Father?” Chloe’s shrill voice cried from behind her.

A few other gasps of surprise sounded around her.

King Frederick gave a curt wave to the man at his side. He stepped forward again, his hands clasped as he announced. “Her Royal Highness, Princess Elena of Eldoria.”

Elena’s heart pounded as she closed her eyes again. There went her secret, announced in one formal bellow from her father’s assistant.

She twisted to eye the Kingsleys with pinched features. “I am so very sorry,” she whispered.

“Ellie…” Nate began, his features a mix of confusion and disbelief.

“Ellie,” King Frederick repeated with a click of his tongue. “How decidedly common.”

He reached for her and tugged her closer. “She is a crown princess, you will address her as such.”

Ellie’s nose wrinkled as she wrangled her arm from his grip.

He arched an eyebrow. “Elena?”

“No,” she said simply.

He offered her an unimpressed stare. “We should speak privately.”

“No,” she said, her voice stronger as she curled her fingers into a fist.

He fluttered his eyelashes, clasping his hands behind his back. “Fine, then we shall discuss ithere and now. Your cousin has informed me of this little…fling. I hope it is out of your system.”

“Out of my system? This is not a game,” she answered, heat entering her voice.

“No, it is not,” he bellowed. “But it ends now.”

Elena’s jaw tightened as she stared down her father.

“Come along, Elena. It is time to return home.”

“No,” she said with a shake of her head. She flashed her ring finger at him. “I am engaged.”

“Engaged?” He threw his head back with a sharp laugh. “Yes, Elena, you are. You are engaged to Prince Erik. And it is time to come home and marry him.”

“What?” Victoria asked.

“That’s not true,” Elena said, shooting her a pleading glance. “We are not engaged.”

“Are you dating him?” Nate’s voice, laced with hurt and fear asked.

“No,” Elena said with a shake of her head as she twisted to face him, her features pinched. “We have only met once when I was seven.”

“Elena has been promised to him since birth. She knows that full-well. This relationship is unauthorized.”

“Unauthorized?” Victoria shot back as she stepped forward. “Does this sort of thing still happen?”

Her father set his authoritative gaze on Victoria. “I will not debate the specifics of my country’s protocols. Elena, remove that ring and let us go.”

“I will not,” she answered.

His features hardened. “Are you saying you have no intention of calling off this farce of a relationship and returning to Eldoria to fulfill your duty?”

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