Page 24 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

With a quiet click, he eased the door open and slipped into the foyer, his eyes darting around. He spotted no one. With a wince, he eased the door closedbehind him and tiptoed across the marble floor toward the sweeping staircase leading up to the second floor.

As his fingers wrapped around the polished wooden banister, a voice called out to him. “Nate?”

He slid his eyes closed, his posture stiffening as he recognized his father’s voice. Footsteps shuffled toward him.

With a sigh, he spun in a slow circle to eye the man. “Dad. What’s up?”

His father flicked his eyebrows up. “I have the same question for you.”

“Nothing much. Just…running some errands.” Nate lifted the bag in his hand.

His father’s gaze lingered on the bag, a silent testament to the countless unspoken worries etched over the months of Nate’s struggles. As he scrutinized Nate’s face, searching for signs of a son he once knew, the air between them thickened, filled with a history of arguments, disappointments, and fragile reconciliation. “Why don’t you come into the living room?”

“I’m really tired, actually. I was going to head upstairs–”

“I’m not asking,” his father answered.

Nate clenched his jaw, feeling annoyance build within him. He knew exactly what this was about. He tried not to blame his father, but deep down, he couldn't help it. Begrudgingly, he shuffled behind him into the living room.

His posture stiffened as he spotted the uniformed officer waiting there. “Are you joking?”

“No, son, I’m not.”

Nate scoffed as he shook his head. “Seriously?”

“It’s a tough time. You’ve been disappearing again. You missed dinner last night. You left for lunch today, didn’t come back for hours. You sneak into the house–”

“I didn’t sneak.”

“Oh, so you weren’t trying to avoid me?”

Nate heaved a sigh as he flicked his gaze to the floor. He had been avoiding them, but not for the reasons they thought. And he had no desire to bring up what he’d seen earlier today. Nor to explain that he was seeing someone this early in the relationship. He didn’t need the lecture.

“Why don’t we–”

“I’m not drinking,” Nate shouted, his voice sharper than he intended.

He slid his eyes closed and shook his head. “I’m sorry. I’m just…it’s a little insulting.”

“But you can understand, right? You understand why I’m concerned?” His father narrowed his eyes at him.

Nate flicked his gaze out the large window overlooking the manicured front lawn, darkened now with the carefully placed trees only blobs on the horizon. His nostrils flared as he huffed out a breath.

“Come on, Nate. There are patterns of behavior wehaveto be concerned about. And you’re exhibiting all of them. You’re quiet, secretive–”

“I’m not secretive,” he said, his voice raised.

“Nate…” His father paused, pressing his lips together. “Come on. You’ve been disappearing for hours.”

“Like twice. That’s it. I just…something came up today and–”

“Okay, okay,” his father said as he bobbed his head up and down. “Let’s just…prove that.”

Nate ground his teeth as he bit the inside of his cheek.

“If you’re not hiding anything–”

“I’m not,” he snapped.

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