Page 94 of The Billionaire's Royal Secret

“It’s not random nonsense,” Stephen argued, “Ellie kept disappearing.”

The concerns that had nagged him last night raced through his mind again. From her labored breathing to her switched purses, suspicion ramped up inside him again. He shoved it aside, too raw from the last hurt to delve into them. “Ellie didn’t disappear. She went to the ladies’ room, then the concession stand. And her whereabouts are none of your business.”

“Nate’s right,” Victoria answered.

“Oh, sorry for trying to look out for my brother,” Stephen claimed.

Nate groaned as he rolled his eyes. “Oh, right, yeah, you’re so concerned about my well-being. That’s why you slept with my girlfriend.”

“Okay, this is just going round and round,” Victoria said with a shake of her head, “and we’re going to be late for breakfast. But we have to figure this out. This can’t go on. I’m not going to tolerate this constant fighting between you two.”

Nate gritted his teeth, his nostrils flaring as he snapped his gaze from his mother to his brother. “Mom’s right. We’re brothers. We’re not supposed to hate each other.”

He stepped forward and thrust out his hand. “Can we call a truce for the moment?”

Stephen stared down at it before he raised his gaze to Nate’s. “I’ll think about it. I’ll grab something on the way to the office.”

He stormed from the room, leaving the rest of them behind.

Victoria rubbed Nate’s shoulder. “That was a very nice gesture, Nate. And I know it wasn’t easy.”

“For all the good it did,” Nate answered with a sigh.

“You offered the olive branch. Let Stephen settle down alittle. He’s always been the more volatile one,” Charles offered.

Nate shook his head. “I just wish he’d realize she’s bad news.”

“He’s got to live his own life, son,” Charles answered.

“And you have to live yours,” Victoria answered with a smile as she smoothed his hair. “Ellie should be here any minute.”

“Yes,” Nate answered with a nod. “Despite what happened last night, she is still coming.”

Victoria looped her arm through his as she walked to the door. “Ugh, so she witnessed the entire thing?”

“She did. Chloe called her a cheater to her face, and then Stephen punched me, and I attacked him. She saw the whole thing. Handled it impeccably as usual, though.”

“Sounds like this one’s a keeper.” Victoria grinned at him before launching into a new topic. “Hey, I have some ideas about your proposal, too. We’ll talk tonight, okay?”

“Yeah, sounds good. Thanks, Mom.”

They entered the dining room, and settled into their seats. Ellie arrived a few minutes later with a cheery grin. Nate rose from his seat as she walked in and kissed her cheek before he pushed in her chair.

The dining room remained quiet as his father perused the rest of the paper, and his mother and sister remained relatively silent.

Finally, Victoria spoke. “Ellie, we’re really looking forward to seeing you model some dresses today.”

She grinned at his mother. “I am, too. And I do hope I will be able to see yours and Maddie’s.”

“Yes, we’ll both be trying them on.”

Maddie finally came to life at the topic. “I hope you like mine.”

“I’m certain I will,”Elena answered.

Charles glanced over his paper before he spread it out. “I hope you don’t change your mind again like you did last year.”

Elena glanced at him, an amused grin on her features that slid away quickly. Nate wondered if she didn’t realize his father was only joking. She kept her eyes trained on the paper before she flicked her gaze to her lap, a crease forming between her eyebrows.

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