Page 72 of The Billionaire's Royal Challenge

Victoria eased him into a chair before she retook her seat, perching on the edge as she kept hold of his hand.

“What is it, son?” Charles asked, folding his paper and setting it aside.

“I don’t know how to start…”

Victoria squeezed his hand. “Nate, if this is about any reactions to all the pressure you’ve been under–“

“I’m not drinking,” he answered reflexively, bristling at the delicate insinuation.

“No one’s accusing you, Nate,” Charles chimed in, “but you have been under a tremendous amount of pressure. It’s understandable if you’re struggling.”

For once, he wasn’t. He hadn’t thought of drowning his sorrows in alcohol once during his trip to Eldoria. Maybe if he lost Elena things would be different, but for now, her support and love had kept him on the right track despite all of the pressure.

“I’m not. I’m…really not. I haven’t had even a thought of it.”

“Okay,” Victoria said with a nod. “But something’sobviously upsetting you. Is it the ball? Or did something happen with Ellie?”

“No, nothing happened with Ellie except good things. She keeps insisting I’ll win her father over, although…”

Victoria cocked her head to prod him to continue.

Nate heaved a sigh as the conversation from earlier flitted through his mind. “Prince Eric paid me a visit this morning.”

Victoria’s eyes widened, and she shot a glance at Charles. “For?”

Nate shook his head. “He told me that he wants Ellie, and, as a gentleman, he wanted to warn me of his intentions to pursue her.”

Victoria clicked her tongue.

“Well, Ellie’s a beautiful girl,” Charles admitted. “You can’t fault the man for trying.”

“You don’t think she’s interested, do you?” Victoria asked.

“No. She said she wasn’t. We talked about it this morning. She told me he told her the same thing last night.”

“At least you’re both on the same page. That’ll make this easier.” Victoria narrowed her eyes at him. “But you’re worried the king will prefer Prince Eric.”

“I am, but that’s not what’s bothering me nor what I came to talk about.”

“All right,” Victoria said, “but if you want to talk about that, we’re here for you.”

“Thanks, Mom. Although you may have your hands full with someone else.” He wrinkled his nose.

Victoria raised her eyes to the sunny skies above. “If you’re meaning Maddie and the crush she has on Prince Alexander…“

A chuckle escaped Nate’s lips. “No, but she does have a major crush. I think she actually thinks he could fall in love with her.”

“He’s alittle old for her.”

“I told her that. She doesn’t agree. But that’s not it either.”

“Well, that only leaves Stephen,” Charles said with a sigh. “Did you two get into it again?”

“No, but…” Nate squeezed his eyes closed for a second before he opened them, his gaze traveling between his parents. “When we were at the country estate, I saw something that I wasn’t meant to see.”

Victoria squashed her eyebrows together.

“I saw Chloe with Prince Julian.”

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