Page 85 of The Billionaire's Royal Challenge

A few minutes later, the dancers started to blur in front of him. He sucked in a deep breath, tugging at his collar. Heat washed over him as he began to feel lightheaded.

He needed some air. He spotted Elena across the room with her father and a foreign dignitary. Prince Eric stood with them, too, smiling and friendly as he wrapped his arm around Elena’s waist.

His heart hammered in his chest as he stumbled across the ballroom floor.

“El,” he started, his words slurring as his balance faltered.

“El,” he tried again. She twisted to face him, confusion on her features as he tried to stay upright.

“Kingsley, are you all right?” Prince Eric asked.

Nate slid his eyes closed, trying to regain himself before he felt himself fall backward. He collided with a nearby table, sending a delicate vase crashing to the floor.

Gasps echoed through the ballroom from the commotion.

Prince Eric hurried to his side to pull him upright.

“Is he ill?” Queen Sophia asked as she rushed over.

“Ill?” Prince Eric wrinkled his nose. “This man is drunk!”

King Frederick’s stern gaze fell upon him, disappointment evident in his eyes. Elena’s features crinkled as she stared at him, her gaze questioning.

Nate’s stomach dropped. He’d just cost himself his chance with Elena.

CHAPTER 19

ELENA

Elena’s stomach turned jittery as Nate bumped into her, his speech slurred.

She twisted to face him, drawing her chin back as he stumbled to the side, attempting to say her name again.

Next to her, Eric screwed up his face, asking if he was all right before he fell backward into a table.

Elena’s eyes went wide as she sucked in a breath, pressing a hand to her abdomen. “Nathan!”

Her mother hurried over to ask if he was ill.

Eric pulled him to standing, wrinkling his nose. He leaned closer, sniffing. “Ill? This man is drunk!”

Elena’s eyebrows pinched as she shot him a questioning gaze. Had he been drinking because of the pressure?

She didn’t want to believe it, but his behavior fit that of a drunken man.

“N-no,” he slurred out.

“Oh, come on,” Eric said. “You smell like a tavern, and you can barely stand let alone speak.”

“Nate, honey?” Are you okay?” Victoria asked as she hurried to him with Charles in tow.

“I–I–I’m…just…”

“It appears your son has had too much to drink,” King Frederick said in a low voice to the Kingsleys. “Perhaps you should take him to his room to recover.”

“No,” Nate said as he struggled to stay upright.

Eric snorted in disgust. “Really, Kingsley, you are an embarrassment to both yourself and Elena. Get out of here before you cause even more of a scene.”

---