Page 91 of The Billionaire's Royal Challenge

She rushed past him from the room as tears streamed down her cheeks, running the halls to her bedroom. After pushing inside and bolting the doors, she slid to the floor in a heap, sobs wracking her.

Her heart shattered into a million pieces as her father’s words echoed in her mind. “It’s over,” she cried, her voice a whisper over her own sobs. “I’ve lost him.”

CHAPTER 20

NATE

Nate’s head continued to pound despite the coffee and the water he’d downed to try to stop it. The continual thud matched the heavy ache in his heart as the dark of night turned to the soft glow of dawn.

The first rays of the morning sun filtered through the curtains in his bedroom, casting a muted light over the room.

He winced at the coming day, knowing it held things he preferred not to face.

After he’d smashed into a table at the previous evening’s ball, he imagined his family with him in tow would be sent on their way.

He’d failed Elena in the worst way possible. The specter of his past had been raised, not only reminding everyone of his former mistakes but solidifying in their minds that he was doomed to repeat them.

Except he hadn’t. He hadn’t taken a drop of alcohol.

Elena had insisted on a blood test, saying she believed him and wanted to prove his innocence, but doubt lingered in his mind. Did she want proof of his innocence or his guilt?

With a groan, he pulled himself up to sit, gritting his teeth against the pain.

His mother lifted her head from the chair next to the bed where she’d fallen asleep while sitting vigil. “Hey, honey. How are you feeling?”

“Awful.”

“Can I get you something? Maybe something to eat or drink? Or few aspirins?”

His stomach clenched at the thought of putting anything into it. “Nothing.”

“Nate, you need to try to eat something.”

He shook his head, immediately wishing he wouldn’t have. “I can’t handle it. Have you heard anything from Ellie?”

“Sorry, honey, I haven’t.”

Nate’s heart dropped like a stone into the pit of his stomach, a sinking worry setting in. He wondered if she’d somehow gotten the news that his test had showed alcohol in his bloodstream.

“I’m sure she’s probably exhausted after last night.”

He grabbed his phone, intent on texting her but his trembling hands hesitated. With a disgusted sigh, he tossed the phone down on the bedspread and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Nate…” his mother tried.

“Don’t. Please just don’t. I’m not in a great mood.”

“I can imagine. But she believes you. We all do. We just have to wait for that blood test to come back along with the analysis of the punch.”

Nate shook his head, his lips tugging into a frown. “I don’t know…”

“What don’t you know?” Victoria asked, stroking his hair.

“What if it comes back saying I was drunk? What if Prince Eric made sure of that?”

“Then we’ll prove it another way. Did you notice anything in the punch? The taste of alcohol maybe?”

“No. It tasted fine to me. Maybe a little sweet.”

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