Page 89 of Trapped with the Undercover Prince

“Of course, Your Highness.” The leader of the Guard took Anna in his arms and led her away into another waltz.

Zar walked over to where his mother and sisters were waiting, all four of them with varying degrees of disappointment on their faces.

“What’s going on?” Brigette asked.

“Just ask her already,” Gabby moaned.

“You still have the ring, don’t you?” Estelle asked.

“This drama is unnecessary,” his mother said.

“If I ask her to marry me again,” he said, “she’ll say no. Again.”

“Why?” his mother asked.

“Because she had ovarian cancer and now will never be able to bear a child.”

All four women froze for a moment.

The queen spoke first. “That explains a great deal.”

“Zar,” Estelle said, her voice choked. “I’m so sorry.”

“Does it matter to you?” he asked his mother, then glanced at his sisters. “To any of you?”

The queen managed to look down her nose at him even though he was so much taller. “Not in the slightest.”

He glanced at his sisters.

Gabby and Estelle shook their heads.

Brigette stared at the floor.

“Brigette?” he asked.

She met his gaze with her ball-breaker expression on her face. “Don’t worry, little brother. I’ll take care of this.”

***

Anna watched Zar ashe joined his family, then forced herself to focus on a spot in the air past Nicolas’s shoulder.

Poor man looked as miserable as she felt. He guided her through the waltz well enough, but he was as stiff as a piece of wall.

“I’m so very sorry,” she said to him, focused on that blank spot in the air. “On the bright side, my flight leaves tomorrow morning.”

“Please stay.” His words were short and spoken in a nearly flat tone.

“What?” She had to have heard him wrong.

“I have never seen him so happy, and I’ve known him for years.”

“But...” Anna wasn’t sure how to put it. “Is that enough?”

He opened his mouth to answer but came to a stop instead.

“I’m cutting in.” A woman’s voice.

Brigette.

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