Page 48 of The Billionaire's Royal Crown

Time slipped away as he tried to think through his options. Voices floated to him, calling him back to the present. He glanced up to find his parents striding toward him.

“Mom,” he said, his voice filled with relief. “Thank goodness.”

He pulled her into a tight embrace. “We’ve all been so worried.”

“I’m fine, Nate,” she said, her voice tired but reassuring as she rubbed his back. “I’m just fine.”

He pulled back, concern etched on his face. “What happened? How did the questioning go?”

She raised her eyebrows as she shrugged. “I was honest. I told them the truth. I did go to see Chloe last night. I asked her to leave my boys and my family alone, told her she’d done enough damage.”

“And?” Nate asked.

Victoria’s forehead creased. “And what? I left. You don’t think–”

“No, no, no, no, no, of course not,” Nate said with a shake of his head. “I just…did they ask you that? Did they believe you when you told them she was alive when you left?”

“I did tell them. I don’t know what they believed, but no charges yet, so that’s a good thing. Have you talked to Maddie and Stephen about leaving yet?”

“No, because…Mom, if you need us here, we’re staying here.”

“Honey, I’m going to be fine. I want you to go to Eldoria. I want you away from all of this, and with your fiancée. I’m sure Ellie would like to see you and have your help with the wedding planning.”

Nate smiled at her. “Yeah, and I’d love to see her–”

“You were nearly out the door before Stephen got arrested. It shouldn’t take this much coaxing, Nate.”

“I just…want to be here for you if you need it.”

“I don’t. I’m insisting you go to Eldoria. Take your brother and your sister away from all of this. We’ll join you as soon as everything is cleared up.”

He bobbed his head. “Okay. I’ll tell Stephen and call for the plane. You may want to see Maddie next. She’s been beside herself.”

“I’m sure. I wish she didn’t have to see what she saw.” Victoria shook her head before she stepped around Nate to Maddie’s door.

Nate bobbed his head. “She’ll be okay. But she will be very happy to see you.”

They parted ways with Nate heading to Stephen’s room to pass along the news. Both brothers grabbed their bags again, sending them to be packed in the car while Nate made the arrangements to leave on the private jet.

When he returned to Maddie’s room, he found her still clinging to their mother.

“I’m not going. I want to stay with Mom.”

“Maddie, you should go. You can help Ellie with the wedding.”

“I’ll help her when we can all go,” Maddie insisted.

“Come on, Maddie,” Nate said with a grin. “Come with us. You can explore Eldoria to your heart’s content.”

“No. I’m not leaving.”

“This has been going on since I got home. Why don’t you and Stephen go and leave her here?”

“Well, Mom, we could all stay.”

Victoria rubbed her daughter’s shoulder before she rose from the edge of the bed and crossed to Nate. “No. I want you far from this. I don’t want your name on any of this. You go and be with Ellie. We’ll be there soon, I promise.”

He read the insistence in his mother’s eyes. She’d allow the youngest of her children to stay home, but that was it. She wanted the two adults, the two the media would hound for a statement, out of harm’s way.

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