Page 61 of The Billionaire's Royal Crown

“Well, I suppose we are at standstill until your sweetie approves me,” Isabelle answered as he lowered the phone and ended the call.

He flicked his gaze back to her. “Well, you haven’t exactly inspired my trust.”

“I am sorry about that. I’ve apologized to Elena, too. It’s all water under the bridge.”

He bobbed his head. “Uh-huh, until it’s not, and you do something else to get me into hot water.”

“I have no desire to ruin your marriage to Elena. And I have every reason to want my brother’s plan to fail.”

“Like what? Seems to me with how jealous you are of her, you’d be tickled by this.”

“I’m not. Jealous of Elena, yes. Jealous of her crown, no. I do not envy the pressure she will face as a monarch of this country.”

Nate stowed his phone in his pocket with a shake of his head. “I don’t know. I don’t see what we can do about this situation.”

“Several things,” she answered. “First, we can comb through the archives in search of something that will allow us to easily overturn this decree or refute it. Julian found it, but perhaps there is some precedent set.”

Nate’s brows pinched. “Like…another royal who married a non-royal?”

She nodded. “Yes. Though we must be careful. We do not wish to throw the entire line of succession into chaos. However, if we find one, we might search for a subsequent decree rescinding that requirement.”

Nate chewed his lower lip. Elena had insisted on staying in Sterling City to help his mother with the charges she mayface. He could return the favor by working to find a solution to her dilemma in Eldoria. “Well, I guess it can’t hurt. And if it’ll help Ellie, I’ll do it.”

“Excellent. We should go to royal archives straightaway.”

“Oh, wait, I’d better tell my brother.”

“Stephen is here?”

Nate glanced at her, trying to read any emotion in her eyes that matched the interest in her voice. “Yeah. Umm, let me just speak with him, and then we can go.”

“I will await you in the sitting room.”

Nate nodded as they stepped into the hall and went their separate ways. A moment later, he pounded against Stephen’s door. His brother pulled it open shortly after, giving him a sheepish glance. “I thought maybe Ellie had already come back and you weren’t leaving. I’ll get my stuff.”

“Actually,” Nate said as he stepped into the room, still darkened by blackout curtains, “I’m staying.”

Stephen’s eyes lit up with a mixture of hope and relief. “Really? You’re staying? Is Ellie flying home?” He paused, a shadow crossing his face. “I can’t face going back, not yet.” His voice faltered.

“No, not yet. She’s…working on something to help Mom. But…there’s a problem here. I’m going to stay and help them solve it.”

Stephen’s forehead crinkled. “Problem here?”

“Yeah,” Nate said, setting his hands on his hips. “Apparently, Elena’s cousin, Prince Julian, found some sort of…decree or something that states anyone who ascends to the throne has to marry royal blood.”

Stephen’s jaw fell open. “So…what does that mean for you? She can’t marry you?”

“She can. She just… can’t be queen.”

“And her father is okay with that? I mean, I feel like you had to jump through a million hoops before he approved youto marry her. I can’t imagine he’ll be okay with her not taking the crown.”

The words stung. King Frederick likely wasn’t pleased but hadn’t forced them to call off the wedding yet. Would he?

“That’s why it’s important for me to help them solve this. I don’t want to take any chances. We fought hard to get to where we are.”

“How does Ellie feel about all of this?”

Nate shrugged. “She seems…okay. I mean, she doesn’t want to call off the engagement, but I’m sure she’s not happy about it. She’s been raised with nothing but duty to Eldoria in mind. And that’s what really stinks about this whole thing. If they pass her over for Queen, they’re really losing out. She has such loyalty to this country. It’s unfair that just because she fell in love with me, she can’t rule it.”

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