Page 82 of The Billionaire's Royal Crown

Nate huffed out a laugh before he sipped his brandy. “You’re right. We’ve fought hard to be together. I can’t believe we’ll be able to announce our engagement without too much trouble. I can barely believe it. It seems surreal.”

“It will happen. Why not call Elena and give her the good news?”

“Oh, uh, I was going to surprise her when I saw her,” Nate answered.

“Surprise her? Like last time? Haven’t you learned yet about those surprises?” Alexander grinned at him.

“Right,” Nate said as he set his glass down on the table and tugged his phone from his pocket.

He pressed the call icon next to Elena’s name, allowing the line to trill until it reached her voicemail. “Voicemail,” he said as he ended the call. “But if you don’t mind, I’d like to check in with my parents to see how things are going.”

“Absolutely. Please, feel free.”

“Thanks,” Nate said as he dialed his father. The line rang until it went to voicemail.

He crinkled his brow, trying a call to his mother, then his sister, all with the same results.

As he ended the last call, his heart pounded out a frenetic beat against his ribs. Had something happened to make them all go radio silent?

CHAPTER 21

ELENA

Elena drummed her fingers on her thigh as the plane buzzed over the ocean toward Eldoria. The clouds swirling outside of her window mirrored the tumult of emotions that twisted her insides. Each mile closer to home brought both a surge of hope and a pang of apprehension, threading through her thoughts like the delicate lace of her bedroom curtains.

After the drama in the courtroom, the Kingsleys, along with Elena and Caroline, hurried back to the house to pack their bags and make the trip to Eldoria.

She hadn’t called or texted Nate or anyone in her family to warn them, hoping to surprise everyone with the good news of Victoria’s freedom.

The last surprise she’d planned hadn’t gone the way she expected, though, so she questioned her plan partway through the flight.

Victoria crossed to her and eased on the couch next to her. “You don’t look very pleased to be going home.”

Elena forced a smile onto her features. “I am, I’m just…questioning our secret surprise. The last time I did this…”

“Nate was doing the same thing and you missed each other.”

Elena bobbed her head. “Yes. Exactly.”

“But I don’t think he’s coming home. We told him to stay in Eldoria, and from what I understand, Stephen wasn’t too keen on coming back. He apologized profusely for it, but he really couldn’t handle the pressure.”

“It was awful,” Elena said, patting Victoria’s hand. “Mostly for you.”

Victoria sucked in a breath, her gaze falling to her lap. “I wish I hadn’t gone to her apartment that night, but…it was one of those decisions I couldn’t stop myself from making.”

Elena offered her a warm smile, this time genuine. “I understand.”

“She’d done so much damage to my family and my boys. I just wanted it to stop.”

“I hope I will be as good a mother as you are, Mrs. Kingsley.”

Victoria squeezed Elena’s hand. “I have no doubt you will be. The way you did what you did for me…you’ll do anything to protect your family and your children. And I don’t mean to get ahead of myself, but I do hope you and Nate will be giving us our first grandchild in the shorter term.”

“Well, heirs are very important,” Elena answered, “so I’m certain my parents feel the same way.”

The warmth faded from her features as she glanced down at her feet. “If our children will be the heirs, that is.”

Victoria rubbed Elena’s shoulder. “Oh, I hope this works out for you as well as my trouble worked out for me. If there is anything I can do to help…”

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