Page 58 of The Prince's Green Card Scheme

Please, I beg myself,don’t do this now. I took a bunch of pills already to try and calm my sickness, and until now it was working.

But it’s no use. It lurches and a fresh rush of nausea rises in my throat. I take some deep breaths, trying to will the sickness away again.

Paolo leans across the table, clearly seeing how bad I must look, and says, “Chloe, are you okay?”

“Yeah,” I say, and then retch, covering my hand with my mouth. “I’m just feeling kind of queasy, that’s all.”

“Was it the food?” asks the king, challenging me as he fixes me with another of those intense, horrible stares.

“No,” I say. “No, the food was great.”

He looks at me, unimpressed, and I can’t hold it any longer. “I’m so sorry. I have to go.” Jumping up, I shove my chair back hard and lurch forwards before running out of the room.

I hear Paolo call after me as I go, but if I don’t make it to the bathroom right now, I’m going to make an embarrassing mistake all over the carpet.

I collapse on the bathroom floor, empty my stomach into the toilet and then let out a sob.

What if this has just ruined everything? What if this has blown Paolo’s chances of being allowed to stay in the country? What if this has blown our marriage forever?

CHAPTER 28

PAOLO

Chloe all but sprints out of the room, leaving me and my parents staring after her in surprise. “What’s that about?” asks my mother.

“I don’t know,” I say, frowning hard. Mother frowns back at me, and I say, “Let me go and see if she’s okay.”

I push my chair back and start heading towards the door. As I do, I notice Chloe’s dropped something on the ground. I reach down to pick it up and realize it looks like a blister pack of pills.

I squint at them, not sure what they are, but keep walking, not wanting my parents to think I’ve picked up anything weird. Their eyes burn into the back of me as I cross through the doorway, but they don’t matter right now.

Nothing matters as much as Chloe does.

As she got up, she looked the palest I’ve ever seen her. Her face turned a ghostly porcelain, like she was about to throw up. Maybe she’s sick. She didn’t seem sick, but maybe that’s what these pills are for.

As I head down the corridor, I read the information on the pill packet more carefully, trying to figure out what’s going on. It’s got some long medical name that I don’t understand, but then I spot the tagline printed so small I can barely make it out.Europe’s number-one morning sickness brand.

Morning sickness,I think.But that’s…

A sickening realization hits me.

My entire bloodstream freezes me into a block of ice, and I gasp like I’ve been punched in the chest and forgotten how to breathe.

Chloe’s pregnant.

We’ve been married for nearly two months now. Could it be… Is this child mine?

Somehow, I don’t think she would cheat on me. But is it really cheating if a marriage wasn’t real to begin with?

My vision blurs as I hurry to the bathroom. I need answers, and if sheispregnant, then it looks like I’m not the only liar here. I need to see herrightnow.

I hesitate when I finally reach the bathroom. Do I burst in? Do I knock? This isn’t exactly a problem I’ve dealt with before. I need to see her but I don’t want to surprise her when she’s vulnerable in the bathroom. I don’t want to scare her.

But there has already been enough deception between us. I don’t want any more secrecy.

Making a decision, I lift my fist and knock on the door.

“Occupied,” calls Chloe from within. She doesn’t sound good.

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