Page 54 of The King's Secret Baby

“Meet me for breakfast in an hour?” I murmur, thumbs tracing circles on her hips. “I just need to change and take care of a few things first.”

She hums in agreement, stealing one last quick kiss before playfully shoving me towards the door. “Go. Before I drag you back to bed.”

Chuckling, I obey, feeling lighter than I have in weeks as I stride down the hall towards my own suite. My mind is already racing with plans for our future, a giddy bubbling in my veins…

Until I round the corner and nearly collide with Stefan. My chief advisor takes one look at my rumpled appearance and his brows shoot up knowingly.

“I take it you’ve made up with Ms. Warren, then?” he drawls.

I open my mouth to confirm, but he holds up a staying hand. “Just… be careful, sir. This infatuation could lead you both into very dangerous waters if you’re not exceedingly cautious.”

Then he’s gone, sweeping past me before I can argue.

A tight knot forms in my gut, some of my earlier euphoria fading. Because, as much as I hate to admit it…

He’s not wrong.

I catch up to Stefan just as he’s about to descend the grand staircase, grabbing his elbow. He turns, one brow arched expectantly.

“Hailey and I are together now,” I say in a low voice, glancing around to ensure we’re alone. “But given her… condition… and everything else, we need to keep it quiet for the time being. No one can know yet.”

His expression shifts from mild surprise to disapproval in a heartbeat. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t believe that’s wise. Ms. Warren doesn’t strike me as the type of woman to be content with being someone’s dirty little secret.”

I bristle at his wording, jaw clenching. “It’s not like that. She understands the delicate nature of the situation. The public scrutiny, the gossip rags just waiting for a juicy scandal…”

“And you think shelving her is the answer?” he counters. “How long do you realistically expect her to put up with being hidden away like some shameful mistake? She will tell everyone, and then…” He shakes his head, almost looking sad.

I swallow hard, hating the conflict in me.Stefan is wrong… right?

Then again, he was my father’s chief advisor for years. He’s seen the wave of politics over many decades. He knows what he’s talking about; he knows this country.

“It’s only temporary,” I snap, frustration rising in my throat. “Just until things settle and the time is right. She gets it. We’re on the same page.”

Even as I say the words, a flicker of doubt curls in my stomach. Hailey seemed so happy, so relieved when I told her I wanted to be with her… but we didn’t exactly discuss the finer details.

Will she truly be okay with keeping our relationship and her pregnancy a secret? Am I underestimating how much I’m asking of her?

Stefan seems to read the uncertainty on my face. He sighs, shaking his head. “I hope you’re right. I truly do. But I’ve seen far too many ‘secret’ royal dalliances end in tears and tabloid headlines. For both your sakes… tread carefully.”

With that parting wisdom, he extracts himself from my grip and continues on his way, leaving me standing there with a cold lump of dread sitting heavy in my gut.

I shake my head, trying to dislodge Stefan’s warning. He doesn’t understand. He doesn’t know Hailey like I do.

She’s different. Special. This isn’t some tawdry affair to be splashed across the gossip pages. What we have is real. Meaningful.

And yet, as I make my way back to my suite to dress for breakfast, I can’t quite escape the niggling whisper of doubt.

I think of her soft smile this morning as she woke in my arms. The way she looked at me, like I was her everything. Am I about to repay that trust by asking her to continue to lurk in the shadows? To pretend that what we share doesn’t exist beyond closed doors?

My jaw clenches as I stride into my rooms. No. I’m doing this to protect her. To shield her from the ruthless glare of the public eye until I can find a way to bring our relationship into the light on our terms.

She’ll understand. I know she will.

I choose to focus on that belief as I quickly wash up and dress, eager to see her again. To bask in her presence and let it chase away the uncertainties.

But even as I head to the dining room, my mind whirs, searching for a solution. A way to give Hailey everything she deserves while still managing the political minefield of my new role.

There has to be a path forward. And I’ll find it.

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