Page 59 of The King's Secret Baby

But now… now, I don’t know what to think. He wants to keep me a secret, like I’m something to be ashamed of. Like our baby is a mistake that needs to be hidden away.

My hand drifts to my stomach, cradling the tiny life growing inside me. “It’s just you and me, kiddo,” I whisper. “But we’re going to be okay. We have to be.”

Because I will not let my child grow up thinking they are anything less than loved and wanted. No matter that their father can’t — or won’t — be a part of their life.

Tomorrow, I’ll be on a plane back to New York.

Back to my old life.

And as much as it hurts, as much as I wish things were different…

I know it’s the right thing to do.

Even if Luca can’t see that.

CHAPTER 29

LUCA

My eyes snap open, the remnants of a restless slumber still clinging to my lashes. This is it: coronation day. The day I’ve been prepared for my entire life.

And yet, as I stare at the tiled ceiling above me, all I feel is a hollow ache in my chest.

Hailey. Her name echoes through my mind, a relentless reminder of what I’ve lost.

I glance at the clock on the nightstand. Seven a.m. She’s probably at the airport by now, waiting to board a plane that will take her back to New York. Back to her life. A life that no longer includes me.

I drag myself out of bed, each movement heavy with regret. The palace is already buzzing with activity — servants scurrying to and fro, the distant clamor of guests arriving for the ceremony. But as I go through the motions of getting ready, I feel detached from it all. Numb.

The royal tailor enters the room, his assistant’s arms laden with my ceremonial robes. “Good morning, sir,” he greets me, his voice bright with excitement. “The big day has finally arrived!”

I force a smile, but it feels like a grimace. “Indeed it has.”

The assistant lays out the robes on the bed, smoothing the rich fabric with reverent hands. “The people are so eager to see their new king,” the tailor says. “The crowds outside the palace gates are already massive.”

I nod, but his words barely register. All I can think about is Hailey. The hurt in her eyes as I pushed her away. The way something shattered in those eyes when I said that perhaps we should keep the baby a secret forever.

I didn’t really mean that. It just came out.

And now she’s gone. Because I was too much of a coward to fight for her. For us.

I dress mechanically, letting everyone else fuss over the drape of my robes and the placement of my medals. But as I catch sight of my reflection in the mirror, I hardly recognize the man staring back at me.

I am soon to be a king. But at what cost?

Did my father ever have the same thought? As committed as he was to Werdenfeld, were there times where he wondered if the price wasn’t worth it after all?

A knock at the door startles me from my bleak thoughts. “Enter,” I call out, my voice sounding hollow even to my own ears.

Simon steps into the room, resplendent in his own ceremonial attire. But his brow furrows as he takes in my expression. “She’s gone, isn’t she?”

I let out a humorless laugh. “Yes. She’s gone. Hailey and I… we’re over. You were right. This situation could never work out.”

He looks incredibly sad, like he’s the one who’s been dumped and not me. “What happened?”

The staff in the room take the hint and scurry out, leaving me and Simon to ourselves.

I sink onto the edge of the bed, my head in my hands. “I pushed her away. Told her that maybe we should keep the baby a secret forever. That the scandal would be too much for the monarchy to bear.”

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