Page 33 of His Royal Bride Replacement

‘Alessio told me that her father cut off her trust fund, so maybe she’s just trying to make a living as a TV presenter or celebrity blogger or something,’ Rosy responded, unable to understand the choices of a woman she had never met but heard all too much about. For her just at that moment, Alessio’s former fiancée simply felt like yesterday’s news.

‘Nobody wants to see Graziana on television or anywhere else. She’s too disliked,’ Vittoria scoffed.

‘I just don’t think about her.’ Rosy hesitated and then pressed on because thiswasher sister, after all. ‘Alessio wasn’t attached to her.’

‘She strikes me as a bit intense, so maybe he dodged a bullet there,’ Vittoria commented before moving on to address the coronation events that would start at eight that very same morning with a military parade.

And ever afterwards that whole day would be a simple blur for Rosy, kicking off for her with a formal breakfast attended by religious personnel and followed by a private meeting. It progressed on, hour by exhausting hour, with a procession to the cathedral in a carriage, and then there was ceremony after ceremony. In her long tailored white dress, she was horribly conscious of the cameras, not to mention the stunning moment when a crown was set on her head. It was a decided relief once she was walking back down the aisle on Alessio’s arm even though the cameras were going madder than ever.

Only the presence of her own family in the front pew, her sister proudly pregnant now in a smart maternity dress, stabilised Rosy. That was real life, not the massive pomp and consequence of the coronation, which was intended for Alessio’s benefit and only tangentially for her as his consort.

Exhausted by the spectacle, they both crashed into recreation for the weekend afterwards, relieved that the royal household believed everyone had acquitted themselves well in their various duties. And then, Alessio informed her that they were going to dine out as a treat. When she asked him where on earth in Sedovia they could accomplish that without becoming the cynosure of all eyes in the restaurant, he explained that they would have a private room for them and their guests. And as their guests were to be her family and Alessio’s friend, Eduardo Conti and his chatty Spanish wife, Catalina, she was delighted because none of their guests were VIPs, whom it was impossible to relax with.

They were ushered in through a rear entrance, which Vittoria thought was wonderfully cloak and dagger, and Catalina giggled at their glimpse of the kitchens with all their rushing, immaculately uniformed chefs. Patrick, meanwhile, being a chef too, was busy eying up the competition, for they were visiting the top restaurant in Severino, which had won multiple foodie awards. Not that her sister and brother-in-law had much to worry about, Rosy reflected fondly. Currently, her family’s hotel was fully booked well into the colder months and Patrick’s own restaurant, though much smaller than the one they were visiting, was doing a ringing trade and popular with celebrities working at the television studios nearby.

There was much discussion about the food on the plates. Pleased to hear that Eduardo and his wife had already eaten at Patrick’s restaurant, Rosy looked up from her plate to find Alessio studying her and she smiled, instantly, gloriously happy when she collided with his smouldering green eyes and felt herself turning hot pink in response.

That was the precise moment that the door burst open and framed the very last person Rosy had expected to see grace their precious, private evening out. It was Graziana, groomed to the nth degree, clad in a very glamorous figure-hugging silver dress. Rosy blinked and looked instinctively at Alessio for guidance, but he was too engaged in pressing something on his phone. As she turned her head to frown, Graziana came closer, snatched up a glass of water from the table and threw it over her, the tumbler falling down on the carpet.

‘You stole the man I loved!’ she shouted like some ghastly playground bully while Rosy sat there dripping in sincere disbelief at the Princess of Eboltz’s behaviour.

A split second later, the room was full of Alessio’s security men and a bunch of policemen. The most senior policeman lowered his head to hear Alessio’s instructions while everyone else at the table sat dumbfounded by the scene. Ever practical, Vittoria handed Rosy her napkin to help dry her off. Only at that point did she notice the man with the camera on his shoulder and he was being handcuffed. Graziana was screaming and struggling but nobody was paying her the slightest attention and she was getting handcuffed very firmly too. As the senior police officer present told her sharply to stop kicking before she was forcibly restrained, she finally fell silent, staring at Alessio expectantly.

‘You can’t do this to me. I’m royal.’

‘You committed an assault on the Queen,’ Eduardo Conti, ever the lawyer, pointed out.

‘I threw water at her. I didn’t touch her!’ Graziana proclaimed, tossing Rosy a sneering smile of superiority.

‘It’s still an assault. Any infringement of the Queen’s personal space is an assault still on the statute books. You can thank the Middle Ages for that,’ Eduardo completed with a satisfied gleam in his gaze.

Alessio dismissed most of the men hovering in the room, leaving only the senior policeman and the head of his security with them. The cameraman was removed as well.

‘You can’t do this to me!’ Graziana shrieked at him. ‘I’m the Princess of Eboltz and I hold diplomatic status here.’

Alessio expelled his breath slowly. ‘Well, you did until yesterday when I received the proof that you were behind that obnoxious website that libelled my wife. Your diplomatic status was immediately revoked.’

‘Revoked?’Graziana exclaimed incredulously. ‘You can’t do that to me!’

‘You are currently under a deportation order to Eboltz, which would’ve been served on you had we had the time to establish where you are staying. As we didn’t have the time, I will now give you a choice.’

‘My father won’t allow me to go home,’ Graziana countered with satisfaction.

‘I spoke to Prince Sebastien yesterday. He’s changed his mind. He prefers you at home rather than here acting like an embarrassment to Eboltz,’ Alessio responded with biting contempt. ‘So are you going home or you going to a jail cell tonight? That is your choice. If you refuse to leave Sedovia, you will be charged with assault and you will remain in a cell until the charge is answered in court. You may well receive a short sentence and after that is served, you willstillbe deported.’

‘I can’t believe you’re speaking to me like this, treating me like I’m just anybody!’ Graziana screeched in outrage. ‘I’m royal. I’m a princess.’

‘You have to act like a princess to get the royal treatment,’ Rosy surprised herself by slicing into that flood of self-justification, temper stirring now in the aftermath of the shock of the other woman’s behaviour.

Graziana had been responsible for that dreadful article on that website. Only hanging, drawing and quartering as a punishment would have lessened Rosy’s anger.

‘Charge her and put her in a cell,’ Alessio advised the policeman, weary of the exchange.

Graziana gave him a wounded look, tears shimmering in her bright blue eyes. ‘Alessio,please…

‘All right, I’ll go home!’ Rosy heard the beautiful blonde shout outside the door as she was bundled out.

‘With so many witnesses, this will get out into the media,’ Eduardo forecast with a shake of his head. ‘And I’m sorry to say it but I’ve no sympathy.’

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