Page 12 of The Royally Broke Billionaire
Liam chose that moment to sneeze, crumpling his tiny button nose adorably. Three blasts followed one right after the other, in quick succession.
Queen Tess gazed at the baby as if truly seeing him for the first time, while Piper retrieved the ever-present Kleenex from her pocket to clean his face. The queen’s voice was filled with awe when she reached over to adjust the tiny sock on his foot and said, “Sebastian always sneezes three times, too.”
Piper smiled at her, feeling both awkward that her baby shared this trait with the woman’s husband, and charmed that the father and son had this odd habit in common.
Seeming to solidify her decision, the queen nodded and said, “Liam is the king’s firstborn son, and he deserves to be treated as such. He is the rightful heir to the throne.”
Even though Piper had already known that to be the case, she sagged with relief after hearing the queen confirm that she wasn’t planning to dispute Liam’s right to succeed King Sebastian. Piper had been worried that the woman would put up a fight about a child born out of wedlock taking the place of her future children. It was sure to create a major scandal in all of their lives, so hearing the queen formally accept Liam was positively heartwarming.
They sat in amicable silence for a long moment, both seemingly lost in their own thoughts. When the queen finally spoke, Piper was surprised by the turn her thoughts had taken. “I’m impressed that you haven’t leaked any of this to the press.”
Piper was already shaking her head before the queen’s statement was finished. “I would never do that,” she told her vehemently.
Nodding, the queen said, “You’ve proven that by being discreet. We were so stunned by your arrival, we failed to have you sign a non-disclosure agreement.”
“I’ll sign one now, if you like.” Piper didn’t even have to think about making the offer because she wanted no part of sharing the royals’ personal business with anyone else.
“That won’t be necessary.” The queen gave her a kind smile before adding, “If you intended to sell your story, you would have already done so.”
“I wouldn’t do that to either of you or to Liam,” Piper told her fervently.
“I know,” the queen sounded confident. “That’s why I’m going to tell you a secret that no one else knows… not even my husband.”
Piper couldn’t help but be intrigued. She felt honored that Queen Tess would entrust her with a secret that she hadn’t yet shared with anyone else, and she couldn’t imagine what it was.
When the queen revealed the two simple words, Piper was floored. Of all the things she would have imagined, this wasn’t even on her list. Bugging her eyes out, she repeated the queen’s statement as a question. “You’re pregnant?!?”
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Tess tried to smile, but feared the gesture looked more like a watery-eyed grimace. She had always imagined the day she shared the news that she was pregnant with her first child would be a glorious celebration. Sebastian and Mo should have been at the top of her list for people to tell, not her husband’s baby mama.
Instead, her big announcement was tainted with the knowledge that her husband already had a baby with someone else. That baby was stealing her child’s spot in line for the royal throne.
She wanted to hate Piper and resent Liam, but the sweet duo made that practically impossible. They were too lovely to dislike, despite her wishes to the contrary. As much as she wanted to make them go away, she loved the way Sebastian’s eyes lit up when he looked at his firstborn son. Like it or not, Liam and Piper were in their lives to stay.
For her part, Piper looked shocked by the queen’s revelation. The pretty, young woman blinked rapidly as she absorbed the full meaning of this. Proving that she was bright and quick on the uptake, Piper said, “Your unborn child will be second in line for the crown, after Liam.”
At Tess’s grim nod, the woman turned her lovely turquoise eyes up at her. “I’m so sorry. I mean, logically I knew that one day you would probably have a child, but now it all seems even more real. From your perspective, Liam and I just showed up and are stealing your child’s birthright.”
Tess was surprised and touched by the woman’s intuition. She was able to immediately see the repercussions of Liam’s existence from Tess’s side of the equation. Most people would only think about what it meant for them or their offspring.
Piper’s strong sense of empathy made her that much more likable. Sighing quietly, Tess realized there was no way she could snub the woman. She was just too darn good-natured and personable. Despite how much she wished her husband’s irresponsible fling with the woman had never happened, Tess knew Piper and Liam were meant to be permanent fixtures in their lives.
Vowing to fully accept Liam’s place in their lives, the queen held out her arms towards him and asked, “May I?”
If Piper was surprised by the request, she hid it well. Smiling at the queen, she handed her the bundled baby as she said the words, “Of course.”
The queen rocked back and forth, smiling at and talking to Liam. For his part, the baby gazed up at her like she was magical.
“You’re a natural,” Piper weighed in after watching the two interact with each other. Not wanting to overstep, but feeling the urge to share her opinion, she added, “You’re going to make a fantastic mother.”
The queen’s smile was genuine when she looked up at Piper to gauge her sincerity. “I hope so,” she said quietly before adding, “I’ll have a great mentor nearby.”
Piper looked uncertain about the queen’s intended meaning, so Tess clarified. “Will you and Liam do us the honor of making the castle your permanent home?”
Blinking rapidly, Piper appeared to be overwhelmed by the gracious offer. Evidently not trusting her voice, she lifted her hand to cover her mouth and nodded.
Feeling closer to this woman than she probably should, Tess cradled Liam with one arm and used the other to pull Piper into a warm embrace. With that hug, it was settled. Piper and Liam were officially part of the royal family.
