ELSIDATEN YEARS AGOJUNIOR TRIP TO MURCIA SPAINI begged her.I begged my mom for over a week to let me opt out of this school trip. I didn’t have any friends save for Landon who had other friends he’d probably like to memories with.Alas, Mum believed it was a right of passage and unfortunately, I wasn’t into that type of thing.Not when all of Luton prep hated me and Julien was; aggravatingly Julien.“Elsida, I promise it’s going to be fun. You’ve got me, you don’t need to bother about any of them.” Landon rasped in my ear and gave my hand a light squeeze as our plane ascended into Murcia.I gave Landon a half-hearted smile. He was sweet and brave, I’ll give him that but, let’s face it. There was no way Landon could muster up the strength to defend me from bullies.I prayed fervently to God that, it wouldn’t come to that.“Thanks, Landon, it’s fine, I’ll be fine.” His green eyes sparkle with concern but he doesn’t call my bullshit. Instead, he says;” it’s going to be a good trip.
ELSIDAI pay the driver and then make my way out of the taxi car towards the lake. My skin is sticky from perspiration but I don’t let it deter me as I make my way two steps at a time.My breath gets caught in my throat when I spot the black roses and dandelions lining the entrance to the lake. “What the…”The flowers intertwine together in a beautiful cacophony and I stare mesmerized. My words manage to fail me.What is Julien doing? As though he is summoned by my thoughts, I see Julien’s back hunched and his gaze on the white sand.“Julien?” I murmur tentatively.The moment he registers my voice, his head swerves in my direction and he faces me with the brightest green hues.“El you came” he rasps and His eyebrows Inch upwards As he regards me.“What’s going on Julien?” I rasp as my gaze drifts to the flowers once again.Julien doesn’t answer me. Instead, he closes the gap between us and cradles my face in his hands.“I love you El,” he murmurs, his minty breath fanning my face.My
TWO WEEKS LATER ELSIDAI trace my hands over the silky fabric of my wedding dress. The soft feel of it brings a smile to my face and Natasha snorts.“I think I preferred it when you were not in love,” she murmurs.I roll my eyes at her and continue to admire my dress. Julien and I got back from Spain a week ago and we wasted no time in breaking the news to our families.My Dad was happy for me albeit a bit skeptical, and Natasha, don’t get me started on her.Natasha said; “I knew you guys were going to find each other again but I just hoped it wouldn’t happen. I desperately wanted to have a princess as a sister.Natasha rises from her sitting position in the Maria Presley dressing room and gives me an indulging smirk with an arch of her eyebrow.She wraps her hands around mine and kisses the side of my head. “Are you sure about this Elsida? I know that you and Julien have been through a lot and deserve your happy ending but, I just want to make sure you’re not rushing things. That
NATASHA I couldn’t do it. I didn’t have the heart to say it to Elsida so, I did what every bastard does, I kept my mouth shut and wallowed in my despair.I was trying to come to terms with the fact that Julien is supposedly my half-brother. That’s some messed up shit.After I read that bit of my mom’s journal, it took two hours of sitting blankly in the living room before I was able to gather the willpower to organize her things and hide the journal far away, where no one could find it.However, I think keeping my mouth shut is the biggest mistake I’ve made because now, I’m sitting in the same room as my smiling sister who looks ethereal in her wedding robe and sits patiently as the makeup artist accentuates her face.“Nat, are you okay? Don’t tell me you stayed up all night watching Gossip Girl?” Elsida asks, arching an eyebrow at me.I lift my face from the newspaper in my hand and rise to my feet with my heart thudding rapidly against my rib cage.“I’m fine El, my bad, I shouldn
JULIENMy head spins with countless thoughts as I slide my phone back into my pocket and my heart threatens to burst out of my rib cage.What the fuck was going on? Dylan eyes me warily and my Dad rises from his sitting position.“Son, is everything okay?”“We need to leave,” I rasp, not sparing them or the confused priest another glance as I rush out of the church.We arrive at the Dalton house and I barely knock on the door before I pull it open.“What’s going on? Elsida, where are you, are you good?” I mumble incoherently before I take note of the still silence that encompasses the room.My eyes collide with Elsida’s and my breath dissipates.The tears that coat her cheeks make my heart break and I take a step forward to her.“El are you?”“Julien, “ Natasha chides as she reaches out with an arm to stop me.“You shouldn’t,” she whispers.ELSIDA I cannot breathe.Julien is standing less than five feet apart from me but I cannot summon the courage to meet his eyes.We share a sibli
THREE YEARS LATER JULIEN“Babe, look at that statue, ugh, Spain is so pretty!” Claudia muttered as she clutched a firm hand on her baby bump.“Mhmm, it is,” I murmured distractedly.I cannot believe it.For the first time in three years, I’m back in Spain and I’m going to see her. It’s not like a day goes by where my thoughts don’t flicker over her but seeing her in person? Gut-wrenching.I know it is the most idiotic thing to be thinking about another woman when I’m married and my wife is five months pregnant.It’s not as though I chose to marry her, it was out of a business obligation my father believed would be rewarding for our Empire.I didn’t have much of a choice, investors were starting to speculate about my disastrous relationship, and setting down seemed to appease them.Well as for the baby on the way… It was a stressful day and I made a simple mistake.I slept with Claudia, and now she has everything she’s ever wanted.I’m going to be a Father in four months.I still fi
ELSIDAHe hadn’t changed, not even a bit.Save for the rough stubble gracing his defined jaw, there was nothing uncharacteristic about him.“I must admit Princess Elsida, I was anticipating a welcoming collaboration with your nouvelle brand but now I’m not quite sure if it is a match for my empire.”Ahh, there was the ever-bright personality. I school my face into a practiced calm and give him my most formal smile.“Mr. Benoit, I’m sure we can formally discuss this, surely there is a way we can come to a compromise?”I had no clue what we were trying to compromise for. Julien was just being difficult and he knew it.He knew what my custom prints could do for their fashion line or else, he wouldn’t have traveled to Spain for this.He arches an amused brow at my calm facade, a stark contrast to the treacherous beating of my heart.“Well then, since you’ve finally graced me with your presence, I suppose one conversation wouldn’t hurt.” He takes a seat opposite and crosses his legs, hi
ELSIDA “They said what?” Natasha asks, spitting her tea onto the grass.I give her a warning glare. “Nat, what have I told you about overreacting?”She ignores my jab and continues to look at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Yes Natasha, the King and Queen Requested that Julien and his wife come to the ball this evening and Julien plans to stay in Spain to oversee the project.”“Hmmm,” Natasha murmurs while taking a sip of her tea.I quirk an eyebrow. “Spit it.”She sighs, “And you’re okay with this? They may be oblivious to how Things ended with you and Julien but I’m not, and neither is Dad. Hell Elsida, even Adrian doesn’t know that-“ she says the last part as a whisper and I glare at her.“You shouldn’t mention such around here,” I murmur, risking a glance at the maids who pay us no mind.I know better, they gossip in this palace. One way or another whatever they hear could end up in the ears of someone very important.I cannot for the life of me risk that.Nat casts me an apol