Chapter Fourteen
“Cucumber sandwich, Your Royal Highness?”
Pressing my lips together to contain a laugh, I shake my head at the waiter. Chloe catches my eye and I see her own lips are twisted in a barely-contained grin.
As it turns out, we were both wrong about Octavia’s motives. Our trip to Westgate three days later is not, in fact, a set-up for me to date Alden, but rather a tea hosted by his mother, Naomi Sterling — Baroness of Westgate. My gaze sweeps the large parlor where two dozen of Germania’s most well-connected (read:wealthy) women are floating around in the latest designer fashions. The cumulative cost of all the dresses, shoes, and accessories in this room is more than the GDP of most third world nations. And I’m not even including the royal jewels in that estimate.
“Incoming,” Chloe warns lowly.
I turn just in time to see Ava approaching, her navy blue cocktail dress a sharp backdrop contrast to her long platinum locks. There’s a smile fixed on her face, but I notice not a smidge of warmth in her intent hazel eyes.
“Princess Emilia! How good of you to come.”
I return her frigid smile. “Oh, you know me — never pass up an excuse for a good cucumber sandwich.”
Chloe snorts into her mimosa.
“Happy we could oblige, Your Royal Highness.” Ava’s eye twitches, a telltale sign of the anger boiling just beneath her surface. She glances at Chloe. “And Chloe — always wonderful to see you. It’s a shame your brother couldn’t come today. Strictlyladies only, at mother’s insistence. Such nonsense.”
“Carter’s on that ski trip with Alden in the Alps. They’re not scheduled to come back until tomorrow, anyway.” Chloe’s voice drops to a low mutter. “Selfish pricks should’ve taken me with them so I could get out of coming to this, too.”
Now it’s my turn to snort into my drink.
Ava’s expression reveals she’s less than amused. “Well, when the boys return, we’ll all have to get together. It’s been far too long.”
“Yes, things have been a bit busy lately!” Chloe says in a falsely bright tone. “What with your fiancé nearly dying and all. But sure, by all means, let’s throw a party!”
Ava stiffens. “Henry’s condition is precisely the reason we must continue to live our lives to the fullest. That awful fire was a tragedy but, in a way, it was also a gift — it made me see just how precious our time here on earth is.”
“Wow, Ava.” Chloe’s eyes roll. “Those acting classes your parents bankrolled are really paying off.”
Oh boy.
I take a large swig of my champagne.
“Excuse me?” Ava’s grip is so tight around the stem of her glass, her knuckles have gone totally white. “I’m not sure I like what you’re implying, Chloe.”
“And I’m not sure I like you setting your sights on my brother again, now that the Crown Prince is suddenly out of commission.”
I flinch. “Again?”
Ava glances at me, amused. “Oh — did you not know? Before Henry and I got engaged, Carter and I were together.”
What?!
Grip tightening violently on my glass, I try to swallow down the question, but I can’t help myself. “For how long?”
“Three years,” she informs me happily.
“On and off,” Chloe interjects. “Mostlyoff.”
“Even so.” Ava’s victorious smile is painful — a dagger straight to my heart. She leans in, eyes locked on mine. “You never forget your first love. Wouldn’t you agree, Your Highness?”
I blink rapidly, searching my brain for a proper response. Something breezy, that won’t reveal my deep distress at this unexpected conversational twist.
You never forget your first love.
God, I hate her.