As soon as the door closed behind Christian and the king, the tension in the room broke, and a wave of whispers and murmurs swept through the guests. Everyone was talking at once, trying to make sense of what had just happened.
“A prince?!” Ashley exclaimed, her voice sharp with disbelief. “How did we not know?”
Mary-Kate shook her head, her expression a mixture of shock and concern. “He’s been hiding this the whole time? That’s... insane.”
Jarnette stepped forward, her face pale with worry. “Lizzie, sweetheart, are you okay?”
Lizzie didn’t answer. She stood frozen in the middle of the living room, staring at the spot where Christian had been moments before. Her mind was spinning, replaying every moment they had shared, now tainted by the revelation of his secret.
Scarlett was the first to approach her, placing a gentle hand on her arm. “Lizzie,” she said softly, her voice full of concern. “Talk to us. Say something.”
Lizzie’s lip quivered as the weight of what had just happened hit her like a freight train. Her shoulders shook, and a sob escaped her lips. Scarlett immediately wrapped her arms around her, holding her tightly as Lizzie broke down.
“I trusted him,” Lizzie choked out between sobs. “I loved him... and he lied to me.”
David, her father, stepped forward, his usually calm demeanor strained with anger. “I can’t believe he didn’t tell you the truth. What kind of man does that?”
Trent, her brother, clenched his fists. “If I’d known who he really was, I would’ve confronted him a long time ago. This is messed up.”
Ashley and Mary-Kate exchanged a glance before Ashley spoke. “Liz, I know this hurts, but maybe he had his reasons. Maybe he was scared to tell you.”
Lizzie shook her head vehemently, pulling away from Scarlett. “Scared? That’s no excuse. He lied to me for months! He let me fall in love with him without telling me who he really is. I feel like such a fool.”
Jarnette tried to calm her daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Lizzie, darling, no one could have seen this coming. You couldn’t have known. But you have every right to be angry.”
“I’m not just angry, Mom,” Lizzie said, her voice trembling. “I’m heartbroken. I gave him everything, and he didn’t even trust me enough to tell me the truth. How can I ever forgive that?”
Scarlett frowned, her protective side kicking in. “You don’t have to forgive him, Liz. Not if you don’t want to. What he did was unfair, and you deserve better than secrets and lies.”
David nodded in agreement. “If he couldn’t be honest with you, then he didn’t deserve you in the first place.”
Lizzie wiped her tears, her anger slowly overtaking her sadness. “He made me feel like I was his whole world, like I was the most important thing in his life. And the whole time, he was hiding this huge part of himself from me. How can I ever trust him again?”
Mary-Kate hesitated before speaking. “Lizzie... maybe he thought he was protecting you. It doesn’t make it right, but maybe that’s why he didn’t tell you.”
Lizzie shook her head, her resolve hardening. “It doesn’t matter why. He lied to me. He made me feel like we had no secrets, like we were building a life together. And now... now I don’t even know who he really is.”
Scarlett reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We’re here for you, Liz. Whatever you need, we’ve got you.”
The rest of the evening passed in a blur. Guests slowly began to leave, the air heavy with unease and whispers about what had transpired. Lizzie’s family stayed behind, trying to comfort her as best they could, but no words could ease the ache in her chest.
As she sat on the couch, staring blankly at the flickering fireplace, Lizzie made a vow to herself. She would move on from this. She would heal. But she would never forgive Christian for breaking her heart.
---
Christian sat silently in the plush leather seat of the private jet, staring out of the window at the darkening sky. The hum of the engines was the only sound in the cabin, aside from the occasional rustle of papers from his father’s aide seated nearby.
King Gustaf V sat across from him, his expression unreadable. He sipped a glass of scotch, his posture straight, exuding the same royal authority that had loomed over Christian his entire life. Despite the calm atmosphere, Christian’s mind was anything but quiet.
His hands rested on his lap, but his fingers fidgeted unconsciously. He couldn’t stop replaying the scene at the mansion—Lizzie’s stunned expression, her tears, the pain in her voice as she realized the truth. It cut deeper than anything he’d ever experienced.
“Christian,” his father said finally, breaking the silence. His tone was steady, but there was an edge to it. “You know this is for the best.”
Christian didn’t respond, his jaw tightening as he continued to stare out of the window.
“This... distraction,” the king continued, waving a hand vaguely as if referring to Lizzie, “has gone on long enough. Your responsibilities as crown prince come first, always. You’ve known that since you were a boy.”
Christian finally turned to look at his father, his piercing blue eyes filled with a mixture of anger and despair. “She wasn’t a distraction,” he said, his voice low but firm.
The king raised an eyebrow. “Then what was she? You hid her from us, from your entire life, for months. What did you think would happen, Christian? That you could run away from who you are forever?”
Christian clenched his fists. “I didn’t run away,” he said through gritted teeth. “I just wanted a break. I wanted to be... normal, for once in my life.”
“And look where that got you,” his father said sharply. “A room full of people who now see you as a liar, and a woman who will never trust you again.”
Those words hit like a knife to the chest. Christian looked away, his throat tightening. He had tried to protect Lizzie from the chaos of his royal life, but instead, he had hurt her more than anyone ever had.
“I love her,” he said softly, almost to himself.
The king sighed heavily, setting his glass down on the small table between them. “Christian, love is a luxury we can’t always afford. You don’t get to choose the life you want—you have to live the one you were born into. That’s what it means to be a royal.”
Christian didn’t respond. He felt trapped, suffocated by the weight of expectations he had carried his whole life.
The king leaned back in his seat, his tone softening slightly. “Your grandfather’s death marks the end of an era. It’s your time now, Christian. You’re the heir. It’s time to step up.”
Christian closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the seat. His father’s words were true, and he hated them for it. He hated that no matter how much he loved Lizzie, his duty would always come first.
He thought of her smile, her laugh, the way she made him feel alive in a way nothing else ever had. He thought of the way she had looked at him earlier that evening, her face full of heartbreak and betrayal.
He wanted to call her, to apologize, to explain everything. But what could he say? That he loved her but couldn’t give her the life she deserved? That he had chosen his crown over her?
The weight of it all was unbearable. As the jet soared through the night sky, Christian realized that he had lost the one thing that had ever truly mattered to him—and he wasn’t sure he’d ever forgive himself for it.
