Her tears dried. She wasn’t a baby stealer and she wasn’t a basket case. Either way she wasn’t cut out to be a queen. Not if she wasn’t all put together. “Leo, I want you. You’re the father of my child and I want us to have a chance. Leave Anna and swear you’ll be with us.”
Anna imagined Francesca holding Leo tight. Her throat constricted at the vision, so she glanced outside. Leo stood two feet from her and his face seemed… pinched.
Anna breathed with relief but then Leo said, “I’d never… Anna makes me a better prince for Avce and she will be an excellent queen.”
So this was because he thought her qualified for the job and not because he cared.
Eventually a work relationship would sour and both of them would be lonely. She’d also suffer from unrequited love and nausea grew in her belly while Francesca confirmed Anna’s thoughts. “She can be the queen in name only if you just stay with us.”
Anna wanted to duck away, but then Leo put his hands in his pockets, his habit when making a deal, and stayed away from Francesca. “And you’d be happy as my mistress?”
Even as he asked the question, he kept his distance and honored his vows.
How long would that last? Maybe he was just done with Francesca.
Francesca patted her belly as she said, “I’d have you… it’s all I want.”
Leo asked, “And what about Lord Pascal and his title?”
Wait. Was the distance because he was… jealous of Lord Pascal?
Her heart constricted. This wasn’t what she wanted. She couldn’t be here anymore. She sighed as Francesca let out a small scream. “You heard about that?”
Leo shrugged. “It’s a small country.”
Jealousy could also explain why he kept back. Neither of them mentioned love or affection. Anna’s head pounded. She massaged her temples and wished that would somehow make today go away as Francesca said, “David wants to marry me, but he doesn’t know I’m pregnant and I can’t tell him… then he’d never want me.”
Leo walked closer to Francesca. Anna couldn’t look away, even though she wanted to. It was like she watched a bad drama unfold as he said, “And I only want your silence, Francesca. What will you do?”
Francesca had tears coming out of her eyes and her sobs were in her words as she said, “I don’t know. I’ll see you at the appointed hour tomorrow then.”
“Goodbye.” Leo snapped his fingers and like magic guards appeared.
They led Francesca in a different direction as Leo entered the castle.
Her heart pounded but she needed to see Leo. She couldn’t live like this anymore. This was too much. She threw open the side door as he passed.
He took one glance at her face and said, “Anna, you were listening.”
Good. He saw the truth. No need to lie. She swallowed and touched her wedding ring. “Yes. I heard and saw everything.”
He took his hands out of his pockets and came toward her as he said, “Then you know this is almost over, and Francesca will choose her price that doesn’t include a crown.”
Her heart pounded. None of this mattered. Maybe Francesca had it easier because she was able to cry and didn’t care when everyone saw her emotions.
Francesca had something that Anna never would. She’d have a part of Leo forever and had more chances to win him over if she chose to mother their child. She held all the cards. Anna ignored how cold her soul was as she said, “I know it’s time I said goodbye.”
“What?” Leo stood taller, clearly startled.
This was the end. She’d never be a good queen. Not really. She wasn’t cut out for this life. She needed to stop this… now. She spoke with clipped words because if she said more, she’d let her walls fall and she needed to defend herself. “If you won’t annul our marriage, I will.”
His eyes narrowed, and Leo’s face grew red. She’d never seen him upset until now as he said, “You have no grounds legally. We consummated the marriage which according to the law makes this a done deal.”
His anger fueled her own and it was easier to storm past him now as she said, “I don’t care about that. No one cares about virginity anymore either. It’s tossed away all the time, so that law needs to change too.”
He called behind her, “You only get to change laws if you stay.”
She spoke over her shoulder and for once she was clear-headed, but she didn’t stop as she said, “Guess I’ll go back to complaining about my government and living my own life free of actually writing laws. I miss being Anna Camila Bruno.”
