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“Queen Arabella, you do not know me. So I understand why you feel the need to extend a hand. However, it is not necessary. I’m going to deal with that girl and her mother the moment I return.”
“If it were that easy, why was it not done earlier?”
“My daughter wasn’t married to him earlier. Why would I set off a bomb before making sure my daughter was in the shelter?”
She looked over to me, and I looked at her. “A bomb?”
“I will set myself on fire before I ever let that woman and her spoiled brat destroy the legacy I built.” I smiled. “Do you think it was easy for me to get here? Rising as a nobody from a nowhere town? I will do what I need to do. Don’t worry. Soon they will have enough reason to shut up for good. And you won’t hear anything from this side. So long as I know, you and the rest of the family are not adding to her battle here.”
Her eyebrow rose. “I hope you can keep that promise before I have to step in.”
“My name is Wilhelmina Wyntor-Smith. Ask about me; they will tell you, I always keep my promises.”
“I look forward to it, Mrs. Wyntor-Smith. And I assure you, I will not let my grandson fail, which means his wife cannot fail.” She nodded at me.
And I nodded back. As she moved to leave, Charles came rushing back.
“What was that?”
“A war meeting,” I said as I watched everyone clear the way for her. I had told Odette swans did not pay attention to the squabbles of chickens, and I meant it. However, I never said I was the swan—only she was.
I was just a small girl from the wrong side of town who used everything I could to get out of the hell hole that was my childhood.
Now I was the mother of a queen.
Life was…interesting.
“What time did they schedule the Etheus board meeting?” I asked him.
“You have one more day,” he answered. “We will make it back right on time. Are you sure you still want to do this? It might not work.”
“It’s going to work. Just like Marvin, she believes that company is her life. Losing it, being kicked out, would destroy her. That’s why she wanted Odette’s shares; she knows everyone is coming for her. There is no escaping this.”
“You always say you are not built for these corporate battles, and then you show up in a tank with a full army.”
“They have messed with my daughter for the last time,” I said, drinking my champagne.
CHAPTER 6
“I never thought this day would end.” I sighed, took off my jacket, and tossed it to the side before I pulled off my tie as well. “I think they all forgot we are supposed to be enjoying a honeymoon.”
We’d only been officially married for two days and spent most of both surrounded by all of my family, in the public eye, waving, smiling, making polite conversation, or trying to avoid terrible conversations with the worst people. Sighing, I sat down on the edge of our bed, kicking off my shoes.
“If I were a normal guy, we’d probably be half-naked on some romantic beach somewhere, drinking wine at sunset, talking about something completely unimportant.” I sighed.
“I do not like the beach,” she called out from her closet.
I chuckled, finding that a bit funny. “Where do you like so I can finish my fantasy?”
She didn’t answer, and my shoulders slumped because I didn’t know what she was thinking. I had no idea what happened between her and Sabina; all I knew was she was angry about something. We didn’t get to talk after the reception because she had to then prepare for tomorrow, where we’d take our official palace portraits, and I had to finish signing all the new seals for the royal family, as well as my new list of directives. None of it could wait. By the time we finished, it was dinner, which of course we’d had to do with the whole family.
“Odette, can I at least see your face and talk to you for once today?” I asked, rubbing the side of my head.
“Yes.”
I looked up to where the voice came from, and it was like Zeus had thrown a bolt of lightning into my chest. The tie slipped from my hand, and my mouth detached itself from my face as I stared at the bloody goddess in see-through, lacy, red lingerie with a corset bra, a belt, a very thin thong, and a silk robe hanging off her shoulders as she leaned against the door of her closet, twirling a strand of her curls with one finger.
“Jesus Christ.” I gasped.
