AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Theodore found Nicole standing by a window overlooking the hospital’s sprawling gardens, her profile etched in the soft light that filtered through the pane. He longed for his easel and paintbrush. He would have to memorize her to bring back her beauty in his mind.
“Nicole,” Theodore’s voice was low. “There are things you must know—about the danger that now shadows us.”
She turned to him. “Tell me, Theodore. I can see how upset you are.”
“My brother’s life was nearly stolen today. But it’s not just about James or the crown—it’s about anyone close to us, anyone who could be used to...to leverage pain.” His hands clenched at his sides, a physical manifestation of his internal struggle.
“The girl in the painting—who is she?” Nicole’s question cut through his thoughts.
Theodore spoke, his voice raw with emotion, “What I’m about to tell you is something I’ve kept hidden beneath layers of oil and canvas. And I must have your promise to not tell a soul.”
She looked at him curiously.
“I have painted you, long before we ever met,” he confessed, his eyes never leaving the bleak expanse of the overcast sky. “I was consumed by the image of a woman who haunted my dreams—a muse that seemed to come from another life.”
Nicole’s breath caught in her throat as she processed his words.
“Are you Peter Thompson?” she whispered.
He turned to face her, his green eyes holding a storm of emotions that mirrored the tumultuous skies outside. “Yes. I thought a pseudonym would make it so I could make my way in the art world without people buying my paintings simply because I’m a prince.”
“Peter Thompson...” Nicole repeated softly. The revelation sent a jolt through her, a mix of elation and despair.
“Every brushstroke was a search for you,” Theodore continued. “And when I found you, it felt as though destiny had finally unveiled its grand design.”
His hands clenched into fists at his sides. “But now, I must sever what should never have been woven together. My world is one of peril and shadows. To love you is to place you within reach of those shadows.”
Nicole’s mind raced, images of their shared laughter, the warmth of his smile, all tainted by the specter of danger that now loomed over them. Her heart swelled with empathy for the prince who bore the world on his shoulders.
“Is this why you’re pushing me away? Because you’re scared for me?” she asked.
“Yes,” he admitted, the word tasting like defeat on his lips. “It is a burden too heavy to ask you to bear.”
She wanted to fight, to argue that love was worth every risk, but the look on his face told her she would be wasting her time.
“Will you still attend your show at the gallery?” Nicole asked, hoping against hope she would at least have that opportunity to see him again.
Theodore shook his head. “No, I can’t. That part of my life...Peter Thompson’s life...and my connection to you, must be over.”
Nicole’s heart felt as though it might splinter into a thousand pieces. The man she had grown to admire—the artist whose soul had spoken to hers through his paintings—was retreating from her.
As she walked away from him, each step echoed hollowly against the linoleum floor. Anger simmered within her, not at Theodore, but at the cruel fate that had brought them together only to tear them apart. Sadness enveloped her, a shroud of what-ifs and could-have-beens.
She exited the hospital, stepping out into the chill of the day, alone. The sky above was a tapestry of grays, and as she walked, Nicole wrapped her arms around herself, seeking comfort where there was none to be found.
Chapter Seven
Prince Theodore’s boots echoed off the marble floors, a stark reminder of the solitude he often felt despite the opulence surrounding him.
He paused outside Eloise’s door, his hand hovering over the ornate handle, and knocking loudly. At her call, he pushed the door open and entered the sun-dappled chamber where his sister sat, surrounded by a fortress of books.
“Theodore,” Eloise greeted. “Is there news?”
Theodore closed the distance between them, his eyes betraying the tumult within. “I just need to talk and maybe get some advice,” he told her.
“I’m listening,” she replied. Her eyes were filled with concern.
“It’s Nicole,” he began. “I miss her with everything inside me, even though I know it’s not safe for her to be with me.”
