Waking up to the sound of Sophia’s heavy and slow breathing was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard. Turning my head gently so that I didn’t wake her, I watched her eyes flutter as she slept. A lock of hair split her face in two, and I had the urge to move it away and fully see her angelic face.

But I wanted to preserve her in her peaceful state. Sophia didn’t need to wake early to another day facing my father’s death and my mother’s grimace. She’d given me more than I bargained for last night, and she deserved some rest before waking.

Getting out of the bed, I pulled my arm out from under her and flexed my fingers. Most of my arm was in the pins and needles stage of waking up, but it was a minor inconvenience after a night of bliss.

The thought of more nights like this in our future made me smile. While Sophia was in my life, she would always come to bed with me, even if just to sleep.

I pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt before scribbling a quick note to Sophia and placing it on my pillow. I wanted no confusion about my intentions with her. I wasn’t the type to sneak away, but I wanted to see how my father was doing.

The hallways were bustling with activity when I made it out of my bedroom. I quickly moved past the servants, hyper-aware of them. I felt like a new man after being with Sophia. My head was clear, and I knew what I had to do next.

---

Entering my father’s room, I was surprised to see him awake and sitting up. He looked as if someone had helped him shower or bathe, either last night or this morning. Color had returned to his cheeks. He was sipping water from a glass when I arrived.

“Good morning, Luke,” he chirped.

“I see someone got a good night’s sleep,” I said.

“I’m not sure about that, but I feel more energetic today.”

“Ready to go for a walk around the palace grounds?” I asked him with a smile.

He chuckled. “Not quite.” He eyed me for a second. “You seem to be in a good mood this morning, as well. Did things turn around between you and your mother?”

I frowned. I bet Mother hadn’t informed him about the confrontation between her and Sophia the night before. That was typical of her. But this wasn’t the time to discuss that. I didn’t want any unnecessary strain on Father. Mother was my problem, and I would deal with her.

“Not exactly,” I said.

Father attempted to lift the tray from his lap, but I stood up and grabbed it for him, placing it on the side table. “My mother was the same way, you know,” he said.

“She was?” I asked. “I thought you two were an arranged marriage?”

“Yes, but my mother wanted someone else for me.”

“She did? I had no idea.”

Father grinned, and I saw a flash of him as a younger man, like me, rebelling against his parents while he could. “My father and I agreed that Gia was the best choice for me. My mother was hurt that I didn’t consult her before the marriage was already arranged. She gave your mother a tough time in the early days.”

I sat back in my chair, completely surprised that my mother might have experienced the same discomfort that she pressed upon Sophia. I knew our situations were different since Sophia was from America, but Mother knew how it felt to be disapproved of, yet she continued to do it to the one woman I wanted to be with.

“How long did that last?” I asked.

Father sighed. “It would have gone on until my mother took her last breath, but at some point, I had to put a stop to it.”

“You said something to her?”

“I did,” he said. “It was the hardest conversation I ever had. Looking back, I know she was only trying to preserve my happiness. I had to show her that I wanted to be with your mother. It was my choice, and she had to accept it or lose me.”

I wasn’t sure if now was the right time for me to say something like that to my own mother, but it did give me a few ideas.

“I don’t want you to stick around here while I’m shackled to the bed,” Father said. “Go back to England and check on the company.”

“I don’t mind,” I said.

“I do mind,” he said. “Everyone is too worried about me. I feel okay. And you have a big decision to make. I want you to clear your head before you make it.”

I knew he was talking about taking over as king, but he didn’t say the words. Since returning this week, he hadn’t hounded me about it. Did he already know what I was going to do? He had always said I would make the right choice. Was this him allowing me to do so?

“I’ll still be here when you get back,” he said.

I swallowed. I didn’t know that for sure, but he was right that some business matters needed to be dealt with. I’d left England too quickly when I found out Father was sick. I had a lot to do while I was there. The sooner I left, the sooner I could return. “Okay.”

Father took my hand, and I held it between both of mine.

“I love you, son,” he said. “You know I only want what is best for you, right?”

“I know,” I said, kissing the top of his hand. “I know.”

---

I stayed with Father for a little while longer until enough time had passed that I knew Sophia would be awake. I’d written in the note where I would be, but I wanted to see her and let her know about the change in plans. I wanted to be on a plane as soon as possible so that Sophia could escape Mother’s wrath and I would be able to return as quickly as possible.

On the way to my chambers, I ran into my mother in the hallway. She was speaking with one of the servants but shooed the young man away when she saw me coming.

“Have you seen your father this morning?” she asked me.

“Yes,” I said. “He looks well.”

Mother sighed. “I’ve been so busy this morning that I haven’t been able to check in for more than a few minutes. I thought he looked well, too. I wonder if this will turn around for him.”

“It’s all we can hope,” I said. “I wanted to tell you that Sophia and I are leaving today.”

Mother groaned. “Not again! That little snake keeps taking you away from us. Doesn’t she realize that we need to be a family right now?”

I stepped closer to my mother and dropped my head toward her. “If you would get off your issues with Sophia for a second, I would tell you that Father requested I go back to check on the company.”

“He did?” she asked, pressing her hand to her chest.

“He did,” I said. “And when I return next weekend, it will be with Sophia.”

“Luke, I don’t think—”

“Stop it, Mother,” I spat.

She clamped her lips together.

“I love her,” I said. “Sophia is the one that I’m going to be with, and there is nothing that you can say or do to stop it.”

“If you would just listen,” she said. “She isn’t the person you think she is.”

“I know exactly who she is,” I said. “Picture the situation from the other side.” I wanted to remind her of how my grandmother felt about her without revealing that Father had told me the story. I didn’t know if she knew that he was the one who had handled the situation in their past, but I was going to handle this one, and she was going to listen. “Sophia is trying hard to get on your good side, and she’s a pretty terrific person if you bothered to get to know her.”

Mother crossed her arms like a petulant child.

“You’re going to have to accept it one way or another,” I said, hoping she understood the threat. I wasn’t sure if I could ever tell her she would lose me over Sophia. Mother was stubborn, but she was also hurting right now. Projecting her anger on Sophia might have been her way of coping with Father. I wanted her to understand that I was serious about Sophia, but I wasn’t about to leave on bad terms.

I kissed Mother on the cheek and said, “I love you. I’ll see you soon.”

“Goodbye, Luke,” she said coldly as I passed her.

Walking toward my chambers, I wondered if that had been the best time to tell Mother I loved Sophia. I wanted Sophia to be the first one to hear it from my lips, but with Mother’s attitude, I couldn’t help it. She had to know that I would do anything for Sophia, and I wanted her to experience this new chapter in my life with me.

I had previously told my parents that I loved Sophia last weekend to convince them that Sophia and I were a real couple. But now that Sophia and I had confessed our feelings, the words took on a whole new meaning. I felt different by saying them. Lighter. As if I could conquer the world.

I had never felt for anyone like I did for Sophia. Were we ready for that step in our relationship? Would telling her make her run away or into my arms?