heart even more. “You should have told me.”
“I know, but it would have kept you away from me altogether.”
“So instead we got involved in a doomed relationship. And you knew it .”
“I didn’t think it would come to this. I never thought it was “doomed,” as you put it.”
“What did you think would happen? Are you that naïve? Did you think you’d convince
your mother, your family, that you could be with someone like me?”
Furious, she snapped. “What do you mean someone like you? They should be thrilled a man like you, who’s honorable, brave, and brilliant, feels anything for me at all, much less love.
They’re pompous snobs, my parents.” She took a breath. “Don’t get me wrong, my mother is probably one of the strongest, most intuitive rulers my country has ever had. But as a mother, she’s more stuck on protocol than my happiness.”
He couldn’t help but feel satisfied by how she defended him, even though it didn’t
change anything. “My knowledge of Aubonne is limited, but your mother has her hands full with some very vocal critics of your family who, quite frankly, could be a risk to all of you.”
“What are we going to do?” She sat on the edge of the sofa, dropped her head and wiped at her eyes. “I can’t bear the thought of being without you. We have to do something. I have to do something.”
This meant she either had to make a choice to abandon her family, her heritage, or Ian had to walk away. Even if Sofie didn’t think her family needed her, he could see now, they did.
They needed her compassion, her love of people, and her ability to understand delicate situations to balance the hardness he saw in her mother. Leaving behind who she was and all she knew was fine for a few years at university, but not for a lifetime.
It was clearer now that he had to make the break because she wasn’t going to.
“You shouldn’t have gotten involved with me. I get that you wanted to be normal, but how can I even trust that what you feel for me is real? That you didn’t just want to—I don’t know—scratch an itch.” The shadow that crossed her face let him know exactly how much that comment had wounded her.
“Ian, are you serious? Scratch an itch?”
“I’m dead serious. I’ve got to cut my losses here. It’s bad enough I’m going to feel like shit because you’re gone, but to know I was just part of some game? That sucks.” Standing, she took a few tentative steps in his direction and for a split second, he didn’t know if he could go through with it. But he couldn’t stop, not now. Pushing her away, back to her own life, was the only solution. “Go, Princess . Have a good life.”
She started to speak but stopped, almost like she realized that there was nothing left to say. Mustering all the pride she could, her back straight, Sofie picked up her purse and jacket.
She took a breath, her lip trembled, but she stayed composed. For all her outward bluster, her big personality, if Ian had learned anything about Sofia since they’d been together, it was that she had a tender and sensitive heart. And he could see how deep he’d cut her as the sparkle left her green-gold eyes.
“You were never a game, Ian. Not ever.” Walking to the door, she yanked it open before saying her final piece. “I thought I knew you.” She paused. “More than that, I thought you knew me. I guess I was wrong.”
She didn’t say goodbye. He listened to her footsteps fade as she descended the staircase; watched her as she walked out of the building and to the waiting car. She didn’t look up towards his window, not even a passing glance.
Once she was gone, Ian sank into his couch cushions and picked up her scent—light,
spicy, and tinged with their lovemaking. It mocked him. He figured this was just the beginning.
As time passed, he wouldn’t get over her, instead he’d suffer for every unkind word he uttered to her. He’d just been such a bastard he deserved
“I know, but it would have kept you away from me altogether.”
“So instead we got involved in a doomed relationship. And you knew it .”
“I didn’t think it would come to this. I never thought it was “doomed,” as you put it.”
“What did you think would happen? Are you that naïve? Did you think you’d convince
your mother, your family, that you could be with someone like me?”
Furious, she snapped. “What do you mean someone like you? They should be thrilled a man like you, who’s honorable, brave, and brilliant, feels anything for me at all, much less love.
They’re pompous snobs, my parents.” She took a breath. “Don’t get me wrong, my mother is probably one of the strongest, most intuitive rulers my country has ever had. But as a mother, she’s more stuck on protocol than my happiness.”
He couldn’t help but feel satisfied by how she defended him, even though it didn’t
change anything. “My knowledge of Aubonne is limited, but your mother has her hands full with some very vocal critics of your family who, quite frankly, could be a risk to all of you.”
“What are we going to do?” She sat on the edge of the sofa, dropped her head and wiped at her eyes. “I can’t bear the thought of being without you. We have to do something. I have to do something.”
This meant she either had to make a choice to abandon her family, her heritage, or Ian had to walk away. Even if Sofie didn’t think her family needed her, he could see now, they did.
They needed her compassion, her love of people, and her ability to understand delicate situations to balance the hardness he saw in her mother. Leaving behind who she was and all she knew was fine for a few years at university, but not for a lifetime.
It was clearer now that he had to make the break because she wasn’t going to.
“You shouldn’t have gotten involved with me. I get that you wanted to be normal, but how can I even trust that what you feel for me is real? That you didn’t just want to—I don’t know—scratch an itch.” The shadow that crossed her face let him know exactly how much that comment had wounded her.
“Ian, are you serious? Scratch an itch?”
“I’m dead serious. I’ve got to cut my losses here. It’s bad enough I’m going to feel like shit because you’re gone, but to know I was just part of some game? That sucks.” Standing, she took a few tentative steps in his direction and for a split second, he didn’t know if he could go through with it. But he couldn’t stop, not now. Pushing her away, back to her own life, was the only solution. “Go, Princess . Have a good life.”
She started to speak but stopped, almost like she realized that there was nothing left to say. Mustering all the pride she could, her back straight, Sofie picked up her purse and jacket.
She took a breath, her lip trembled, but she stayed composed. For all her outward bluster, her big personality, if Ian had learned anything about Sofia since they’d been together, it was that she had a tender and sensitive heart. And he could see how deep he’d cut her as the sparkle left her green-gold eyes.
“You were never a game, Ian. Not ever.” Walking to the door, she yanked it open before saying her final piece. “I thought I knew you.” She paused. “More than that, I thought you knew me. I guess I was wrong.”
She didn’t say goodbye. He listened to her footsteps fade as she descended the staircase; watched her as she walked out of the building and to the waiting car. She didn’t look up towards his window, not even a passing glance.
Once she was gone, Ian sank into his couch cushions and picked up her scent—light,
spicy, and tinged with their lovemaking. It mocked him. He figured this was just the beginning.
As time passed, he wouldn’t get over her, instead he’d suffer for every unkind word he uttered to her. He’d just been such a bastard he deserved
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