Page 51 of His Hidden Royal Heirs

So he made sure an array of foods were brought up for her to eat, a drink within arm’s reach at all times, and he ignored her protests when he settled himself into a chair and insisted he would not leave until she fell asleep.

Once she finally did, he watched her for a time. The slow, steady rise and fall of her breathing. Everything was under control, because he had put everything in perfect place. The doctor on property, quick to drop in and make certain everything was okay.

Perhaps the wedding had not gone according to plan, perhaps nothing with Zia’s family had, but he had rolled with every punch.

Perhaps he had not fully thought through love declarations, but what did a few words matter?

His phone began to buzz for what felt like the hundredth time. He finally pulled it out of his pocket and looked at the screen. He had quite a few messages, but he ignored all of them except the one from his grandparents. He moved out of Zia’s bedroom and into one of the exterior rooms where he could make a call to them without waking Zia. They had been expecting to video into his wedding, so no doubt they were concerned they’d missed something.

His grandmother’s kitchen table appeared on the screen, and Cristhian smiled in spite of himself. “Hello, Grandmother. Your camera is backward.”

She muttered something, then got it to turn around so that both his grandparents’ faces were on the screen.

“I apologize,” he said, surprised at how stiff he sounded. “The ceremony had to be postponed. Zia begun to have some contractions. She is to be on bed rest for the next few days, and then we will reevaluate.”

“How frightening for her,” Grandmother said, a worried frown crossing her features.

“Indeed.”

“And you.”

Indeed.

She had been looking pale, pained. So worried about Beaugonia when she should be worrying about herself.

“What can we do, Cristhian?” his grandfather asked gently.

What can we do?

They had always asked that. Even when there was an ocean of impossibility between them, they had always asked what they could do. Not whathecould do. Not whathecould offer.

“Nothing.” He smiled thinly. “But thank you. The doctor assures us all is well, and that is the most important thing now.The wedding will commence once she’s better, and I’ll make certain you’re able to watch.”

“Yes, of course. We’ll watch whenever it is. But, dear, are you sureyou’reall right?”

“It has been...a stressful day.”

“Tell us,” Grandfather urged gently.

For much of his early adulthood, he had sat down and done just that. Dumped everything on his grandparents, and then listened to their advice. Sometimes he’d taken it. Sometimes he hadn’t. But either way, he’d never been worried about their censure, and they’d always been there, ready to listen to his next conundrum, no matter the outcome of the last.

For the past few years, he had not leaned on them as much. He was an adult. In charge of his life. He worried about their health, the effect stress or worry would have on them.

But tonight, when they encouraged him to tell, he sat down and did just that. King Rendall. Beaugonia’s panic attack and the clarity it gave him. Down to telling Zia he loved her. And her saying nothing back.

“Well, that iscertainlya stressful day,” Grandfather said after a bit.

“It is under control, though,” Cristhian said. “Zia has agreed to marry me. Her father has agreed to let her go. All will be well.”

His grandparents shared one of their looks.

“You do understand you can’t controllife, Cristhian.”

Cristhian didn’t have a quick return for that. It wasn’t that he thought he was controllinglife, just that if he organized things a certain way, all would be well. If he got everyone to agree to his way of things, then things would turn out the way they should.

That wasn’tcontrol. It was just...being in charge, being successful, not letting life knock you out. Because you were protected.

“Once we are married, everything will fall into place. Zia does care for me,” Cristhian said, sure he was comforting them...and not himself. Because there wassomethingbetween Zia and him, or they wouldn’t be in this predicament.

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