Page 5 of Marrying a Prince

Filippo approached the bed. He met Leo's gaze. "Do you really not remember?'

Leo shook his head, taking note of the worry that flashed through Filippo's gaze. Good, he believed that Leo was telling the truth. This meant he might have a chance.

"I'm going to find a doctor," Filippo said and then stepped from the room.

Suddenly, Leo realized just how alone he and Gisella were. This was the last thing that he wanted. She went from looking as if she were about to cry to annoyed. Of course, she was so fickle. How his parents didn't see it boggled his mind.

"Enough," she said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue from her purse.

He stared at her. He needed to keep this lie up, so he forced an uncertain expression. "What—"

She held up her finger as she grabbed a compact out of her purse. "You're lying, and it's pathetic."

Well, she wasn't stupid. "I'm not sure. . ." He wished that he really couldn't remember how awful she was. That he would forget her and she'd leave him alone. But his parents were convinced that she was the best for the country and forced him to go along with it.

"Leo, I was there. I heard the conversation between you and Filippo." She parted her lips and leaned in. She made a flourishing movement with her hand as if she were indicating that he could finish the conversation.

Heat raced across his skin, but he forced himself to calm down. He'd suspected that she had heard about his plan to rent a car and drive away from this place. Find some small town along the coast and live there. Being a king was the last thing he wanted. And being married to a woman he didn't love? Torture. He'd rather be alone than forced into an awful marriage. She was cruel and spoiled and nothing like him.

"I don't know what you are talking about," he lied.

The click of her compact filled the silence. "So, you don't remember what you were planning?" Her creased forehead softened and a smile hinted on her lips.

Of course she was happy that he didn't remember. It meant she still had the opportunity to dig her claws into him. But he needed to keep up the act. "What was I planning?"

She stuffed her compact back into her purse. "An engagement party for me, silly." She smiled and grasped his hand. "This is just terrible that this happened to you. But I will not leave you. I will be here with you, every step of the way until you get better and remember just how in love we really are." She stood, brushing her lips against his cheek. "You can count on that," she whispered.

As much as he didn't want to believe her, he did. What had he gotten himself into?

* * *

Leo stared at the doctors and family members that now crowded his room. They were talking in hushed tones—as if he'd died or something. He swept his gaze from his blubbering mom hugging his dad, over to Dr. Wilson, who was flipping through his chart while talking to another doctor with sandy blond hair.

Wow. All of this because they thought that he couldn't remember Gisella. His decision to fake amnesia was rapidly spiraling out of control. Did he parents want him to marry her this bad? Why?

He hoped it was because his parents wanted him to be happy. But he was beginning to think that was not the case.

His mom pulled away from his dad and made her way over to him. "I want you to know that we will figure this out," she said as she leaned down and kissed both of his cheeks. "This wedding will happen. You will remember Gisella, and she will become your wife."

His eyes widened. "But I don't remember her." Was his mom really going to make him marry a woman that he didn't remember?

She waved away his comment. "Don't be silly. You will propose and this wedding will happen."

He leaned back on his pillows and studied his parents. He'd always suspected it, but didn't believe it fully until just now. His parents didn't care if he loved Gisella. She was going to marry him. End of story.

All he wanted to do was climb into a car and get as far away from here as possible. But, with the media storm that seemed to have blown up around his accident, he doubted he'd get far without being recognized. And Filippo looked as if he were going to microchip him. There was no way he was going to be able to live his own life, and his only excuse was rapidly escaping his grasp.

So he forced a smile and nodded. Playing along with his mother seemed like the only logical move. "If you think that's the right thing," he said. Ugh, just saying those words made his stomach churn.

"That's right, sweetheart," she said, patting his head. "You'll be just fine."

Horace, his mom's PR specialist, walked up and rested his hand on her shoulder. "The press is ready for your statement," he said in a hushed tone.

Leo raised his eyebrows, but his mom just gave him a confident smile. "The press just wants to know that you are okay and that everything will proceed as planned," she said and then stood to join his father. Both of them followed Horace out of the room, taking Leo's hope of getting out of this marriage with them.

Just as Leo moved his gaze from the door, something caught his eye. Two women were standing in the hall, staring in. When his gaze met the gaze of a woman with wavy black hair and bright blue eyes, he stopped. It was the same nurse that had helped him earlier. He wished he could remember her name.

"I know you," he said, sitting up straighter and pointing to her.

---