Page 55 of Marrying a Prince

"Mom," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead.

She peered up at him. "We were so worried. What did that awful nurse do to you?" she asked.

He bit back the urge to tell his mother how he truly felt. How he was disappointed with the way she behaved. But he needed to be smart about how he approached this all. If he was going to make a difference, how he felt needed to be kept secret for now.

But he still wasn't going to let his mother treat Marianna that way. "Mother, do not talk about her like that. She helped me remember. I will always be in her debt." And he would be. She'd done more for him than his own family had. More than anyone had ever done for him in his whole life. And she had done it selflessly.

Most people who befriended him wanted to get something from him. Marianna didn't.

His heart squeezed at the thought of her leaving. He wanted her to stay. Oh, how he needed her to stay. But he couldn't ask her to sacrifice more for him than she already had. So he forced a smile, walking down the stairs and into the dining room, where his mother was instructing the chef to make him some food.

He could do this. He could pretend. After all, he'd gotten pretty good at it.

Chapter Twenty

A month later

Marianna sighed as she pulled her yellow VW Bettle into her parent's driveway. She glanced in the back seat, taking in all the boxes. It was official. She was no longer a New York City resident. It felt good, leaving that part of her life in the rearview mirror. She was ready to move forward. Forget her past. Forget Leo.

She rubbed the bridge of her nose as she closed her eyes. Almost out of instinct, Leo's smile made its way into her thoughts. Her heart picked up speed, and her stomach lightened. It frustrated her that even though it had been weeks since she'd last seen him, he could still influence her this way.

After they got back to the castle, she had slipped upstairs, left the engagement ring Leo gave her on the dresser, and packed her things. Clara had come in, and Marianna said her goodbyes, promising the small princess that she would send her some amazing coloring pages from the States. That seemed to appease Clara. She had smiled and flung her arms around Marianna, promising her that she could color one and send it back.

It was amazing how quick Mrs. DeLuca worked when she found out that Marianna was going to be leaving. The helicopter was ready to go an hour later, and before Marianna could even say goodbye to Leo, she was packed up and flying out.

And that was how they’d said goodbye.

Marianna cleared her throat as she pushed out the emotions that had built up inside of her. Why was she still upset by this? They had both agreed that it wasn't right. That being together would hurt them and his country. Leo was a prince, after all. They would never work.

Blowing out the breath that she'd been holding, Marianna grabbed her purse and opened the door. It squeaked as she pushed it open and stepped out.

She wasn't going to think about Leo anymore. This was a fresh start, and there was no reason why she should focus on her past. After she quit her job, she finished up her lease. True to her word, she had found a job at Savannah General in Georgia and took the offer. She had packed up her apartment and driven to her parent's house, so that she could say goodbye and start her own journey.

This was for herself. She was ready to take control of her life. It scared and excited her at the same time.

After slamming the door behind her, she shouldered her purse and headed up the walkway. The front door opened, and her mom stepped out onto the stoop. "Good to have you home," she said, pulling Marianna into a hug.

"Hey, Mom," she said. It felt good to be home.

Her mom pulled back. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?" she asked.

Marianna forced the tears back as she nodded. "Yeah. I'm okay."

Her mom gave her a sympathetic look as she wrapped her arm around her shoulders and lead her inside. "Ted! Marianna's back," she said as she shut the front door behind them.

"Hey, hon," he said when he walked into the living room.

Marianna gave him a hug. This house felt so familiar. It soothed her soul. "Mom, it smells amazing," she said.

Her mom nodded. "Of course. I made dinner."

Marianna snorted. "Of course."

They all walked into the kitchen. Marianna's dad sat at the table, and her mom walked over to the oven and peeked into it. Marianna slipped onto a bar stool and fiddled with the basket of apples in front of her.

When she looked up, she saw her parents staring at each other as if they were trying to secretly communicate. Marianna glanced back and forth. "What's going on?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Tell her, Ted," her mom said, waving at her dad.

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