Page 67 of Crowned for His Son

Azar had video called Max every evening before his bedtime. And while he remained cordial with her, she’d read the intent in his eyes. Her three weeks were counting down. And she suspected he wouldn’t give her a second longer.

Why did that thought send fireworks through her when she needed to be standing her ground?

But what if that ground wasn’t as cold and desolate as she had initially believed? What if there were priceless gems to be discovered if she dared to dig deeper?

‘Papá,’ Max insisted, his bottom lip threatening a full-on wobble if his demands weren’t met.

Before she could decide, her mother reached for the phone.

‘Let me do it.’

Her tears had receded, a sheen of mischief taking their place.

‘Why?’ Eden asked a little warily.

Liv smiled. ‘Just a little experiment to see how the land lies. Max gets to talk to his father, and you get to take a long bath…think about what you truly want. Win-win.’

She made shooing motions and Eden found herself heeding them. But just before leaving the vast living room she paused, taking care to remain out of sight as her mother dialled the first number in the contacts list.

‘Liv? Where’s Eden?’ he demanded.

It was imperious, but she heard the sharp edge she knew well now. The edge that said he wasn’t as in control as he portrayed.

‘She’s occupied with something else. But your son wanted to talk to you so I—’

‘Occupied with what?’ Azar interrupted sharply.

Eden’s heart jumped at the frantic disgruntlement in his voice.

‘Papá!’

‘Here’s Max now. Enjoy your call.’

Her mother sailed on smilingly, securing Max in his highchair, then walked away before Azar could question her further. Liv rounded the corner where Eden stood, hiding an enigmatic smile.

‘Just as I thought,’ Liv murmured.

‘What do you mean?’ she asked, her heart still galloping. ‘What are you doing?’

Her mother cupped her cheek. ‘Nothing. Go, honey. Have your bath.’

She went, torn between interrogating her mother and not wanting to know what she meant.

Because she didn’t want to hope.

* * *

For the first time in his life Azar wished the palace machinery had failed. But they’d expertly mixed enough public engagements into the three weeks he’d grudgingly granted for Eden’s trip for it to be hailed a triumph as she met with first ladies, industry experts and charitable organisations. Her popularity already on a steep upward trajectory before she’d left, had now gone stratospheric. Even more tourists were flooding into Cartana, wanting to breathe the same air as its royal couple.

And his wife didn’t display a single crumb of homesickness. Hell, she seemed to be positivelyenjoyingherself, speaking about Cartana with a poise, charm and expertise that had made his jaw drop and his palace council fall over themselves in rhapsodies.

It’s happening despite you never making your kingdom her home. You’ve pushed her away…just like you were pushed away.

With every glimpse of her, and with every brief, stilted conversation before she passed the phone to Max, he felt the distance between them stretch wider. A mere ten days had felt like six lifetimes. And with each second the drum that beat into him, telling him that he should be doingsomethingwouldn’t relent.

‘What are you going to do?’ Teo asked, for the dozenth time.

His brothers had turned up to spend some precious time with their father. And, while he didn’t begrudge them a single minute of that time, he wished they’d find someone else to pester while their father was resting.

---