Oops, I Married The Wrong Brother! (Oops!)

16. Maisy

As soon as Maisy was alone in the bedroom, she burst into silent tears. Her heart felt like it was breaking. She’d hoped that Xander might contradict her, that he might say that they could work things out and that she mattered more than any duty, but he’d just agreed with her. Maybe he didn’t feel as strongly about her as she felt about him. Maybe, despite what he’d said, this whole trip was just another fling for him.

She sank onto the bed where they’d made love just the night before and felt tears spill down her cheeks. The last twenty-four hours already felt like a dream, like something too good to be true. And it had been too good to be true. Why had she ever let herself imagine that Xander would want to be with her? Maybe there had been a good reason why he had refused to talk about the future. Maybe it was because he didn’t see one.

Maisy let herself cry a little longer, then pulled herself together with a series of deep breaths. She needed to put on a brave face. Xander couldn’t see how heartbroken she was.

Quickly, she packed her things, tossing them pell-mell into the open suitcase on the floor. Next, she collected her toiletries from the bathroom counter and tossed them in before dropping her clothes in, in a wad. She would never do something like this normally — she liked order and for things to be in their proper place — but today she couldn’t handle folding her clothes or organizing anything. Once her suitcase was more or less packed, she grabbed an outfit at random and hurried back towards the bathroom for a shower.

Xander was kneeling beside the couch, packing his own suitcase. Maisy didn’t make eye contact with him. Instead, she walked briskly by. He was going to be a part of her life forever, as her brother-in-law, and she needed to get used to that. She couldn’t cry every time she saw him.

Yet, in the shower, Maisy found herself teary again. Her betrothal to Niko had never been thrilling, but she’d made do because she didn’t know the alternative. But now that she’d had a taste of the fairy-tale romance she’d always dreamed of, it was going to be almost impossible to go back.

She considered going to Xander and confessing that she did want to try to be with him, but she held herself back. Xander had been clear that he was just fine with their relationship ending. This was for the best.

Maisy only wished that it didn’t hurt so much.

About ten minutes before they were supposed to meet Safa at the airstrip, Xander knocked on Maisy’s door.

“We should go. Safa must have called a cab for us — there’s one waiting outside.”

“Thank you.” Maisy stood and slung her bag onto her shoulder. In the living room, she didn’t meet Xander’s eyes. He was clearly subdued as well, but she had to imagine that it was out of worry about what would happen when they returned, not because he had any kind of feelings for her. He would have said something if he did.

“I’ll meet you outside, okay?” Xander turned to go, then hesitated on the doorstep. “Maisy…” His voice was low.

“I’ll be there in just a moment.” Whatever apology he wanted to make, or insincere comment about their time together he had to say, Maisy didn’t think she could handle hearing it right now.

“Fine.” Xander continued out the door. Maisy paused, took a deep breath, forced herself to release her lower lip from between her teeth, and followed him.

The cab ride to the airport was tense, as was the flight. After they boarded, Maisy took her seat and pulled out a magazine that she’d taken from the villa. Hopefully, no one would notice it was missing — and she still didn’t have any electronics to entertain herself in-flight. She couldn’t imagine making small talk with Xander now.

Xander sat across the aisle from her. Maisy was aware of his movements out of the corner of her eye and saw that he had pulled out his own magazine. Somehow, he’d snagged a travel one while she was left with something about fishing that was four years old. It was just her luck.

The flight felt endless. The journey to Kanalea had been tense, as she’d been furious with Xander, but at least she’d slept for most of it. This time, she was very awake. She wasn’t angry anymore — this time she was heartbroken. And the only way to keep her tears from spilling over was to pretend Xander wasn’t here at all.

Maisy must have dozed at some point, because she woke to an in-flight meal of pasta and salad. Across the way, Xander was digging into his own meal.

“It’s good,” he told her.

“Thanks.”

“What do you think our parents have planned?”

“I don’t know.” Maisy twirled a forkful of pasta absentmindedly. “But I guess I’m marrying Niko after all.”

“How do you feel about that?” Xander asked.

“It doesn’t matter.” Maisy smiled, but even she knew it was hollow. “At least you get the life you love back.”

“It does matter how you feel,” Xander insisted. Maisy didn’t reply. She just kept twirling the same few strands of pasta. “I really do think you’ll make a fantastic queen.”

“I think I’ll eat later.” Maisy set the plate aside on a small table. “I’m not hungry.” Then she turned towards the wall and closed her eyes. She wasn’t tired, but she’d rather pretend to nap than make small talk about her future with another man with a guy she’d just opened up to about, well, everything. A guy she’d just slept with.

A guy she might have even loved.

When they finally landed in Aenicea an eternity later, a posse of staffers was waiting on the tarmac. One of them held up a camera, but Xander was the first out of the plane and he shook his head.

“I’m not going to be your publicity today.”

He descended the stairs and was immediately swarmed by a group of staffers who hustled him towards the palace. Maisy followed, her heart heavy. Xander could say no to publicity so easily, but she would never have that right. As queen, Maisy would spend the rest of her life posing on Niko’s arm. Xander had said she’d made a wonderful queen. Well, if being a good queen meant smiling and keeping your head up when you felt like crying and hiding under a pillow, maybe she would be.

“Maisy.” A staffer hurried over. “Please, come with me. Your parents and the royal family are waiting in a private room.”

“What’s the plan?” Maisy asked.

“They’ll tell you everything. I trust you had a pleasant flight?”

“Yes, thank you.” It was a lie, but Maisy wasn’t about to whine to this poor woman who hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Wonderful.”

They began walking quickly towards the palace. It was nighttime in Aenicea and the sky was filled with bright stars. Maisy looked up at them, and her heart ached as she thought of last night in Kanalea, when she and Xander had gazed at the stars. When the staffer ushered her into a side entrance and the stars disappeared from view, Maisy couldn’t help feeling like her last chance at freedom and happiness was slipping away.

“Do you need a moment to freshen up before we meet everyone?” the staffer asked. Maisy hesitated. A moment to herself was all she craved, but she was more desperate to know the plan than anything else.

“No, it’s all right.”

The staffer led her down a hallway and opened a modest door into what looked like a standard business conference room. It looked very different from the palace’s usual classic and elegant aesthetic. Inside, Maisy’s parents, the king and queen, and Niko were waiting.

“Welcome home,” the queen said with a warm smile. “I hope your trip went well.”

The greeting was so strange that Maisy almost laughed. It was like she was returning from vacation, not an imposed exile disguised as a honeymoon.

“It was… fine.”

“Maisy.” Maisy was suddenly enveloped in a hug from her mother and father. She hugged them back, glad to have some familiarity around her again. She just wished Lily were here too. “How are you?”

“I’m okay.” Maisy gently stepped back. “More than anything, I’m curious to know what the plan is. Safa mentioned that you had a solution, but I don’t know what that looks like.”

“Well, Niko here came to his senses.” The king gave a slightly pained smile. Maisy glanced at Niko, whose face was as closed as always. He looked so similar to Xander, yet Maisy could now see how differently he carried himself. And the sight of Niko didn’t spark any warmth or attraction in Maisy — just a hint of friendship and familiarity.

“You did?” Maisy asked Niko.

“Yes. I am ready to marry you.” His tone was flat.

“Tomorrow, we’ll annul your marriage to Xander,” the queen explained. “Then, in secret, you and Niko can marry, just as planned. The public will never have to know.”

“It will be a small ceremony with just the family — it’s really nothing more than a formality.”

“And this is what you want?” Maisy asked Niko.

“This is what’s best for everyone,” he said. “And I do care for you, Maisy. Maybe we can grow into our love over time.”

Maisy wanted to scream that this wasn’t what she wanted, not at all. A marriage to a man who didn’t love her was one thing, but a marriage to a man who didn’t love her when she had now experienced the thrill of true love — it was too much.

But Maisy didn’t say anything. It wasn’t like she had the option to be with Xander. He clearly didn’t care about her in the same way she cared about him. And if Maisy couldn’t be with Xander, she might as well do the right thing for everyone else and become Niko’s wife.

“Okay.” She nodded once.

“Sweetheart, you don’t look happy.” Maisy’s mother’s eyes were full of worry.

“I’m fine. I’m just tired. It was a long flight. And a long week.”

“Of course. Go up to your rooms and rest. The ceremony will be at eleven o’clock tomorrow, and after that, everything can get back on track.”

Maisy nodded woodenly, then turned to go. She walked slowly down the palace hallways and up to her rooms in the tower. Her feet felt heavy. The moment she stepped into the living room, though, she was met with a blur of color and a shriek.

“Maise!”

Suddenly, Lily was in Maisy’s arms. Maisy hugged her tight.

“Hi, Lil.”

“Oh, Maise, I’ve been so worried!” Lily pulled back to take Maisy in. “Mom and Dad wouldn’t tell me anything — just that you had to go no-contact on your honeymoon. But I can tell that something’s been off. They’ve been all worried. And now you’re back early! What’s going on?”

Maisy tried to pull her thoughts together. She needed to hide her feelings from her sister to save Lily any pain, as she’d always done. Yet Maisy couldn’t bring herself to lie. She was too tired — and too heartbroken.

“It’s… kind of a long story.”

Lily pulled her into the living room by her hand. “We have time. Seriously. I know you’ve been hiding something, too, but I’m not a child anymore. You can talk to me.”

“I know I can.” Maisy sighed. “I just don’t know if I even understand it all myself.”

“Maybe talking will help.” Lily sat on one of the large plush couches and pulled Maisy down beside her. “Tell me everything.”

“Okay…” Maisy took a deep breath. “Well, it starts the night before the wedding. Niko came to me and told me that he was having cold feet.”

“That jerk!”

“Hold on.” Maisy raised a hand. “Please save all comments for the end. I agreed with Niko. We made a plan that he wouldn’t come to the wedding. I’d look like a jilted bride, he’d take the heat, and we’d both be free to pursue our own futures.”

“What?” Lily’s eyes were wide. “But you seemed so sure of yourself on your wedding day.”

“I was. I was sure about the future I wanted — my own future.”

“But I thought you loved Niko. Or at least that you liked him.”

“He’s a great guy. But we never really had that spark, you know?”

Lily nodded slowly, although she looked a little confused.

“I was relieved that we weren’t going to be married,” Maisy continued. “But then, when I stepped into the wedding hall, Niko was there at the front of the room. Or I thought he was. When we said our vows, he made a little quip, and I realized that it wasn’t Niko at all — it was Xander.”

“What?” Lily’s eyes were even wider now and she was leaning forward. “Why?”

“He couldn’t find Niko anywhere and wanted to save me the embarrassment of being stood up, and Niko the embarrassment of missing his own wedding. What he didn’t know was that the marriage was legally binding, even though he was masquerading as his brother. Anyway, that’s why I got pulled into a meeting right after the ceremony and why I got hustled onto the plane right after, before we could talk.”

“So you went on your honeymoon… with Xander? And you were married to him?”

“Yes.”

“After he tricked you like that?” Lily looked deeply affronted, and Maisy almost laughed.

“Believe me, I was upset with him at first. Very upset. Furious. But he was so apologetic, so understanding… and he brought out a new side of me. An adventurous side. We started talking to each other. It was electric, Lily. It was the romance I’ve always dreamed of.”

“You dream of romance?” Lily raised her eyebrows. “But you always seem so… practical.”

“I try to be. But with Xander, I didn’t have to try to be anything. He accepted me just as I am. And then, yesterday, we…” Maisy quickly censored herself. “We kissed. And we spent a day together.”

“What?” Lily shook her head. “Maise, do you… do you love Xander?”

Suddenly, unbidden, tears sprung to Maisy’s eyes. She nodded. It was true. She loved Xander. No matter that he didn’t love her back. No matter that it was foolish. When she was with him, she felt like a better, braver version of herself. When she was with him, she felt more alive than ever.

“Well, what’s going to happen now? Are you going to marry Xander instead?”

Lily’s innocence broke Maisy’s heart all over again.

“That isn’t exactly an option. We had a wonderful day together, and I really thought he felt the same way. He said some very kind things. But when we were called back to Aenicea, I suggested that we might leave what happened on the island behind us, and he agreed right away. He clearly didn’t want anything else to do with me.”

“Oh, Maisy.” Lily’s big eyes were filled with tears now. “I had no idea. I’m so sorry.”

Maisy felt tears spill down her own cheeks. Then she felt Lily’s arms around her.

“It’s going to be okay,” Lily said.

“I don’t think so. Now I’m back here, and our parents have agreed that I should marry Niko — even though neither of us loves the other.”

Lily pulled away. She was still teary, but she looked even more confused. “I’m just wondering. You said you love Xander. So, why did you tell him to leave what happened on the island?”

“I was trying to do the right thing.” Maisy sniffed and wiped away an errant tear. “If Xander were with me, it would mean hurting his family and giving up on a lot of things. It would make both our lives more complicated. I wanted to make sure that he felt the same way about me, and it’s a good thing I did, because he clearly doesn’t feel the same way.”

“And now you’re marrying Niko, even though you don’t love him? And he doesn’t love you?”

Maisy nodded. “If I can’t be with the man I love, I might as well do the right thing for my family. It all feels like such a mess.”

Lily hugged her again. “We’re going to make it right.”

Maisy wasn’t confident in her sister’s words, but it was nice that Lily was saying them anyway. At least Maisy had her wonderful sister.

That was something.

Maisy just needed to hold on to the love she had for her family tomorrow, during her wedding day. It would be the only love she had.