8. Cataleya
Considering I paid for the night, I stay in my hotel suite. Sleep feels like a futile task at this point. I’ve tossed and turned for hours, but my conversation with Christian still haunts me.
Despite everything, he wants to marry me. Still. Even though I’ve cursed his name to the skies and back. I’m the last person he should want, but he continues to try.
“Why?” I talk out loud, memorizing every curve and imperfection that the ceiling above has to offer. “Why is he trying so hard?”
He could have any woman in the world. Literally anyone. Who could say no to Prince Christian Vanecourt, the heir to the Solvarian throne? The handsome monarch with the pretty blue eyes that could make anyone’s knees buckle?
You, of course.
My phone rings beside me. I’m on the verge of ignoring the call altogether, but when I glance at the screen, I see my dad’s photo pop up.
Immediately, I sit up in bed and answer the phone. “Dad?”
“Cataleya,” he says in a shaky voice. “Where are you right now? Are you alright?”
“I-I’m fine, Dad. I’m trying to sleep, but it’s not working. Maybe I should make that tea Mom used to make me when I was little. What were the ingredients again? Warm milk and honey?”
Dad laughs, but there’s not much energy behind it. “Yeah, something like that. Cataleya, I called because… Your mother isn’t feeling well.”
My grip on the phone suddenly goes slack, knowing my dad wouldn”t call me in America this late because Mom has a cough. A cold sweat travels across my body. I start pulling the covers off of me. “What do you mean?”
“We’re in the hospital, sweetie. She may not have much time left. She’s been begging to see you.”
Oh my God.
“I’ll… um…” I run a trembling hand through my hair. I start gathering my clothes and tossing them into my duffle bag, but my head’s spinning and I can’t think straight. “I’ll catch the earliest flight out of New York back to Solvaria. Tell her not to worry. I’m coming home.”
My voice cracks and I’m already blinking through the tears. Dad tells me that it’s fine and that she’ll be happy to see me again. The clock tells me it’s three in the morning. Not the best time to call a taxi for the airport, but I do it anyway.
At the same time, I message my partner back at the law firm, as well as Jennette.
Family troubles. Have to go back home.
The messages are short and I do my best to minimize the typos, but between tossing my bag into the taxi and hopping into the back seat, it’s hard to keep focus.
With each passing minute, the wait to get to the airport is agonizing. My hand clutches my phone, desperate for any new message from my dad. I ask him to let me know if there are any new developments regarding Mom.
When the taxi driver asks me how my night is going, I nearly burst into tears.
Mom… What am I going to do without you?
As I followthe nurse down the pale, empty corridors of the hospital, I’m holding onto a bouquet of fresh red roses. Being one of the best hospitals in Solvaria, I trust that my mother is in good hands.
Still, the fear lingers in my heart. It rests on my chest, making it difficult to breathe deeply. I keep telling myself that she’s going to be okay, that she’ll pull through whatever she’s going through.
But what if I’m wrong?
“Thank you,” I whisper, watching as the nurse knocks before opening the door to the hospital room my parents are in.
Some balloons are at her bedside, along with a few vases of flowers. My dad welcomes me in with open arms and sets the bouquet aside, while my mother looks on with a wide smile. At this point, I can’t help but sniffle and wipe away at the tears beginning to fall.
“Hey, Mom,” I say quietly, reaching out for her frail hand. “How are you feeling?”
“Much better with you around, honey,” she whispers, voice raspy and weak. Her gray hair, usually curly and long, is now tucked away in a disheveled bun at her nape. “I’m sorry if your dad worried you over the phone. I wanted to see you.”
“I booked the first flight out of New York to be here with you,” I reply, rubbing circles into her knuckles with my thumb. “It was worth it. I don’t regret a thing.”
My dad wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Did you get any sleep, Cata?”
“I slept a bit on the plane. I’ll be fine, Dad. Don’t worry.” I turn towards my mom again. “So what happened last night?”
“She had a bad reaction to the chemotherapy. The nurses started talking in code and when I asked the doctor, they said that your mother wasn’t looking too good. That’s when I called you,” he explains. “I didn’t want you to miss out on anything in case…”
Swallowing down the knot in my throat, I nod. He doesn’t need to finish that sentence. The goosebumps start at my neck and travel quickly down my arms at the thought of losing my mother so suddenly.
“I’m not going to leave this world… until I see my daughter become the Princess of Solvaria,” my mother rasps.
An astonished breath leaves my mouth. My parents don’t know that I’ve been fighting the betrothal. In their minds, they think I’m happy as Prince Christian’s bride-to-be. Guilt creeps along the edges of my heart, making it difficult to look my mother in the eyes.
I’ll be breaking her heart if I don’t end up marrying Christian.
“When will the wedding be, my love?” she asks, reaching out for my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. “I hope it’s soon.”
My throat runs dry from shame. What am I supposed to say to her? I can’t tell my parents how I truly feel. They just wouldn’t understand.
Suddenly, my mind races with thoughts of Christian’s proposal. He said it would only last a year. Then, when the dust settles, we’ll divorce and go our separate ways. My mother’s wish will come to fruition. This could work for the both of us.
All I have to do is swallow my pride and accept Christian’s offer. That’s easier said than done.
I think of a lame excuse to get out of that hospital room, the air feeling too thick and suffocating for me to handle. Once outside, I hail a taxi that takes me back to my childhood home where pictures of myself and my parents adorn the walls.
Growing up, I have vivid memories of my parents working hard and establishing themselves as trustworthy allies to King Francis. They did everything in their power to earn an impressive home and give me an exceptional education.
They sacrificed themselves, literally bent over backwards, to make sure that I never went without. The least I could do is give them what they desire most in life – to see their daughter marry into royalty.
“Mom doesn’t have that much time left,” I whisper, fingers trailing over a photograph of myself and my parents at the beach. My mother looked so young and beautiful then.
Cancer has chipped away at her spirit, but she keeps a smile on her face. Just for me.
At that moment, I know what I have to do. I can’t run away from my problems in hopes that they’ll disappear. They’ve caught up to me finally. They’re here to remind me that I have obligations resting on my shoulders, something Christian has warned me about time and time again.
Christian.
As I close my eyes, images of the Crown Prince emerge vividly in my mind. His immaculate wardrobe, ranging from stylish suits to form-flattering casual wear. His stunning gaze, with piercing blue eyes that cut deep into the depths of my soul. His show-stopping smile, one that makes everyone turn their heads just to get a look.
Anyone would want to be with him.
And he’s chosen to keep me by his side.
If I want my parents to be happy, I know what I have to do. I reach into my purse and take out my phone, noticing a message from none other than Prince Christian himself sent hours ago.
Have you made your decision?
“I have,” I reply, running my tongue over my teeth in thought. “And Lord help me, I hope I’m making the right choice.”