Chapter 11
Chapter Eleven
Evangeline
My heart was mimicking a jackhammer inside my chest as I walked towards the building with James maintaining his usual protective position, scanning our surroundings while staying close enough to respond to any threat.
I didn't even notice when he stared at me in the living room as I was trying to put the earring back on.
It seemed like time suddenly stopped, and it was just me and him staring at each other.
James had an absolutely perfect poker face every damn time, but in that moment when he looked at me, his stoic expression began crumbling.
He narrowed his eyes, and I lost the ability to breathe properly as the air in my lungs wasn't getting in.
The air felt heavy and dense, the tension and heat between us sizzling with powerful energy.
Tingles of heat rolled down between my breasts.
He didn't have to say anything; I knew what he was thinking even without words, and he probably sensed my arousal, although my voice of reason told me that this was humanly impossible.
He cleared his throat, but his body was rigid. I needed to forget about this silly infatuation and the fact that this attraction was fatal for all the parties involved.
"You look absolutely divine, Princess," he said and then moved past me, his arm lightly brushing against mine.
As I inhaled, his body's heat ignited something deep within me. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I was still shocked when I approached James because he had never complimented me before.
I couldn't hide the small smile when we went into the lift.
After everything that had happened between us—the movie night, the charged moments in the library—the tension that brewed between us was still apparent, but his perfect poker face was intact.
He was trying so hard to maintain a professional distance, yet I could feel his awareness of me in every careful movement he made.
He didn't exchange any words with me. Outside, he opened the door for me, and I slid inside.
I was supposed to be relaxed, chilled, and happy attending this gala.
It was part of my duty to show up and speak on behalf of Bellavista.
As second in line to the throne, I had responsibilities to fulfil, though I was grateful the primary burden would fall to Alexandra.
I didn't feel under any pressure because I knew I had years before this would even happen, but she still expected me to follow the rules.
Last time we spoke, she said something about marriage.
She knew this was a sore subject, and yet she continued to bring it up.
I was so lost momentarily with my thoughts that I didn't see when the car stopped. Then I met James' eyes in the mirror.
"We are here, Princess," he stated.
"Yes, of course, thank you, Mr Banks," I said.
"Are you alright?” He questioned me when I put my hand on the door handle, because I needed to get out of the car.
"Yes, of course, why wouldn't I be? Are you going to stay in the car or open the door for me?
" I replied with a question. He frowned but said nothing about my petty tone, even though I shouldn't have reacted like that or given him orders.
This wasn't me, and I scolded myself for feeling out of my depth.
A moment later, James was opening the door for me.
He took my hand to help me step out. When our palms touched, another wave of heat rushed through my body.
God, I needed to sort out these feelings.
The few relationships I'd had were politically motivated or ended when palace life became too complicated for them to handle, but nothing had prepared me for this intensity with James.
Soon, I joined other elegant men and women walking towards the door. A few people nodded at me, and I returned the gesture with a smile. I didn't really know what was wrong with me today. Maybe it was because James triggered something in me when he stared at me with so much longing.
He was going to leave soon, so maybe we had to get it over with and just sleep together. This would have been so much easier afterwards, but the tiny voice in my head told me I didn't do one-night stands with anyone. I walked inside, with the shadow of my bodyguard following behind me.
Around ten minutes later, I stood with Arya, the princess of Spain, holding a glass of champagne.
We had met before, and I always enjoyed hanging out with her because she didn't care about the rules at all.
She was always honest about everything and everyone, which was refreshing considering that people with masks often surrounded me.
I had seen a group of five other women nearby, but I had never met them.
They were all elegant, beautiful, and of high status in this crowd, and they were chatting happily amongst themselves.
"What's wrong, Eve? You don't seem like your usual chirpy self.
I think you should change your expression since Christian keeps looking at you," she said, sipping her champagne.
I followed her gaze, and there he was. Christian Belikon, the most eligible bachelor in Europe, he gave me a smile when our eyes met.
I took a sip of my champagne, feeling a little hot suddenly.
Then I realised it wasn't him that caused the sudden heart palpitations in my chest, but it was James.
I didn't even have to look to know that his eyes were always on me.
I couldn't see him, but I felt he was there, watching my every move.
"You know I'm not interested," I told her.
"Come with me then; you're going to help me with something in the bathroom," she said, and I widened my eyes, glaring at her.
Arya was so petite and slim. She had dark black hair and wore a green gown that emphasised her stunning olive eyes.
She recently got engaged to the duke that her father had picked for her, and she seemed happy about it.
"Why in the bathroom? Are you okay?" I asked her, but she was already walking away, so I followed. A few moments later, we were both stuck inside a cubicle.
I quickly texted James to let him know I was helping Arya with a wardrobe issue—our established protocol for bathroom visits. He would position himself nearby while maintaining an appropriate distance, but I knew he'd be timing this interaction and would come looking if we took too long.
"The dress zipper is digging into my back, so I need you to pull it," she requested, standing with her back to me. I was so confused at first, and luckily there wasn't anyone else in there that could frown upon the fact that we both went inside one cubical.
"We could have easily done that outside; we don't have to hide," I said, laughing a little.
"No, because someone would have seen something and instantly reported it to my fiancé," she sighed.
I was just about to ask her something when, a moment later, someone else walked inside and we both stilled.
She had dragged me to the farthest loo in this building, probably thinking that no one would use it.
"I don't know why Queen Romanov doesn't interfere in this matter.
The princess is twenty-three, and she should have been married when she turned twenty.
" Arya turned her head to look at me, and I smiled, shaking my head.
This wasn't a big deal. People often talked about me behind my back.
I knew it kept happening even after what had happened three years ago.
No one knew the full truth, and yet they all kept gossiping.
"There have been rumours in the past that she was engaged several years ago," another woman stated, and I didn't recognise her voice. I did not know who either of them was, and I didn't care. Arya widened her eyes and then indicated to me to leave the bathroom, but I decided against it.
"Bellavista's PR team must have spread the rumour to distract everyone from the scandal.
Remember her blowing that guy who was a personal butler to her mother.
Everyone was talking about it," the woman with the high-pitched voice stated.
Damn it, I couldn't believe that people were still bringing this shit from the past back.
I screwed up big time, and I was still paying the price of what had happened three years later. Why couldn't they just leave it alone?
James knew about the scandal, of course—it would have been in his security briefings—but not the intimate details that still haunted me.
The reports' focus was on security breaches; officials had sanitized them to omit personal humiliation.
Only a few people knew the full truth of what had actually happened that day, and I intended to keep it that way.
"Oh yes, the palace paid off that journalist to keep the pictures out of the papers, but someone still leaked them online. I'm surprised she's even here and that she keeps attending these official events. I would have moved away and never come back."
"I remember now. She disappeared for at least a year; no one heard from her, and then she suddenly appeared at that charity gala.
Can you believe that? No one batted an eyelid?
It's like that whole scandal has been long forgotten," the first woman continued.
She sounded so outraged, and I wanted to laugh, but deep down, I was angry that I had to listen to this rubbish.
The scandal had happened during my gap year before university—a year I'd spent largely in seclusion while the palace managed the fallout.
That was the reason I'd fought so hard to attend university in Luxembourg rather than staying home, desperate to rebuild some kind of normal life away from the constant whispers and judgment.
"That's why the Queen should marry her off as soon as possible. I don't know what she is even waiting for. " The first woman continued, but a moment later, I heard them finally leaving. I didn't want to look at Arya, but I knew she was one of my loyal friends who had my back.
"I'm sorry, Arya, I don't know who–"
"It was Lady Georgina Maxwell, the Foreign Secretary's wife, but I'm not sure who was with her, though," Arya cut me off as we slowly moved back from the cubicle. I fixed her gown so the zip wouldn't dig into her skin again.
"It doesn't matter; I'm just surprised that they are all still talking about me.
After so many years, I thought they would have moved on to other scandals," I stated, thinking that my mother's team had done a superb job distracting people from what happened that day.
Queen Sophia had returned late last night from her diplomatic mission, and I knew she'd be calling soon to discuss tonight's appearance.
The political pressure never stopped. I thought I was past that.
"You are here, looking stunning with your new handsome bodyguard, so of course they would talk about you.
They are filled with envy, because their own lives are so boring," Arya hissed and then glanced at her own reflection in the mirror.
"I think you're the bravest royal that I know.
You went through so much, and you're still holding your head high. You're my inspiration."
I stared at her, trying to comprehend how I was an inspiration to her, because deep down, I felt like a fraud.
My heart raced as I thought about the past and the reason things happened.
I had not been careful, and the man who wanted to see me brought down was still out there.
I felt guilty that I hadn't said anything to James.
He needed to know, as he was actively trying to keep me safe.
"Don't be silly. I'm not that brave, and my mother would strongly disagree with you," I told her.
"I would crumble if I had a mother like yours, but you stood your ground; that's impressive," she pointed out. She was right. The Queen was like steel, and she brought me up the same way, to be fierce. When the scandal broke, she stood by me like a mother should, and that made me teary a little.
I didn't respond because I wasn't sure what to say, and a moment later we left the bathroom and headed outside.
"Princess," James said, nodding at me as soon as I opened the door.
Even as he maintained his professional demeanour, I could see the tension in his shoulders.
The threatening calls had escalated since the party incident, and I knew he suspected someone was tracking my movements.
Every instinct probably told him to increase security, but I was already chafing against the restrictions.
Tonight's gala would be a nightmare to secure, but cancelling would create diplomatic issues that could compromise my long-term safety.
Arya gave me the look that asked how the hell did he get here so fast?
I gave her a smile, and then, several moments later, we were back in the hall.
Lady Georgina was someone I searched for, yet I couldn't see her.
I needed to forget her. She didn't know the truth; she could judge me all she wanted, but no one apart from me and a few other close friends knew what had happened all those years ago.
Arya went to dance with her new fiancé, who came in late, and I felt a little bored.
"May I ask you to dance with me, Evangeline?" Someone asked. I turned around, standing face to face with Frederick Van Den Sen, and he looked good. Tall, blond with the most incredible blue eyes that looked through me, my ex-boyfriend.
The sight of him brought back bittersweet memories.
Frederick had been everything a princess should want—charming, well-connected, and understanding of royal protocols.
But his demanding career had always come first, leaving little room for an actual relationship.
We'd simply grown apart, wanting different things from life.
Seeing him now reminded me of what I'd thought I'd wanted back then and how much I'd changed since.
I felt James's presence immediately shift behind me, his professional alertness sharpening.
Any unexpected approach to me would trigger his protective instincts, even from someone as harmless as Frederick.
This was exactly what James had feared about tonight.
Too many variables, too many people, too many opportunities for something to go wrong.
Despite all his preparation and security protocols, threats had a way of materialising from unexpected directions.
I could sense James was tense behind me, and knew without looking that this unexpected reunion had just complicated our evening considerably.