Chapter 228

Three days later, I was at Noah’s house tending to him while he rested in bed. He insisted that he didn’t need me to mother him, but I could tell that he secretly enjoyed all the attention. It felt bittersweet, bringing him such happiness after I had caused him—and Andrew—so much pain.

I had just finished making chicken noodle soup for dinner and brought it into Noah’s bedroom on a TV dinner tray. I sat on the bed next to Noah, flicking through the channels on his big screen TV trying to find an acceptable show for both of us. I paused when I saw Andrew’s face.

“What’s going on?” Noah asked as he blew on a spoonful of his soup.

“Shh!” I exclaimed. I turned up the volume.

“For those of you just joining us, in just a few minutes, Alpha King Andrew Dubois is going to be holding a press conference regarding the status of his relationship with wedding planner Crystal Blanchard,” the TV announcer said.

“I don’t think it would be wise for you to watch this,” Noah cautioned.

“I only want to make sure that he doesn’t say anything to damage my reputation,” I lied. In truth, I didn’t know why I wanted to watch the press conference. I just felt compelled to stay on that channel.

“Are you sure?” Noah asked, setting his spoon in his bowl. “After what happened that day, do you really want to know what he has to say?”

The rational part of me knew that he was right. It also knew that my heart could be broken all over again just by watching Andrew talk about our breakup. The less rational part of me, though, kept my eyes glued to the screen.

“I’m sure,” I said. “Now shh.”

Noah slouched and returned to his soup. I silently vowed to make it up to him later.

My attention returned to the screen as Andrew approached the podium.

Dressed in an all-black three-piece suit with a solemn expression adorning his face, he looked as though he were about to appear at a funeral. He cleared his throat as he leaned toward the microphones.

“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining me today,” he said. “I asked you here to discuss the rumors regarding the status of my relationship with Crystal Blanchard.”

Murmurs broke out. Andrew raised his hand to silence them.

“I know that there has been a lot of buzz surrounding Crystal’s social media posts,” he continued. He took a deep breath. “It is true that she and I are no longer together.”

There were more whispers that Andrew again silenced.

“It is also true that Crystal is engaged to financial lawyer Noah Bernard.”

To most viewers, Andrew would have appeared calm and collected. I noticed, however, his neck clenching and his hands gripping the sides of the podium tightly.

“No one is to blame for the separation, and there was no infidelity on either side.”

His hands held the podium harder. My heart ached, seeing him in so much pain as he thought that he was lying for me.

“We had merely grown apart, and it was time for us to go our separate ways. The breakup was a mutual decision.”

One of the reporters coughed, and I could have sworn that beneath that cough was the word “liar”.

“I still have love in my heart for Crystal. I wish her and her fiancé nothing but happiness in the future.”

A deafening quiet followed this statement.

“I will now take your questions.”

Andrew pointed to a portly, middle-aged man in the front row.

“Jack Smith, San Diego Tribune,” the man introduced himself. “Your Highness, there have been suggestions that both you and Crystal Blanchard had started other relationships before ending the one you shared, you with Princess Aurora and Crystal with Noah Bernard. Are you saying that this isn’t true?”

I could tell that Andrew was having to restrain his frustration at the repetitiveness of this question.

“As I stated before, there was no infidelity on either side,” he said diplomatically.

“What about the rumors of Crystal’s pregnancy?”

It might have been my imagination, but I thought that I saw the edges of the podium start to crack under the force of Andrew’s grasp.

“I’m afraid that is not my news to comment on.”

“But if there was no infidelity in the relationship, then the timeline would suggest—”

“Next question!”

The crowd whispered among themselves before trying desperately to be the next reporter to get Andrew’s attention.

Andrew gestured at a young eager woman in the back row.

“Angela Kim, Lycanthrope Times,” she announced. “Alpha King Andrew, you said that the two of you realized that you had grown apart. Was there an inciting incident leading to this revelation, such as your son-in-law’s arrest or the visit from Princess Aurora?”

Andrew appeared to be caught a little off guard by this question, but he quickly regained his composure.

“No, there was no single event that led us to this conclusion. I would say that it was a series of small events over time that made us realize that we were just no longer compatible.”

There was a less enthusiastic scribbling of notes on pads, phones, and tablets this time, as though the answer had been too diplomatic for the reporters’ liking. I supposed that playing nice did not make for good news.

Andrew searches the crowd for one last reporter. He finds them in the second row.

“Leslie Applegate, Full Moon Press,” they said. “Your Highness, now that you’re single, are you going to be pursuing a relationship with Princess Aurora of the human world?”

Andrew paused, as though to give the question full consideration. Then he nodded, more to himself than to the reporter.

“I am leaving the possibility open.”

A ringing in my ears kept me from hearing the rest of the press conference. I could feel the color leaving my face, and I worried that I might pass out.

I had left Andrew knowing that he might start dating Princess Aurora. In fact, I had counted on it. They seemed like they would make the perfect couple, after all.

However, hearing from Andrew’s mouth that it could happen—all but making it a certainty—was an entirely different story. It was as though Andrew had taken a silver knife and pierced my heart with it.

“Crystal?” Noah’s voice penetrated the ringing. “Crystal, are you okay?”

I shook my head, trying to dislodge the negative emotions.

“Yes, yes, I’m fine.”

Noah cocked his head at me.

“I know you’re not. You don’t have to lie to me, even if it’s about Andrew.”

I blinked away some tears but did not let myself show any more emotion than that.

“Really, I’m fine.”

Noah raised a brow to me, as though challenging my claim further.

I took a deep breath to steady myself.

“I knew that Andrew would move on. I had hoped that he would, but it’s difficult to hear him say that he’s going to.”

Noah tried to smile in understanding, but I could tell that it hurt him to know that I still had feelings for Andrew.

“You had a very…passionate relationship. It will take a while for you to get over that.”

“Perhaps…but I’ve moved on, too.”

I grabbed Noah’s hand and kissed the knuckles lightly.

“I’m happy where I’m at,” I said, “and I can’t wait to see where I’m heading.”

Yet deep in my stomach, something still churned at the thought of Andrew and Princess Aurora together.