Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 107

“You know I’m getting you back for this,” Nicholas said to her.

“Go ahead and try,” Sophia said.

“Confident, are you?” He asked.

“Of course I am, there’s nothing to be unconfident about really,” Sophia winked at him.

“And what are you going to do?”

“Smother me with affection?”

“Charm me with your looks? It worked once, no guarantee it’ll work again,” Sophia said.

Nicholas tilted his head, “Do I need to remind you we have a ball to attend soon?”

Sophia nodded, “I know that already.”

She looked at the wall clock.

“I have approximately an hour before I’ve got to run.”

“Meaning I have an hour with you left,” she said.

“Should I be satisfied or upset?” Nicholas asked.

“The first option obviously.”

“So, what else do you want to do?”

“We have one good hour left,” she reasoned.

“One good hour to do anything we want,” she said, nearing Nicholas’ face.

“Hmm,” Nicholas mused.

‘One hour huh,’ he thought to himself.

“Gardens?” He suggested.

Sophia nodded excitedly.

“Great idea,” she praised.

“A walk in the gardens, exciting,” she said, trying to hype up the mood.

“You’re happier than expected,” Nicholas said.

Sophia said to him, “I just like spending time with you.”

Nicholas smiled, “Let’s go then.”

“Let’s,” Sophia said enthusiastically.

__

“Got to run,” she said to Nicholas, looking nervously at his watch.

Nicholas said, “Go, I’ll be fine.”

Sophia smiled before she ran towards her quarters.

Emilia’s birthday ball was a huge deal, and Sophia made it a point to stand out, especially on her birthday.

Julia had lent her one of the tiaras she wore during her queenship, and she’d chosen her ensemble ahead of time.

In Beldovia, tiaras and crowns were signs of royalty. They were only to be used for the high ranking and direct descendants of the royal family.

(Author’s Note: High ranking royals as in duchesses, dukes, princesses, princes, queens, and kings.)

She was now dressed in her outfit.

She twirled around.

“Looking excellent as always,” she told herself.

She stared at the royal diadem Julia had lent her.

It was still overwhelming at times, the fact that she was a duchess that belonged to the royal family of Beldovia.

She placed the tiara carefully on her hair, making sure it didn’t mess up her hairdo.

She checked herself in the mirror once more.

Excluding plastic tiaras she wore as a child, this was the very first time she was wearing a tiara.

She stared in the mirror.

‘I’m looking at me,’ she reminded myself.

She saw someone else in the mirror.

She saw a prim and proper duchess.

Not a duchess that spoke whatever came to mind.

She took off her tiara and stared at it.

It was a stunning floral tiara with diamond-encrusted flowers were connected by diamond leaves and foliage that looked classy and timeless.

She mumbled, “I don’t deserve it.”

She sighed.

Julia told her to wear it to Emilia’s ball. She’d be in attendance, although she wouldn’t if she wasn’t required to.

Sophia decided to wear the tiara for Julia’s sake.

At that moment, Nicholas knocked on her door.

“Can I come in?”

“Who is it?” Sophia asked, placing the tiara down.

“It’s me, Nicholas,” Nicholas said from the other side of the door.

“Oh,” Sophia rushed to open the door.

“Come in,” she invited.

Nicholas scanned her bedroom.

“What were you doing?” He asked.

“I’m deciding whether or not to wear the tiara grandmere lent me,” Sophia headed towards her vanity.

She carefully picked up the tiara and showed it to Nicholas.

“It’s gorgeous,” Nicholas praised.

“I know,” Sophia agreed.

“I just don’t know if I should wear it.”

‘I don’t think I deserve it,’ she mumbled inaudibly.

Nicholas raised his brow.

“You’re wrong.”

“You do deserve it,” he insisted.

“Do I?” Sophia asked weakly.

“Grandmere probably lent me the tiara to wear to the ball to spite Emilia, not because I deserve it,” Sophia said, placing the tiara back on her vanity.

Nicholas placed a hand on hers.

“I’m sure she didn’t.”

“She lent you that tiara because you deserved it, not to spite Emilia.”

He added, winking at her, “That’s just a beneficial bonus.”

Sophia’s eyes lit up.

“You think I should wear it?” She asked.

Nicholas picked up the tiara.

He placed it on Sophia’s head before adjusting it.

“There,” he said, admiring his work.

“Perfect,” he praised, not complimenting the tiara.

“Thanks,” Sophia mumbled, discouraged.

Nicholas ushered her out of her quarters.

“The Sophia I know would be ecstatic to join Emilia’s party,” he said to Sophia.

“I am ecstatic,” Sophia grumbled.

“Then act more like it,” Nicholas encouraged.

“What, now you’re my what, hype man?” Sophia asked him.

“Yes I am,” Nicholas answered proudly.

Sophia fought back a blush.

__

“I’ll be seeing you later,” Sophia said, swiftly kissing Nicholas on the cheek as a goodbye.

Nicholas entered the ballroom to join all the other guests.

Oliver clenched his glass tight in his hands.

“You seem tense,” Nicholas studied Oliver’s face.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Oliver said, staring at something intensely.

Nicholas scanned the ballroom.

His eyes landed on what Oliver had been looking at the entire time.

“Do you expect me to console you?” He asked Oliver.

Oliver glared at his brother.

Nicholas advised, “If you’re that upset, go talk to her.”

“Who are you to give me advice?” Oliver asked.

Nicholas reminded, “I’m your brother.”

“Oh.”

“Right,” Oliver nodded.

“Though I’m not talking to her,” he said, shaking his head.

“Why not?” Nicholas asked.

He began, “Because…”

“Because…?” Nicholas asked curiously.

“It’s none of my business,” Oliver said, lowering his head.

It took him all his willpower not to look at them.

“So you don’t care now?” Nicholas tilted his head.

“You seemed to care before,” he reasoned.

“I never said that,” his brother mumbled as he watched Blaine chatting to Clarisse. They seemed to be having a pleasant conversation, when in reality he was simply telling her he’d be leaving for a while.