Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 119

He lowered his head. This was all his fault.

Marcus could’ve joined him for breakfast. He could’ve been the man he’d woken up to had he worked up the nerve to ask.

He watched as Marcus was wheeled away to the operating room.

“Tell me what’s he getting surgery for again?” He asked a nurse.

The nurse answered, “He has an intracranial hematoma, in easier terms, a brain bleed.”

She went on, “He may experience headaches, vomiting, drowsiness, confusion…”

Louis wanted to get it over with, “What are the worst-case scenarios in terms of symptoms?”

The nurse hesitated.

“Tell me!” Louis insisted.

“Slurred speech or even…”

“Even?”

“Paralysis,” the nurse said finally.

“Memory issues as well,” she added.

“The recovery period?” Louis asked.

“We’re really not sure until post-surgery.”

Louis remained silent.

He hoped for the best – that nothing would happen to Marcus.

Mia informed him, “I’ll have more news for you once the surgery is over.”

“For now this is all I can say, since every surgery has its risks,” she lowered her head.

She tried her best to curtsy before she left the suite.

Louis couldn’t move.

‘Please be okay,’ he whispered under his breath.

‘Please be okay, Marcus.’

He truly hoped for the best.

He knew what his sister would say, that everything would turn out okay, but… there were no guarantees.

He sighed, wondering what he’d do if Marcus ended up with paralysis.

He shut his eyes.

‘Positive thoughts,’ he mumbled.

‘Only positive thoughts,’ he repeated.

“You ready for your interview?” Nicholas asked her.

Sophia nodded, “Born ready,” she answered confidently.

She exhaled, “I can do this.”

“It’s just one interview.”

“I can do this.”

“My first interview, but…”

“I’m going to pass this interview with flying colours,” she assured herself.

Nicholas sighed, “Sophia, this isn’t a test or a job interview.”

“It’s an interview you’re giving to give more insight to what a royal’s life is like.”

“Are you telling me I’ll do horribly…?” Sophia’s eye twitched.

“Of course not!” He reassured.

“You’ll do excellently,” he praised.

“I’m sure of it,” he said, ruffling her hair.

“You’re messing up my hair, Ambrose.”

“I doubt they’d notice,” Nicholas assured.

“They will,” Sophia pouted.

“They’ll overanalyze things and make preposterous assumptions about me and post it all over the tabloids.”

“Then there’s a scandal in its midst!” She said dramatically.

Nicholas patted her on the shoulder, “That won’t happen.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you’re you,” he answered, as though that was all to it.

“And you wouldn’t let that happen,” he added hesitantly.

Sophia noticed his hint of hesitation.

“Are you trying to frighten me?” She asked.

“I’m not,” Nicholas shook his head.

Sophia kissed him on the cheek.

“Alright, I’ll just get going,” Sophia said before she strode into the room.

‘I’m going to ace this interview,’ she consoled herself before she took a deep breath and did her part.

She was doing perfectly before the interviewer asked, “So there’s been rumours circling around you and his royal highness, Prince Nicholas.”

Sophia kept calm. Even when she knew exactly what was coming up next.

“Yes, and?” Sophia asked.

It was to be kept in mind this interview was being live-streamed to the citizens of Beldovia.

“Which leads me to ask the question…”

“Are the two of you… dating?”

Sophia was taken aback by her interviewer’s lack of professionalism.

She adjusted her dress.

“To your question, as to whether or not he and I are romantically linked, the bigger question is where is your sense of professionalism. Where do you get off, cornering me and asking me if I’m dating someone?” Sophia asked, calling her out.

Her interviewer opened and closed her mouth, “I-I-”

It wasn’t her fault, she had a script she had to stick to.

But, she could’ve done something about it. Before she was publicly humiliated by her kingdom’s duchess.

She’d blown her once in a lifetime opportunity, to sit with her and interview her about the ins and outs of royalty and what it was like to her. All for content others would tune in to watch… content that would widen their audience and increase revenue and streams.

Sophia was nearly about to leave before she halted.

“It is absolutely none of your business,” Sophia spat.

She scoffed.

“And whether or not I’m dating him, you decide whatever you want to decide,” Sophia said before she exited the room.

‘People always seem to jump to their own conclusions anyway,’ she mumbled.

__

“The people’s duchess,” Clarisse read.

“What’s that supposed to be?” Sophia asked.

“It’s the name your people have given you,” Clarisse responded.

“It’s better than the wicked queen,” she said.

“Then again it’s Emilia. It’s a wicked understatement,” Clarisse said, her eyes glued to her tablet screen.

She scrolled down, reading what citizens had to say about Sophia’s interview.

There was barely anything negative to say about her interview, people were siding with Sophia. They’d agreed the interviewer was extremely unprofessional during the interview, and that she deserved punishment. She’d disrespected a royal, and she’d done it in front of billions of people that’d be watching – not only the Beldovian people.

“It is,” Sophia said, still unsatisfied.

“I’m just… going to look for Nicholas, I’ve got to talk to him,” Sophia said.

Clarisse blinked, “Okay, you go do that.”

Sophia had found Nicholas searching for her.

“You weren’t there after the interview ended,” Sophia said.

“Yeah, I figured it’d be better if I were here,” Nicholas nodded.

“You watched the entire interview?” Sophia asked.

Nicholas nodded once more, “Yup.”

Sophia smiled awkwardly, “We never talked about whether or not we were going to make our relationship public.”

“So… I left it to their own imaginations,” she said, confident with her decision.

Nicholas didn’t understand why she seemed so tense, the interview had gone perfectly and he couldn’t be any more proud of her at that moment.

“You did amazing, babe,” he praised, “We should celebrate!”

Sophia was beaming from ear to ear, “I suppose we should.”