Everlastingly Loving You - Chapter 39

One car ride filled with snores, flirting, chaos, madness, and Sophia’s drunk temperament later, they reached the Beldovian palace, much to Nicholas’ relief.

He made a mental note not to ever be near the duchess the next time she decided to go on a drinking spree.

What he’d dealt with that night was unforgettable.

He assisted Sophia out of the car, her hand over his shoulder.

“Come on, let’s get you to your room, Windsor,” he said, speaking softly so as to not shock her.

Sophia seemed uninterested.

“Noooooooo, my room is booooooooring,” she said, slurring her words.

“Why not yours instead?” She asked mischievously.

“That’s out of the question,” Nicholas said.

He told Sophia, “Windsor, just show us the way to your room.”

“Please,” he added, thinking it’d help. It didn’t.

Sophia shook her head.

“There’s no way I’m showing you where my room is,” she answered sassily.

Nicholas answered back with just as much sass, “And there’s also no way I’m showing you where my room is, Windsor.”

Sophia sniffled.

Nicholas muttered, “I should’ve waited for Louis to return.”

He sighed out loud.

With Sophia drunk, Nicholas knew alcohol stifled her reasoning skills and repercussions, also meaning she’d be brutally honest with whatever she’d say next. Unfiltered opinions, if you will.

As well as that, without fear of the consequences she’d face, she’d have the courage to do things she usually wouldn’t.

He asked hopefully, “If I were to bring you to your quarters would you sleep peacefully and not make a fuss?”

Sophia rolled her eyes.

“I’m not sleeping in that torture chamber of a room,” she answered.

Nicholas shook his head. This couldn’t be happening.

“Would the same apply to the spare palace rooms?” He asked hopefully.

Sophia nodded proudly, much to Nicholas’ dismay.

Nicholas thought of leaving one of the royal staff members to handle Sophia and escort her to her quarters to see to it that she makes it there safely, but she was completely glued to him.

He’d tried his best to get her to her quarters, or a spare quarters the palace facilitated; nothing worked. Everything was for naught.

Nicholas gave in, “Alright.”

_

“Just sit down,” Nicholas told Sophia, having brought her to his quarters after she wouldn’t return to her own quarters or any other of the palace’s many spare quarters. He’d given up and this was his last option.

Sophia pouted but sat down.

“I’ll go get you a glass of water,” Nicholas said.

Sophia smiled appreciatively.

Nicholas handed her a glass of water.

Sophia kissed Nicholas, or at least tried to. He backed away.

“Sophia, no. You’re not in the right state of mind right now, you’re drunk.”

“So what if I’m drunk?” She asked boldly, looking up at Nicholas.

Nicholas sighed.

Sophia frowned.

“Alright.”

“Just abandon me, as did everyone else; my pea-brained father who’s six feet underground, my dead mother and Clarisse.”

Sophia sniffled.

“I really am that insensitive, callous, self-absorbed and self-serving monster,” she said regretfully.

“No one thinks that,” Nicholas reassured.

“Or do they,” Sophia slurred, slumping on the lounge chair.

“And whatever happened to the impervious and invulnerable Sophia I came to know over the past few days?” Nicholas asked.

Sophia sniffled, looking down at her lap.

“Is that what you really think of me?”

“Impervious and invulnerable?” She asked gloomily.

“Is that why people always leave me?” She asked, sniffling.

Nicholas reasoned with her, “I’m still here.”

Sophia glanced at him.

Sophia answered offhandedly, “You’re here solely because of the ruse we agreed on. Afterwards, you’re to return to Sanguis as if none of this happened.”

Nicholas stared at her, unable to say a word as… she was correct.

Sophia scanned his quarters.

Sophia then asked, “Why is it sooooooooooo humid in here?”

Sophia got up from the chair, and the next thing Nicholas knew, a loud, tearing sound was heard.

Nicholas’ eyes widened.

“What was that noise?” He asked.

He whipped around, turning away from Sophia. He couldn’t unsee what he’d just seen.

“This can’t be happening,” he muttered.

He considered moving rooms for the night, but after he’d tried to leave, drunk Sophia kept insisting he stayed.

Out of pity and goodwill, he followed through. But, he was definitely not letting Sophia live this down. If only she was sober enough to realize what she’d done/was doing.

_

It was a lovely morning; the rising sun cast a rosy hue across the morning sky, and the first rays of sunlight poured through the glass window, managing to wake up a sleeping duchess from her seemingly everlasting slumber.

She covered her head with her hand, the sunlight was too bright for her to handle so untimely in the morning.

“My head,” Sophia said, wincing. Her mind was fuzzy; she felt like another night’s sleep would do her wonders. She felt sluggish and exhausted, with little to no memory of what transpired last night, as well as a terrible headache.

Her vision was slightly blurry, making her surroundings unclear and hazy.

“What the h*ll happened last night?” She asked.

“And who opened the curtains?” She demanded to know.

She clutched her head, and right after, her vision started to clear, revealing something she hadn’t realized all this time.

“Morning,” Nicholas greeted, opening a drawer, attempting to find his favourite pair of cufflinks to go with his ensemble.

He couldn’t bear to look at her and relive what happened last night. What he couldn’t stop pondering about, unhear and unsee. It was all so overwhelming.

Sophia nearly screamed and passed out right then and there. Her eyes widened.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?” She demanded, her vision now clearer.

She noticed the pieces of what was left of her dress strewn on the floor. She noticed her heels at a far corner of the room, as well as her jewellery which was everywhere.

She screamed, realizing where she actually was. And who she was with, for that matter.

“Why am I in your quarters?” She nearly shouted, starting to feel panicky and breathless.