Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46344 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 232(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Shortly after his coronation, the king married Harper Griffiths, an American woman whom Kyria had the pleasure of meeting several times in the past. She liked Harper a lot, and so when the king had asked for her help to secure the queen’s position at court, Kyria hadn’t even thought of hesitating, never mind if the particulars of his request were somewhat odd. For his birthday, he wanted Kyria to mingle with his guests and make more effort than usual to speak her mind. Despite her private misgivings, she did as asked, and the results were exactly as she feared.
One of the foreigners she had talked to started making a scene, and forcing herself to swallow her pride and anger, Kyria had prepared herself to apologize – only to realize she didn’t have to. Harper had suddenly stepped in, defending her just like the queen everyone knew she could be, and it was then Kyria understood that this was all part of Khalil’s plan.
How terrifyingly devious, she had thought back then. Conscience prompted Kyria to tell the truth about the role she played, but the opportunity only came up months later, following Khalil and Harper’s rather controversial separation and subsequent reconciliation. When told the truth, however, Harper had only snorted, saying, “Khalil’s actions may have surprised you, but it’s something I’d totally expect from him. I’ve always known he was a devil.”
“You knew he was a devil,” Kyria had echoed with genuine puzzlement, “and yet you still married him?”
The words, uttered in complete innocence, had made Harper turn red, but when Kyria stammered out an apology, the queen had only waved her words away with a grimace. “It’s okay. You have a point, and to answer your question, yes, I did still marry him despite knowing what a huge jerk he is.” The queen had then made a face. “And I can’t believe I’m saying this but...sometimes, the things that seem so wrong can actually turn out to be the best thing you can ever ask for. All you need to do is give it a chance and see where it goes.”
The words unintentionally struck a chord inside of her, and Kyria found herself mulling over them, wondering what it could mean for her. Could those words also be true for that which she still couldn’t bear to think of?
Even now, there were still nights when that was all she could think of, and making it worse was how her body literally ached at the memories. They were just memories now, and yet her body still heated up like the feel of his hardness against her had been indelible.
She knew what she was feeling was wrong, but she couldn’t seem to stop. Could this really be what Harper talked of? Could this somehow turn into something right and beautiful? The questions were something Kyria had never really hoped to find the answer to. She was too cowardly, too scared to take a risk on anything...or so she thought until life showed her how desperate straits could truly led to desperate measures.
And it all started with a girl named Katerina Chariot.
“I WOULD LIKE TO STUDY abroad.” The king and queen were hosting a dinner for the rest of the royal family when Kyria finally mustered the courage to announce her decision, and the reactions to her statement were quite varied.
Altair sputtered over his glass, Vanna dropped her fork, while the king and the other sheikhs had their jaws drop. Malik on the other hand, the queen was quick to note, was conspicuously expressionless, although his hard form had become unnaturally still.
Harper leaned back against her seat. This was going to be interesting. Turning to Kyria, she asked casually, “Do you already have a school in mind?”
“Nothing specifically...” Kyria started playing with the napkin on her lap. “But I was hoping I could be introduced to a different culture at the same time.”
The queen nodded thoughtfully. “That would be fun.” The truth was, Harper had long known about Kyria’s plan. She and the younger girl had become quite close in recent months, with Harper taking on a de facto role as big sister. She felt very protective about Kyria, more so when Khalil’s shy cousin had confided to her about, well...everything.
And oh, how shocked she had been the first time she realized what those things were.
“Christopoulos University.”
All heads snapped towards Malik’s direction, but the sheikh met their stunned gazes calmly. “It’s in Miami, and it’s one of the best schools in the world.”
Unbelievable, Harper thought, half-confused, half-incredulous. Was he really letting go of Kyria just like that? And why suggest that of all places?
“Thanks but no thanks.” Kyria’s voice was strained, and who could blame her?
“Then perhaps Tsubaki in Tokyo?”
Okay, that made for two strikes now. This time Harper was close to scowling at the sheikh. Was he really that obtuse or was he doing this deliberately? Those two schools had something to do with Katerina Chariot, the girl currently (albeit unknowingly) causing such grief to Kyria. And Malik wanted her to study in either of those places?