The Vindication Gents

Chapter 2.29

Antonio Romano’s POV

“So, did she agree to it?” I asked my soon-to-be father-in-law, the King of Hungary nonetheless.

“Well, she asked you to fix her before the ball tomorrow.”

“Hmm, plenty of time to persuade her, Your Highness,” I said as I was staring at the city. It was noon and I thought I didn’t want to go anywhere. Well, maybe to Christina perhaps.

“What do you have in mind, Romano?” He asked before I turned to look at King Peter. If anything, he was the same age as my father and they were the best of friends once upon a time if I heard the story right.

“I have something that she would not refuse to say no to,” I said as I was thinking about how I wanted to have Christina under my body, between my sheets. I was thinking about something indecent in front of the King about his daughter!

“Well, I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said as he was standing beside me as I was smirking at his reflection.

“Just leave it to me, Your Highness,”

“You know you can call me ‘father’, right?”

“Still not legally married, so no,” I said as I went to pat him on the shoulder before he laughed as I went away.

The morning came and I think the servants were busy preparing for the ball. Under my secretary’s order. How can the King get Nina here? I don’t want to know. Besides, he did not know that Nina was my sister, yet.

Well, maybe he had because he was talking with my father and Nina was smiling at him. Urgh! I hate my life. Why do I have to be stuck here with my father?

Oh right, because I will be doing a makeover for my PA. I remembered the talk that we had about where I would be doing a makeover. I don’t think that I will be giving them one before she gets her betrothed. My heart ached at that thought.

“I see you have awakened,” a voice was interrupting my thoughts.

“And I see that you still annoy me with your presence,” I said as I was rolling my eyes at Nina. She snickered as she was taking some notes. I cannot believe that Christina believed that I was in love with Nina.

As a sister, yes. As a lover, hell no!

I was getting ready to meet Christina as I wanted to get the makeover to be done with. The ball was tonight and I didn’t have much time left to give her suitor the best impression of herself.

“So, I heard that you will be doing a makeover for the princess,” Nina said as she was crossing her hands in front of her chest. I smirked.

“You heard right.”

“Should I know what you were planning?” She asked as I put the jacket on before I turned to look at her. I smirked.

“It’s best to leave it to the professional,” I said as I was moving past her to get to the waiting car that would bring me to Christina’s mansion. She did live on her own.

“I think you’re exaggerating,” Nina shouted before I was laughing as I went out of the apartment that I was settling in, a gift from the King and Queen. I think I can’t wait to get this revenge on Christina.

She was in for a surprise.

Christine Rovski’s POV

I was nervous. I have never been nervous in my life. That’s because I was not expected to achieve anything. I have a brother to get that expectation from. I sighed as I was pacing back and forth in the library. Even books can’t calm me down.

“Your Highness,” the servant came into the library as I turned to look at her and someone that was standing behind her.

My lover, my life.

My Antonio.

“We’re ready for you, Your Highness,” the servant said as I went to follow her with Antonio beside me. We were silent along the way as we went to my chambers. I didn’t think that Antonio would be coming here and undressing me during his presence in my chamber.

“Thank you, that is all,” I said to the servant before she scurried away, and didn’t want to concern herself with the presence of a world-known hairstylist and makeup artist and a Hungarian princess.

“So, this is where you sleep, huh?” Antonio broke the ice as he was exploring the premise. I allowed him to get around my room because I would only have this memory to store in my mind before I got married to a stranger.

“Are you done gawking in my room so that we can get this over with?” I asked as I was putting my hands on my hips. Tony turned to look at me lazily before he chuckled.

“Can’t wait to get rid of me, do you?” He said as he gestured me to take a seat on the chair that had been laid out by him. I never knew how this works, so I might as well play by ear.

“So, you will be attending the ball to meet your suitor tonight,” Tony said as he was playing with my hair, trying to figure out what to do with it. I had taken a shower before this appointment and I don’t think I washed my body well enough.

“Well, maybe. I don’t even know his face,” I said before Tony chuckled at me. I glared at his reflection before he cleared his throat.

“I’m sure he would be handsome.”

“I’m sure he would, handsome was not enough,” I mumbled before I sighed.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, as if he was not affected by all of this. I asked him to do my makeover so that I would be beautiful for my future husband, but he did not care at all. I got out of the seat and turned to glare at him murderously.

“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?! What’s wrong is that you declared a few weeks ago that you loved me, but now that I asked you to give me a makeover, you have acted as if we were nothing but mere strangers,” I said as I was pointing my finger at him. Tony was listening to my outburst.

“I’m sorry. I…I am tired of trying to make you understand this. Did you even read my letter?” I asked him as he was looking at me with no emotion whatsoever.

“I have,”

“And that is all you have to say? No emotion, no planning to get me away from here?” I asked as I was looking at him. He was quiet, quieter than his normal self.

“You’re to be wed, Christina.”

“I’m not Christina. I’m Christine. I knew it. This is a bad idea,” I said as I was trying to get out of the chambers before Tony grabbed my wrist.

“Christina—“

“Shut up! You know that name never existed and yet you call me by that name. You sick, conniving jerk!” I said as I was trying to get away from his hold. He was too strong to get away and when he pulled me closer to his toned body, I gasped.

“I only know that name because I have known you by that name. I never got to know Christine Rovski, only Christina Dobulski,” he growled.

“Then you’re a fool. You fall for a fake person,”

“She was never fake to me,” he said before he dipped his head as he claimed my mouth as he owned it. I gasped at first as I was struggling to get away from him. He was drawing me closer as he snaked his arm around my waist.

“What did you do to me, Tony?” I asked as he broke to breathe from that kiss.

“I don’t know, maybe you should answer that as I seem to never get enough of you, Christina,” he said as he dipped his head again.

“It’s Christine,”

“Still means nothing to me,” he said as he kissed me again. This time I snaked my arms around his neck as he was pushing me up to the walls. I gasped before he dipped his tongue into my mouth as I gripped his nape.

“Come with me,” I said as I was looking into his caramel orbs. He sighed as he put his forehead against mine.

“You know I can’t. I have been being watched by your father since I landed in this country. He did not trust me that much,” he said as he chuckled at that statement.

“Then, let’s disappear together,” I pushed him before he caressed my cheeks with his thumbs. I leaned into his touch as I knew I would never be in this situation again.

“Your father is very firm that you will marry this suitor.”

“I don’t want him. I want only you, my love,” I said as I was using that endearment when lovers knew they were the one for each other. Tony looked into my eyes.

“I know, my love. But it’s the King. I could never go against him.”

“Well, I’m a princess.”

“Still no match for the king,” he said as he chuckled at me before he kissed my lips briefly. I knew this was the last chance that I would be with him, as I would never see him again.

“I just want you to know that you will always be in my heart,” meaning I love you, I said as I was looking into his eyes. He smiled lazily before he hugged me.

“And I to you,” he said as he kissed my hair. I was embraced by his warmth and I think I might miss him forever when I will no longer be here and free to do what I wanted.