Neon Skies & Forbidden Flames

PAGE 6: "ENGAGEMENT & TROUBLE IN PARADISE"

The news of Elara and Kael’s engagement spread quickly. It was on every news station in Spain and England, on every front page of every newspaper. Everyone was talking about the royal heir who was marrying the triple-billionaire pilot. Some people were happy for them. Some people were angry. Some people thought it was a scandal. But Elara didn’t care. She was happy. She was in love. And that’s all that mattered.

Over the next few weeks, Elara and Kael planned their wedding. They decided to have it in Barcelona, in the garden of the royal palace. They wanted a small, intimate wedding—just family and close friends. Elara wanted to wear a simple white dress, and Kael wanted to wear his pilot’s uniform. They wanted it to be perfect.

But not everyone was happy about their wedding. Sophia Reeves had heard the news, and she was furious. She’d spent years trying to win Kael’s heart, and now he was marrying an 18-year-old royal. She wasn’t going to let it happen. She was going to ruin their wedding. She was going to ruin their lives.

One day, Elara was walking through the palace gardens, her hand on her stomach. She was four weeks pregnant now, and she was starting to show. She looked down at her stomach, a small smile on her lips. She couldn’t wait to meet her baby.

“Elara,” a voice said from behind her.

She turned, seeing Sophia standing there. She was wearing a tight black dress that showed off her curves, and her blonde hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She looked angry. Dangerous.

“Sophia,” Elara said, her voice sharp. “What are you doing here? How did you get into the palace?”

Sophia grinned, walking over to her. “I have my ways,” she said. “Just like you do. I came to talk to you. About Kael.”

“I don’t have anything to say to you,” Elara said, turning to walk away.

Sophia grabbed her arm, pulling her back. “You will listen to me,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “Or I’ll tell everyone the truth about you. About the night you met Kael. About how you were drunk and threw yourself at him. About how you’re just a little girl who’s using him to get away from her royal duties.”

Elara pulled her arm away, glaring at her. “No one will believe you,” she said. “Kael knows the truth. He knows I didn’t throw myself at him. He knows I love him.”

“Does he?” Sophia said. “Does he know about the other men? The men you were with before him? The men you raced cars with? The men you slept with?”

Elara’s face turned white. “That’s a lie,” she said. “I’ve never slept with anyone but Kael.”

“Is that so?” Sophia said, pulling out her phone. “I have photos. Photos of you with other men. Photos of you kissing them. Photos of you in their cars. Do you think Kael will believe you when he sees these?”

She showed Elara the photos. They were of her with other men—men she’d raced cars with, men she’d gone out with. But they were old. From before she’d met Kael. And the photos of her kissing them were edited. Faked.

“That’s not real,” Elara said. “You edited those photos.”

“Does Kael know that?” Sophia said. “Do you think he’ll believe you when he sees them? Or do you think he’ll think you’re a liar? A w***e who’s been cheating on him?”

Elara’s heart raced. She looked at Sophia, her eyes filled with fear. “What do you want?” she said.

“I want you to call off the wedding,” Sophia said. “I want you to leave Kael. And I want you to go back to being the royal heir you’re supposed to be. If you do that, I’ll destroy the photos. If you don’t… everyone will see them. Including Kael.”

Elara looked at her, her eyes filled with anger. “I won’t do it,” she said. “I love Kael. I’m not going to leave him. No matter what you do.”

Sophia grinned, putting her phone away. “We’ll see about that,” she said. “I’ll give you until the wedding day. If you haven’t called it off by then, I’ll send the photos to Kael. And to every news station in the world.”

She turned and walked away, leaving Elara standing alone in the garden. Elara’s hands were shaking. She didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want Kael to see the photos. She didn’t want him to think she was a liar. She didn’t want him to leave her.

She walked back to her room, sitting on her bed and crying. She wanted to tell Kael. She wanted to tell him the truth. But she was scared. Scared he wouldn’t believe her. Scared he’d be angry. Scared he’d leave her.

Just then, the door opened. Kael walked in, seeing her crying. He walked over to her, sitting next to her and pulling her close. “What’s wrong?” he said, his voice filled with worry.

Elara looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears. “Sophia was here,” she said. “She threatened me. She has fake photos of me with other men. She said if I don’t call off the wedding, she’ll send them to you. And to every news station in the world.”

Kael’s face turned red with anger. “That b***h,” he said. “I’ll kill her. I won’t let her hurt you.”

Elara shook her head. “No,” she said. “You can’t. She’ll send the photos anyway. She’ll ruin everything.”

Kael pulled her close, kissing the top of her head. “She won’t ruin anything,” he said. “I know you, Elara. I know you love me. I know you wouldn’t cheat on me. The photos are fake. Everyone will know they’re fake. We won’t let her win.”

Elara looked at him, her eyes filled with love and hope. “You really believe that?” she said.

“Yes,” Kael said. “With all my heart. We’re getting married, Elara. No matter what. Sophia can’t stop us. No one can.”

He kissed her, his lips moving against hers in a slow, passionate kiss. Elara felt her fear fade away. She knew Kael was right. They were going to get married. They were going to have their baby. They were going to be happy. No matter what Sophia did.

But little did they know, Sophia had more than just fake photos. She had a plan. A plan to ruin their wedding. A plan to ruin their lives. And she was going to make sure it worked.

That night, Kael had to fly to London for a business meeting. He was going to be gone for two days. Elara was sad to see him go, but she knew he had to go. She waved goodbye to him at the airport, watching as his plane took off into the night sky.

As soon as he was gone, Sophia made her move. She snuck into the palace, going to Elara’s room. She was carrying a small bottle of sleeping pills. She was going to drug Elara. She was going to take her. She was going to make sure she didn’t make it to the wedding.

She opened the door to Elara’s room, seeing her sitting on the bed, reading a book. Elara looked up, seeing her. “Sophia,” she said, her voice sharp. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?”

Sophia grinned, walking over to her. “I told you, I have my ways,” she said. “I’m here to make sure you don’t make it to the wedding. I’m here to take you away. To a place where no one will find you. Where you’ll never see Kael again.”

Elara stood up, backing away from her. “Stay away from me,” she said. “I’ll call security.”

Sophia pulled out the bottle of sleeping pills, shaking it. “You won’t have time,” she said. “I’m going to drug you. And then I’m going to take you away. And no one will ever know what happened to you.”

She lunged at Elara, but Elara was too fast. She dodged out of the way, running to the door. She opened it, running out into the hallway. “Help!” she yelled. “Someone help me!”

Sophia ran after her, chasing her through the hallway. Elara ran as fast as she could, her hand on her stomach. She had to get away. She had to protect her baby.

She ran into the throne room, where the king was sitting on his throne. He looked up, seeing her running towards him. “Elara,” he said, his voice sharp. “What’s wrong? What’s happening?”

“Sophia,” Elara said, breathing heavily. “She’s chasing me. She’s trying to hurt me. She’s trying to take me away.”

Just then, Sophia ran into the throne room, stopping in front of them. “She’s lying,” she said. “She’s crazy. She’s been having hallucinations. She needs help.”