Page 79 of The Royal in Room 3

Father’s face paled. “Just what have you been doing for work, Soren? Should I prepare myself for a scandal?”

“I worked at a club as a server. Nothing more. Or is the idea of a royal working a menial job a scandal? Might I remind you that I am practically a commoner with a useless title as prince.”

“Your title is not useless.” Father gestured to the couch. “Have a seat. We have much to discuss.”

Sitting was not easy when all I wanted was to find Jude and explain, but the sooner I had this conversation with Father, the sooner I would be able to leave. I sat at the very edge of the sofa in the corner, prepared to leave just as soon as my father had finished chewing me out for getting into yet another scandal.

“You have changed,” Father said. “Of all my children, you were the most agreeable.”

I laughed softly. “You mean I used to nod and go along with whatever I was told was best for me?”

“Soren—”

“You know it’s the truth, Father.” I clasped my hands in my lap, digging my nails into my skin. “I grew up being told I was the third prince and thereby useless, so I squandered my years on frivolity and not learning responsibility. Then my brothers passed away, and I was told I was now the new crown prince, so I went along with that too and let everyone push me into a role that they never prepared me for. And then—and then, when I made the simple mistake of trusting the wrong person, you all told me I was a traitor who had betrayed my country and therefore was no longer welcome there. Well, I’ve been on my own for almost five months, and I’ve learned that I am so much more than what anyone else wants me to be. First and foremost, I am a person who deserves to make my own choices.”

“What do you want then, Soren?” Father asked softly.

I want to find Jude and remind him that I love him despite lying to him.

“I want to go back in time and tell the people closest to me about who I really am.” I hung my head. “But I can’t. The damage is already done, and I’m not even sure if I can fix it.”

“That’s right. Bastian told me about a man. Is he the one of whom you speak?”

“Yes. I’m in a relationship with a simple man who works with his hands and who cares about me. He’s taught me how to survive on my own, and I just want to be with him. Am I allowed to be with the man who makes me happy?”

“Soren, I would never stop you from loving someone,” Father said carefully, his gaze shifting to Bastian as they communicated silently. He sighed. “But you must love him from Belvaria. The crown prince cannot reside in another country permanently.”

“What crown prince? You had them strip me of my title, remember?”

“Soren,” Bastian replied. “His Majesty has initiated proceedings to overturn the judgment rendered against you. Your conviction for treason will be vacated and expunged from the royal record, while the decree removing you as crown prince will be formally revoked. In the eyes of the Crown and the law, your title, rank, and standing will be restored in full.”

Shock radiated through me as I stared from Bastian to my father. “What? How’s that possible?”

“Your father had doubts about what happened, so he secretly ordered an investigation,” Bastian explained. “The official evidence had appeared convincing, but certain details never sat well with His Majesty. Your relationship with Felipe began too conveniently, and the information later attributed to your carelessness was too precise to have been obtained by chance.”

My stomach tightened. “What did they find?”

“Just as we suspected, Felipe did not enter your life by accident.” Bastian’s expression hardened. “The relationship was orchestrated from the beginning. He was introduced to you as part of a deliberate effort to gain your trust and remove you from the line of succession.”

I shook my head. “By whom?”

“The chancellor.”

The room seemed to tilt. “No.”

“I’m afraid so,” Bastian said. “The investigation uncovered correspondence, financial records, and communications tying him directly to the scheme. The chancellor had access to the same intelligence, and he was the one passing sensitive information to Rosenmark.”

My chest tightened until it hurt. “Why would he do that to me? I know many of the people in the court didn’t believe me capable of replacing my brother, but that is cruel. I was not only stripped of my title but sent away, never to set foot back into my home country again.”

“And he will pay dearly for it,” Father said, his voice firm. “The chancellor had his heart set on his daughter, Isolde, becoming queen through her engagement with your brother. When he passed away and you assumed the role of crown prince, he knew that would no longer be the case since you were gay. He orchestrated the whole thing to take you out of the picture to pave the way for Isolde to marry your younger brother when he came of age.”

I wrapped my arms around my middle as tears blurred my vision. Because of greed, twice now I had been set up by those I’d let get close to me. First, when Felipe entered my life pretending to love me while helping destroy everything I had been raised to protect. And now Evan, who was practically a stranger.

Each time, I had been the easiest person to blame.

The foolish prince.

I’d certainly earned that title.