“Not in time for the vote. Now, listen, make good use of your time away. Clear your head. It’s the only reason we agreed to this trip of yours. If you’d stayed here, the whole world would see just how you feel about your fiancé.”

“Then I’d better stay here for the next six months.” She’d meant to say it with humor, but there was no disguising her bitterness…which spoke to her mother’s point.

“No, Rosalina. This is not open for discussion. You have five days to pull yourself together, then you’ll come home and assume your duties. You’ll need to be seen with Marcel on occasion, but you can rest assured his father will keep him extremely busy. He’s no more pleased than we are.” Her mother let out a frustrated breath. “I’m sorry, darling. I can’t imagine how you must feel right now, and I wish the timing didn’t coincide with such an important vote. But it does, so unfortunately you’re going to need to hold your head high and paste a smile on that lovely face.”

“Okay, Mama. I promise to be completely over the betrayal of my fiancé and assistant in five days.”

“I don’t know how on earth I raised such a smart-mouthed girl.”

Her phone beeped, and she pulled it away from her ear to see who was calling. Adrenaline spiked through her when she saw her fiancé’s name. “That’s Marcel. Let me take the call.”

“That’s fine. We’ll talk later in the afternoon. Well, in the morning for you. Try to get some sleep.”

“Okay.” But before she got off the phone, she needed to know. “How’s Papa doing? Is he…okay?”

“Yes, of course, darling. He’s quite confident in the people’s desire to maintain the monarchy.”

“He doesn’t need the added stress of my engagement blowing up.”

“Stop being so dramatic. Nothing’s ‘blown up.’ Now go talk to your fiancé and give him a piece of your mind.”

Her mother hung up, and she accepted Marcel’s call. “Hello?”

“Hey.” He’d never sounded so down.

Well, she wouldn’t make it easier for him. The volatile brew of hurt, anger, and helplessness made her shaky.

“I’m an idiot.”

Did he think she’d laugh? Sweep aside what he’d done? She remained silent.

“You know I’ve never been with anyone else, right?”

God, she hadn’t even considered other women. “If you could make love to me after kissing Fabiana, then I don’t know you at all. The man I trusted, gave my heart and body to, is a lie. He doesn’t exist.”

“No, no, he exists. He very much exists. But there’s more to me than that man. There’s the guy who wouldn’t have minded going to parties and getting drunk and banging hot girls.”