Page 5 of Scandal Queen

I expected for him to make a statement and for it to be over. Instead the News at Ten anchor sat in a chair opposite him. They were in what looked like a study. I knew it wasn’t in his homes in Bermondsey or Guildford. I could only assume the future king sat within the family nest of St Mark’s Palace.

“It’s been an interesting few days for you, Prince Oliver?” The famous man, whose name I couldn’t remember, asked.

Oliver looked right at the camera, his bright eyes searching right into my soul. I couldn’t look away. Didn’t want to look away.

A million deaths waited for me in the words he had to say but I sat, ready, unable to turn my face.

I’d never be able to look away. I wished I had a chance to tell him. I should have told him.

Three simple words, I never said.

Two

“My behaviour the last few weeks has been unacceptable. It’s my deepest wish to apologise to the people who I have hurt.”

I winced as my stomach rolled like a loose cannon ball on the deck of a ship.

“The headlines are calling you arrogant, saying that you’ve abused your authority.”

Oliver dipped his head and ran his fingers through his dark hair. I don’t think the public had ever seen it tangled in that way before. When he lifted his face, I held in a gasp. He looked exhausted. Dark shadows lined his eyes and his olive skin seemed a tone paler than I remembered it being. I watched with almost desperate attention as his resolve sharpened in his gaze. “The last year has been difficult for me. I’ve made many errors within the last twelve months.”

"Why have you not spoken about your failed engagement publicly?"

Oliver's lips pressed together, but he didn't answer.

“And paying members of the public for their silence in recent weeks?”

“That was an error of judgement.”

“You don’t sound like you believe you were wrong.”

“I know when I’m wrong.” Oliver huffed a breath. “But my intention was just and heartfelt.”

“Can you elaborate?” The interviewer leaned forward.

“I’ve spent my life trying to keep myself private. I know it may not have always seemed that way, but I’ve always tried to keep my real self far from view.” He paused to take a breath again. “I thought I could maybe escape for a while, pretend to be someone I wasn’t.”

“Pretend to be anyone other than the future king of our country?”

A fleeting smile flashed across Oliver’s face. I’d said nearly this exact same thing to him myself.

“Maybe I just wanted to pretend that I wasn’t so different; that I could be normal.”

“Can your life be normal, Your Highness?”

Oliver paused while my heart bashed in my chest. “No, I don’t believe so.”

“And Miss Lawrence and her daughter and their treatment by the press?

I flinched at my name.

“I’ll never forgive myself.”

“For bringing someone underprepared into the limelight?”

“No.” Oliver’s response rang with fierceness. “No, I’ll never forgive myself for pretending to be someone I’m not. I'm appalled by the fact a six-year-old girl has been hurt in the process.”

“What happens now? Do you think you can win your people back? There are those who are saying you should step out of the line of succession.”