Chapter 119: Neither Prince Is Hers

Sonia’s lips parted, but no answer came immediately. Her gaze flickered toward Darius, instinctively searching his face for some sign that he understood her position. Instead, she encountered a stare so cold that a shiver ran down her spine. There was no sympathy in his eyes, no indication that he appreciated her reasoning or agreed that she deserved better than Basil. If anything, his expression made it painfully clear that she had managed to offend him as well.

For a brief moment, Sonia wondered whether she had made a mistake by speaking so freely.

But the thought quickly gave way to stubbornness. She could hardly admit that she might have judged Basil unfairly when she still believed Darius was the man she ought to have been promised to from the beginning.

No, Your Majesty," she finally replied. "Prince Darius is the rightful heir to the throne."

"That was not her question," the king snapped.

Sonia’s cheeks flushed.

"I would never call Prince Darius an impostor."

"Because he is the crown prince," the king demanded, "or because you believe he is more valuable than Basil?"

"Your Majesty," Jonathan interjected, unable to endure the direction the conversation was taking any longer. He forced a strained smile onto his face, desperately trying to salvage what remained of their dignity. "My daughter is young, and she has spoken without considering how her words might be interpreted. I assure you that she bears no intention of disrespecting Prince Basil or the royal family."

The king turned his gaze toward him.

"Your daughter has just confirmed that she meant what she said."

Jonathan’s smile disappeared.

"Indeed, Your Majesty. I deeply regret that she has placed herself in this position. I will speak with her privately and ensure that she understands the seriousness of her conduct."

"There will be no need for a private discussion to determine whether she meant it," the king replied. "She has made her position abundantly clear in front of all of us."

Eleanor turned toward Sonia and gave her a sharp, disapproving look. It was a silent warning, one that pleaded with her daughter to stop speaking before she made an already disastrous situation completely irreparable.

For once, Sonia seemed to understand that she had pushed matters further than her parents could easily repair. She could see the anger in her father’s face and the disappointment in her mother’s eyes. Even Tobias had withdrawn into silence, looking as though he wished he could disappear from the room entirely.

Still, the realization did not make her regret what she had said. If anything, she resented being questioned over a choice she believed everyone should have recognized as reasonable. She had simply refused to marry someone she no longer considered suitable, yet the royal family seemed determined to make her feel guilty for it.

The king exchanged a brief glance with the queen before returning his attention to the Ashcrofts.

"Since we are now speaking openly about this engagement, I believe it is only fair that I make our position equally clear."

Jonathan straightened in his seat, his shoulders stiffening as he braced himself for what was coming. Eleanor’s expression grew tense, and Tobias slowly lifted his head.

This is it, Tobias thought grimly.

This is the final verdict on our family’s future, and my insufferable sister has practically handed the king the weapon to deliver it.

The king’s expression remained stern as he looked directly at Jonathan. Beside him, the queen folded her hands in her lap, her expression composed but unmistakably serious.

"The royal family has no intention of forcing Prince Basil into a marriage with a woman who considers him beneath her."

"Your Majesty?" Jonathan asked carefully.

Sonia’s heart skipped a beat, but not out of fear. As she watched the king, a flicker of hope stirred within her. Perhaps he finally understood her position. Perhaps he, too, recognized that the original agreement had been made under circumstances that no longer applied. If the engagement to Basil was to be cancelled, then surely the next logical step would be to arrange her marriage to the crown prince. A small smile threatened to touch her lips as she imagined becoming Prince Darius’s wife instead. She had been promised to the crown prince of the kingdom, after all, and now that the real crown prince had returned, she saw no reason why that promise should not be fulfilled.

However, the king’s next words shattered that expectation.

"After discussing the matter as a family, we have reached a decision. The engagement between Prince Basil and Lady Sonia Ashcroft will be cancelled. We will not proceed with the arrangement."

Sonia’s head snapped toward the king. For the first time since entering the room, her confidence faltered. She had never imagined that the royal family would end the engagement so decisively, without even considering another arrangement.

Or had she misunderstood the king? Surely, he could not mean to discard the agreement entirely when there was still a perfectly suitable prince available to take Basil’s place.

She straightened in her seat, struggling to make sense of his words.

"Your Majesty, you simply mean that I will now be engaged to Prince Darius instead, right?"

The king looked her straight in the eyes, his expression leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"No. I mean the engagement is terminated. You will not be marrying either of my sons."

Sonia stared at him.

Neither of his sons?

What was that supposed to mean?

Sonia could not comprehend what she had just heard. This was not how things were supposed to unfold. She had expected the royal family to understand her position, perhaps even appreciate her honesty. She had never imagined that speaking the truth about Basil would cost her both the engagement she no longer wanted and the opportunity she had hoped to gain in its place.

How had everything gone so terribly wrong?

"Your Majesty, please," Jonathan interjected, rising slightly from his seat. His carefully maintained composure had begun to crack. "I sincerely apologize for my daughter’s inappropriate remarks. I assure you that we never intended to offend the royal family. Perhaps we could take a moment to discuss this matter more calmly before reaching a final decision."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Eleanor added quickly, her voice strained. "Please forgive her thoughtlessness. Sonia has spoken without considering the consequences of her words. We are deeply sorry for the disrespect she has shown Prince Basil and your family."

The king’s expression remained unchanged.

"I believe I have made my decision quite clear, Prime Minister. There is nothing left to discuss concerning this engagement."

"Your Majesty, I beg you to reconsider," Jonathan pressed, his voice growing more urgent. "Our families have maintained a close relationship for many years. Surely, one regrettable incident should not be enough to—"

"That will be enough, Prime Minister."

The king’s tone was quiet, but the finality in it silenced Jonathan immediately.

"You and your family are welcome to remain here for as long as you need to compose yourselves. However, the royal family has other matters to attend to. You may see yourselves out when you are ready."

With that, the king rose from his seat. The queen stood immediately afterward, her expression still clouded with disappointment. Before following her husband, she turned toward Eleanor, looking directly at the other woman.

"I must say, Lady Eleanor, I am deeply disappointed in you. I had believed that you had raised your daughter to understand the importance of dignity, respect, and basic consideration for others. Instead, she has stood before us and demonstrated a shocking lack of all three. I can only hope that you will reflect on what has happened here today."

Eleanor’s face paled. She opened her mouth, but no words came.

The queen held her gaze for another moment before turning away and following her husband.

Basil rose from his seat as well, and Darius stood beside him. Neither prince appeared interested in offering the Ashcrofts another word. Darius’s expression remained cold, his attention fixed on Basil as though the others in the room had ceased to matter.

Sonia, however, was not ready to accept what had happened.

"No! This cannot be happening!"

She sprang to her feet, her chair scraping against the floor. Her gaze darted between the king and Prince Darius, but the king continued toward the door without looking back. Panic began to replace her disbelief. If she allowed Darius to leave now, she might lose her last chance to salvage the future she had imagined for herself.

"Prince Darius, wait!" She hurried toward him, reaching out as though she could stop him simply by getting his attention.

Darius turned sharply. The moment Sonia reached for him, he shoved her away.

She stumbled backward, lost her footing, and fell hard onto the floor.

"Sonia!" Eleanor cried.

She rushed from her seat and hurried to her daughter’s side, dropping to her knees beside her. "Are you hurt? Sonia, look at me!"

Sonia barely seemed to hear her. She stared up at Darius, stunned that he had dared to lay his hands on her.

Darius looked down at her with open disgust.