Settling the Score (The Summer Games #1)(102)

“Exactly,” she said, tipping the cereal box over so she could get a handful of Cheerios. “If you’re not going to make a move with Freddie now that Caroline is finally out of the picture, then you need to choose a team based on your needs. Chelsea is a good place to start.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Wait, back up.”

“Were you not listening that whole time?” She sighed. “You need to figure out what you want for your career—”

I shushed her. “No! Not that stupid part. What did you just say about Caroline?”

She furrowed her brow. “You didn’t see the news this morning?”

“What news?”

“I thought you had a Google alert on Freddie?”

My heart dropped.

In an effort to get a grip on my life, I’d placed a Freddie filter on my computer as soon as I’d returned to the US. No Googling, no Yahooing, no Binging. It wasn’t healthy to spend all day scrolling through every photo of him I could find.

It’d been a few days since I’d gone Freddie-free and my life was already starting to look up. I’d brushed my hair and my teeth that morning, left my room, and I even had plans to go for a run after I finished eating my stale cereal. See? Progress.

Kinsley pushed my cereal bowl out of the way and handed me her phone with three tabs already pulled up.

“Pick one and read it.”





CAROLINE’S CONCEPTION CONSPIRACY


Freddie freed following shocking report of fiancée’s fraud, extortion





Caroline’s Inaccurate Conception


Aspiring duchess faked pregnancy





A Wolf in Chic Clothing


Socialite Caroline Montague unmasked as liar, extortionist


Olympian and Duke Freddie Archibald has been embroiled in a love triangle controversy of late involving his betrothed bride-to-be Caroline Montague and American acquaintance Andie Foster. Earlier reports detailing Archibald’s alleged infidelity at the Olympic games brought sharp backlash and scathing public outcry against Foster, the young American goalkeeper, particularly after Montague revealed that she was expecting a child. However, new evidence suggests the pregnancy was a fabrication used to coerce Archibald into an arranged marriage he never agreed to.

“I’m glad the truth of Caroline’s poisonous actions have come to light,” said Archibald, speaking to Sky News reporter Sophie Boyle. “For weeks, she has extorted me for my silence and cooperation by using threats and false medical records created in concert with a sympathetic doctor.”

The madness began when three weeks prior to leaving for the Olympic Games in Rio, the Archibald family put out a statement announcing Frederick’s official betrothal to Montague, a longtime family friend and London socialite. The betrothal came as no surprise to most of London, as Caroline had previously been linked with Henry Archibald prior to his death, but not everything was as it seemed, says Archibald.

“I never agreed to marry her. My mother suggested it after my brother passed away, but I didn’t want any part of it—the estate, the family legacy. I just wanted to train and swim for my country. The betrothal was announced without my consent.”

It had been widely speculated that the betrothal would become an engagement after Montague flew to Rio de Janeiro to cheer on her duke, but Archibald reportedly broke the news of his wishes the same day of her arrival.

“It was after I told her I wanted to end the betrothal that she let down the fa?ade of the soft-spoken, charitable girl the world knew and embraced the role of scheming extortionist. She didn’t care that I would never love her. She would stop at nothing to see the wedding through and to have her title set in stone.”

With the Olympics finished, the entire conspiracy might have gone unreported, but for the efforts of the amateur detective and youngest Archibald, Georgia.

“I honestly didn’t care about exposing [Caroline] as a criminal,” she said. “I just couldn’t swallow the thought of 60 or 70 more years of her boring me to tears at Christmas.”



“Are you done yet? Skip to the end!” Kinsley said, pacing back and forth in front of the kitchen table.



Boyle pushed Frederick on the subject of Andie and their future together.

He smiled. “I’m not quite sure what the future holds for us. She and I never really had a chance while Caroline was in the picture, but she’s an amazing person and hopefully once the dust settles on this story, she and I can have a fresh start.”



I glanced up. “Is this real life? Did he just tell the world he wants a fresh start with me?”

She yanked the phone out of my hand. “EXACTLY! He’s in love with you and you’ve been sitting at this table eating moldy Cheerios instead of packing your bags.”

I leapt out of my chair. “Look up flights to London! I want to be on the next one that leaves LAX.”

She nodded and waved her hand for me to hurry up. “Go pack and I’ll book the ticket.”

I ran down the hallway toward my room, already trying to think of what I should take. I needed cute clothes if I was going to fly across the ocean and show up on someone’s doorstep.

Wait…

“What did the other articles say?” I shouted down the hall.