Stealing Cinderella(69)

I tell him to let himself out, but it isn’t long before Dr. Blom appears, and I have to let him in. When he sees Ella, he immediately turns to me.

“Thorsen—”

“I didn’t do this,” I growl.

He surveys me for signs of deception and then sighs. “I’m sorry, but you know I have to ask.”

“She won’t speak.” My eyes move over Ella, tormented by the expression on her face. I can’t be sure she’s even in there anymore. Not until she talks to me. “I don’t know how to fix this.”

“Who is she?” Dr. Blom asks curiously.

“I met her at the ball in London. It’s the same woman you asked me about before.”

I leave out the part about me kidnapping her, though I don’t doubt Ella will probably tell him herself anyway. I just don’t want to lose her.

“Give me some time with her,” Dr. Blom says. “I’ll let you know when I’m finished.”

I hesitate, and he observes me closely. He knows it isn’t like me to be so protective, but things are different with Ella. I know that now, and I don’t care if he knows it too. But before we can get to that, the head of security knocks on my door, interrupting us.

“Your Highness, if you have a moment, there’s something I’d like to show you.”

“Go, Thorsen.” Dr. Blom gestures for the door. “Right now, this is how you can help.”

After taking one last look at Ella, I reluctantly join my security team as they bring up the camera footage on a laptop in my office.

“We haven’t been able to identify the individual,” Han notes, “but we caught several images. Perhaps you might recognize them?”

My eyes focus on the screen as the person in the footage walks to the front door. Whoever it is, they’re wearing a baggy blue hoodie, sunglasses, and black jeans. They also seem to be aware of the fact that there’s a camera above them because they keep their head down the entire time.

“Is it a man?” I squint at the screen.

“It could be,” Han answers. “Or a woman of medium height. It’s difficult to tell with the clothing. But watch this.”

The video continues, and the person on the screen unlocks the door with a set of keys.

“What the fuck?” I mutter.

How is that even possible? There are only three other people who have keys to my home. Calder, my mother, and Lisbet.

“Your brother and mother were both at the palace,” Han answers my unspoken thoughts. “Calder has his keys, and he’s looking for your mother’s as we speak. As for Lisbet, she left around eleven for her break. But we called to confirm she was at a café during this time. She’s on her way over now.”

“Play it again,” I order.

Han plays the footage several times before I stop him, and in my gut, I have the same inkling I had when I discovered the news of my father. Is it too much of a stretch to imagine that Lavinia divulged the information about his heart for a reason? Was that a threat I simply missed? And is it possible she would truly hurt Ella to such an extent?

“The fire,” I whisper.

“What, sir?” Han asks.

“She said her stepsister pushed her into the fire.” My fingers dig into my forehead as it comes back to me. The answers were right there all along. Ella told me about her family, her history with Narcissa and her sisters, but I conveniently chose to forget that when I was on my warpath last night, accusing her of a heinous and ridiculous betrayal.

“Mother fuck!”

I launch the ship on my desk across the room, and Han flinches. But that isn’t enough. So I punch the desk four times until my knuckles splinter and bleed.

“Your Highness?” Han looks at me like I’ve lost my mind.

“This is all my fault,” I tell him. “I didn’t listen to her.”

He doesn’t know what I’m talking about, so he has no recourse but to watch me come unglued. I want to murder Lavinia with my bare fucking hands. I want to squeeze the life from her throat and send her straight to hell. It had to be her. There is no other alternative.

“Where are Narcissa and her daughters staying?” I ask Han.

“They left this afternoon.” He pulls out his phone and checks the calendar. “Twenty minutes ago. They are on the plane as we speak.”

My attention drifts to the figure on the screen, and the longer I study it, the more convinced I become. Ella told me her sister was a psychopath. The evidence is undeniable. Lavinia could have easily stolen my mother’s keys just as she stole her ring. The security at my estate has never been as tight as the palace because that was the way I preferred it. I didn’t want to feel as if I was living in a prison, but now I wish I had. I wish I had spent my entire life behind bars if only so this afternoon never happened.

“Do you suspect they have something to do with it?” Han asks.

I consider my answer carefully, aware that I’m on a precipice. There are two ways to handle this situation. The royal way, and my way. And I won’t let this rest until Lavinia pays in blood.

“No.” I turn on my heel and head for the door. “I don’t think they had anything to do with it. Let me know if you find anything else.”





“Did she say anything to you?”