SWNOVELS Chapter 1115
Back in the day, Julie was a sight to behold, a woman of unparalleled beauty and talent.
Her daughter, Brittany, was every bit her equal in grace and skill. It was a pity he met her too late. Had he known her sooner, he could've guided Brittany onto a professional path, potentially unveiling a new star in the world of chess! The victory party was held at a clubhouse not far from the competition venue.
The Welandia delegation attended the celebration as well, and upon learning that Brittany had triumphed for Craneville, the queen herself congratulated her. "Bri, you were fantastic."
Brittany thanked the queen and politely declined a drink.
Eltham quickly intervened, "Bri's been feeling under the weather lately, she can't drink."
The queen didn't insist, instead, she asked, "Now that you and Eltham are engaged, have you thought about moving in together?"
Brittany froze.
Living together?
With Eltham?
Eltham had been hoping for more time together to foster their relationship, given Brittany's lukewarm feelings towards him.
Aware of Eltham's intentions, Brittany bit her lip, "Your Majesty, I haven't really considered it yet."
"First, we're not officially engaged, and I worry about the talk it might generate."
"Second, Eltham's mansion is over an hour's drive from the Lynette Conglomerate, which isn't convenient for my work."
Brittany had a list of excuses, all politely declining.
The queen, seeing reason in Brittany's words, dropped the subject, suggesting it might be better to wait until after the engagement.
"Alright, I might have been too hasty. You've done well this time. If there's anything you wish for, I could grant it."
The queen was visibly in a good mood, but Brittany, with a wish to break off the engagement on her lips, knew it was a request the queen would never entertain.
"I don't have any wishes right now. If I think of something, I'll let you know."
The queen agreed amicably.
Busy with her duties, the queen moved on to mingle with others.
Eltham felt dejected after Brittany's rejection. "Bri, do you not want to get engaged to me?"
He wasn't blind to the lack of romantic feelings Brittany had for him. If not for the royal pressure, she might not have agreed to the engagement at all.
Brittany maintained her composure, "Whether I like you or not isn't the point. The truth is, neither of us is willing in this marriage."
Eltham was likely in the same boat, unable to defy the queen's wishes.
In a rush of emotion, Eltham reached for Brittany's hand, intending to confess his feelings, only for Brittany to pull away sharply. Realizing her abruptness, she looked at Eltham with a mix of anxiety and apology. "I'm sorry." Eltham, deflated, let go, "It's okay. You rest up; I have some things to handle. I'll take you home later."
Brittany's rejection stung, and Eltham hurried away.
Brittany, left alone, sighed. Despite acknowledging Eltham's good qualities, her heart belonged to someone else.
Piper, noticing Eltham's distress, approached him with concern, glass in hand. "Eltham, are you alright?"
After a sip of his drink, Eltham, pained by Brittany's rejection, replied, "I'm fine."
Not convinced, Piper bit her lip, "Eltham, Brittany actually has someone she likes."
"How do you know?"
Eltham's gaze hardened. "She has someone? Who?"
Intimidated, Piper hesitated before revealing, "I heard it from the Lynette family's servants. She had a boyfriend before... even Knox Lynette found out about it..."
Eltham felt a jolt of unease.
No wonder Brittany had been so distant. But it didn't matter; their engagement was imminent. He believed that by treating Brittany even better post-engagement, she would come to love him.
"Piper, keep this between us," Eltham said. "She's going to be my fiancée, my future queen. This kind of information must not spread."
Piper's expression shifted dramatically, unable to comprehend Eltham's determination to proceed with the engagement despite knowing Brittany's heart lay elsewhere.