SWNOVELS Chapter 1116
"Eltham, have you lost your mind? You know she's not into you" Piper had never, in her wildest dreams, imagined that Eltham would propose to Brittany under these circumstances. "Piper."
Eltham's expression remained calm. He genuinely wasn't bothered by whether Brittany had feelings for someone else. He believed that with enough time, he could make her fall for him. "Is there something you're not telling me?"
Piper whispered, her mind racing with countless possibilities. Maybe it was the Queen applying pressure.
Or perhaps, he needed the Lynette family's wealth to bolster his position.
"Nothing of the sort." Eltham thought Piper's imagination was running wild, shaking his head with sincerity in his eyes: "Piper, I like her."
Boom-
Piper's mental defenses shattered completely.
"In fact, it was me who asked my mother to arrange the marriage."
Eltham had never shared this with anyone else. Growing up with Piper and viewing her almost as a sister, he confided: "So, I don't mind if she has someone she likes. I believe I have the capability to win her affection—" Piper's face turned a shade of deep discomfort. She had always comforted herself thinking Eltham was coerced into the engagement with Brittany, never considering that Eltham might have developed genuine feelings for Brittany! Eltham failed to notice Piper's discomfort, his mind, and heart already devoted to Brittany.
"Let's put an end to this matter."
Piper mustered a weak smile, "Alright, this ends here."
After exchanging a few more words, Eltham departed.
Piper watched him walk over to Brittany. Brittany seemed tired, and Eltham, showing concern, escorted her away.
There were no displays of affection between them.
But Eltham's attentiveness towards her made Piper lose her grip on rationality.
Having grown up alongside Eltham, she couldn't understand why, after all these years, he had never looked her way with affection, yet he fell for Brittany, a woman with a child, what did he see in her!
Fuming, Piper stormed off the event venue and called a private investigator, her voice seething with rage, "I don't care what you have to do, dig up everything on Brittany. I want to know it all!"
If Brittany had someone she liked, they couldn't possibly not meet!
Proving that Brittany was two-timing would ensure the royal family would never accept her as a daughter-in-law!
...
Eltham was concerned for Brittany's health on their way back, "Bri, let's get you to a clinic for a full check-up soon, help you get back on track."
Brittany had always had a sensitive stomach, and he was worried.
Brittany was reluctant to undergo any examination but feared outright refusal might be suspicious. After some thought, she proposed, "There's no need for you to arrange anything. I'll go to the Lynette Conglomerate's private clinic in a few days. If you're free, you could accompany me then." To avoid any suspicion about the medical results.
Eltham sensed her wariness, feeling a bit disheartened yet concealing it well.
"Bri, do you not like me much?"
Brittany was taken aback, not expecting Eltham to broach this subject.
Their private moments never involved discussions of love or affection, mostly preparations for public appearances and maintaining a facade of a loving couple.
Under the dim night sky, Eltham felt a chill seep into his bones, a discomfort that started at his fingertips and spread to his heart. He licked his lips, struggling to find words, "Actually, it was me who-" "You're overthinking it."
Brittany had a grim premonition, fearing his next words would unsettle her.
"Our engagement was the Queen's doing." Brittany answered truthfully: "It wasn't our choice. You might not even like me, and getting along peacefully is already quite an achievement."
Expecting love and harmony in an arranged marriage was almost an impossibility.
Eltham, a member of the royal family, should be more aware of this than her.
Marriage wasn't about love; it was a transaction.
Eltham's care and attention towards her were prompted by the Queen orchestrating their marriage. Could it be that Eltham actually harbored affection for her?
Brittany wasn't lacking in self-confidence, but she couldn't see how she, a woman with a child, would be chosen by a royal heir, if not for being the sole daughter of the Lynette family. Without that status, Eltham likely wouldn't have noticed her at all.