All Chapters of Royal Rivalry : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

49 Chapters

Words that cut

Rowan’s POVI've been a regular when it comes to sleepless nights but last night was a discovery. I kept seeing Theo every time I closed my eyes. As if that was not enough, the punishment had shifted from cleaning to supervising the visitors. What is the work of a librarian or a library officer? Why should I sit here and wait for students to check in and out? The punishment thing was getting on my nerves but it did less to what Theo was going to me. This morning, I was hoping Theo would come up with some explanation and maybe an apology. But nothing came. He didn't even come close at all. He hadn’t looked at me, not to mention making eye contact. Even when I arrived at the library, he didn't acknowledge my presence, not even by accident. I was as if my existence was erased from his memory. Even when I shifted in my seat to get his attention, he shifted away. If I stood near a shelf, he moved to the opposite side. He was avoiding me like I carried something contagious.Leonie was

My chaotic friends

Theo’s POVSince the kiss happened, I've been blaming myself for the awkwardness between us. How would I explain it to Rowan when I don't even understand it myself. The situation with Rowan was similar to the reason I landed in Hillsborough two years ago. I was involved with a boy, his parents caught him, my parents denied it and changed my school immediately. Ever since then, I've pretended to live a carefree life. A life free from the guilt of ruining that boy's life. To be honest, I thought I had mastered the lifestyle. I thought I had become the person I've been pretending to be. But it was just a lie I've been telling myself. It was just a facade. And that facade was slowly fading away since Rowan's arrival. “It was all a game,” I told myself countless times. “I just want him to join my friend clique,” I lied to myself. Now, it was none of it. And excuses can't work for me anymore. But I'll do my best to pretend because pretending is what saves me from my cruel reality. I w

Drawing the lines

Rowan’s POVI couldn’t believe what I had just heard. The words kept replaying in my head long after Julian and the others left the library.Theo is into girls? The way Leonie said it was certain that I couldn't mistake what I heard. And Theo… the idiot hadn’t denied any of it. He just sat there like a statue. My hands moved automatically as I stacked books back onto the shelves, but my mind wasn’t in the library anymore.It was trapped somewhere between the lies and the truth. Between the way Theo kissed me and the fact that he wasn't even gay. For heaven's sake, was he playing me? Is this still a game to him? Was that why he asked me to forget everything that happened?The thought made my stomach twist.If this was really a game to him, if he had really fooled me, I would pay him back in ten folds. I would make sure he regrets messing with me. “Rowan?”Leonie’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts.I looked up.She was slinging her bag over her shoulder.“What?” I asked, calmly.

A friend or a foe

Rowan’s POVI can't say ‘finally’ yet, but I'm kind of free from Theo's deceit. Maybe another, maybe not in this life, Theo and I would agree on something and we'll get it right. But right now, I'm going back to the life I chose for myself. The quiet and stay-out-of-trouble lifestyle. As I stepped out of the library, the air outside felt colder than it should have. Maybe it was just me overthinking it. I walked down the corridor with my hands shoved into my pocket, thinking that my life would become peaceful without Theo in it. I won't have to worry about not understanding him when he doesn't even explain anything to me. ‘You wouldn’t understand.’ The words irritated me as I thought about them.If he had just explained his reasons, fine. But the constant half-answers… talking in circles…and the excuses. It felt like I was trying to grab smoke.It's not like I'm perfect when it comes to my feelings. In fact, I've never felt anything for anyone. But it has been clear to me a long tim

Bellemare in trouble

Theo’s POVIt was as if I was in a dream… no, a nightmare. I can't even get myself to control my movements as I paced around my room for what seemed like the hundredth time in just a few minutes. I went from the window to the desk, from the desk to the door, again and again as I tried to process what my mother just said. I pressed my phone tightly against his ear like if I dare loosen it, I'll miss out on what she was saying. At the same time, my free hand ran through my hair as restless frustration gnawed at me. “Say that again,” I requested. My mother’s voice came through the line. It was calm but at the same time strained in a way I had never heard before.“We are being accused of accepting bribes,” she repeated. Theo stopped pacing. “For what?” I asked. “For political influence,” she answered. My jaw tightened. “From who?”“Espanol.”My gaze moved to the floor like the answer might be written there.“That’s impossible,” I managed to say. “I know, son.”“Then why is anyone

No longer a secret

Theo’s POVI couldn't go for dinner. I didn't know how to face my friends when I knew I was hiding something big from them. That aside, I didn't even think I could bring myself to swallow food without throwing up. The thought of my family in crisis wasn't something I could digest quickly. Even my room had become so tight that it couldn't contain my thoughts anymore. As I replayed the conversation I had with my mother, I couldn't help but rain curses on Valecourt. “Those fucking bastards,” I spat. “They had the nerve to come for my family.”But why? Valecourt has power. Their association swam in wealth and resources. What did a French royal family have that interested them so much?And my father too. He was so careless. Why would he stupidly get drunk during a diplomatic meeting? What the fuck was he thinking. I knew I was not supposed to curse but I couldn't hold on to the rage boiling inside me. I couldn't bring myself to mince my words. Not in this situation.What would people t

The Rumor

Rowan’s POVWhen they said the earth is moving, they were not talking about the earth as a planet. I think they were referring to the dwellers' life in general. How could one's life change so quickly? One minute, you could be living a quiet life, next minute, your life could get chaotic without a good reason. That is what I could say about Theo's current situation. There's no other way to describe it than that. As I stepped into the dining hall, it was louder than usual.It wasn’t the normal kind of loud. It wasn’t laughter or the usual arguments about wealth and sports. This felt different.Lower voices. Whispers. Clusters of students leaning closer together like they were sharing secrets.I couldn't help but notice it immediately as I walked in.Ignoring them, I grabbed a tray but my eyes scanned the room, instead of the food. The second thing I noticed was that Theo’s table was empty.Julian, Noah, and Louis were there, but Theo’s seat was untouched.A small wave of disappoint

Whisper becoming audible

Theo’s POVI heard the rumor before I even left my room.I had barely stepped into the hallway when two first year students hurried past me, whispering loudly.“…Rowan slammed his hands on the table…”“…told everyone to shut up…”“…the way he defended Theo…”Defended me?I slowed down, trying to get the full gist. But the boys stopped talking the moment they noticed me. One of them even muttered an awkward greeting before they both rushed down the corridor.I frowned slightly at the idea of being the topic for gossip. I thought I had prepared myself for the whispers but I wasn't. Or maybe I wasn't prepared for the reason behind those particular whispers. By the time I reached the staircase, the whispers had multiplied. Students were talking in corners. Groups of them stopped mid-conversation when I walked by.A few people stared longer than usual.I was used to attention. Being a prefect meant people watched you, but this felt different. This felt like they were trying to look throug

Spectacle of judgement

Theo’s POVI sat stiffly as I stared at the glowing screen of a phone someone had shoved into my face minutes ago. Even after the screen went dark, the video kept replaying in my mind.Two silhouettes pressed against each other, kissing. The video wasn't perfectly clear, but was clear enough for anyone who knew us. Across the hall, whispers rippled like wind through dry leaves.“They said it was Theo…”“And Rowan…”“Marcus said something was going on between them…”I clenched my jaw so tightly that it hurt.First, it was my family.Now this.How did everything fall apart so fast?I dragged a hand down my face, trying to breathe, but the air felt heavy in my lungs.Just days ago my biggest problem had been avoiding Rowan. Now the entire school was watching my life unravel like a show on display. My phone buzzed on the table.Messages.Dozens of them from classmates, from numbers I didn’t recognize. From people who just wanted to watch the drama unfold.I flipped the phone face down.

Separation

Theo’s POVThe moment I noticed Principal Whitcombe standing at the entrance of the dining hall, my heart began to pound. She didn't approach us, neither did she make an attempt to. She just stood there, watching us like it was a reality show. The entire hall seemed to notice her at the same time because conversations died down one after another until the room fell into an uneasy silence. Even the clatter of cutlery stopped.Principal Whitcombe’s gaze moved slowly across the room before settling on me and Rowan again. “Theo and Rowan,” she called. Her voice echoed across the hall.“Come with me.”That was all she said, but the tone in her voice left no room for argument.As I stepped away from the table, I could practically feel hundreds of eyes burning into my back. Rowan moved beside me.Neither of us said anything. Leonie didn’t say anything as we passed her, but her glare followed me like a warning.As we walked across the dining hall, whispers started again.“They’re in tro

1 2 3 4 5

SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP