All Chapters of His Royal Slut: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Daniel barely made it through the palace gates before he was out of the car, long strides eating up the marble floors of the entrance hall. Servants scattered like startled birds at the sight of his face, dark, thunderous, jaw locked so tight it hurt. He didn’t wait for announcements or bows. He stormed straight toward the east wing where his parents kept their private quarters, the heavy wooden doors slamming open with a crack that echoed through the corridors. King Reginald and Queen Eleanor were in the sitting room, enjoying afternoon tea like the world wasn’t falling apart outside their gilded walls. His father looked up from a stack of documents, eyebrows raised. His mother set her porcelain cup down with elegant precision. “Daniel,” the King started calmly. “What is the meaning of this outburst?” “Where is he?” Daniel’s voice came out low and dangerous, fists clenched at his sides. “Where the hell is Raine?” His mother tilted her head slightly, the picture of innocent confus

The grand ballroom sparkled under the massive chandeliers, every surface polished to a mirror shine. Guests in elegant gowns and tailored tuxedos filled the space, laughter and conversation blending with the smooth melodies from the live orchestra. Daniel and Betty were the undeniable center of attention, just as expected. They moved through the crowd together, shaking hands, accepting compliments, and posing for the endless stream of official photographs. Betty looked radiant in her emerald gown, smiling warmly at dignitaries and flashing that practiced charm that had won over so much of the public. Daniel stood tall beside her in his formal black suit, the weight of the crown invisible but ever present on his shoulders. Everything ran smoothly, almost too perfectly. Toasts were made to the prosperity of Avanguard. Dances flowed across the floor. Daniel played his part well, nodding at the right moments, offering polite smiles, guiding Betty through a slow waltz under the glittering

Twenty minutes later, the apartment door flew open with so much force it banged against the wall and rattled the old hinges. Raine jumped up from the kitchen chair, heart leaping into his throat. Cole stood in the doorway, chest heaving like he’d sprinted up all three flights of stairs, eyes wide and already glistening with unshed tears. His hair was messier than usual, like he’d run his hands through it the whole drive over, and he was still wearing the faded hoodie he’d probably thrown on in a hurry. For a second, neither of them moved. Cole just stared, taking in Raine’s face, the expensive coat draped over the back of the chair, the way he looked older but somehow still exactly the same. “Raine?” Cole’s voice cracked on the name, barely above a whisper. Raine’s throat tightened. “Yeah… it’s me.” That broke the dam. Cole crossed the room in a few frantic steps and crashed into him, arms wrapping around Raine so tightly it almost hurt. His whole body shook as loud, ugly sobs tor

Cole sat frozen on the old couch, mouth hanging open like someone had just told him the sky was green. His eyes were wide, blinking slowly as he tried to wrap his head around what Raine had just dropped on him. The dusty apartment felt even smaller now, the weight of that one word “husband” pressing down on everything. Raine watched his best friend carefully, waiting for the explosion of questions or disbelief or maybe even anger. But Cole just stayed like that for a long moment, completely speechless.Finally, Cole let out a long breath and rubbed both hands over his face. “Husband,” he repeated, almost testing the word. “You’re telling me you’ve been legally married to Daniel Knight, this whole time? The same Daniel who broke your heart and let his family chase you out of the country? The actual King of Avanguard now?”Raine nodded, a tired but genuine smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Yeah. Crazy, right?”Cole let out a short, disbelieving laugh that turned into something

Cole dropped Raine off at the apartment building just as the streetlights flickered on along the quiet road. They hugged for a long time outside the car, Cole promising to come by the next day so they could talk more about the wedding and everything else. Raine watched his best friend drive away until the taillights disappeared around the corner, then headed upstairs alone.The apartment felt different at night. Emptier. The dust in the corners caught the moonlight coming through the windows, and the silence pressed in from all sides. Raine locked the door behind him, kicked off his shoes, and stood in the middle of the living room for a while, just breathing. The day had been a whirlwind, seeing Cole again, the emotional reunion, the glimpse of Betty in the mall, the heavy conversation over dinner. It all sat heavy in his chest now that he was alone with his thoughts.He moved to the bedroom eventually, not bothering to turn on the main light. Just the small lamp on the nightstand. H