Principeesa Is So Gorgeous, and She’s No Longer Yours Chapter 01

Principeesa Is So Gorgeous, and She’s No Longer Yours Chapter 01

The next morning after I’d given myself to Leonardo Ferraro, my brother Arthur Moore suddenly announced that Leonardo had finally found a girlfriend and insisted we all go out for dinner to celebrate.

I thought Leonardo was going to use the occasion to make our relationship official. Instead, he showed up with another woman on his arm.

My eyes stung as I watched him cut steak for another girl. Just the night before, his voice had gone rough and breathless against my skin, whispering promises that he would take care of me for the rest of his life.

Completely oblivious to everything, Arthur smiled and asked, noticing my dazed look.

“Feeling jealous? You wanna start seeing someone yourself now?”

I blinked back the tears and forced a smile, nodding.

“Yeah, I am. Remember that guy the family’s been trying to set me up with?”

“I said I’m willing to go for it.”

Leonardo’s fork clattered onto his plate.

Arthur shot him a puzzled look. “Whoa man, you get yourself a girlfriend and suddenly your hands are all shaky holding your fork?”

A flicker of panic crossed Leonardo’s face and vanished in an instant. “Yeah. Just excited, that’s all.”

Elena gazed up at him with shy, tender eyes. “Quit it.”

He looked down at her, his tone full of indulgence. “Would it bother you if I wasn’t being totally sincere, huh?”

Elena gave his shoulder a playful shove.

Arthur covered his face dramatically, complaining they were laying on the PDA way too thick for him to watch.

I buried my head in my food, completely unaware that Leonardo kept glancing my way.

Arthur picked up the thread from earlier. “Char, were you serious about what you said?”

“Because if you’re not joking, I’ll set up a dinner with Kyson as soon as we get back.”

I tightened my grip on the spoon, took a sip of soup, and smiled.

“Dead serious.”

“Seeing how in love Leonardo and Elena are, it makes me want some of that too.”

I stressed the word “in love” deliberately. Leonardo’s hand paused mid-scoop.

Then he turned to Elena, voice soft. “Easy there, it’s still piping hot.”

Arthur beamed. “That’s what I like to hear. You’re gorgeous—you deserve a good, sweet relationship. I’ll text Kyson the minute we get home.”

Clang! The spoon clattered loudly against the table.

Leonardo’s voice came out low. “Sorry. Slipped.”

Elena grabbed his hand, worried. “Did you burn yourself?”

Arthur groaned again about being forced to watch lovebirds all night, joking that he’d never have brought me out if he’d known we’d end up eating dog food all night. Elena’s cheeks flushed bright red.

When the meal wound down, Elena stood and excused herself to the restroom. Arthur took a call and stepped out to move the car.

Suddenly, it was just the two of us.

Leonardo toyed with a lighter on the table, one eyebrow raised, his tone sharp and confrontational.

“Charlotte. Look at you, getting bold now.”

“You’re playing cat and mouse with me now, huh?”

The suppressed bitterness flooded back into my chest, tightening my heart with sour pain.

I forced a smile and managed, “What’s this? You can hand it out but can’t take what you dish back?”

Leonardo opened his mouth to respond—then caught sight of Elena returning through the doorway.

He threw me one quick line instead. “Don’t jump to conclusions. I’ll explain when we’re home.”

Then he got up and walked over to meet her, leaving me behind.

Elena shot me an apologetic look. “Charlotte, we’re going to head out now.”

I shook my head and told her not to worry.

Leonardo glanced back at me more than once on his way out. I kept my eyes lowered and didn’t meet his.