Temptation

Chapter Twelve: Monarch in Hiding

A/N: This is called Monarch in Hiding because in the first few paragraphs, we learn something that changes this whole story. We'll find out more about a certain character. And we'll see some growth. There is mention of sexual assault in this chapter. Please do not read if you are triggered by sexual assault and violence.

Thank you for sticking around! See y'all soon!

~CasuallyMe

Monarch in Hiding

There were two days left before Christmas and Carlie couldn't wait. She sat in Trenton's living room in London, and sighed. She opted to stay home while he and Christine ran out to pick up his siblings from the airport. They'd all flown to Charlotte the week before, and spent a week there before flying back to London to have Christmas with Trenton and his new girlfriend and baby.

Carlie was ever nervous. She was meeting Trenton's brothers, his sister, their spouses, his mother, and all his nieces and nephews. She was prepared, but what she wasn't prepared for was the bomb that was dropped when they landed in London. After their three months of being in a relationship, Trenton had neglected to let Carlie in on one fact: he was the tenth in line to the English throne. His "house" was actually a castle— a big one— a gigantic, huge one.

When they pulled into the driveway, Trenton finally spilled the beans and let Carlie in on what his true position was in relation to the monarchy. She was astounded but more so irritated with the fact that he didn't tell her. She didn't know that, in any crazy event, Trenton could be called to be the king over all of England, and she'd be forced to drop her job and be at the country's beck and call. That kind of information was needed when in a serious relationship.

Trenton tried explaining to Carlie that he didn't tell her when they met because he didn't want her to use him like his last serious girlfriend did. That hurt her, too. She hated being compared to that woman more than anything when it came to him. It bothered her beyond imagine. From that moment on, Trenton spilled his guts to Carlie. He explained it this way:

When his mother was beaten and his father left, they were penniless. His mother hadn't spoken to her father's side of the family in years, and she vowed to not unless she was in a bad situation. Your husband leaving you high and dry with four kids without a dime was a bad situation, and she needed a place for her and her child to stay, seeing as the others were at university. She called her grandmother and her grandmother gave her a castle, more money than she needed, and a push out the door, making Suzan, Trenton's mother, swear to never contact them again. That was until ten years ago when Trenton suddenly became tenth in line. His life chanced and he was thrown into a completely new world.

He had to dress, act, and live a certain way; a way Carlie was sure didn't involve being with a newly divorced woman and adopting her child. It was strange, this new edge of him, but it wasn't enough to push Carlie away. She was upset, sure, but she would get over it. She had to— he couldn't change his destiny.

"Honey!" Shouted Trenton through the large castle. He looked ahead of him and saw his beautiful girlfriend staring back at him with a cup of tea in her hand, undoubtedly dressed with sugar instead of honey like he liked his.

"Oh my goodness! Are you Carlie?!" Screeched an older woman. Carlie stood and nodded, stretching her hand toward the woman.

"Yes ma'am. I'm Carlie," she grinned. Suddenly, the woman slammed into Carlie with a hug as she giggled. Trenton was right— she loved to hug and hug tight.