Ready to Rule: The Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 125

Lucinda had barely taken the lunch Grace brought when her phone buzzed with a message from Paige.

Congratulations?

For what?

She stared at the screen, confused. Still, she replied, trying to sound casual. [Yeah, Connor’s been discharged.]

Right now, nobody could know she wasn’t the real Norwood heiress. And it was even more important that no one found out Lydia had already replaced her as Connor’s fiancée.

Paige sent back a laughing emoji. [Don’t play innocent, I already heard! Connor cleared out the whole second floor of the Royal Hotel just for you. He’s putting in serious effort. Was it super romantic up there? Is he going to propose?]

Lucinda froze, shocked. Connor was at the Royal Hotel? He reserved the entire restaurant?

Was he there with Lydia? Were they having a date?

Her face turned pale. The beautiful lunch in front of her suddenly looked bland and unappetizing. She lost all interest in eating.

She quickly typed back, [Paige, are you at the Royal Hotel too?]

Paige replied, [Yeah, I came with some friends but the front desk said the whole second floor’s reserved by Connor and his girlfriend. Lucinda, I’m honestly so jealous. Your fiancé is gorgeous, powerful, and totally in love with you.]

That only made Lucinda more determined to keep hiding the truth.

She sent a blushing emoji, then wrote, [Paige, you’ll meet your Prince Charming too, I promise.]

Paige replied, [I’ll take that blessing from you. I won’t interrupt your date any longer. Bye!]

Lucinda responded with a simple, [Yeah.]

At last, Paige was gone, but Lucinda’s hands were shaking as she gripped her phone. She clenched both fists, feeling a wave of anger.

He hit decline without a second thought.

Lydia noticed and raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t you answer?”

Connor rushed to explain, “I don’t really know her. Please don’t get the wrong idea.”

Lydia laughed quietly. “You don’t need to explain yourself so quickly. She’s always thought of you as her fiancé. Even if you did like her, I wouldn’t say anything.”

Connor’s heart skipped a beat. He looked at Lydia, serious. “Lydia, I swear, before you came back, I never met her alone. We only ever saw each other at family gatherings, always with other people around. We never even talked. The only reason I have her number is because everyone was adding each other during New Year’s, and I must have added hers by accident. I’ll delete her right now.”

“You don’t have to…”

Lydia didn’t even finish before Connor deleted Lucinda’s contact in front of her. He looked at Lydia and promised, “Lydia, this is the first time in my life I’ve ever had a one-on-one date with a woman. You’re the only one I’ve ever been this close to. And from now on, you’ll always be the only one.”