matter anymore because you are kicked out of the royal family. I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to do it or by what means, but you have meddled with not just one, not just two, but three serious relationships. Luckily your grandchildren are stronger than you think and we all see what you done… But you have caused so much chaos and turmoil between the Løve siblings and those that we are partnered with. It's time that you retire from royal life and go live out your remaining years in solitude. Somewhere far away from Copenhagen.”
She lifts her chin and scoffs. “You don't have the authority to do anything like that.”
I give her a cool little smile. “Enjoy the last days of your royal reign. Because I have Stellan on my side and now it's just a matter of figuring out how to strip you of your title and remove you from our ranks.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “You wouldn't.”
I make my way toward the door, my hands still punched into fists. “I've already done it. This is just a courtesy, letting you know that it's already been done. So with that, I feel like we have nothing left to say to each other. Goodbye, Momse.”
I pull the door open, stepping outside. I hear Momse’s plaintive voice, trying to pull me back in.
“Lars… Lars! You can't do this…”
I march down the palace halls, heading for Stellan's office. I knock on his door.
“Come in,” he calls.
I enter his little study, finding him and Erik sitting on the long couches that bracket the fireplace. Stellan raises a brow at me.
“Was it good? Do you feel remotely better now that you finally told Momse to fuck off?”
I walk to the same couch as Stellan, collapsing on it with a sigh. “I think it would've felt good if I didn't have so much else to worry about. Is there any word about Pippa's location?”
Erik squints toward the window. “I think if you really wanted to find her, you probably could. There are ways. But the question is, does she want to be found?”
“And what are you going to do with her once you find her?” Stellan chimes in.
I blow out of breath. “That's a good question. All the papers have pictures of Pippa plastered across the covers, with headlines that call her a liar and a fallen princess. I think that she was at least partially right in the fact that she shouldn't hold her breath, waiting for the royal family to forgive her for her sins.”
“Can I make a suggestion? Retire from public life.” His gaze slides to Stellan. “I know that you like having Pippa around to do some handwaving, but I think if you allow him to retire from public life, he can still get married eventually.”
Stellan grunts. “I think he is right. As much as it pains me to say it, I don't think that we can have you being married to Pippa and still be a member of the royal family. You'll still receive your inheritance, I think. But you would not represent us anymore.”
He shrugs. Erik nods his head.
I take a deep breath, sighing loudly. “I hate that I have to be worried about what I feel is something too advanced for our relationship. Like, I think that in the normal course of things, we wouldn't even mention marriage. But I got the ball rolling by fake proposing to her…”
“I'm still mad at you about that, as an aside.” Stellan jabs his finger at me.
“Get in line. There's nothing that you can say that I probably haven't thought myself.”
“What are you going to do to win her back?” Erik asks again. “You need to figure out the grand gesture. Something that will make her realize how much she needs you in her life. Because I guarantee you right now, she is doing the math and sorting out whether you are worth it.”
I shoot him a glare. “I hadn't really thought about it. I'm just focused on finding her.
Stellan fishes his phone out of his pocket, frowning at the screen. “Well, it looks like the girls found Pippa. I don't know how, but I'm glad that Pippa is safe and sound.”
I blow out a breath. “She's all right? Where is she?”
Stellan looks up at me. Margot says that the three of them are talking things through. So if I tell you, I need you to promise that you are not going to just immediately rush over there.