Another One (Book 3 of selection fanfics)

Chapter 29

I tried to close my gaping mouth but my jaw was locked into place. "Liana?" I repeated again, still in utter shock.

"The one and only," she spoke jokingly, a playful grin lasting for only a brief moment, before her expression turned wary. She rose from my bed, the fabric of her ivory gown rippling softly in the light breeze coming in from the slightly open balcony window. Her bronzed skin looked healthy, the tan giving her a relaxed, at-ease glow. Clearly, Italy and Prince Samuele had been treating her well.

"Nice dress," I managed to choke out, frankly at a loss for words. I still couldn't believe it was Liana, Liana sitting in my room. I hadn't seen her in months, not since before New Year's Eve and it's cataclysmic turn of events.

Blushing, she peered down at the gown and wrapped herself in her arms, as if to hide both she and its finery. "I was at dinner with Sam and his family. We only just received news that you'd returned to the palace—the minute I heard I begged for him to send me over. The plane arrived only a couple hours ago."

It struck me, the ease with which the Italian prince's name rolled off her tongue. Until Derek had told me of their secret relationship, I'd gone home believing that my friend and the arrogant, permanently smirking prince hated each other's guts.

"D-does anybody else know you're here?" I stammered.

Liana took a small step forward and I could see the concern in her eyes. That night, that fateful night, she had slipped away with Prince Samuele while I mourned my dead sister. I didn't hold a grudge—I had had no idea of the nature of their relationship and for all I knew, Liana may not have even heard of Amber's death until after she'd arrived in Italy.

"The King and Queen, of course. Sam is waiting for Derek in his room. His parents are angry that he came back to Illéa with everything that's happened, but he didn't like the idea of me being here without him," Liana paused. "I just...I wanted to see you. I missed you, Erika."

My shoulders sagged, the tension releasing in them. "I missed you too."

And with those words, Liana rushed to wrap me in a bone-crushing hug that reminded me again how much I'd missed her presence.

After a few moments, Liana pulled away and looked at me with heartfelt sadness in her eyes. "Erika, I-I'm so sorry about your sister. If I'd known, I would have stayed. I would have beat Derek's ass for hurting you, for throwing you out."

"I know you would have," I squeezed her hand, remembering the many, many times she'd backed me up when it came to Derek. I sat down on the edge of my bed, Liana doing the same. "It's-It's been hard."

"I know how much you loved her. I wish I'd gotten to know her better," she sighed and bit her bottom lip in thought. "And everything with your brother...I know how much that blindsided you. No matter what the tabloids say, I know you had no idea."

I wrung my hands together, not quite able to look her in the eyes. I had avoided talking about Aidan for a long time now. Back home, if anyone had even uttered his name, even on accident, my mother would burst into tears and run into another room. Amber wasn't the only sibling I'd lost that night; we'd all lost my older brother, too. Even though he was still alive, as far as I knew, I couldn't imagine how he could find his way back to my family after his actions and the consequences that had resulted from them.

"I wonder, sometimes, if I could have prevented it. That I should have known he wasn't being truthful," I spoke after a moment. "But none of my family saw it coming."

"I'm sorry for everything that happened. And...I'm sorry, too. For not telling you about Sam." Liana's eyes were downcast and she fidgeted with her skirt nervously.