On The Brink of Death

"Honey."

"Darling."

"Boo."

"Sweetie."

"Babe."

"Dearest."

"Sweetheart."

"Bae."

"Sweeting."

The two passed around endearing and affectionate nicknames, seeming fully engrossed in each other, that being the whole story. The charade went on like this until the food was served.

Sophia looked at her food in horror and disgust, glaring at Emilia. How dare she.

Right in front of her was a Beldovian delicacy. Beldovian lobster bisque.

It wasn't as if it looked unappetizing, or disgusting. What was the true problem was what her dish was made off. And what its effects would do to her.

"Emilia, you shouldn't have," Sophia said with a fake smile.

She didn't happen to notice Nicholas shooting her a worried glance as she was too focused on making sure Emilia got her message.

"Choosing what I'd eat for me, how kind of you," Sophia's eyes twitched.

Louis shrunk back. Clarisse suddenly seemed interested in the platter of assorted means across her. Julia looked as if she wanted to hurl her glass of wine to her horrid daughter-in-law.

Nicholas found it odd Sophia made such a deal of Emilia simply choosing what she'd eat. If only he knew.

Once Sophia rested her gaze at Nicholas, he shot her a confused look. She took her hand away from his.

As her response, she told Emilia, "I do hope you remember my allergy to lobsters next time around. If memory serves you right, the last time I ate a dish with that ingredient with you in that same vicinity, you know where I ended up, don't you?"

Nicholas looked at Louis, who shifted his feet uncomfortably.

With him looking extremely uncomfortable, Nicholas assumed the worst.

In turn, Louis stared at Emilia, who hadn't responded to Sophia's previous… reminder.

"Oh!" Emilia exclaimed, not looking the least bit regretful nor apologetic. She didn't bother hiding the fact that she didn't forget about her allergy, especially since it was evident she'd prepared well for this same situation.

"My bad, I'm so terrible at remembering these kinds of trivial things," she said, that being her atrocious attempt of mustering a 'proper' apology.

She'd nearly placed her stepdaughter on the brink of death. Yes, death. Her last encounter with lobster had landed her in the emergency room, fighting for her life. And that was the very first time she'd eaten the crustacean.

With the tension in the air thick enough to be able to be cut with a knife, Emilia announced, "Before we dig in, I've an announcement to impart!"

"I'll be holding a joyous going away ball tomorrow noon for my lovely nieces and you're all invited and welcome to attend!" She declared, looking over fondly at Sheila and Kiara, who were to depart for university soon.

Unlike Sophia, who'd manage to attend the most prestigious university the world had to offer mainly from her smarts and intelligence, Kiara and Sheila were left to use their aunt's connections to get into a barely adequate university willing to accept them.

From the gloomy and irate mood everyone was previously in, they were cheered up with the amazing news that their two least-liked viscountesses would be leaving.

Nicholas was relieved he wouldn't have two mangy viscountesses attempting to court him. They were extremely tiresome, and their absence would greatly help the ruse.

Of course, Sophia was delighted by the news that Emilia's nieces were leaving as well, who wouldn't?

Sophia smiled slightly, still left to starve as her only dish for lunch would've landed her in the emergency room and would have left her on the brink of death.

Nicholas stared at his own dish prepared specially for him, having not eaten since morning.

Julia eyed him, proud.

He had his manners in check, not eating despite being famished.

The others had dug in, whilst Sophia inhaled sharply.

She was appalled to see Nicholas twining his hand in hers.

Her shocked expression was answered when Nicholas whispered to her, "All part of the ruse, remember?"

She had a slightly relieved look, nodding.

"Right."

Clarisse had accidentally dropped one of her cutlery, refusing help from a nearby staff member as she bent over to pick it up, only to coincidentally see Sophia and Nicholas holding hands.

She stifled a grin, biting her lip in the process.

"Have you fallen already or what?" She asked.

She nudged Louis - him also being a friend of hers.

"Look," was all she had to say.

Louis' jaw dropped.

"Are they…"

"Seems so," Clarisse whispered back.

Sophia and Nicholas had taken a step further, engaging in conversation.

"Yet another ball," Sophia said, bored out of her mind.

Was she to act as if she was having actual fun?

"Two days in and the temptation to return back to where I came from hasn't decreased thus far," Sophia said dejectedly.

Nicholas looked at her, "Is it always this hectic when you and Emilia are at the palace?"

Sophia stared at him as a response.

"Not always," she mumbled aloud.

"Besides, you're to come to tomorrow's ball with me," Sophia reminded him harshly.

Her voice seemed to soften and sounded strained as she told him next, "After all, it's all just a part of the ruse, right?"

Her voice was filled with all kinds of emotions, ones she'd tried to keep secret.

Nicholas looked at Sophia, "And balls are in the ruse, yes."

Emilia cleared her throat, gathering the attention of everyone else at the patio table.

She peered at Nicholas.

"Your royal highness, how long exactly have you known my… stepdaughter?" She asked, subconsciously glancing at Sheila and Kiara who looked depressed the entire luncheon. What was supposed to be a chance for them to get to know Nicholas better, not that they were any successful.

"About 2 days," Nicholas answered coldly, having no emotion whilst speaking to Emilia. He had no tolerance for the same woman who treated Julia - and Sophia, not that he'd admit - as if they were dirt.

"And how much of her would you say you'd know about?" Emilia asked curiously.

Sophia clenched her fist.

Louis trembled.

He muttered, 'Oh.'