I grow embraced. “I don’t know. What if she can’t accept my lifestyle? I mean, the media scrutiny is already intense and we aren’t even publicly a couple. What if she says yes and then changes her mind in a couple of months?”
He shakes his head. “If that happens, you can deal with it together. Don’t be a fool. Take this risk, son.”
I look down at my lap. He’s right, of course. I have been a fucking idiot. I love Margot so deeply that she haunts my dreams.
“It’s a big risk,” I say, my voice growing rough. “But you are right… I have to put it all on the line. Otherwise she might leave Denmark altogether. And that… that would just crush me.”
My father smiles. “Good. In that case… I think you are ready to read today’s issue ofPolitiken.” He pushes his chair back and stands, gesturing to a servant. “Bring him the newspaper, will you?”
The servant scuttles forward, offering me the newspaper on a platter. I frown and accept it, noticing the photo on the main page a few seconds later.
It’s a gorgeous portrait of Margot, her expression sad. A tear tracks down her face as she contemplates her hands.
The headline is simple. Dear Stellan, I love you.
My heart starts pounding. “What is this?”
My father touches my shoulder as he heads inside. “I’ll leave you to read it by yourself.”
“Thanks,” I murmur, unfolding the newspaper. Margot’s letter is printed just below the fold. Not quite believing what I’m seeing, I start to read.
Dear Stellan,
We met one warm summer night in New York City. The attraction was instant, the chemistry between us so potent that a few sparks grew into a raging, untenable fire.
I knew from that moment — you were special somehow.
When I arrived in Copenhagen, I hated you. Or at least I thoughtI did. The news of us being tied together — me as the journalist, you as the subject of my research — hit us both hard.
I come from nothing. You come from the kind of privilege and wealth that makes my head spin. And yet… we found common ground.
You let me in. I dropped my shields, became vulnerable with you.
And somewhere deep inside, a begrudging respect turned into a breathless, wild, restless kind of love. It wasn’t my choice.
I couldn’t help but fall in love with you, my wicked prince. The world tried to turn us against each other… wanted us to dance to its beat.
I thought I couldn’t do it. I ran, I hid. But in my heart of hearts, I know one thing is absolutely true: I will move mountains for you. I will walk across endless deserts, dive into the deepest oceans.
My love for you knows no bounds.
Now I stand here waiting, holding my breath, hoping desperately that you will read this… and you will meet me at Fredericksberg Gardens today. I’ll be there at three in the afternoon, and I’ll wait all day for you.
I hope to see you there, Stellan.
With undying love,
Margot
I sit back, floored. If there was ever a doubt about anything related to Margot, now I know exactly how she feels. She’s assumed so much of the risk without realizing that I was only steps behind her.
God, I love her so much, it makes me feel sick. It is almost overwhelming in the entirety of it, hitting me like a tidal wave on an otherwise perfectly calm day at the beach.
I stand up, tucking the newspaper by my side.
“Well?”
I turn to find my father and my mother standing at the doorway of the terrace, looking expectant. My neck heats.
