When Mila finds out she's pregnant from a one-night stand with a reluctant prince, she is thrust into a fake romance with him; are her feelings that grow for him genuine or for his way of life that ensures her baby stability?|| Down-on-her-luck Mila...
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A Few Days Later
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Birthdays never meant much to me after my eighteenth. They say your twenty-first is meant to be special, but it wasn't to me. Annie, Patrick and Dad made a fuss, obviously, and I got lovely presents, but it wasn't this amazing all-week bender and blowout that social media makes you think it is. It was a homemade cake from Dad, a lot of presents from my family, and a big dinner out. It was way better than I would've imagined, but it didn't mean much in the long run. I didn't feel different, I didn't behave differently. I assume that's how birthdays are meant to feel anyway: a bit special, but no magical feeling or behaviour.
Something about today does feel special and different, though.
When I woke up, though my family left two days ago, they all video-called me to sing Happy Birthday. They'd gifted me presents while they were here, including a few charms for my bracelet, and Dad had left a homemade cake in the freezer that's now defrosting. Kai had got a chef in to make me a full English breakfast before I had to get ready for the engagement this morning. Kai told me a couple of days ago we're opening an art museum that's just had a major refurbishment in London, which coincides with them starting an exhibition from a local artist in Southampton – ironically, it's by a girl named Laura who I went to school with. I never really made friends with her, but I recognised the name and face when I looked her up.
As we approach the museum, there's a little traffic, but we can see the large crowd of media and press outside, along with a large line of the public. A few people are holding happy birthday banners with my name on them.
"How does the public know it's my birthday? We haven't announced it," I ask.
"It's funny what the press can dig up when they want to," Kai says simply. He grabs my hand. "You okay?"
I nod. "Yeah, I'm fine. Is it protocol to stop and talk to people?"
"No, we don't have to. If you want to, we can, but we're not obliged."
"I mean, the press, not so much, but the public has been clearly waiting for us. It's a nice thing to do, especially if they've got birthday banners."
He grins. "See? Fitting into this life like a duck to water. It's your birthday and you want to give back to the people."
I snort. "If you wanna go down that alley, I trained as a nurse, it's in my nature to give."
"Don't think I've forgotten, by the way. I plan on giving you your gift later. The chef is making you dinner as well."
I roll my eyes. "You don't have to make a fuss for me."
