Captured and Crowned by Janette Kenny Page B

she’d been unfaithful to her betrothal vows.
    With a married man!
    â€œThe scandal has risen and ebbed over the years, though the last time it was briefly in the news was when Demetria Andreou was six years old,” the reporter said. “That’s when she was nicknamed ‘scandal’s daughter.’ A cruel insult then,but now we’ve learned that the daughter has followed in her mother’s footsteps. Only this time with royalty!”
    No! This could not be happening.
    â€œHow could they know?” Kristo bit out, infuriated to hear a sensationalized version of his tryst on the beach with Demetria, of them betraying his brother. How they’d conspired to gain the crown together. “All lies! Who is responsible for this?”
    Vasos pressed his thick lips together. “I’ve yet to discover the source.”
    â€œKeep at it. I want a name.”
    And he hoped to hell that name was Demetria Andreou!
    He burst from his apartment and stormed down the hall to her suite, pushing open the door without bothering to knock. “Turn on your—”
    The barked order withered on his tongue, for the TV was already on and the same reporter he’d listened to was wrapping up her shocking story. “We are sure there will be more breaking news out of Angyra soon. Stay tuned!”
    â€œThis is a nightmare,” Demetria said, her complexion gray and her eyes wide with shock.
    â€œIt is far worse than that,” he said, dreading what the repercussions would be on Angyra. “Who the hell did you tell about us?”
    She clutched her head with both hands and sank onto the sofa, her face growing ghostly pale. “My sister. When I returned to the guesthouse that day she saw me and knew I’d been with a man. I tried to put off her questions, but she thought I’d been forced. She threatened to raise the guard. So I had to tell her the partial truth or she’d have caused an uproar.”
    And the truth would have come out then. In hindsight, that would have been preferable.
    Kristo drove his fingers through his hair and swore. He’dsuspected someone close to Demetria had leaked this incident to the press, but he’d never guessed it would be her sister.
    â€œWhich she’s done anyway, one year later.” He planted his feet wide and glared at her. “Why would she do such a thing? Doesn’t she realize the trouble this will cause you?”
    â€œI suspect she’s lashing out in anger because she won’t be able to spend time at the show with me,” she said, a dark flush staining her cheekbones. “Six months or more before the King died, I promised her that she could act as one of my models.”
    When she’d thought she’d have time before she would have to become Queen. But his father’s death had slammed the door on those plans.
    â€œShe was upset when I told her I’d asked if you’d allow me this one show, but you’d refused.”
    He had. The very idea was preposterous.
    â€œYour sister should realize that it was not your decision to make,” he said. “Why bring this humiliation and shame down on you now? What did she hope to gain?”
    â€œI doubt she thought that through,” she said. “She’s angry to have lost the chance to model and so she’s sought to make me suffer as well.”
    â€œSuffer is putting it mildly.” He paced before the cold hearth, outraged that her sister had brought this shame down on them, furious that Demetria had yet to show her own anger at her sibling. “Your sister has insulted the future Queen of Angyra. She’s insulted the King!”
    She flinched and turned a frightful shade of white. “As I said before, I am sure she never considered the repercussions.”
    He was not so sure. This act had taken malice and forethought. The revelation came when he desperately needed his kingdom to see him and Demetria as responsible