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Chapter Thirty-Eight
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An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Nine
I didn’t watch the news for the next week. I was told that my stepmother was on quite frequently. Well, the video of her being arrested was on quite frequently. They didn’t show much more than that as my name was to be kept out of the press entirely. I was absolved of all wrong doing as my stepmother obviously coerced me.I didn’t want to watch the news of my stepmother. Instead, I enjoyed my time off of work and spent it with Henry. For two weeks, we either stayed at my place or with his family. I ate meals with him and his brothers and even managed to make the older one smile a time or two.His mother accepted me like a long lost daughter. For the first time since my father died, I knew what it felt like to have a family around me again.For two weeks, Henry and I did nothing that required us to be regal. We were just a normal couple that went out for dinner and stayed in a nice hotel. There were some perks to him being royal, but we spent many of our evenings holed up in my tiny ap
An American Cinderella Chapter Forty
One year later, in the Kingdom of Paradisa“You look beautiful,” Gus told me.“Thanks,” I whispered, making sure I had a good grip on his arm. The last thing I wanted was to trip wearing this dress.Organ music filled the hallway, echoing in from the main chapel. The sound of a full choir mixed in after a moment, giving me the signal that it was time for my entrance.The queen mother, King Liam, Prince Freddrick, and my Prince Henry were already inside. Jaqui and the rest of my bridesmaids had already gone ahead. It was time for me to walk down the aisle to my beloved.Gus was to give me away. He and Jaqui traveled all the way out to Paradisa to be part of the ceremony. I loved them for it.Gus squeezed my arm and we began to walk through the ancient church. I’d been told it had been around for fifteen hundred years and was where nearly every Paradisian monarch had been married. As far as I knew, none of them had tripped on their lace gown.I was determined not to be the first.The ma
An American Cinderella Chapter One
My ID badge didn't scan. Instead of the pleasant chirp and green light I was expecting, there was a loud angry beep and a red light. I swiped it again, but the light just stayed red. “Ma'am?” The security guard walked up to the building’s turnstiles and raised his eyebrows at me. I held up my badge, showing him that it was real. I really was supposed to be in the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington, DC. I was an aide here to Senator Glenn. I had been for the last three weeks. “I don't know why it's not working,” I told the guard as he took it from me. “It was fine yesterday.” The guard shrugged, and turned it in his hands, inspecting it from every angle. “You're probably fired.” I took a step back. Being a senator's aide was my dream job and I was really good at it. “There's no way that's what happened,” I informed the guard. “If you can contact Senator Glenn's office, they'll tell you I'm supposed to be here.” The guard didn't return my badge and he didn't move to cal
An American Cinderella Chapter Two
I stared at my reflection in the empty bathroom of the closest Starbucks. I always thought that I would only ever be in here to pick up the Senator's coffee, but here I was jobless and coffee-less.I scrubbed at my cheeks, trying to wipe the tear marks clean. My eyes were bloodshot, the brown dark against the red. My mascara was long gone at this point.I threw my straight dark hair up into a ponytail and evaluated myself in the mirror.“You look awful,” I told my reflection. I sighed and closed my eyes. “Get it together,” I told myself. “You're better than this.”I took a deep breath. I would survive this. I would make this work to my advantage. Even if I didn't know how yet, I was going to make sure I didn't fail. I'd worked too hard to get here to just let it all go.But first, I was going to get a coffee. Since I didn't have a job anymore, I could at least sit in the cheerful cafe and enjoy a caffeinated sugary drink. I had to make this day better somehow, and a vanilla latte with
An American Cinderella Chapter Three
I was just standing there, minding my own business, reminiscing about my father, when a body came hurtling out of nowhere and knocked me over.I sat on the grass, dazed and confused as to how I went from standing to sitting without meaning to. I tried to move, but my legs were tangled up with someone else's feet.“Are you all right?” the person tangled up with me asked. He had a slight European accent to his words, making him sound educated, even if he was clumsy.“I think so,” I said slowly, pulling my legs out from under his. Nothing seemed to be broken or too badly bruised. “Are you okay?”“Yes, I'm fine,” he assured me, rising to his feet. “I am so very sorry, miss.”He held out a hand to help me up. I looked up and into the most handsome face I think I've ever seen. His hair was golden with just enough red to glint in the sun and he looked down at me with ocean eyes. His jaw was strong and his shoulders were broad in a t-shirt and gym shorts. I took his hand, feeling my heart spe
An American Cinderella Chapter Four
The rest of the journey to the office was uneventful. No random strangers collided with me and I didn’t fall to the ground. The entire way, I did think of Henry, though. His easy smile seemed to stay with me even after he was gone from sight.I secretly hoped he would run into me again.The Winder Building sat regally on the corner of the street. Painted white, the second level wore wrought iron balconies that gave it an almost Southern charm. As much as I disliked the fact that I was unwillingly returning to my roots, I did like the building. It was from the time of the Civil War and radiated history.I walked up to the heavy wooden door, took a deep breath, and stepped inside. I had been here a million times, yet I felt as nervous as my first time. It felt like stepping back seven years in my life to my very first day. I’d worked as an office assistant here for three years while I got my degree. I thought I would never be back except as a visitor.“They told me you were coming, but
An American Cinderella Chapter Five
Due to the complexities of government work, it took me hours to fill out all the paperwork despite having worked for this office before. I ate a lunch out of the vending machines, knowing that if I left, I might not come back. The forms were typical government bureaucracy at its best. The sun already crept ominously toward the horizon as I left the office and headed to the rich area of town.It was time to see my stepmother about today.It took a metro train and a bus to get to her house, but I made it there just as the sun crested the horizon. Long dark shadows filled the streets. It would be a long ride home into the city, but I knew my stepmother wasn’t going to have this conversation over the phone.My stepmother lived in a nice neighborhood with good schools and beautiful churches. The homes regularly went for well over six million, due to the proximity to downtown DC. It was a very affluent and politically important area.My father had never lived here. This was the house she bo
An American Cinderella Chapter Six
I wore my favorite dark gray slacks and cream colored silk top for my first day back at my old job. Just because I was going back in time didn’t mean I had to dress like it. Besides, wearing something that made me feel professional and attractive would at least make the day start out better.Gus greeted me warmly as I walked in the front door.“Good morning, Aria,” he said, smiling at me.“Good morning, Gus.”“If you get hungry later, the missus made banana bread. I’m happy to share.”I’d forgotten how good Mrs. Gus’s banana bread was. It was almost reason enough to come work here on its own. Today was already a better day than yesterday.“That sounds great. Thank you.”He just grinned and waved me on to the stairs so I could go up and start my work.I stopped by Jaqui’s office and said hello. She showed me where I was working and gave me the password to the WiFi in the building.“Here’s your work space,” Jaqui said, bringing me to a small office on the top floor. It was already warme
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- An American Cinderella Chapter Forty
- An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Nine
- An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Eight
- An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Seven
- An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Six
- An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Five
- An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Four
- An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Three
- An American Cinderella Chapter Thirty-Two
