Chapter 3

Princess's POV

“ I'll do anything,” I said, twisting my hands nervously.

“ Anything,” his lip curled into a smile.

I nodded, my eyes going downwards.

“ Follow me,” he ordered, moving upstairs without waiting for a response. I followed him already knowing what he was going to ask me to do.

We got to his door, I stood there while he entered and came back with the same folded paper he gave me the other time.

He signaled me to enter and sit down.

I did while he placed the paper on the desk, and he slid the paper to me. My fingers hovered over the paper, trembling as I stared at the contract. The contract was simple yet binding —- pretend to be his fiance until his inheritance was secured. The money I'll receive in return was to save my sick father's life—something I don't want him to know about.

“ Sign it,” he said, his voice calm but commanding, like there was no other option.

The paper blurred my vision as tears welled up. This isn't me. I don't make deals with devils, but my father's pale face on that hospital bed flashed in my mind. I swallowed the lump in my throat and with a shaking hand, I scribbled my name on the dotted line on the paper. Each stroke felt like a nail sealing my fate.

“Good. Our names will work things out for me” his lips curled into a satisfied smirk. “ You'll get half of the money as agreed”

He stood up, took the paper, and went somewhere I didn't know. He came back with a thick brown envelope, sliding it towards me.

My eyes went wide as I saw the cash–something I'd never seen before.

I wanted to take it and run, but the way Prince's eyes looked at me made me freeze in place.

“ Thank you,” I said, taking the envelope. “ I'll leave now and—”

Prince's gaze darkened and his lips curled into a faint smile. “Leaving so soon? You might want to rethink that,” He said, gesturing towards the couch.

I sat back on the couch, my heart pounding. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. His sharp gaze pierced through me.

“ You'll stay here from now on,” he said firmly.

I swallowed hard, my gaze moving to the door. My throat tightened as I struggled to find the right words “ I…uh…I just remembered something. I need to get my things” I stammered, my voice quivered and cracked.

I forced a smile, but it faded as my eyes moved nervously around the room, avoiding his gaze.

Prince's lips curled into a fake smirk as he gestured towards the maid standing by the door with a familiar suitcase. “ Looks like your things are here. It seems there is no point in going anywhere, don't you think?” His words were smooth, but the weight of his gaze pinned me to the spot like a trap snapping shut.

My chest tightened as realization washed over me. I wasn't just a guest here; I was his pawn.

“ Your room is prepared. Let the maid show you the way” he said, his voice cool and detached. “ tomorrow your six months role begins”

With a bowed head, I slowly left his room; he then shut the door behind me, startling me.

The maid took me to the room then I slept after thinking for many hours. I woke up before dawn, and the events of yesterday played in my mind. The contract, the money, and realizing that I was trapped in a cage. I had to get out of this place now, at least deliver the money to the hospital to save my dad.

I threw on a coat and headed towards the front door rehearsing an excuse about retrieving more of my belongings. I opened the door and was met with one of the maids with another suitcase, which was mistakenly mine.

“ Going somewhere?” my confusion only deepened as I heard footsteps approaching behind me. I turned around to see him emerging from the hallway, his expression unreadable.

Prince's voice, low and steady, cut through the air as I reached for the door handle again. “ Running away already?” I froze my fingers brushing the cold metal.

He walked closer and leaned against the frame blocking my path. “ Whatever you think you need out there, I can guarantee you'll find it here.” his words were light, but the unspoken threat lingered like a shadow.

“ But I…”

“ Enough!”, he yelled, his voice cut through the air, and I was startled. “ You've signed the contract, you stay”

Defeated, I nodded and stepped back. The maid moved past me, carrying my luggage upstairs to where I'd been assigned.

Later in the afternoon, after Prince had left the house, I paced back and forth restlessly, trying to find a way out to get the money to the hospital.

Then my phone buzzed, I looked at it and it was my mom. My heart pounded as soon as I saw that it was her. Has anything happened to my father? Is everything alright? These thoughts filled my mind, my hands trembled as I picked up the call.

“ Mom?”

Her voice was shaky but filled with relief. “Your father's bills have been paid. The hospital said someone had settled the entire money this morning”

“ What?” I froze, the blood draining from my face. “ Who?”

“ They didn't tell me. But… Thank God dear. Your father will get the treatment he needs now”

My phone slipped from my hand landing on the bed as I sat on the edge of the bed. I stared at it, my mind racing. My father's bills were paid? But by whom? My chest tightened as suspicion crept in. Could it be…him? The money I had in the envelope was still untouched, but my father's bills had been paid.

If it was him, what more would he be demanding from me now?

Should I confront him? No, I don't think he knows about my father's illness. It might not be him.

In the evening, I was still in my room not knowing what to do or say. A knock came to my door. “ Come in,” I said, and the door opened.

“ Please ma'am, dinner is ready. Sir is waiting for you downstairs” a maid I'd not seen before since I came to the house said, bowing slightly in front of me.

“ Okay I'm coming” were the only words that came from my mouth. She then left me alone in the room.

I stood up after she left and headed downstairs. I got to the dining hall and saw him sitting down and eating his food.

I sat down silently eating my food and observing him. He was just feeling relaxed, and from the look on his face, I felt that he was happy that things were going well for him as he expected.

He then broke the silence, “ You've been quiet. Adjusting to your new life?”

“ It's different,” I hesitantly said.

Prince said, smirking, “You'll adjust. For now, just make sure you play your part well. We'll be meeting my family soon”

My fork hovered over my plate, and my fingers tightened around the handle until my knuckles turned white.

Later, after dinner, I sat in my room, staring at the untouched envelope on the bed. I reached for it, hesitated then pulled my hand back as if the cash might burn my fingers. My father was safe now but at what cost?

Was this his way of controlling me? If I don't spend this money does this mean I owe him nothing?

I tried to distract myself by unpacking my belongings but I realized that everything had been neatly done by the maids.

A low voice from outside broke the silence in the house. “ Did everything go on smoothly?” The words were soft, almost a whisper. The voice sounds like his. I moved to my door, my heart pounding, and opened it only to find an empty hallway.