The lost prince's ploy (1)

2019, March 4th

Caines, Terres Somnia

(James)

As Zoey digested that for the second time in her life a proposal of marriage had come to her under the most unusual of circumstances, my phone rang. The screen lit up to reveal Emily's name. After the ringing stopped, I looked at the screen. I had 53 unread messages and 71 missed calls.

"Shouldn't you call her back?" asked Zoey's shaky voice.

"She's the woman in the photo with Aaron," I answered coolly.

My face morphed into a look of disgust.

Emily, sweet Emily. She would never be sweet Emily again. Not to me.

"I see," Zoey answered, looking down at her feet. Her cheeks were hot with anger and embarrassment. "She's your girlfriend, right?"

"Fiancée." I held up a hand, made a fist, and bit into it. "Former fiancée," I corrected myself.

I turned to her then and could practically see her neurons unravelling.

Looking to somehow put her at ease, I said, "I have no expectations of this marriage. It would be much the same thing as what was going to happen between you and Aaron."

Never in my life did I think I would sound so matter of fact about marriage. My marriage. My words had frightened her. I hesitated a moment. "This is as much for me as it is for you, of course."

"For me?" she asked, surprise in her voice.

"A marriage to me will protect you from being used as a tool in this political war between King Henry and Duke Arden."

My eyes glazed over again, my body stiffened, and my face hardened. Zoey could probably feel the chill coming off my body. I would form no warm attachment to her. I wouldn't try to please her, or make her laugh. Could we live like that?

Her car door opened then. I was leaning over her, my hand on the car door handle, eyes boring into hers. It was that same look I gave her when I saw her a few minutes ago. In a moment, it was over and Bart was knocking on the door.

"Come on, Zoey, the place is ready," said Bart, looking between Zoey and I suspiciously, not missing a beat.

"Sure," she said, absentmindedly getting out of the car.

I tugged on her hand. An unexpected, warm familiarity spread through me as I held her hand.

"In two hours, I will come back to this exact spot. Should you wish to accept my offer, be here."

Zoey just nodded. I closed the door and sped off. The rage was coming in hot and heavy now and I didn't want to scare her any more than I already had.

Even after everything that had happened, I didn't want Emily to be surprised by the news of my impending nuptials. It was by no means certain that Zoey would accept my proposal, but if she did, things would progress quickly. I would have to put everything away. This was business now, nothing more. I felt my pounding heart slow at this thought as I called Emily.

"Hello James," Emily yelled, frantic.

"Meet in ten at the place."

"What did he say?" Aaron asked from somewhere in the background.

Abruptly, I ended the call, not wanting to acknowledge that I should have known that he was with her.

Ten minutes later, I arrived at the fountain situated in the centre of the rose garden, only to find Emily and Aaron already there, arguing.

This ceased almost the moment she spotted me. Emily walked up to me slowly on unsteady feet, looking like she wanted to be moving both faster and slower at the same time. In the minute it took her to reach me, I saw the last seven years flash before my eyes. All the time I'd waited to touch her and claim her as mine. My mind went back to the moment I had asked, "Emily, will you marry me?" and then to the moment that she'd ruined it all.

Heavy, grey clouds crept up behind her. With every step she took towards me, more and more images of her kissing another man flooded my brain.

Emily was now close enough to me to see my face. It was tight and devoid of emotion. I had shut myself off completely. My hands were in my pockets, my hooded eyes opened and looked into her guilty, stormy ones.