Chapter 3

• Emily’s POV
• “Are you shitting me?” Gen rhetorically asked as she threw herself face-down in my bed, in my hotel room, worn out from exhaustion.
• “I can’t believe Sebastian is a prince,” I finally spoke while staring at my reflection from a wine glass. I poured myself another drink.
• I was having one hell of a day. First, I had to put an abrupt end to my hotel project, then I found out my ex-boyfriend was the Prince of Conovia and I was summoned by him and his father on the rights of the land.
• I down three glasses of wine. One after the other.
• “At least share with me as well! I’m having a bad day too!” Gen called and snatched the bottle out my hand.
• “No! Give it here Gen! Give it here!” I squealed and a competition to tug-of-war broke out.
• A sudden knock came at the door, putting an end to the battle of the wine. I got off the bed, straightened my clothes and opened the door slightly to reveal one of the hotel’s receptionist.
• “I’m sorry to disturb, Miss. Hollen, but there’s someone here to see you.”
• “Who?” I wasn’t expecting any visitors.
• “You would have to see for yourself ma’am.”
• I heaved a sigh and looked down at myself. I still looked lit from this morning. I followed her into the lobby and my bottom jaw dropped when I saw who it was.
• What is he doing here?
• How he knew where to find me?
• And I thought he said he had to be at a meeting.
• I composed myself like if he had no effect on me what so ever.
• “Sebastian,” I began.
• Two men, dressed in black, stood with folded arms behind him so he approached me.
• “Emily.” He stood directly in front of me, so close that I could feel his breaths fanning the tip of my nose.
• I took one step back. “How can I help you?”
• “Let’s have dinner tonight so I could explain some things to you and I could apologize for treating you like an object earlier today.”
• Little butterflies formed in my stomach.
• “You’re asking me out on a date?” I asked.
• “No! It..um.. doesn’t need a title. Let’s just look at it as two friends having a meal after nearly ten years.”
• The butterflies faded away. My face fell and there was a pang at my beating heart. “Okay. I accept.”
• “Great. Be ready at eight.”
• I watched as he walked away. It was just something that satisfied yet taunt me to watch his figure.
• “Em, what did he say?”
• I leaped out from my trance and narrowed my eyes at my best friend.
• “He wants to do dinner,” I answered and a smile crept on to my lips.
• “Dinner sounds amazing. Let’s pick out an outfit. Where are you having dinner with him? A restaurant or at the Palace? What are you gonna wear? Red or white or both?”
• Gen was asking questions after questions and I ignored every single one of them.
• I went back to my hotel room and stopped Gen at the door. “Gen, you know we’re not roommates, right? And you’ve got your own hotel room, across from mine?”
• “Yeah I know.. but I want to see you get dress Emily.”
• “No. I can handle getting myself ready. You, just go back to your room and cool out.”
• She lowered her head and step out of the door. I closed the door quietly after her and went into the closet.
• __________________
• At Seven, I got out of the shower, towel-off my tan skin and blow dried my hair. I applied lotion and before putting on my underwear.
• I debated on whether I should wear a white dress or the black one. Black was my signature color, something I think I took from my mother.
• And white... well it complimented my skin tone.
• I tried them both.
• At the end, I settled for the black dress.
• While I was adding my finishing touches, the phone rang. I picked up the receiver.
• “Good evening Miss. Hollen, your...”
• “I’ll be right down.. I’m almost out the door,” I spoke to the receptionist with knowing what it was she wanted to say.
• “Certainly ma’am.”
• I hung up and busily spayed on my perfume. I rushed out the door next and bumped into Gen.
• “Jesus! Gen! Why are you standing outside my door?”
• “Because I wanted to wish you good luck before you leave and I wanted to give you this.” She put a bracelet with a gem in the center of it onto my wrist. “For good luck,” she finished.
• “Thanks Gen.” I pulled her in for a tight hug. “You’re such an amazing person and friend.”
• “Go get him tiger.”
• We shared a laugh before I went towards the elevator.
• _____________
• A limousine awaited at the hotel’s entrance. I got in and sat down, expecting to see Sebastian but the seats were empty.
• Where’s him?
• I dare didn’t bother to disturb the driver with any of my questions. The limo pulled off the entrance and smoothly drove onwards.
• I gazed at my wrist watch, it showed 8:15 P. M. Fifteen minutes later, the driving came to a halt.
• The door opened and I got out.
• The wind instantly met my skin, the stars were voided from the night sky by thick clouds and the moon looked like it needed charging.
• Nontheless, I was looking forward to seeing his face. I walked down a paved path and walked into a unique building that resembled a private restaurant.
• “Miss. Hollen, I presume,” a waiter with a cheerful smile greeted me as I entered.
• “Yes,” I answered short.
• “Right this way.” He led me to the only table and of course, Sebastian was there, reading from a menu. His eyes traveled to me as I sat down opposite from him.
• “Hi.”
• “Hi,” he answered before setting the menu on the table. “You look beautiful.”
• “Thank you, and you look handsome.”
• It was true. The Sebastian back at highschool compared to the Sebastian sitting across from me, I would take the current version any day. He appeared more muscular, more manly, more handsome and more of everything in the right proportion.
• “How have you been Emily?”
• I smiled. “You mean over the last ten years.. or?”
• “If that’s where you wish to start.”
• “I’ve been great Sebastian. I graduated top of my classes and I took over my family’s business of world wide hotels. I’ve been doing that ever since.”
• “Amazing. And how’s your brother?”
• “Which one?”
• “The one who almost killed me over nothing.”
• I laughed awkwardly as the flashbacks came. Evan pounded Sebastian silly when he saw me crying in the halls.
• “I’m so sorry about that Sebastian. Evan had always been over protective of us and he got.....”
• “Hey, it’s okay. I guess I deserved that for being such an idiot and I was an even bigger idiot when I let you go.”
• I couldn’t believe he just said that. My smile brightened and so did his.
• “Excuse me Sir, Ma’am, are you ready to order?” the waiter interrupted kindly.
• Sebastian and I ordered and continued our conversation.
• “So tell me, why you hid who you really were?” I asked.
• “In truth, I didn’t know who I was. Mother took me away when I was only three and moved to America for a normal life. I guess things were hard for her too and she didn’t want me to have to go through something like that but when she died, it rose a red flag. Father eventually found me and took me back here right after highschool.”
• “So how do you feel about being a Prince now?”
• “Actually, I’m about to take the reigns from my father and become King.”
• My eyes widened. “Congratulations. When will you be King though?”
• “As soon as I find myself a wife.”