Chapter 4

Immediately after Aura and Prince Khalid left the church, they went to a hotel room. Smiling slyly, Aura poured a bottle of champagne and made a toast, clinking her glass against Prince Khalid’s. She was finally the winner. He was with her in the hotel, and he wasn’t leaving anytime soon. He was no longer going to marry her best friend. She couldn’t believe that her plan had finally worked.

Yesterday, she had been so frustrated, wondering why Isabella always had the best of everything. She thought about it—she was also from an extremely wealthy and influential family. They were both educated and beautiful. So why was Isabella the one chosen to become the Crown Princess?

In desperation, she had called Prince Khalid.

“I love him,” she had told herself bitterly. She had been sleeping with Prince Khalid for the past three years without her best friend knowing. Now, Isabella was about to marry him, and Aura had to act fast before she lost everything.

“Is everything okay?” Prince Khalid had asked when he picked up the call.

“I haven’t been feeling well… I need you,” she had quickly responded.

Without hesitation, Prince Khalid had left everything he was doing and rushed to meet her at the hotel.

As he was leaving the palace, his younger brother suddenly stepped out of the shadows, startling him.

“What the hell?!” Khalid yelled, his heart still racing from the shock.

“Where are you going?” Prince Karl asked.

“I am your elder brother! You have no right to question me!” Prince Khalid shot back.

“And yet, you still haven’t answered my question,” his brother persisted.

Khalid exhaled sharply. “I’m going to pick a wedding present for my wife-to-be. I have to get it myself.”

Prince Karl frowned deeply. He knew Khalid was lying—after all, the wedding presents had been delivered days ago. Suspicious, he signaled one of the bodyguards to follow his brother and find out what he was up to.

Meanwhile, Khalid drove as fast as he could to the hotel where Aura was waiting for him, oblivious to the car discreetly trailing behind him. His only concern was Aura.

A few minutes later, he arrived at the hotel. Aura opened the door, looking perfectly fine.

“Please don’t tell me you made me rush here for nothing,” Khalid grumbled.

Aura smirked. “Make love to me, my prince.”

Khalid hesitated. “You know I’m getting married tomorrow.”

“It’s our last night together,” she whispered seductively. “I want you to make rough love to me. I want you to make love to me like tomorrow doesn’t exist.”

Prince Khalid couldn’t resist. He gave in, giving her exactly what she wanted.

When they were done, Aura turned to him with a serious expression.

“I hope you know this will be the last time I’ll be your mistress.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” Khalid replied quickly. “I promise I will take care of you. Please, be mine. You know it’s normal for royals to have concubines.”

Aura frowned. “I will not be your concubine! I would never subject myself to that kind of position! Why does she get to be the wife while I remain a secret?”

“Aura, you know I can’t call off the wedding. I would risk my father’s wrath.”

“I don’t care! Call off the wedding, or this will be the end of our relationship!” she demanded. “And you know no one will ever give it to you the way I do.”

Prince Khalid was torn. He had always enjoyed his time with Aura—no one had ever satisfied him the way she did. He opened his mouth to speak but then closed it again. Instead, he silently got dressed and walked toward the door.

Aura shut the door behind him and burst into tears. Hearing her cry broke his heart, but he forced himself to keep walking.

As he drove off, Aura wiped her tears. Her plan had worked exactly as she had hoped. Prince Khalid had called off the wedding. And to make things even better, her so-called best friend had been publicly humiliated.

She was finally the winner of the day. She smiled as she laid in his chest possessively.