Chapter 3

RILEY'S POV

Prince Norman took his seat at the head of the long conference table flanked by gruff faces of young and elderly noblemen.

Mr. Chadwick pointed me to a seat in the middle of the table before he exited the conference room. The occupants of the conference room regarded me momentarily before they glued their gazes to the Prince.

This was it.

The meeting began, all I could hear remained what everyone else in the room heard, no matter how hard I listened, stared, and prayed to the goddess to save me this one last time, I heard nothing out of the ordinary.

Thirty minutes into the meeting, the notepad before me was still as blank as my mind, fifteen more minutes before this meeting was over. The goddess chose to ignore me. As always.

My gaze wandered to Prince Norman, his attention too vested in the white-haired man's words to want to pay any glance my way.

In no time, Prince Norman got to his feet. The meeting ended. My breath ceased. The blank notepad was a subtle reminder that my end was now. Handshakes were made, Chadwick plunged into the room to gather Norman's computer and phone. He glanced my way and nodded me to the door.

Time to leave.

My heart pounding loudly in my ears was all I heard now as I followed them to the door, into the elevator, and back to the waiting car.

His security measures left no room for escape.

Prince Norman was on his phone all through the ride from the business complex through the bustling streets and then a stop at the prison. His eyes dropped on me the second his call ended.

"You're going to work with Detective Jones this noon," he paused, only to stretch his large hand towards the notepad I'd hugged to my chest all through the ride.

Sweat broke through my forehead, I shook my head without a word.

"I didn't," I swallowed hard and scanned my brain for a more appealing way to break the news to him, "I'm dyslexic."

The lie left my mouth before I had the chance to think of its consequences.

Norman didn't bear expressive features, exactly what sent me off the edge.

"What the fuck, that's a joke." Mr. Chadwick looked back at me from the front seat where he sat.

Tears brimmed in my eyes. I bucked up, crying wasn't going to solve this.

"What the hell am I thinking girl?" Mr. Chadwick prodded.

"That's enough," Norman muttered, turning his cold eyes on me he continued, "Do you know the depth of what you've just done?"

Did I?

I glanced at Mr. Chadwick as though seeking help to escape the fury burning bright in Prince Norman's eyes.

Mr. Chadwick low-key shook his head. So I shook my head without a word.

"You do remember everyone in that meeting right?" He asked, quite mildly.

Mr. Chadwick nodded. I nodded. He was a kind man.

"Mr Gilbert Sanchez, do you remember his thoughts on the bid?"

Norman's sensuous lips were all I'd focused on all through the meeting, none of those men in the room were of importance to me, not until now.

"The man with the gray hat and tie." Chadwick enlightened me.

I could lie now. I could say he was interested and thought of committing until the long run.

But that would be pouring more fuel into the fire. If Norman made a business mistake then, I'd certainly get punished in a few days.

"His mind was hazy. He bore no thoughts." I spluttered.

"That fuckin' can't be!" Norman's voice rose.

His rage evident in his tone which made me flinch fearfully.

"Pardon your Majesty, the girl's in shock. I feel like she needs a few more days to rest and understand exactly why she's here." Mr. Chadwick came to my rescue.

I nodded desperately, blinking away the tears in my eyes. "I'm scared." I allowed my tears to flow.

Silence dominated the car before Norman broke it with his deep voice.

"Cancel the interrogation with the spies, push it back another week, and reschedule for another meeting. I need to be sure of this deal, Chadwick."

The car started out of the prison gate. It wasn't until then that my lungs were able to function again. For the first time noticing just how beautiful the scenery was as the car drove through the city.

True to the tales, this was a wealthy land. The cars, tall buildings, and roads were nothing compared to the HornSide pack. The car came to a halt outside the opulent mansion.

Chadwick sprang out to hold the door open for Norman. For us.

"Show Miss Cooper to her room."

Her room?

A smile twitched on my lips at the thought of living here. I'd never lived anywhere this grand. I only scrubbed the floors and tended the garden in such buildings.

"Thanks, Norman!" The joy in my soul went beyond what they could suspect.

Norman's peered gaze watched me as though I just made a mistake. Did I?

Mr. Chadwick cleared his throat audibly and clarified, "Prince Norman. She meant to say, ‘Prince’!" He cast me a warning glare before he turned to offer Norman a stiff bow.

Mr. Chadwick lectured me on how things went around the mansion as he led me to the other wing of the mansion away from the one Prince Norman had disappeared into.

"Is he always that soft?" I smiled, flattered just to think about how softly he'd spoken to me earlier.

"There are adjectives you don't use while describing the Prince. Be wary of such words in the future." He stopped by the door. "I'm an executive assistant, I don't understand why, His Majesty wants me to babysit you."

"Point me to an escape route and I promise never to come back."

He regarded me as though I had lost my mind and held the door open waiting until I'd gotten inside before he closed the door.

This entirely was my reality from now on. From now until the Prince learned he'd been tricked.