Chapter 2: The Encounter

Tyler Virtanen’s POV

I was standing at the mansion before I was getting into the car as I saw my grandpa was looking at me by the window of his throne room. I was smiling at him before I waved goodbye.

He did not wave back.

What can I say? That man was a cold-hearted man. He just thinks about profit and nothing else. Sometimes I think he was a robot that was built by my real Grandpa that wanted to get out of taking care of us.

3 of us, Kai, my brother, Chris, my cousin, and me.

I sighed before I was looking at the mansion that I have been calling home when I started to stay with my grandpa when I was 5 years old. After the accident that took our parents away. And this is the first time that I will be out in the open, as someone that might be following the rules of society for once.

I leaned back in the car seat as I was closing my eyes before I was putting the earphone on. I was listening to Mozart to calm myself as I was going to the journey that was dreadful for me. But I was determined to win so, that’s that.

A few moments later, I felt the car stopped as I was looking at the restaurant that was crowded with men of all ages. I think this is the place for the competition. But why a restaurant? I was nodding at the chauffeur before I was getting out of the car with a backpack. I don’t bring much as I wanted to be a commoner as possible.

“Well, this is something else,” I mumbled as the car sped away from me and I was walking toward the restaurant before someone was coming to block my way. I was taking in his appearance.

Tall, lean body.

Brunette hair.

Tan skin.

And when he turned around to look his surrounding, his eyes were caramel, like melted chocolate. I blinked a few times before I smirked. He was looking at the guy that was fighting over to get inside the restaurant. 

And I think this tourist did not know anything that was happening right now.

“Hey, what’s going on?” He asked in English before I was looking behind me. He might be talking to me so I replied to him because I am model citizen this time around.

“There is an announcement that you can get free meals at this establishment,” I said as I was crossing my hands over my chest as I was looking at the dumb people that tried to get admitted. I must say, they were hilarious and funny to watch.

“Aren’t you want to get that free meal as well?” He asked me again. I looked at him with amusement.

“Why? Are you interested?” I asked him before he shrugged. Then he winced as he was looking at some guy was knocking each other out.

“I’m hungry but not that hungry,” he said as I was chuckling at him. He crossed his hands in front of his chest before I smirked.

“Well, best luck to you if you want to get some free meals. I heard there’s more of that coming once they got in,”

“Got in what? The restaurant?” He asked as I was chuckling at her. Then I was patting his shoulder as I was walking away from the crowd. I don’t think that I would like to be in this mess.

But your inheritance. 

I sighed before I was making another plan of getting inside the restaurant. I was walking at the back of the alley before I was running into someone that I did not expect at all.

After I met the stranger that was trying to ask me about what was going on with the restaurant that was out of control, I know exactly what was going on. It was one of the stupid contests that royalty was NEVER done before. 

Keyword: NEVER.

I mean, what was Princess Katherine was thinking? Probably none. I was supposed to be one of the people that we're pushing to get inside the restaurant. I get it, living luxuriously with my future bride who happened to be a Finnish princess.

Well, not my style. 

I was an adventurer. I can never be in one place and marriage was not for me, I can assure you that. And so, I went out of the way since my father asked me to be a part of this shit. I will not comply with his sake anymore.

I bumped into someone as I was looking around the road that was busy with people, mostly men, who tried to get to the restaurant. I did not look where I was going so that’s my fault as well.

“I’m sorry,” the timid voice was coming from in front of me. I blinked a few times as I looked at the person, a woman, in front of me.

Her fiery hair.

Her pale, stormy eyes.

Her pink, kissable lips.

Let me tell you, I never had any difficulties to talk to a woman before. But this woman, this magnificent creature, was making me stammered in my sentences. That never happened before!

“I’m sorry. I wasn’t looking where I was going,” she said as she was collecting something from the road. It looked like envelopes as she was trying to arrange it. 

“Here, let me help you,” I said as I was picking up the envelope. I saw the seal of the Finnish government on the back of the envelope. I was tempted to sneak one out.

I was not a gentleman after all.

But I refrained from doing so as I was handing it over to her. She was smiling at me as she tucked her hair behind her ears. I never have seen her face this close but right now, all I can see was her freckles that covered her nose and cheeks. 

They’re gorgeous.

I stood up as I helped her to get to her feet as she was carrying the envelopes in her hands. She smiled at me and when she was about to tell me something, a voice was calling after her.

“Kelly, what are you doing?” A feminine voice that was coming from the other side of the building.

“Coming, Kate!” She replied before she turned to look at me.

“Sorry, I have to go now. Thank you for helping me and I am so sorry for bumping into you,” she said as she was still standing in front of me.

“Please, it’s half of my fault as well. I don’t look where I was going,” I said as I was shoving my hands into my pockets. She smiled and did I tell you it brightened like the sun? How enchanting it was.

“I better go,” she said as she inched away from me. I nodded as I saw her running toward the voice and stopped before they were hushing at each other. I was tempting to know what they were talking about before Kelly came back to me.

“What’s your name?”

“Huh?” I was taken by her question.

“Your name, sir,” she replied as her stormy eyes were on my face. I felt something stirred inside my body before I cleared my throat.

“Tyler. Tyler Virtanen,” I said as Kelly beamed at me.

“Well, Mr. Virtanen, as a token of your kindness, I wanted to ask you to come here on the behalf of Princess Katherine,” Kelly said as she was handing me the envelope with the official seal before.

“For me?” I asked. She nodded.

“For you,” she said as I took it from her hand. We touched briefly and electricity ran wild. It was enchanting but also dangerous. I never felt like this before with a woman.

“I guess I see you then,” she said as she was inching away from me while she was smiling at me. I cannot help it but smile back at her as her happiness was contagious.

“I’ll look forward to it,” I said as I was looking at the retreating figure as I was looking at the envelope as well. I opened it up and smirked.

“A husband hunt? Preposterous,” I said as I could never imagine why a royalty needs to do such a thing. Maybe I just don’t understand Her Royal Highness’ intention.

Then, I was walking away from the back alley that I stumbled upon that beauty. Should I go after her and asked for her number. But she was in a hurry and I don’t want to be a burden to her. I can see that she was working for the Husband Hunt.

I was tapping the card as I was tempted to shred it or just go with the flow.

If I was not entering this hunt, I might not see Kelly again. And so, my mind was made up. I will enter this Husband Hunt contest. Not to win Princess Katherine, but to uncover this Kelly person and perhaps make her mine.