Prologue: The Recap

Tyler Virtanen’s POV

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.

*~*~*~*~*

I realized that I have nothing to change for my future has been set up by my grandpa Levine. I sighed as I was drinking my champagne away in the garden of the hostel. Not many people know about this garden, I just know its existence when I stumbled across some doors and bam, I was in the garden.

I know the inevitable will be here. This month will be the last month of my freedom as I was looking at the sight of the moon. It was gorgeous tonight as I was raising my champagne bottle and cheered for my unlucky fate.

“Cheers to people that could not control their fates,” I said as I took a swig before someone was cursing behind me. I turned to look at me and it was the girl from the other day. The one that gave me my envelope.

“Hey! Look who’s here!” I slurred as I took another swig before the fiery girl was looking at me in disgust.

“Don’t you have anything else to do?” She said as I was smiling at her. She scoffed at me before she crossed her arms at me. I held out my hand—the one that held the champagne—and handed it to her.

“No, thank you. I don’t drink,”

“But why? You missed out the fun,”

“If you mean fun by being drunk, then I would rather drink some juice,” she said in detest as I was looking at her face in the dim light. Her hair was fiery red and I itched to run across my finger before my cock swelled at the thought of looking somewhere else to see it the curtains matched the drapes.

“Why are you staring at me? Stop that. It’s rude to stare,” she hissed at me. I arched my eyebrow at her.

“Was it? I don’t remember it in the rule book. But I was not the one for following the rules anyway. That was for Kai to do. Not me,” I said as I was smiling at the thought of my older brother who was happily married.

No thanks to my grandpa.

“Oh, you have a brother?” She asked me. I drew my eyebrows together.

“What makes you think I don’t have one?” I asked as I was curious to hear her answer. She scoffed before she crossed her arms under her bosoms. I blinked a few times as I stared at it.

“Stop staring you moron!” She hissed at me. I smiled as I can make her react other than being cool and collected.

“I was not staring. I merely appreciated what was in front of me. And that is you, love,” I slurred as I was getting off from the fence that I sat on. I was walking toward the girl that was standing near me.

“What are you doing?” Alarm in her voice as she was looking for an escape. I chuckled as I was striding at her with purpose now. I was only pretending that I was drunk. I have a high tolerance for alcohol but she did not know that.

“Wha are you doing? Stay back, moron,” she said as she was stepping back from my strides. Panic was in her eyes as she hit the gate and I was putting my hands on both of her head. She flinched before I was breathing hard. Her strawberry scent was intoxicating.

“I have been waiting to do this when I first saw you,” I whispered as she was staring at me, confusion in her eyes.

“What?” She asked. I smirked before I drew my hand on her nape as I was pushing her head toward me.

“This,” and with that, I did what I have wanted to do when I saw her fiery red hair. I kissed her on her soft lips.