Chapter 1
Everyone said Prince Edward was cold and kept his distance from women, with rumors swirling that he wasn't interested in women.
I totally bought it, so I acted with zero restraint whenever I was around him.
I'd show off my legs and toss out all sorts of corny pickup lines.
But then one day, I accidentally stumbled upon his diary.
It was filled to the brim with his schemes on how to make me his.
[Step one: Act like I'm not interested, so she can let her guard down.]
[Step two: Slowly draw her in, until she can't live without me.]
I grabbed whatever I could and ran like hell in the middle of the night.
Those rumors were wrong. He was literally dangerous.
*****
I was a cannon fodder side character in a book, doing my best to lay low and survive.
Edward Hastings, known as Prince Edward and my sworn brother Samuel Hastings' uncle, was sitting at the head of the table.
"Samuel, are you really willing to throw away the royal family's honor for a woman?" Edward said coldly.
Samuel stiffened his neck, and his eyes reddened.
"You don't get it, Uncle. I love her. I'd do anything for her," Samuel shouted.
He was yelling like a kid whose candy got taken away.
Edward let out a cold laugh, but there was no warmth in his eyes.
"She must've used some kind of charm or magic to hook you," Edward scoffed.
"I want to see what kind of woman could make you lose your mind like this."
Right as Edward finished, a loud bang echoed through the room.
I burst in, slamming the door open from the outside.
Clinging to the doorframe, I was dripping wet and barely able to catch my breath.
Kingsens' weather was a nightmare. Rain came out of nowhere and left me looking like a drowned rat.
My soaked summer shirt stuck to me, outlining everything in a way that was far from decent.
Strands of wet hair stuck to my neck, beads of water running down.
I was a wreck, and all I wanted was to yank Samuel, that fool, out of there as fast as possible.
The private room was dead silent.
When I looked up, I locked eyes with someone. His gaze was so deep that I felt like I could drown in it.
It was Edward.
His gaze locked onto me like a hook, blatantly sweeping from head to toe, undressing me with his eyes.
I felt so uneasy under his stare that I instinctively crossed my arms over my chest.
His Adam's apple bobbed.
I heard a soft crack, and the jade cup in his hand cracked.
*****
When Samuel saw me, he looked like he'd spotted his savior.
He rushed over in a few quick steps, trying to shield me behind him.
"Charlotte, what are you doing here? It's dangerous. You need to get out of here," Samuel shouted.
I grabbed his arm and muttered under my breath, "You blockhead, come with me."
Before I could even pull him away, a chilly voice cut through the air.
"Samuel," Edward said and slowly stood up.
He was so tall that his shadow nearly swallowed me whole.
"So this is the woman you were talking about?" Edward asked.
Samuel panicked, spreading his arms wide to shield me even more tightly. "Uncle Edward, Charlotte has nothing to do with this. Don't take it out on her."
The more Samuel tried to shield me, the more intrigued Edward's gaze became.
He looked at me like a hunter eyeing his prey, determined and predatory, as if he wouldn't take no for an answer.
My heart skipped a beat, and a wave of dread washed over me.
Gosh, did he think I was the courtesan Samuel was obsessed with?
This was one hell of a misunderstanding.
Edward completely ignored Samuel, who was practically bristling with agitation.
He closed the distance between us, step by step.
I instinctively tried to retreat, but my back pressed against the doorframe. I had nowhere left to go.
He stopped inches from me, the space between us barely there.
I could smell the clean pine on him, with a hint of alcohol lingering in the air.
"Look up," Edward ordered.
I bit my lip, but I didn't budge.
All this time as an upperclassman, no one had ever dared to boss me around like this.
Suddenly, my stubborn side kicked in.
He seemed to lose patience and reached out, taking hold of my chin.
His touch wasn't rough, but there was a commanding authority to it. I knew resistance wasn't an option.
I was forced to look up, meeting his deep, unfathomable gaze.
He studied my face, like he was assessing the value of an antique.
After a moment, his thin lips parted, and he said, "She's mine."
His voice wasn't loud, but his words exploded in the room like a bomb.
Samuel went absolutely nuts. "No, Uncle Edward, you can't do this."
Edward didn't even bother to look at Edward. With a swift motion, he seized my wrist.
His hand was so hot that it sent a jolt through me, making me flinch.
"See if I can't," Edward said.