Runaway Heiress, Reluctant bride

That was it. I had made up my mind. I would leave the castle. I would disappear, hide, until I could figure out how to escape this fate, this life my father had mapped out for me.

I stared at the empty space around me, still processing the fact that I had finally made the decision to break free. It felt surreal, yet, despite the exhilarating feeling of independence, a looming sense of poverty greeted me. Regret, I knew, would come at some point, but I couldn’t let my father’s relentless pressure to control my marriage hold me back—not when it involved someone as despicable as him.

“Are you okay?”

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked up at the man standing in front of me. My brain was slow to process his presence. As the COO of Cruz Architecture, meeting handsome men wasn’t exactly rare for me. But there was something about this stranger that immediately caught my attention—his athletic frame, and my gaze involuntarily lingered on the veins snaking down his muscular arms.

“I’m fine,” I replied quickly, standing up before his hand could touch my arm. “Please, just forget about me,” I added, brushing him off.

“Are you sure?” His concern felt genuine, and I hated him for it. “You seem lost. Are you new around here?”

He was being friendly, so the least I could do was not be rude. I contemplated walking away, but then an idea struck me. Maybe he could help me find a job. “Actually, yeah. My friend moved away, and now I’m looking for work.”

“I see,” he responded, studying me.

“I’m not a fraud!” I blurted out, my defensiveness getting the best of me. His eyes had scrutinized my appearance, from head to toe, and it made me feel uncomfortable.

“You must be from far away,” he observed.

“Yeah, you could say that. Do you know anyone looking for help around here?”

“I might,” he said thoughtfully.

“I’ll work for meals. I don’t need pay, as long as I can eat.”

“That sounds reasonable,” he said.

Excitement bubbled up inside me. “Can I get the address?” I asked eagerly.

“Well, I can give you a ride,” he offered, his voice low.

The moment he mentioned the ride, my skin prickled. What if he was some kind of criminal looking for his next victim? A chill ran down my spine, my heart racing as he stared at me. I quickly took a step back.

“I’m not sure I should take a ride with a stranger,” I said, the caution in my voice clear.

He stiffened, clearly offended. “I’m just trying to help. If you don’t want it, that’s fine.”

He gave me one last look and then turned to leave. But before I could react, he spoke again.

“Hurry up if you want to come with me.”

His tone was cold, and I had no choice but to hurry and keep pace behind him.

As we approached a sleek, black car, my eyes widened. A limited edition Lexus! Only a select few could afford such a vehicle, and I couldn’t help but wonder if I’d said something wrong for noticing. “Are you rich?” I asked, the words slipping out before I could stop them. It wasn’t the most tactful question, but I was too curious.

“Maybe,” he replied, his voice nonchalant as though owning a car like this was nothing special.

Despite my reservations, I climbed into his car. My instinct told me to be cautious, but I had no choice—my father’s people could be looking for me, and I couldn’t let them find me.