"U-umm..." I gave Emma her phone. "I have to go," I said, and then I left.
Emma was right behind me. "Wait, Aria!"
She caught up with me and made me stop. "Why did you go?"
"What was I supposed to do right then?" I asked in a helpless way.
"Aria..." She shook me and put her hand on my shoulder. "He asked you to marry him." You ran away when Prince Adrian asked you to marry him?
"But why would he do that?" I answered. "He doesn't even know who I am." We just met here for the first time. How am I supposed to take him?
"Excuse me, ma'am!" Have you seen Prince Adrian in the café by any chance?
A girl who looked like she worked in an office came up to us.
"Yes, he is in there," Emma said.
"Thanks." She smiled and turned around. "He's in there!" "Bring the product!" she yelled at her team.
A lot of people soon got out of a van with things in their hands. They weren't just regular things; they were branded goods.
We were both speechless and just watched what happened.
The woman was still in front of us, talking to her coworkers.
She pointed at one of them and said, "You, bring Prince Adrian outside to the set." Until then, we will get everything ready.
Emma said to me, "So the Prince is supposed to promote their product."
"I think so..." I answered.
And at that moment, an idea popped into my head.
A big idea, maybe.
"Emma!" I said, looking at her.
"What's that?" She was still looking at the set.
"I think... I will marry him."
She looked at me in shock. "What? You just told me about how different you two are, and now you want to marry him?
I took her aside.
"I think I can build a career after I marry him." He is known all over the world. People will start to know me after I marry him. I might be able to get a real acting job and keep following my dream with that kind of recognition.
"Well, that's a great idea," she said slowly. "But what if people find out that you married him to help yourself?"
I said calmly, "Emma, Prince Adrian and I just met today, right?" And he asked me to marry him. Isn't it strange to ask a girl to marry you right after you meet her?
She didn't say anything.
"I know he has something going on too." If marrying him will help us both reach our goals, then why not?
"Oh no," she said. "I'll never be able to beat your brain." Get going now. Say yes to his offer.
"Okay, then I'll go," I said, looking at him very closely.
I gave Emma my bag.
"Girl, he's in the middle of a shoot right now." "Are you going now?" she asked as I walked away.
"It's now or never," I said with a wink and started walking toward him with the confidence of a model.
My heels made a loud noise when they hit the ground.
I couldn't hear anything around me because I was so focused on him.
I got behind the camera after a few steps. He was in front of me, holding something.
I said softly, "Prince Adrian," as I slowly walked toward him.
A girl suddenly yelled, "Watch out!" from behind.
I looked down and fell to the ground before I could do anything.
Everything went silent.
I couldn't even lift my head properly. My hair covered my face, and I didn't have the courage to stand up after my dignity dropped to zero.
"Here."
I heard a voice.
Slowly, I looked up.
Prince Adrian was reaching out his hand to me.
He wore a prince's uniform in my imagination, and the golden light of the sunset lit up his face. His hazel-brown eyes shimmered in the warm light.
He had a completely charming face.
I slowly placed my hand in his and stood up. "Are you alright?" he asked.
I just nodded. The atmosphere felt awkward, so I looked at everyone and said, "I'm sorry for interrupting.
Please continue your shoot. I'll get going." I laughed awkwardly and walked away from the set.
I hadn't gone far when the girl behind the camera asked, "Prince Adrian, do you know who she is?" Right after that, I heard quick footsteps behind me. Suddenly, someone pulled me back.
I turned around.
It was Prince Adrian.
One of his hands held my wrist while the other rested behind my back.
"She is my fiancée."
The surroundings fell silent.
I could hear my heartbeat loud and clear.
"Fiancée?" the girl asked.
At that moment, reality hit me. I saw many people taking photos and recording videos of us. Cameras pointed directly at us.
Prince Adrian continued to look at me.
"Yes," he confirmed calmly. "She is my fiancée."
"I think we should get going," he said, glancing at me.
"Y-yeah… alright," I replied, my voice trembling.
He held my hand and led me away.
After walking a short distance, he brought me to his car.
"Get in," he said.
His tone was completely different from before.
I had no choice.
I opened the door and got inside. I sat quietly in one corner while he entered from the other side. A small partition separated us.
"Let me be clear," he said, looking directly at me.
A chill ran down my spine.
"Now that I have announced in front of the live media that you are my fiancée, you cannot refuse it."
"But—"
Before I could finish, he cut me off.
"Weren't you there to accept my proposal? I know you are accepting me for fame, which has nothing to do with me. But now that you have accepted my proposal, you will do what I say."
His voice hardened.
"Otherwise, your acting career will be gone in no time."
At that moment, I realized I had made a terrible mistake.
The bright, handsome prince was nothing like I had imagined.
I could see his desperation to achieve something.
And now my career was completely in his hands.
I sat there speechless and confused.
He then took out a paper and handed it to me.
"Sign it."
I slowly lifted the paper.
In big, bold letters it read:
CONTRACT OF MARRIAGE
I read the points. Every single one demanded that I obey his instructions.
"Why are all the points the same?" I asked without thinking.
"It is pointless to read the terms now," he replied coldly. "You have no other option but to sign it. Otherwise, I can shatter your dream anytime."
His words got on my nerves.
But at the same time, if I refused, my dream of becoming an actress might be destroyed forever.
And I couldn't allow that.
"What will I get if I follow your orders?" I asked.
He looked down, smiled slightly, and then leaned closer to me.
"Everything that you have dreamed of."
I had no other choice.
"Here."
He handed me the pen.
I took it.
Slowly, I signed the paper.
"Alright," he said while taking the contract back. "This contract is for one year. After that, we will announce to everyone that we divorced."
"But why do you want to get married?" I asked curiously.
"It is not something you need to know," he replied.
"Meet me tomorrow at the café at exactly 10:00 AM. I will tell you the date and time of our marriage then. Now you can leave."
I had been waiting for those words.
I hurriedly opened the car door.
"And remember," he added before I stepped out, "every time we meet, we must act like a couple."
I nodded.
"And don't let anyone know about this contract. If I find out…"
He paused.
"I hope you know the consequences."
I nodded again, shut the door behind me, and ran away.
Only one thought echoed loudly in my mind.
*HOW DID I END UP IN THIS CHAOS?*