❥SARAH ❥

This was temptation.

A bloody one.

His eyes locked with mine, our hands touching, and I struggled to pull away. There was something about his gaze that penetrated my soul, making my body heat up.

His touch was firm, his hand gripping mine with confidence, and it both annoyed and excited me. It wasn't just his striking beauty that captivated me; he was even more tempting in person than the pictures I had seen on social media. His suit clung to his muscles, two buttons already undone, revealing a glimpse of his smooth skin. I yearned to see more.

'Get a hold of yourself. This is strictly business', my inner voice scolded, reminding me that I never got involved with clients and shouldn't start now, no matter how badly I wanted him to devour me.

"Okay, that's enough of a handshake," Alex said jokingly, breaking the spell between us. I reluctantly let go of his hand and settled into the seat next to her, waiting for what would unfold.

"I hope my dear sister has already explained the reasons behind this... transaction," he said, his eyes wandering down my body for the third time since I entered the room. I sensed that he watched me like a predator eyeing its prey, but there was something different about his gaze. It spoke of desire and fascination, unlike the leering looks I was used to from other men.

I smirked. "Of course, Christopher," I said, emphasizing his full name. His jaw clenched at the sound of it, and he muttered something under his breath, though I couldn't quite catch it. Perhaps he didn't like people using his full name.

"Okay, then," Alex chimed in, breaking the tension. "Alfred, could you bring the contract?" She motioned to a man who entered the room, holding a paper wrapped in a red ribbon.

This was serious, more serious than I had anticipated.

"Here you go, Your Highness," the man said, bowing slightly as he handed the paper to Alex. The words "Your Highness" sent a shiver down my spine.

"You seem confused, Sarah," Christopher said, his voice dripping with a mixture of amusement and intrigue. His mere pronunciation of my name stirred something within me, but I held my ground and met his gaze.

"Oh, yes, just surprised about the 'Your Highness' part. It sounds like you guys are some sort of royalty," I chuckled nervously, hoping I was wrong. But it was Christopher's turn to look confused.

"Didn't my sister tell you?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Tell me what?" I said slowly, glancing at Alex for clarification.

"Allow me to introduce myself more properly, then," Christopher began. "My name is Christopher Knight, the second heir to the throne of Gelin."

He's a... Prince?

"You're joking, Right" I laughed nervously, almost rising from my seat, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.

"Why would I joke about being a prince? I know my kingdom must be unknown to you—"

"No, I know about it," I interjected quickly, cutting him off.

"Oh," he chuckled, crossing his legs as he relaxed into his chair. "Do you, then?" His voice was low and deep, a tone I wouldn't mind hearing more often.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about that," Alex said, bringing my attention back to her. I had almost forgotten she was in the room, so consumed had I been by Christopher's presence.

"It's okay," I forced myself to gulp, trying to maintain composure. "It won't change anything."

"Being my bride would be a lot more difficult, you know?" Christopher stated, shifting his sitting position.

"How?" I replied, my voice barely audible.

"Since you have heard about my Kingdom, I'm sure you're well aware of the news about my brother, the first heir to the throne, disappearance." He stated.

I remembered Sam being all worked up about the news of a prince shirking his responsibilities. I thought it was just a passing rumor that would fade away after a few weeks. But it seemed like I was mistaken.

"Yeah, so?" I replied, trying not to sound nonchalant.

"So, the media will be hounding you for a while. I hope you can handle it," he said, his tone bordering on concern. But I knew better. He just didn't want the hassle of finding another fake bride.

But I wasn't going to run. I needed this money. For James.

"Don't worry, I can handle myself when the time comes," I assured him, putting on a confident front. He studied me for a moment, perhaps trying to gauge whether I was truly scared or overwhelmed by everything.

Of course, I was. But I would panic in the comfort of my own home.

"Then it's settled," Alex declared, stretching her hand out and handing me the contract. I took it and began reading. I had to. I wasn't going to be one of those people who just blindly signed whatever was put in front of them.

The level of pretense in this situation was already off the charts, so I needed to know exactly what I was getting myself into.

The first rule seemed simple enough: "No one must know you're a fake bride." Well, I had already spilled the beans to Sam, but I wasn't going to let the others in on the secret too.

It's not as if I have much friends.

The next rule instructed me to remain silent and observant when in the presence of the press. It sounded a bit odd, but I didn't think it would be a problem.

I continued reading through the rules. Some seemed okay, while others were just plain strange. But I supposed that when you're caught up in a mess like this, you have to go along with whatever they want.

Then I came across the last rule, and it struck me for no apparent reason: "Under no circumstances should you have any sexual contact or interaction with Prince Christopher."

"I insisted on adding that part. Trust me, you need it," Alex whispered in my ear, enlightening me about the last rule. I nodded, though it didn't sit well with me for some reason. But this was business, after all.

"Am I missing something?" I peered through the papers, glancing at him as he looked back at both of us, seemingly unamused by our silent whispers.

"Nothing, little brother," Alex replied, then turned her gaze towards me. She didn't need to say a word; her eyes conveyed the message clearly.

And I understood.

I took the pen she handed me and swiftly signed the paper. In an instant, it all became real.

No pressure at all—just the fact that I would be playing the role of a fake girlfriend to a prince whose looks could rival Chris Hemsworth himself.

Yeah, definitely no pressure.

Alex suggested that we celebrate the agreement, but I declined. I needed to go home and process everything that had just happened.

She informed me that I should get ready since I would be leaving for Chris' kingdom tomorrow.

Part of me wanted to protest, but I couldn't. Perhaps it was for the best. Let everything happen quickly so I could exit their lives for good.

Throughout our conversation, Christopher had remained a silent observer, his penetrating gaze fixed upon me. I couldn't help but wonder about the thoughts swirling behind those intense eyes and I wonder why. I had done nothing out of the ordinary. I had simply asked the necessary questions and kept quiet.

I brushed off his gaze, even though deep down, I oddly enjoyed it.

With a farewell to Alex, I left the room, my steps purposeful as I made my way to the elevator. The doors closed behind me with a subtle whoosh, and I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

Just as I began to relax, the doors abruptly reopened, revealing a pair of strong hands that halted their closure. My eyes traveled upward, meeting the gaze of Christopher. Those piercing green eyes locked onto mine, holding an intensity that sent an unexpected shiver down my spine.

"Mind if I join you?" he inquired, a mischievous grin playing at the corners of his lips as he awaited my response.

"No, you may not," I retorted. He chuckled at my response, and I noticed a dimple appearing on his face. Annoyed, I rolled my eyes.

'This guy is trouble,' my conscience warned, and I couldn't agree more.

He entered the elevator, pressing the button that closed the doors, leaving the two of us alone in the confined space. My heart raced.

I shifted slightly, remembering the last statement in the contract. I shouldn't involve myself too much with him. He was a client, and I should treat him as such.

"How do you plan to use the money?" he suddenly asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"What did you say?" I replied, caught off guard.

He turned to face me, his eyes locked onto mine. "I asked how you plan to use the money after all of this?" We were standing a few feet apart, allowing me to see his face clearly.

He was undeniably handsome, with a faint mole on his chin that was barely noticeable. His nose had a slight crook, but it appeared straight. Then my eyes fell upon it—a faint scar on his neck.

"I didn't know you found me so attractive," he burst out, snapping me back to reality.

"I'm just returning the favor, Prince. Don't get too cocky," I frowned at his amused expression.

It bothered me how I had the urge to wipe that smirk off his lips and wondered how it would feel under my...

Okay, you're getting carried away, girl. When was the last time you had sex?

I questioned myself, trying to regain composure.

The elevator suddenly opened, and I took the first step to exit. I paused, turning towards him. He leaned back, hands in his pockets, his eyes fixated on me, waiting for me to speak.

"What I do with the money is none of your business, Christopher," I retorted, enunciating his name deliberately. His jaw clenched at the sound of his name on my lips, but this time, his eyes darkened, and I had a feeling that if I glanced down, I would see a sudden bulge.

"Good day," I swiftly left the place, the atmosphere charged with tension. My arousal had unexpectedly heightened, perhaps too much.

The same men who had "kidnapped" me stood at the entrance. They opened the door for me.

"The prince instructed us to take you back home," one of them said.

"Oh," that was unexpected. "Um, could you take me somewhere else?"

"Where would you like to go, ma'am?"

"St. Patrick Children's Hospital."

****

Nurse Tina greeted me with a smile as I arrived at Room 293, where James was staying. Most of the nurses here were not very friendly, but Tina was different. She genuinely cared for the children, especially James.

"Thank you, Nurse Tina," I said gratefully.

She nodded briefly and resumed her tasks. Lost in my thoughts, I didn't notice a group of children running past me. Suddenly, a little girl, about six years old, fell to the ground.

Instinctively, I reached out and touched her hands. I lifted her up and held her in my arms as she rubbed her teary eyes, which were turning red.

"Don't cry, okay? Be strong," I comforted her, gently patting her back. After a while, I set her down on the ground.

She looked confused at first, her eyes wide like a lost kitten. But then, she smiled and ran off to join her friends.

It didn't take long for me to reach James' room. I slowly opened the door and saw him staring out the window, lost in his thoughts as usual.

"You think too much," I smirked, folding my arms as I approached him.

Startled by my voice, he quickly turned to look at me. His brown eyes, so similar to our father's, met mine. He disliked having our father's features, as it made him feel like he was connected to Dad leaving us, which seemed absurd to me.

As I said, he thinks too much.

"Sarah," he whispered, his gloomy face transforming into a smile that instantly made me feel better after the day I had.

I ruffled his curls and took a seat on the stool next to him. "How are you coping, Chap?"

He shrugged in response to my question. "Just living, I guess."

"I know," I replied, playing with his hair for a moment, contemplating how to start the conversation. Funny thing is, James never knew about my real line of work.

No matter how many times I tried to tell him, the words always got stuck in my throat like a stubborn hook.

So I lied, telling him I was an assistant in a company.

"You want to tell me something," he said, not surprising me at all. He always seemed to be able to read me.

"Yes, I do," I sighed heavily. "My boss and I will be traveling for a very important project."

I felt terrible for lying.

"Oh," he responded.

"Yeah, and it will take a while before I come back," I said, my hands starting to shake. I quickly hid them under his blanket.

"A while? You mean—"

"Three months," I interrupted him abruptly. I didn't know why I couldn't let him finish, but I just felt like running away from there. I felt like throwing up right at that moment.

"Wow," his eyes widened.

"Yeah, I hope it's okay with you," I reached out and rested my hands on his. I secretly hoped he couldn't feel how sweaty and shaky they were.

"Of course, Sarah. It's your job," he replied, removing his hand from mine and giving it a tight squeeze.

"Thank you," I said, my eyes welling up with tears. I pulled him into a tight hug. "Thank you for always understanding."

"Hey, why are you getting emotional?" he chuckled, trying to push me away, but I held on tight. "Sarah! You're going to break my bones, well, what's left of them."

I lightly smacked his back. "Don't say nonsense," I scolded him, pulling away slightly and glaring at him. "Don't talk like that."

"Fine, I won't," he nodded.

"Good. So, tell me, how was your day?"

I had no idea how long we chatted, but it reminded me of the old times when everything was normal.

When Mom was still alive.

As the sun began to set, indicating the lateness of the hour, I felt guilty for staying with him for so long. I couldn't help but feel powerless, unable to save him, unable to make him walk again.

The doctor said it was possible, but the required medication was incredibly expensive. I would have to resort to becoming a hardened criminal or marrying a sick old man who would pass away in a few years.

The second option didn't sound that bad, but I needed to focus on my current contract.

Suddenly, James grew sleepy after receiving an injection from the nurse. It was my cue to leave. I kissed his head gently before exiting his room.

I leaned against the door, taking a deep breath. I never liked coming to this hospital, or any hospital for that matter. The smell of death and drugs always hung in the air.

I reached for my phone and dialed Sam's number.

"Hey, bitch!" she exclaimed loudly through the phone, amidst the noisy background.

"Where are you?" I asked.

"I'm at the usual bar," she replied, followed by a curse as she muttered about spilling her drink.

"Good," I said, walking past the nurses and heading outside. "Cause I need a fucking drink."