Ethan pov

I was born into a world where every move was dictated by my family’s expectations. My parents, especially my mother, were obsessed with the idea of royal status — not just wealth but legacy, a legacy that had to be publicly recognized. They insisted that I get married quickly, find a woman who could be their perfect image of a 'princess' to match the grandeur of our family. They needed her to be someone who would fit in seamlessly, not just behind closed doors but out in the open, under the spotlight.

But I never wanted any of this. I didn’t want to get married for the sake of appearances. I didn’t want to be trapped in a relationship where love was an afterthought, something that couldn’t exist when everything was reduced to business deals and power plays. I wanted to marry someone who chose me, not for my wealth or status, but because they genuinely cared for me. Someone who would stand by me, not for a contract, but because they loved me in a way that was beyond superficial expectations. I knew the kind of person I needed. But I had no illusions — such a person didn’t exist. At least, that’s what I thought.

So, I started hiring women, hoping to find one who would be willing to marry me for money, for the status, for all the things my family desired. But no matter how many women I met, how many of them were willing to do whatever it took to be with me, there was always something missing. None of them had what I was looking for. They didn’t feel genuine; they didn’t have the purity I was searching for. I was starting to lose hope, thinking that maybe I would have to settle for a woman who didn’t understand me, didn’t love me, but could simply tolerate the life I was offering.

That is, until I met her — Celine.

The moment I saw her, something inside me clicked. She wasn’t like the others. She wasn’t looking for wealth, she wasn’t desperate for status, and most importantly, she wasn’t trying to play any games. She was genuine, kind, and most of all, she had a purity in her heart that I had never seen before. She didn’t need money or fame to validate herself. What struck me most was her heart — it was pure and untainted. She cared about others, and I could see it in the way she carried herself, in every word she spoke, in the way she made people around her feel. It was as if she had the ability to turn even the most cynical, jaded hearts into something warm, something hopeful.

I knew, right then, that she was the one. She was the woman who could help me fulfill the expectations my family had set. But more than that, she was someone I could rely on — someone I could build a life with. I wasn’t looking for love from her, not yet. But I was looking for a partnership, someone who would stand with me, not just for me. I would give her everything I could — wealth, security, a life of comfort — if she agreed to marry me and help me fulfill my obligations to my family. And in return, I would make sure her life and her family's life was better than they could have ever imagined.

So, I did what I had to do. I offered her the contract, a promise of what I could give her — business shares, money, security. It was a practical offer. I had no illusions that she would fall in love with me immediately. I didn’t expect her to be swept away by some grand gesture or by my wealth. But I knew she would be interested in the security I could offer her and her family. That’s why, when I presented the offer, I thought she would hesitate, or at least question it. What else could she do, after all?

But what happened next left me stunned.

Celine agreed almost instantly. There was no hesitation, no questioning. She took the contract and said yes, without second thoughts. And I realized then that she wasn’t just agreeing to this out of practicality; she was doing it with a kind of sincerity that I hadn’t expected. It was as if, for the first time in my life, I wasn’t being treated as a means to an end, but as someone who could provide for her and her family. Her willingness to accept the situation, her eagerness to dive into this new life with me, made me realize that she was different.

She wasn’t asking for anything beyond what was already offered. And what was most surprising was that she didn’t seem to care about the complexities of what this contract meant. For her, it was simple. She wanted a better life for her family. And that was all that mattered.

I had been looking for someone who would accept my offer, who would do what was required, but I didn’t expect to find someone who would do so with such grace and honesty. She wasn’t playing a game; she wasn’t trying to manipulate me into something more than this. She was clear about her intentions — she wanted to build a life for herself and her family, and she saw this as an opportunity to do that.

It was clear to me now: Celine was the one who could handle all the pressure. She was the one who could help me maintain the illusion my family wanted, but also the one who could show them — without saying a word — that love could exist in this world, even in the most unusual of circumstances.

I also knew that there would be no romance between us. That wasn’t why I asked her to marry me. But what I did know was that Celine, through her selflessness and determination, could help me create the life I needed. And in return, I would give her everything she wanted — a life that would secure her family’s future, and a place in a world that she could never have dreamed of before.

I didn’t expect her to fall in love with me. And I didn’t expect that our marriage would be filled with passion or romance. But I knew one thing: Celine was the key to everything. She was the one who would change it all, and I was ready to do whatever it took to protect her and her family.
After Celine agreed to the contract, I realized that she was more than just a solution to my family's demands — she was now an integral part of this world that I had never fully embraced. The weight of this responsibility, however, was heavier than I had anticipated. The whole idea of marrying her wasn’t just about filling a role; it was about creating a perfect image — one that the media, my family, and the public would approve of. If Celine and I were to be the "perfect couple," we had to look the part, act the part, and embody everything that royalty stood for. The success of this plan relied heavily on how we portrayed ourselves.

I knew Celine was an innocent soul — not naive, but she had a simplicity about her that made her incredibly real. And that's what I wanted to preserve. However, I also knew that in order for her to stand beside me, to be seen as my equal, she would need to embrace a new version of herself. She would need to understand how to navigate the world I had been born into, a world filled with rules and expectations that I had long become accustomed to.

I called my manager one afternoon, asking him to help me guide Celine through the process of becoming a part of this world — my world. “Make her ready for this life,” I told him. “She’s not just marrying me; she’s marrying into this legacy, this family, this empire. She needs to shine in front of the world, and it has to look effortless. She needs to know how to present herself, how to speak, how to interact with the media, with my parents, with the people who will surround her. She needs to look like she was born into this life, even if she wasn’t.”

The manager understood exactly what I meant. He wasn’t unfamiliar with the pressures of royal families and the expectations placed upon their spouses. This was not going to be easy for Celine, but I believed she had the potential to fit in. She was a diamond in the rough — she had the beauty, the grace, and the natural charm that could be molded into something magnificent. What she lacked were the fine details, the small things that could make her seem like she had always been destined for this world.

He suggested giving her a script. It would outline exactly how she should present herself in public, what kinds of conversations she should have with the media, and how to behave when interacting with my family. It was all about crafting the right image. The script would teach her how to speak the language of wealth, status, and power, without ever compromising her own personality. It would guide her on how to conduct herself in front of the public, how to make the right impression, how to wear the clothes that would mark her as royalty, and how to make even the smallest gestures seem grand.

But I also knew that Celine couldn’t change everything about herself. She couldn’t lose the essence of who she was. While she needed to make adjustments — small tweaks to her behavior, her appearance, her manners — I didn’t want her to feel like she was becoming a completely different person. She needed to retain that spark, that kindness, that sincerity that had drawn me to her in the first place.

"She has to look like she belongs to this world," I told him again. "But I don’t want her to lose herself. She doesn’t need to be perfect. She just needs to be… flawless in her imperfection."

My manager agreed, but we both knew that this would be a delicate process. It would be challenging for Celine to change so many things about herself so quickly, and I could already imagine how overwhelming it must have been for her. But at the same time, I knew this was her only way of stepping into the life I had given her. The world of royalty, of old money, of high expectations — it was suffocating, and it was not kind to anyone who wasn’t ready to play by its rules.

As the days went by, Celine started to adapt. She worked hard at getting the script down, at perfecting the way she spoke to the media, learning how to engage in small talk with the people who would be judging her every move. I could see the effort she was putting in, and I admired her resilience. But I also couldn’t help but feel guilty — guilty that she had to change so much, guilty that this was the life I had brought her into.

Still, I had no choice. There was no turning back now. The family wanted her to be their future princess, and the public expected her to be the picture-perfect wife.

I also knew it wasn’t just about looking the part — it was about acting it. Celine had to be more than just a pretty face in a royal dress. She had to prove to everyone that she was worthy of this life. That meant interacting with my parents in a way that pleased them. They wanted her to be poised, respectful, and sophisticated. They wanted her to act as though she had always been part of this world — and it was my job to help her navigate that.

The process was not going to be easy. I knew she would struggle. And there were moments when I worried she might break under the pressure. But at the same time, I believed she was strong enough to rise to the challenge. She wasn’t just a pawn in my game. Celine was more than that. She was someone who, despite everything, had the potential to thrive in this world. And I wanted to give her the chance to do so.

"She has to be perfect, Ethan," my manager had said. "She has to blend in. If she does, she’ll be your perfect match. If she doesn’t, she’ll stand out for the wrong reasons."

And I couldn’t let that happen. I knew I was putting her through something she wasn’t prepared for, but I also knew it was the only way she would ever truly fit into my world.

So, I watched as Celine began her transformation, step by step. She learned the rules, she followed the script, and slowly, she started becoming someone who could stand beside me — someone who could stand beside the legacy my family demanded. And though it wasn’t easy, I saw in her the strength to become something more.

But deep down, I knew that this world I was asking her to fit into — it wasn’t her world. And that realization, however far off, lingered in my mind.