Katherine's POV:

I've been going back and forth all morning thinking of our first date. I couldn't leave the room all day worried about the thoughts going in my head. First date means giving him a chance to go on to more and getting to know each other well.

But what if something goes wrong and we end up hating each other? How are we going to continue this marriage if we hate each other? Nate might be able to act but I can't.

I look around the room trying to find something else to think of until my eyes land on the clock. It's time to start getting ready.

I head to the vanity table and start with my make-up. Putting some silver eye shadow, false lashes, and ending the look with deep red lipstick. I then start curling my hair and put it all to one side.

I go back to my room and take the dress that was laid on the bed and get dressed. The dress is strapless and forest green coloured, it fits till my waist and then flows till my knees. After getting someone to help me zip up the dress, I put my black heels on.

I was ten minutes early, and my mind started playing sick games with me making me start pacing around again while tension growing in my body.

"Your highness, your car is here" Barry announced making me stop my pacing and turn to him "Don't you know how to knock!" I snapped. 

Damn, this date is making me go crazy 

"I'm sorry Barry, I'm just nervous" he nodded

"No problem your highness and I did knock" I sighed to myself grabbing my clutch and leaving the room.

Once I got to the car, I realised that the man opening the door for me wasn't Nate "Nate didn't come?" I asked as I slid into the back seat.

The driver went the other side of the car and took the driver seat "His highness asked me to take you to the venue, he shall be waiting there for you" I nodded with a polite smile.

We spent the whole ride getting to know each other and chatting a bit. Charles, Nate's personal driver, worked as his driver ever since he was little. His wife had passed away a couple of years back making him dedicate his entire time to working in hopes of forgetting his misery.

"I'm sorry your highness, but we arrived" Charles interrupted what I was about to say. I looked around and realised that we were at the beach.

Charles opened the door for me and extended his hand. I took it and got out of the car "It was nice meeting your acquaintance your highness. His highness shall be waiting for you by the water" I thanked him and started looking around.

Thank the lord I wore a short dress. 

I took my heels off carrying them in my hand and started waking feeling the warm sand against my feet. It might not be something royalty does, but I love waking on the warm sand.

Once I got to the water, I saw a table set and Nate in his seat already. He turned to look at me then he turned back to his drink not bothering to get up and pull out the chair for me or even acknowledge my presence. 

What the hell is going on with him?!

"How are you doing Nate?" I asked as I took my seat. Nate rolled his eyes turning his attention to me instead of his drink.

"Listen, I'm only doing this for the press to take pictures and have something to talk about the next morning. We don't have to actually be interested in each other, all we have to do is act which is supposed to be easy for you since you do it all the time" he talked in a sharp cold tone that I've never heard him use with me before. And act? What act do I do all the time? Does he think I'm acting with him or something?!

I nodded not wanting to argue with him since the tone he used was already scary and I didn't want to see worse. And that's how we spent the whole time eating in silence and not uttering a single word.

"Let's go" he said getting up and not giving me a chance to object since I'm not done eating yet. I sighed getting out of my seat and followed him.

We walked a bit away from the table but stayed close to the water the whole time. Suddenly, a helicopter came, lighting up the whole beach and focusing on a 'Will You Marry Me?' written in the sand.

I turned to Nate to ask him for who is that but found him on one knee instead, with a velvet box in his hands making me gasp. I thought this whole thing is for show, why is he making all these romantic gestures? Isn't this a bit too much for an act?

"Don't even think I'm proposing, as I said before this is an act and we are going to act in love. I won't propose but I can promise you this, I am going to make your life a living hell and I'm going to make you regret using me. You can't even think of running away from this unless you want to destroy your and mine's image and let daddy be mad at you. The press is probably taking pictures of us behind me, so now you are going to smile and nod" he said in a stern voice. 

I faked a smile through my tears and nodded. He slid the ring onto my finger and I couldn't help but admire it. The ring is something I've always dreamt of, a solitaire ring with a big rock in the center taking all the attention and small diamonds circling it, giving the ring a whole new level of perfection. 

He pecked my lips quickly and moved to my ears whispering coldly " Remember, this is all for show, don't forget that" 

I weakly nodded through my tears as it was the only thing I could do.

"Can we go now?" I asked through small sniffs

"Stop crying! Now let's go" he hissed and left me shocked by his attitude. I wiped my tears violently and followed him to the car.

The whole ride was full of silence, just like dinner. Not that I wanted to talk to him after all he's done. Each of us looked out of the window and didn't spare each other a single glance. 

Once we arrived at the palace, I was about to get out of the car when I decided to give him a piece of my mind

"The other day you promised me you would make it up to me for how you acted before and I thought to myself, why not give him a chance, he seems like he regrets what he's done plus everyone deserves a second chance. I really believed you could change for the better but now I see you've changed for the worse" I sighed through words in clear disappointment.

Nate continued looking through the window so I muttered to myself "I should've chosen the other guy, he probably would have treated me better than you do" 

"Of course, with all the acting you do, everyone would be at your feet" he said with a sarcastic tone, still looking at the window

"Enough with the acting thing, why do you keep repeating it? What acting did I do on you?!" I snapped

"Get out of my car!" he turned to look at me and snapped back. I sighed thinking there's no way we could solve this civilly. 

"Goodbye Nathaniel"

.........................

As soon as I changed and removed my make-up, I got comfy in my bed dialing Arabella's number.

"Hey Bella, are you free to talk?" I tried my best not to sound sad but I guess I failed

"Always for you, is everything alright? You sound a bit off" she sounded concerned as I sighed remembering today's unfortunate events.

"No, I'm not alright. Nate and I went on our date today"  

"Aw that's nice, how did it go?" she squealed. 

"Terrible"

"What? Why? Last time you guys saw each other, he was a sweetheart to you" Arabella is up to date about everything between Nate and I, so that's why she knows about the day we went ring shopping.

"Well, this time he was the exact opposite.  It was all weird though, his gestures were extremely nice and romantic while his behaviour was the exact opposite. He prepared for us a table by the beach, but the moment I sat down he told me that he would make my life miserable. What was worse that he proposed to me in the most romantic way, but when he started his speech, he threatened me with my father if I ever think of saying no" 

She gasped

"That bloody bastard, I'm going to kill him the moment I see him. Still, there is something fishy. I mean why would he do all these sweet things, he could've just gave you the ring the day you went ring shopping. And why would he be sweet the other day and now not?" 

"That's exactly what I thought" I said still confused and trying to think of a reasonable excuse for his behaviour

"You know what? I think someone talked to him and that's why he suddenly changed"

"Maybe, but what could possibly make him change his mind? He did mention something about me acting towards him"

"That, I don't know, but it only makes sense that someone changed his mind about you" I hummed not knowing what else to say

"So you're still going to marry him?"

"Do I look like I have any other choice, he threatened me with my father if you don't remember"

"Actually you do another choice, you could run away again but this time I will help you. You have to be careful though and you can't trust anyone until you escape"

"I can't" I said sighing 

"Why not?"

"Because I think I'm falling for Nate" she gasped

"How could you fall for him when he's an arse and he treats you terribly"

"He didn't treat me terribly all the time. He only does when he thinks I'm using him or something and that's why I think something was going on with him earlier today. He's been though a lot and he has a rough past so it's hard for him to trust people and let them in. Still, he's a good person. I got lucky enough to see the side of him that not everyone sees and that's why I liked him and started to fall for him"

"You're a good person Katy, but still, please be careful"

"I will"

"So your're going to marry him and try work out things with him?"

"I think I will, I just hope I don't regret it. I can't run away from him and I definitely can't run away from my feelings. You might think I'm crazy, but something tells me I should go on with the wedding and not run away"

I really hope I don't regret it.  

.................................

I know Nate might be a douche sometimes and he will do worse in other chapters, but I promise that he has a reason and he will make it up for Kate.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter.