The soft hum of Akisuki's phone vibrated against the glass tabletop with a random notification, pulling her focus away from the untouched glass of cherry soda, now stale. The email Vincent had sent late last night glared back at her like an ominous specter. "We need to talk - about the truth, Akisuki Rei."

She could hear his voice say in her head. Her heart pounded. He knew. The thought tumbled around her head like an incessant drumbeat. But how? How much did he know?

Akisuki had spent the entire night pacing the length of her apartment. Sleep evaded her as dread clawed at her chest. What if Vincent Carter - calculating and intimidating as he was - knew everything? Her identity as the last descendant of Emperor Kenji Rei was a secret she'd kept fiercely guarded.

This wasn't about her title or prestige. It was about freedom, about living a life where no one bowed or whispered behind her back. And yet, here she was, shackled to another powerful man who might now hold her greatest secret in his grasp for his own benefits.

By the time dawn broke, her nerves were shredded, but she forced herself into her usual routine. She wouldn't let this shake her. Wearing her classy and crisp business suit and black riding gloves, Akisuki hopped onto her Kawasaki, letting the growl of the engine steady her fraying resolve.

The ride to work was her only solace. The roar of the bike, the wind whipping past her face - it was a kind of therapy. But as she pulled into the underground parking lot, the sight of Vincent's sleek black Maserati sent a cold shiver down her spine.

She parked her bike a few spaces away and climbed off, tugging her helmet off as she mentally rehearsed the detached, indifferent façade she needed to maintain. The universe, however, had other plans.

"Good morning, Akisuki," Vincent's deep voice sliced through the quiet of the parking lot.

Akisuki froze momentarily before turning to face him, her helmet tucked under her arm. His piercing gaze locked onto hers, and she swore there was a flicker of amusement in his dark, grey eyes.

"Sir," she greeted curtly, inclining her head, her hand coming up to readjust her glasses.

"You seem... tense today," he remarked, his tone casual but his eyes searching. "Everything alright?"

"Perfectly fine," she replied smoothly, her lips curving into a polite smile.

Vincent stepped closer, towering over Akisuki's petite self, his presence overwhelming as always. "Interesting. Because usually, when someone has something to hide, they tend to avoid eye contact."

Akisuki's heart lurched, but she didn't flinch. She didn't want to appear vulnerable or fragile now. She took in a small breath and looked up at Vincent, her mismatched eyes meeting his grey ones, an air of confidence surrounding her. "I assure you, I have nothing to hide."

"Hmm," he murmured, his gaze lingering a beat too long before he stepped aside. "Carry on, then."

The exchange left her rattled, but she squared her shoulders and marched toward the elevators. She had a job to do, and she wouldn't let him unnerve her.

Akisuki would admit that she was a softie, couldn't handle things when they became too overwhelming for her to handle. However, she was never the one to back down from a challenge. Vincent Carter, for her, was a challenge.

The morning at the office was a blur of unanswered questions and restless energy for Akisuki. She had barely gotten any sleep after seeing that ominous email from Vincent since last night. The words "We need to talk" echoed in her mind, haunting her as she tried to focus on her work.

By the time she finished making a draft of Vincent's schedule for that day, she had made a decision: she wasn't going to let Vincent Carter intimidate her. If he thought he could unravel her life, she'd show him just how tightly her world was stitched together.

Not being able to shut her inner demons up, she put in a pair of Air pods in her ears and blasted her favourite jams, her game face was on. Adjusting her glasses on her nose and picking up her stylus, she reminded herself that she was Akisuki Rei - princess or not, she could handle anything.

The workday went by as usual, but as the hours ticked by, the lingering tension between her and Vincent became palpable. He hadn't confronted her yet, which only made her feel more on edge. Around mid-morning, craving a moment of solace, she decided to grab a coffee from the breakroom.

As she poured herself a cup of double espresso - something she despised but Vincent loved - the chatter behind her grew louder, and soon, she could feel the weight of multiple pairs of eyes on her back. She turned slowly, her calm demeanor masking her annoyance, to find a group of women staring her down. They were part of the administrative team - always impeccably dressed, always quick to gossip.

"Well, well," one of them, a tall brunette named Diane, said, crossing her arms. "Look who's decided to grace us with her presence. The golden secretary herself."

The bitter coffee turned even more bitter on her tongue. She felt the urge to retch it out, but she had to hold the demure façade as Vincent's 'golden' secretary. She could taste the women's jealousy in her coffee. For a moment, poison seemed like a better option to consume.

Akisuki's lips curled into a polite, detached smile. "Good morning to you too, Diane," she replied smoothly, ignoring the mocking tone.

"Oh, don't play coy, Akisuki Rei," another one chimed in, flipping her perfectly styled hair. "We've all seen how close you are to Mr. Carter. You're not fooling anyone."

Akisuki raised an eyebrow. "Close? I wasn't aware being professional counted as 'close.'"

"Oh, Please," Diane scoffed, stepping closer. "We know the type. Playing innocent while cozying up to the boss. What's the matter? Couldn't climb the corporate ladder without hitching a ride?"

The jab was sharp, but Akisuki didn't flinch. Instead, she took a deliberate sip of her coffee before responding. "You're right, Diane. I did hitch a ride - straight to this breakroom for a mediocre cup of coffee. If you'll excuse me, I have actual work to do."

She moved to leave, but another woman blocked her path. "You think you're so untouchable, don't you?" she hissed. "We'll see how long that lasts."

Before Akisuki could respond, the tension was shattered by a deep, commanding voice.

"Is there a problem here?"

The group froze, their faces paling as Vincent Carter himself stepped into the breakroom, his gaze like ice.

"No, sir," Diane stammered, her confidence evaporating. "We were just-"

"Just leaving," Vincent finished for her, his tone leaving no room for argument.

The women scattered, muttering weak excuses as they filed out of the room. Akisuki stood her ground, meeting Vincent's gaze with her usual composure.

"I didn't need rescuing," she said flatly, breaking the silence, keeping the cup down.

His smirk was faint but unmistakable. "I wasn't rescuing you. I was rescuing them from making fools of themselves."

Akisuki rolled her eyes and brushed past him, her heels clicking against the floor. "Whatever you say, sir. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

But just then, she felt a large, warm hand grab on to her wrist, pulling back to Vincent's close proximity. They were so close that Akisuki could feel his body heat seeping through her suit. Her dual-toned eyes widened a fraction, surprised and confused.

"You could've called me by my name, sir," she said calmly, her ataraxy tone betraying the sudden quickening of her heartbeat.

"That felt insignificant to me," he said coolly, his carbon grey eyes holding some amount of intensity, though less than usual.

"What can I do for you, sir?" Akisuki asked in a softer tone, remaining cool, calm and collected. She didn't want Vincent to see the effect he had on her (though he already saw it).

Vincent paused for a moment, his hand firmly yet gently holding her wrist as he kept her close to his frame, his free hand stuffed in his pocket. Her sweet and intoxicating perfume was driving him insane. His cool gaze roamed over Akisuki's face - the curve of her cheeks, the rosiness of her lips, the odd tones of her eyes, the rimless glass frames perched on her nose.

Has she always been this beautiful? His thumb involuntarily rubbed her wrist, his gaze softening a fraction.

"You may leave. I don't need anything," he mumbled, his voice a low rumble. Akisuki nodded and stepped back, feeling Vincent's hand let go of her wrist rather reluctantly.

She didn't look back as she left, but she could feel his eyes on her, scrutinizing, calculating. By the time she returned to her desk, her heart was racing - not from fear, but from the unspoken tension that seemed to follow her wherever Vincent Carter was concerned.

Vincent stood back, leaning his hip against the countertop of the breakroom. As he stuffed his hands in his pockets, his elbow slightly pushed a mug back, making a slight clinking sound against the marble tiles. He turned his head and saw a mug with unfinished black coffee.

He raised an eyebrow, noticing the faint print of a rosy lip-tint on the mug that Akisuki was holding earlier.

Double espresso.

She was having double espresso? He couldn't help but imagine her contorted face while taking a sip of the sugarless, bitter drink, a faint smirk on his lips. What could've happened that made his sweet little secretary resort to something she despised instead of her usual milk coffee.

He pulled out one of his hands from his pocket, reaching out to the cup before holding it up to his face. A strong scent of freshly brewed coffee filled his senses, however, a hint of something sweet that raised his eyebrows.

Cotton candy.

Did Akisuki's lips taste sweet like cotton cand-

Vincent poured the coffee down the sink, pouring his abrupt, absurd thought down the drain too. He felt surprised at his own mind and reaction. What was he thinking?

The morning passed in a blur of emails, reports, and mundane tasks. Akisuki buried herself in work, avoiding any unnecessary interactions with Vincent. But as the clock struck three in the afternoon, her phone buzzed with a message from him.

Vincent Carter: My office. Now.

Her stomach sank. She debated ignoring it, but she knew better than to provoke him. Taking a deep breath, she grabbed her iPad and headed to his office.

Vincent was seated at his desk, a stack of files in front of him. He gestured for her to sit without looking up.

"I need you to review these," he said, sliding the files toward her.

Akisuki frowned. This wasn't part of her usual responsibilities, but she nodded and opened the first file. Her confusion deepened as she scanned the contents - it was blank.

Her eyes snapped up to his. "Sir, there's nothing in these files."

Vincent leaned back in his chair, a sly smile tugging at his lips. "Exactly. I didn't call you here for work, Akisuki Rei."

The use of her first name along with her surname sent alarm bells ringing in her head. She straightened, her posture defensive. "Then why am I here?"

"To discuss the truth."

Her breath hitched.

"You see, I don't like secrets," he continued, his voice deceptively calm. "And I especially don't like when people try to deceive me. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled upon some rather... intriguing details about my secretary."

Akisuki's hands clenched into fists under the table. She knew denying it would be futile. "What do you want?" she demanded, her tone sharper than intended.

She was no longer the sweet and gentle secretary Vincent knew. Her demeanor was replaced by someone very unrecognisable - authoritative yet demure.

"I want to know why a princess is working as a secretary for a man like me," he said, his gaze boring into hers.

For a moment, Akisuki considered lying, spinning some half-baked story. But she knew that Vincent was no fool. He'd see through her in an instant.

"Because I wanted to live a life free from the chains of my title," she said finally, her voice steady. "I wanted to be normal, to carve out my own path without the weight of expectations crushing me."

Vincent studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "And yet, here you are, signing a contract to marry me. That doesn't sound very 'normal' to me."

Akisuki met his piercing gaze without so much as a flicker of hesitation. "You don't get to judge my choices, sir. If you want me to comply with this arrangement, there will be rules," she said, her tone cool yet commanding.

Vincent's lips curled into a faint smirk, but his eyes betrayed a flicker of curiosity. "Rules?" he echoed, leaning forward, his elbows resting on the desk.

"Yes. Rules," she repeated, crossing her arms, refusing to be intimidated by the palpable power he exuded.

Vincent leaned back, steepling his fingers as he regarded her. "You seem to be under the impression that you're in a position to dictate terms."

"I am," she shot back, her voice unwavering. "Because whether you like it or not, I'm your best shot at making this charade work. You don't need a pushover, sir. You need someone who can keep up with you, someone who can hold her own. And let me be perfectly clear - I am that person."

For a moment, silence hung thick in the air, the tension between them crackling like static. Vincent's grey, darkened eyes searched hers, as though trying to decipher the enigma that was Akisuki Rei.

Finally, a low chuckle rumbled from his chest, surprising her. "You're quite something, Miss Rei," he said, his voice laced with both amusement and admiration. "Very well. Let's hear these 'rules' of yours."

Akisuki uncrossed her arms, her expression softening just slightly. "I hope you'll be following them without any disruption," she replied, her tone still resolute.

"Looking forward to it," Vincent said smoothly, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

With that, the tension in the room seemed to shift, not dissipating entirely but transforming into something less confrontational. Akisuki remained seated, her posture relaxed yet authoritative, silently vowing to herself that she would not be cowed - not by Vincent Carter, and not by anyone else.