"What is it this time, Miss Julia?" Prince Hudson asked impatiently as we drove again.
"Take her shopping. You're attending your brother's dinner tonight, Prince," Miss Julia replied calmly. "And keep up the lovey-dovey act."
"I hate you, Miss Julia," he said playfully.
"Duly noted, Prince Hudson," she replied nonchalantly.
We entered a members-only mall in the city center. When he saw the crowd—likely socialites given their attire—he bent down and took my hand, holding it tightly. We hurried to the elevator. When the doors closed, he let go of my hand. We stood in silence, pressing the button for the fifth floor.
His phone rang. He answered quickly, "Yeah, I'm here. I'll meet you. Wait for me."
The elevator opened, and he looked around for passersby. Once the floor was clear, he stepped out and motioned for me to follow. We arrived at the spa clinic, where the staff greeted him like an old friend. After giving some instructions, he turned to me, bent down, and kissed my forehead. I nearly jumped, but he caught my arms.
"Enjoy your day, darling. I'll be back when you're done."
The staff before us giggled happily and quickly pulled me away when Prince Hudson left. A woman in her thirties smiled at me.
"You're so lucky, Miss Anderson. The people are really happy for you."
I tried to smile but didn't reply. She kept talking as she led me into a room. It was spacious and private, filled with the scent of lavender.
"I mean, the whole raffle to find the prince's bride seemed ridiculous at first, but now it's clear Prince Hudson has changed. Finding love at the most unexpected moment—at just the right time—it's time for him to settle down."
I looked at her. "Don't you think he's too young—eighteen—to settle down?"
She shrugged. "That's royal tradition. If marriage keeps him out of trouble, then it's the right choice. And with a commoner like you, everyone's celebrating. People like us shouldn't underestimate our power."
If she only knew, I thought.
She grinned mischievously. "Let's make you pretty."
Suddenly, I found myself wailing and screaming as they waxed all my body hair. I almost regretted doing this. Luckily, they gave me a massage afterward.
Next, they moved me to the salon. The staff hovered over me like I was a prized possession. They kept calling me "the People's Princess" and other flattering names.
-----
Two hours later, I felt both refreshed and exhausted. My frizzy hair was now straightened, and I looked different. The staff had given me a lot of pep talks, leaving me drained. I couldn't shake the feeling that I carried an unintentional heavy burden. How am I supposed to make Prince Hudson behave when even the King couldn't do that?
I waited outside the spa clinic, but Prince Hudson didn't come to find me. I didn't have a phone or any money, so I decided to walk around the mall to look for him. A few minutes later, I spotted him in a boutique, standing with his back to me. I saw a girl's hands wrapping around his neck. I froze until a flash and a click caught their attention. He turned and saw the paparazzi. He quickly dragged himself further into the shop's back area. I turned away and ran to a corner to hide from the photographers. Luckily, he didn't see me.
Prince Hudson ran out of the shop to catch up. He stopped when he didn't see him anymore, then turned and saw me crouching in the corner. He stepped toward me.
"Glad you're here. Come," he said and pulled me inside the store's back room.
Inside, I recognized the girl whose hands had been on Prince Hudson. She looked elegant in a fitted knitted dress. Her voluptuous figure contrasted with her innocent, cat-like face. Her pearl-white skin glowed in the bright light of the office at the back of the shop. She looked me up and down with disgust but didn't say anything. Then she glared at Prince Hudson.
"Take off your clothes and give them to her," he ordered the girl.
She raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips. "And why would I do that?"
"A paparazzi caught us. I'd be in big trouble if it got out. She needs to wear your dress," Prince Hudson said urgently.
The girl rolled her eyes and glared at me. "Just pray she's my size. I doubt this dress suits her style." She then went into the fitting room behind the office.
"Who is she?" I asked, panicking inside. I was worried this mess was also mine.
He avoided my gaze. "None of your business," he said dismissively.
"Oh, really? Well, I'm leaving," I snapped. If I was going to get involved in this mess, he better cooperate.
"Wait! She's just a friend," he said quickly, without explaining.
"I'm not an idiot. I don't care what you do with your 'adventures.' I'm sacrificing enough already. Do your part," I said with a hint of anger.
The girl reappeared, wearing a new dress and holding out her old one. I snatched it up and glared at both of them.
When I tried to put on the dress, I couldn't reach the zipper at the back. So I went out anyway. When Prince Hudson saw me clutching the dress, he stepped closer and told me to turn around. He zipped me up with ease. The girl rolled her eyes. The dress fit perfectly.
"I'll call my staff to help you," she said with a hint of annoyance and stomped out of the room.
Before we stepped out of the office, he pulled me closer.
"Smile. They might be hiding outside," he whispered in my ear.
Inside the boutique, a staff member approached us and began showing us around.
"Say something funny," Prince Hudson said as we browsed through luxury bags that cost a fortune.
"This bag is more expensive than my life," I shot back.
He laughed loudly, a fake, exaggerated laugh that annoyed me. Then he stopped, shifted his body toward me, and held me a little too close, hugging me tightly.
"Hug me back," he ordered.
I rolled my eyes but complied, offering a fake smile. The staff, seeing us, also smiled, convinced that we were genuinely close. Suddenly, the sound of camera clicks echoed around us.
He broke the hug, still maintaining his fake smile.
"You look like an idiot," I muttered, glaring at him.
"Watch this," he threatened with a mischievous smile. He called out to the staff. "Miss, take out all your dresses for this season. My darling will be trying them... all," he said with a sly grin.
"Fuck you," I mouthed silently. "And I am not your darling."
He confidently sauntered off and sat on a sofa in the middle of the store. He sprawled his arms over the back and crossed his legs, clearly enjoying himself.
The staff then pulled out three racks of dresses from the back. My eyes widened, and I could feel Prince Hudson's evil laugh echoing in my head.
"Impress me, darling," he said casually.
I shot him a fierce glare and forced a smile for the camera. "You'll regret this," I muttered under my breath.
I stepped into the first dress—a glittering red, fitted gown. A staff member helped zip it up as I walked out, walking confidently around the store.
Prince Hudson looked up, nodded approvingly.
"Darling, do you like it?" I asked loudly, enough for even those outside to hear.
"Yes," he mouthed, glaring at me and signaling for me to lower my voice.
"I can't hear you, darling," I taunted, raising my voice.
"Yes!" he answered a little louder.
"Louder, please," I insisted.
"YES, DARLING. I LOVE IT," he shouted, louder still.
"Clap for me, darling! I want you to clap," I demanded, and he hesitated before complying.
"Louder," I pressed.
He clapped awkwardly and mouthed, "What are you doing? This is embarrassing!"
I shot back, "If I suffer, you do too."
I repeated this routine with the next five dresses. By the end, I could see the exhaustion creeping into his eyes, though he kept up the act.
-----
By the seventh dress, he suddenly stood up and pulled me inside the changing room. The space was surprisingly large, but with him inside, it felt suffocating.
"What are you doing?" I asked, accusingly.
"I think we've seen enough dresses," he remarked, sounding annoyed.
Suddenly, we heard some rustling and shuffling inside the shop.
"Why don't we wrap this up nicely?" he said teasingly.
"Let me take this dress off of you," he taunted, stepping closer.
I pushed him back, retreating into the corner.
"What the hell are you doing?" I demanded.
Instead of backing off, he walked toward me, closing the space between us. I could even feel his breath on my face. Then, he placed his hand on my waist and started tickling me.
"Sto—stop!" I squealed, giggling uncontrollably. "Hudson, stop! Don't!"
I pushed him away and bolted out of the changing room. He followed, wrapping his arms around me from behind.
What a wrap, indeed. A group of photographers was standing at the store's entrance, their cameras clicking nonstop as they captured the scene.