THE PRINCE I WAS NEVER MEANT TO LOVE

THE FIRST MEETING

I walked slowly along the hallway, my fingers tightening around the sides of my dress as the sound of laughter reached me from somewhere ahead.

The closer I got, the louder it became.

There were several voices mixed, along with the occasional burst of laughter that echoed through the halls. They were all gathered in the dining room, apparently already enjoying themselves.

I swallowed hard.

This was supposed to be a meeting between two royal families, yet somehow I felt like I was the only person who was terrified.

“Princess Sharon.”

I looked beside me.

My personal maid, Amelia, was walking alongside me. She had been my closest companion for years, and despite being my maid, she was probably the only person in the palace who could speak to me without constantly worrying about royal etiquette.

She leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Don’t look so worried. I’ve been doing a little snooping around.”

I glanced at her.

“Snooping?”

She smiled innocently. “A little. I heard some things about the prince.”

“And?”

“Well…” She paused dramatically. “He is apparently a good man.”

I gave her a doubtful look.

“Apparently?”

She shrugged. “Kind of.”

Despite myself, I almost laughed.

“That’s reassuring.”

“I mean it. There are plenty of rumors about him, but nothing terrible. And even if something is wrong, you won’t be alone.”

She gave my arm a gentle squeeze.

“You’re still a princess, Sharon. You’re the symbol of the agreement between both families. They can’t mistreat you without making their entire family look bad. If they want this marriage to work, they have to take care of you.”

I let out a small breath.

“Well, that’s reassuring.”

She smiled.

“All I’m saying is, you’ll be fine. And you’ll have me with you.”

I looked at her.

“You’re coming with me?”

She gave me an offended look. “Of course. It’s the rule. Wherever you go, I go. I’m your personal royal handmaid.”

A small smile finally touched my lips.

“At least I’ll feel a little better knowing you’re there.”

She smiled back at me.

“Don’t worry, my princess. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

We continued down the hallway, but the closer we got to the dining room, the louder the laughter and conversation became. I could hear several people talking at once, and my stomach twisted again.

Amelia noticed.

“We have to wait here,” she whispered.

I looked at her.

“Why?”

“Your father hasn’t requested your presence yet. You can’t simply walk into the dining room.”

I nodded reluctantly.

She led me into one of the smaller rooms nearby, where we could wait without being seen.

The moment the door closed behind us, I released a breath I didn’t realize I had been holding.

My emotions were everywhere.

I was nervous.

I was scared.

And despite everything Amelia had said, I couldn’t stop wondering what kind of man was sitting in that dining room, waiting to meet the woman he was supposed to marry.

A few minutes passed before a knock sounded on the door.

I looked up as one of the palace guards entered. He stopped a few feet away, bowed respectfully, and said, “Your Highness, His Majesty has sent for you.”

My stomach tightened.

So this was it.

I looked at Amelia, and she immediately reached for my hand. She held it for a few seconds, giving me a reassuring squeeze before letting go and quickly adjusting the front of my dress.

“Let’s go,” she whispered.

I nodded.

We stepped out of the room, and I followed her down the hallway toward the dining room. With every step, my heartbeat seemed to grow louder. I could already hear the voices inside, but when the doors finally opened, everything suddenly went quiet.

I stepped inside.

Every eye turned toward me.

For a moment, I didn’t know where to look. There were too many people, too many unfamiliar faces watching me. I felt my cheeks grow warm, so I lowered my gaze and focused on my steps instead, taking slow breaths as I walked toward my father.

I could hear murmurs coming from different sides of the room. I couldn’t make out what anyone was saying, and honestly, I didn’t want to know. I kept my eyes down until I reached my father’s side and stopped beside him.

I stood there quietly, trying to steady myself.

After a moment, I finally looked up.

My eyes first landed on the man seated at the head of the table. He looked like the king, and beside him sat a woman I assumed was the queen. There were several other members of the royal family seated around them, all watching me with varying expressions.

Then my eyes moved further.

And stopped.

The prince.

He wasn’t bad-looking.

Actually, he was far better-looking than I had expected. Something was striking about him, even from across the room. He sat quietly, his attention fixed on me as though he was studying every detail of my face.

Our eyes met.

For a brief second, neither of us moved.

Then, without warning, his expression changed.

He suddenly pushed his chair back and stood.

The sound of it scraping against the floor made everyone turn toward him.

He didn’t say a word.

He simply turned around and walked out of the dining room, his steps quick and his expression filled with anger.

I stood there completely confused.

What had just happened?

His mother immediately pushed her chair back and stood up.

“Wait,” she called after him, already moving toward the door. “Where are you going?”

He didn’t stop.

The queen hurried after him, leaving the rest of the room in an awkward silence.

For a few seconds, nobody said anything. Then the king cleared his throat and looked toward my father with an apologetic smile.

“Please, don’t mind him,” he said. “My son can be a little dramatic at times.”

My father gave a polite nod, though I could see the tension in his face.

“I hope there isn’t a problem,” he asked carefully.

The king hesitated before answering.

“Well, there isn’t a problem exactly. It’s just that…” He glanced toward the doorway his son had disappeared through. “He was under the impression that he would be meeting your other daughter.”

My heart skipped.

My other daughter.

I immediately knew who he meant.

My stepsister.

I looked down, suddenly feeling strange.

So they didn’t want me?

I didn’t know whether I should feel hurt or relieved.

A part of me wanted to be offended that the man I was supposed to marry had walked out the moment he saw me. But another part of me couldn’t ignore the tiny sense of relief spreading through my chest.

Maybe this meant the marriage wouldn’t happen after all.

Maybe they would send me back upstairs and choose her instead.

But then another thought came to me.

If they didn’t want me, why did the agreement have to be fulfilled with me in the first place?

I stood silently beside my father, unsure whether I wanted to cry or smile.