The Prince And I

The Mysterious Prince

Sienna's POV

I couldn't believe it.

Of all the people I could have exchanged luggage with, it had to be that annoying man.

I was still irritated when I finally returned to my hotel.

What were the chances of meeting the same rude stranger thrice in one day?

And now we'd even managed to exchange suitcases.

Unbelievable.

I dropped my bag on the floor and fell onto the bed.

I had officially had enough excitement for one day.

I called Mia to let her know I had arrived safely.

I spent the rest of the afternoon in my room.

I ordered something to eat, took a long shower, and rested.

I didn't even open my laptop.

I had promised myself that this vacation was going to be a break.

No thinking about work, Celine, or promotion.

And definitely no thinking about my cheating ex.

For once, I just wanted to relax.

By evening, I felt much better.

I went downstairs to the hotel restaurant for dinner.

The place was quiet and beautiful. Soft music played in the background while people talked quietly at their tables.

I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.

This was exactly what I needed.

A vacation to clear my head from everything happening in my life.

After dinner, I went back to my room and went to bed early.

For the first time in a week, I slept peacefully.

The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed.

I stretched and looked around the room this isn't my room.

For a moment, I couldn't remember where I was.

Then it hit me.

I was on vacation in Monaco.

I smiled.

I was finally away from London.

And surprisingly, the first thing that came to my mind wasn't work.

That alone felt like a victory.

I got dressed and decided to spend the day exploring the town.

I grabbed my notebook and camera before leaving my room.

Technically, I was on vacation.

But I was still a reporter.

I couldn't completely switch that part of myself off.

I told myself I wasn't working.

I was simply observing.

Creating happy memories.

That was all.

I am sure Mia would be so thrilled to see some of the pictures I took.

I walked through different parts of town, visiting shops, cafés and public areas.

The city was beautiful and refreshing.

There was something about the place that made it easy to forget everything else.

I stopped at a café for coffee before continuing my walk.

I decided to check out the town market it's was a beautiful sight to behold.

As I passed a small group of locals, I heard them talking.

I wasn't trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.

But one word immediately caught my attention.

"Prince."

I slowed down.

Because everyone knows that Monaco lost their crown prince some months back.

And there have been rumors that the second prince wasn't interested in the throne.

I casually moved closer to them pretending to check out some fruit.

"The younger prince is finally coming back," one of them said.

"After all these years?" another person asked.

"That's what I heard. The palace is preparing for his return."

I became more interested.

"They say nobody has really seen him in years," an older man said.

“I thought he came back for his brother's burial” another person asked.

“Yes, he came back, but left immediately after the burial.”

"He left after college, didn't he?" Another woman asked

"Yes. Eight years ago."

"Eight years is a long time."

Another person laughed.

"Who knows what kind of man he has become after living abroad for so long?"

I listened carefully.

The prince had left the country after college and had been living abroad for eight years.

His older brother had been the one expected to become king.

But after his brother's death, everything had changed.

Now the responsibility had fallen on him.

"Do you think he'll actually accept the throne?" someone asked.

"He has no choice," another man replied.

Someone else shook his head.

"How can a young man who has spent eight years abroad understand the people here?"

That comment caught my attention.

I quietly wrote a few things in my notebook.

A prince who disappeared after college.

Eight years living abroad.

An older brother who died.

A throne waiting for him.

And apparently, nobody really knew much about him.

That was interesting.

Very interesting.

As a reporter, I couldn't help wondering what kind of person he really was.

Why had he stayed away for so long?

What had he been doing all those years?

And why had he suddenly decided to return?

I continued walking, but my mind was already working.

Maybe this could be a story.

A very good story.

Then I reminded myself that I wasn't here to work.

I was here to enjoy my vacation.

Besides, the prince hadn't even returned publicly yet.

There was nothing to report.

At least not yet.

I continued exploring the town.

Now and then, I heard another small piece of information about him.

People were curious about his return.

Some were excited.

Others were doubtful.

Everyone seemed to have an opinion about a man they barely knew.

By late afternoon, I returned to my hotel.

I was tired from walking all day, but my mind was still occupied by everything I had heard.

I sat on my bed and stared at my notebook.

Maybe I should investigate him.

I shook my head.

No.

Not yet.

I was on vacation.

I closed the notebook and put it aside.

I needed somewhere quiet.

Somewhere I could sit and read without hearing people talk about work, celebrities, or royalty.

Later that evening, I left the hotel with a book.

I walked for a while, looking for somewhere peaceful.

Eventually, I found it.

A beautiful quiet area near a lake.

There were trees surrounding the place and thick green grass covering the ground.

The water was calm, and there were barely any people around.

It was perfect.

I smiled.

"This is exactly what I needed."

I found a comfortable spot on the grass and sat down.

I opened my book and started reading.

For the first time since arriving in Monaco, I felt completely relaxed.

I was so focused on my book that I didn't notice someone else was already nearby.

Until I heard a familiar voice.

"You again?"

I froze.

Slowly, I lowered my book.

My heart almost dropped.

I looked up.

It was him.

The rude stranger from the airport.

He stood a few feet away from me, staring at me with the same irritated expression.

I blinked.

Was this some kind of joke?

Before I could say anything, he frowned.

"Are you stalking me or what?"

I stared at him.

What?

He took another step toward me.

"Who sent you? Why are you following me around?"

I slowly closed my book.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Excuse me?"

He continued staring at me suspiciously.

I looked around.

There was no one else there.

Then I looked back at him.

"I came here because I wanted somewhere quiet to read."

He said nothing.

"I had no idea you were here," I said calmly trying not to get angry

But he stood there staring at me unconvinced.

I felt irritation rising inside me.

This was the fourth time we had crossed paths.

And somehow, he thought I was following him?

I stared at him, completely speechless.

Was this man actually serious?

He thought I was following him?

I had come all the way to Monaco to escape annoying people.

Somehow, I had managed to find the most annoying man in the entire country.