CHLOE

Her Own Fairytale

But not all the parties she had attended were bad. In fact, in one of those parties, she met someone. And that someone was who she could say fell for love at first sight.

His name was Philip Adler (based on Prince Gabriel of Liechtenstein 1998/son of Prince Gundakar), or should she say... Duke Adler.

He was a close relative of Prince Magnus on his father's side. If one were to examine his roots meticulously, they would be shocked to find out that he was actually the Prince's uncle, but he had lived most of his life in Austria.

How she met this man was truly a magical moment, and she thought it was heaven's plan.

That very afternoon at Princess Esther’s and Prince Alfred’s wedding anniversary party, she was there, quietly seating beside Prince Magnus and trying not to make any careless action that might put her in trouble again. Her eyes wandered across the hall full of aristocrats, and then someone caught her attention: a man with a simple style of couture who was eating chicken with his bare hands three tables away from where she was.

Of course, the sight was very unusual, especially for a royal occasion, and so his personality intrigued her. She looked intently, curious at who this charming man was, but he suddenly looked her way, and they gazed at each other for a long time, not until the music played and it was time to dance the waltz.

Prince Magnus was busy socializing with other people, so she sneaked her way out of the party to the fountain. She didn't know that Duke Adler followed her there, and that was when she found out who he was and later had the chance to befriend him.

Philip approached her as she stood by the fountain, taking in the cool night air.

"An excellent tactical retreat," he commented, his voice warm and carrying a slight Austrian lilt. "The air in there can get rather thick with diamond dust and passive aggression."

Chloe turned, a genuine smile replacing her strained politeness. "Tell me about it. It feels like you need a special kind of permit just to breathe without being judged."

He chuckled, a rich, deep sound. "Then I hope my choice of cutlery earlier didn't cause too much of a stir. Sometimes, a fork just gets in the way of a good chicken wing."

Chloe laughed. "You're the man with the chicken! I was honestly mesmerized. It was the most wonderfully unconventional thing I've seen all night."

"Philip Adler," he said, extending his hand. "Though most people call me Philip."

"Chloe Jung," she replied, shaking his hand.

"Are you new to the court, Chloe?" he asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

"Very new. And already feeling completely out of place," she admitted.

"You look like you'd rather be anywhere else," he observed kindly. "I understand. I usually am. I only come home for family events, and then I run back to Austria." He paused. "Next time you need a break from the controlled chaos, perhaps you'd allow me to show you the parts of the country that don't require a protocol manual?"

"I'd like that very much, Philip," she agreed.

Since then, Chloe always hangs out with him whenever the Prince didn't need her for a display. Prince Magnus didn't know she was becoming close to anyone in his family; all he knew was that during her free time, she went shopping in the city.

She went off camping, hiking, library and museum hopping, food trips, and road trips with Duke Adler, and he was an awesome company. He was practical, funny, and shared her disdain for unnecessary extravagance. With Philip, she felt like her old, simple self again—the self that existed before royal protocol and feigned affection.

Philip was goofy, cranky, and a crazy prankster, but he was also nice at the same time. Chloe spent their outings laughing, a sound she realized she hadn't genuinely made in years. She could tell that he was falling in love with her too. Their shared appreciation for the simple, authentic things in life forged a deep connection that had nothing to do with crowns or castles.

They were sitting on a secluded bench overlooking a mountain trail one afternoon after a hike, sharing a slightly crushed sandwich. The comfortable silence felt right.

Philip broke the silence, his tone suddenly serious. "Chloe, there's something I need to say..."

Chloe turned to him, her heart pounding. She knew what was coming, but she couldn't let him confess his feelings while a massive lie hung over her head. She set her sandwich down.

"Wait, Philip," she interrupted gently. "Before you say anything, there's something I need to tell you. Something important, and honestly, a little ridiculous."

She took a deep breath and recounted the entire story: her accidental meeting with Prince Magnus, his paranoid accusations of stalking fueled by a forgotten f*******: post, his outrageous threat of blacklisting her from Europe, and the desperate deal they struck to pretend to be a couple for one month to derail his engagement.

She finished, looking at him anxiously. "So, the truth is, I'm not the Prince's actual girlfriend. I'm just a hired distraction. It was supposed to be a secret, but I can't let you think I'm lying to you."

Philip didn't look shocked or angry. Instead, he reached out and gently took her hand, his thumb stroking her knuckles.

"Magnus has always been high-strung, and he's especially terrified of being trapped in a political marriage," Philip mused, a small, wry smile touching his lips. "It's a ridiculous mess, but I believe you, Chloe. Honestly, your dislike of all the royal pomp is too genuine to be an act of seduction."

He held her gaze, his eyes full of warmth. "And now that I know you aren't actually taken, it makes this much easier to say: I'm completely in love with you. I think I have been since I saw you staring at a plate of chicken with such intense curiosity."

Chloe's eyes misted. "I feel the same way about you, Philip. Completely."

"We have a problem, though," Chloe said, sobering slightly. "Everyone here, including your family, thinks I'm involved with Magnus."

Philip nodded, his gaze unwavering. "We'll work around it. For now, you keep up the act for Magnus—you agreed to a month, so finish it. But for us, we can be real. We can try to make things work, even if everyone thinks you're with him."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Absolutely," he asserted, rising and pulling her up with him. "But our first real date needs to be somewhere unforgettable."

And so, even as she maintained her public facade as the Prince's unruly girlfriend, Chloe went on her first real, deeply meaningful date with Duke Philip Adler.