HIS PRINCESS

CHAPTER 8

Sebastian finally turned. The low light shadowed his features, making his expression unreadable. He walked toward the bed, the robe swaying slightly with his movements. "Come here."

Kiara's feet felt rooted to the carpet. This was the moment she'd planned for, but her body resisted moving forward.

Sebastian tilted his head slightly when she didn't move. "Having second thoughts?"

She forced herself to take one step, then another, until she stood at the foot of the bed. The comforter was turned down neatly, the pillows fluffed. Everything prepared for the transaction to begin.

Sebastian studied her for a long moment in the dim light. Then he reached for the lamp switch. "Let's see your face properly before—"

Kiara stood frozen as Sebastian approached in the dim light. The faint scent of his cedarwood cologne mixed with the rosewater from her bath. His fingers grazed the lamp switch.

"Wait," Kiara blurted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sebastian paused. "Something wrong?"

She swallowed hard, her pulse pounding in her ears. "I just... need a moment."

The mattress dipped as Sebastian sat on the edge of the bed. "You had enough time to consider this." His tone carried neither impatience nor warmth. "The terms won't change."

Kiara's fingers twisted in the fabric of her borrowed sweater - Ariana's favorite gray one she'd taken from the apartment. The wool scratched against her damp palms.

Sebastian reached for a glass of water on the nightstand. The ice cubes clinked as he took a sip. "If you're having doubts, say so now."

The grandfather clock in the hallway chimed the quarter hour, its deep tones vibrating through the floor. Kiara counted each strike - one, two, three - before answering.

"No doubts," she lied.

Sebastian set the glass down with a quiet thud. "Then come here."

She forced her legs to move, each step feeling like wading through thick mud. The Persian rug muffled her footsteps as she crossed to where he sat.

Moonlight through the sheer curtains caught the silver streaks in Sebastian's dark hair as he looked up at her. His gaze traveled slowly from her face down to her trembling hands.

"You're shaking," he observed.

Kiara clenched her fists to stop the tremors. "It's cold."

Sebastian reached for the thermostat on the wall behind him. The heating system hummed to life. "Better?"

She nodded, unable to trust her voice.

He stood abruptly, his shadow stretching across the bed. "Let's get one thing clear tonight." His fingers brushed her chin, tilting her face toward the dim light. "This is business. Nothing more."

Kiara's breath hitched as his thumb grazed her cheek - the touch steady, assessing. "I understand," she whispered.

Sebastian dropped his hand and walked to the dresser. He poured two fingers of amber liquor into a crystal glass. The liquid caught the light as he swirled it. "You'll sleep here tonight. Tomorrow we begin proper arrangements if you don't change your mind."

The ice in his drink crackled as he took a sip. Kiara stared at the empty space beside him on the bed, her stomach twisting.

Sebastian set down his glass with finality. "Get some rest." He moved toward the door. "I will be in the ajacent room."

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving Kiara standing alone in the too-quiet bedroom. The rose-scented steam from the bathroom had faded, leaving only the faint metallic taste of fear on her tongue.

She sank onto the edge of the bed, the silk sheets cool against her palms. The plan had worked - Sebastian believed she was Ariana. But as she stared at the closed door, Kiara wondered what exactly she'd just gotten herself into.

Her eyes swept the room—pristine, curated, expensive. Everything here felt sharp, cold, and intentional. Like him.

She wasn’t supposed to be here. She wasn’t supposed to be Ariana.

But someone had to take the fall tonight.

Kiara moved slowly toward the mirror above the dresser. Her reflection stared back—hair brushed into Ariana’s usual bun, lips barely glossed, chin slightly lifted in steadied calm. On the outside, she could almost pass for her sister. But inside… she was shaking.

What was she doing here? What if Sebastian noticed? What if he touched her and knew immediately she wasn’t who she claimed to be?

A flicker of panic tightened her throat. But she swallowed it down like she had so many times before—before competitions, auditions, tough phone calls. Because she’d made her choice. And Ariana didn’t deserve to be bought like this.

She thought of their grandfather in the hospital. Her father locked behind bars. Ariana stretched too thin between them both.

No. If she had to pretend, then she would. If she had to lie, then so be it.

Because family was worth it. Even if she had to lose pieces of herself to protect them.

---

The grandfather clock in the hallway struck midnight. Kiara sat rigid on the edge of the bed, still fully dressed. The silk sheets remained undisturbed beneath her.

She stood and walked to the window, pushing aside the heavy curtains. Moonlight illuminated a manicured garden below. A security guard patrolled the perimeter, his flashlight beam cutting through the darkness.

The ensuite bathroom gleamed with marble and gold fixtures. Kiara turned on the faucet and splashed cold water on her face. Her reflection in the mirror showed smudged eyeliner and tangled hair - nothing like Ariana's usual put-together appearance.

A soft knock at the bedroom door made her jump.

"Miss Ross?" The housekeeper's voice came through the wood. "Mr. Harris left instructions for your breakfast tomorrow. Would you like to have something particular?"

Kiara cleared her throat. "No, thank you."

"Very well. Goodnight." Footsteps retreated down the hall.

She checked her phone - no service.

Kiara paced the room, running her fingers along the polished dresser, the leather chair, the expensive artwork. Everything spoke of wealth and control. She stopped at the bedside table, where a contract lay beside a pen.

The first page outlined the terms in crisp legal language. Five years. $200,000 each month. No outside relationships permitted.

A car door slammed outside. Kiara hurried back to the window in time to see Sebastian's black sedan pull away down the long driveway.

She returned to the bed and sat, staring at the contract. The pen gleamed in the lamplight.

The air conditioning hummed to life, sending a chill through the room. Kiara pulled the spare blanket from the foot of the bed and wrapped it around her shoulders.

Kiara lay down on top of the covers, still wearing her clothes. She stared at the ceiling until her eyes grew heavy. The last thing she saw before sleep took her was the contract, waiting on the nightstand.

Meanwhile, on the other side _Ariana_ sat on the edge of her apartment's worn couch, staring at the contract Sebastian had sent via courier earlier that evening. The digital clock on the microwave blinked 9:00 PM - the deadline hour. Her fingers trembled slightly as she reached for the pen.

Just as the pen touched paper, her phone rang. An unknown number flashed on the screen. She hesitated, then answered.

"Ms. Ross?" A woman's professional voice. "This is Dr. Lillian Carter from Mercy General's transplant board. We have an urgent update about your grandfather's case."

Ariana's grip tightened on the phone. "What is it?"

"We've located a potential donor match. The patient is a John Doyle in critical condition at County Hospital - same rare blood type as your grandfather. He signed the donor registry years ago."

The pen rolled from Ariana's fingers. "How soon—"

"If you can get to County Hospital within the hour with the deposit, we can proceed immediately. The patient isn't expected to last the night."

Ariana was already grabbing her keys. "I'll be there in thirty minutes."

She sprinted out the door, leaving the unsigned contract on the coffee table. The night air hit her face as she hailed a cab, her mind racing. The cab smelled of pine air freshener and old leather as she slid inside.

"County Hospital. Please drive as fast as you can."

As the cab merged into traffic, Ariana called Martin Cole. "Martin," she said, voice steady despite her pounding heart. "They found a donor."

Martin's response was immediate. "I'll meet you there with the paperwork."