AIDEN

3~ The Prince

Alexia

I sat there in the stiff chair, my hands gripping the arms so tightly that my fingers began to ache. I couldn't believe what my father had just said. A marriage to Prince Aiden Suarez? The crowned prince, the CEO of SUTECH M'PIRE? And as if that wasn't enough of a shock, he wanted me to marry him for the sake of business? I had to be dreaming.

"Father, I don’t understand," I said, my voice thick with disbelief. "Why do you think I would marry someone I don't even know? Someone I don’t even care for?"

He didn’t answer immediately, his gaze cool and calculating as he looked at me over the rim of his glasses. It was as if he had no concept of how big of a decision this was. To him, everything was just a business deal. I was just another pawn in his ruthless chess game.

“Alexia,” he started again, his tone colder than usual. “You’ve never understood the importance of this, have you? This marriage is not about love. It’s about securing the future of our company. Your future. Your success. And if you want to be a part of the Manchester legacy, you’ll have to make sacrifices.”

I bit my lip to keep from snapping at him. My father had always been like this—calculating, unemotional, and driven by the idea that success was the only thing worth living for. He’d never cared about my happiness. To him, I was just a tool to ensure the family empire stayed on top.

“I don’t care about the company, Father,” I said, barely above a whisper. “I care about being myself. I don’t want to marry a man just because you think it’s going to make things better.”

His eyes narrowed, his mouth tightening into a line. “You’ll learn to care, Alexia. In time, you’ll understand why this is necessary. If you refuse to marry Aiden, I will have no choice but to hand the company over to Nova.”

Nova. Again with Nova. Always Nova. She was the golden child, the one everyone adored. She could do no wrong. I was the shadow, the invisible twin, constantly living in her shadow, constantly being compared to her.

“Fine,” I muttered, standing up abruptly. “If you think this is the best thing for me, then I’ll do it. But don’t expect me to be happy about it.”

I turned to leave the study, but his voice stopped me before I could reach the door.

“Alexia,” he called. I paused but didn’t turn around. “You should try to make this work. Prince Aiden is... not someone you can easily dismiss. He’s a powerful man. He can help you. Help us.”

His words hung in the air like a weight I couldn’t shake. Aiden Suarez. What was he like? Would I even be able to stand him? Could I get through this arranged marriage without completely losing myself?

“I’ll think about it,” I said, my voice devoid of any real conviction. I left the room, but my mind was already racing. I wasn’t sure what to do next. What was my life turning into? I was no longer sure of who I was or where I was going.

As I walked down the long, cold hallway back to my room, I tried to focus on something, anything, that could distract me. But all I could think about was him. Prince Aiden Suarez.

I didn’t know him. I didn’t even want to know him. But I had no choice. I was trapped in my father’s plan, and I couldn’t escape it.

I barely made it back to my room before my phone buzzed in my hand. It was Sin. She’d been texting me non-stop since I left the garden earlier.

Sin: You still alive, girl? What happened with the old man?

I quickly typed a response.

Me: He wants me to marry Prince Aiden Suarez. I don’t know what to do.

Sin: Wait, what?? The Prince Aiden?! Girl, that’s... that’s huge. Are you serious?

I groaned. I didn’t want to talk about it, but it was the only thing on my mind.

Me: I don’t even know him. This is insane.

Sin: You gotta meet him first! Maybe he’s not so bad. What if he’s hot? You never know!

Me: Ugh, Sin, I don’t care if he’s hot. This is about business. It’s not a fairytale.

Sin: Yeah, but who says you can’t have a fairytale in the middle of a business deal? I mean, it’s not like you’re signing up for a life of misery. It could be worse, right?

Me: Yeah, it could be worse. It could be Nova.

Sin: See? There you go. Positive thinking. You got this, girl. Call me after you meet him, okay?

I stared at the screen for a moment, letting Sin’s words sink in. She was right about one thing—this situation could be worse. I could’ve been stuck in a situation where I was married off to someone worse, someone who didn’t even care about my opinion.

I sank onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. Aiden Suarez. What kind of man was he? What did he want from me? And why did my father think I could just walk into an arranged marriage like it was a simple business transaction?

I didn’t know the answers, but I would find out soon enough.