AIDEN

4~ The Unexpected Encounter

Alexia

I woke up the next morning with a sense of dread hanging over me. The conversation with my father from the previous day kept replaying in my mind. An arranged marriage. To Prince Aiden Suarez. It still felt surreal.

I dragged myself out of bed and got ready for the day, trying to push the thoughts of my impending doom to the back of my mind. I had a meeting with a potential client for my freelance design work, and I needed to focus.

As I drove to the coffee shop where I was meeting the client, I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness. This could be my chance to prove to my father that I didn't need his company or his arranged marriages to be successful.

I arrived at the coffee shop early and settled into a corner booth, spreading out my portfolio and sketches. I ordered a latte and waited nervously for my client to arrive. As I sipped my coffee, I couldn't help but scan the room, wondering if I would recognize the person I was meeting. That's when I saw him.

Sitting at a table across the cafe was the most breathtakingly handsome man I had ever laid eyes on. He had chiselled features, piercing dark eyes and an air of authority that commanded attention. My breath caught in my throat as I realized why he looked so familiar - it was the man from the hotel room, the "Adonis reincarnation" I had spent the night with.

I quickly averted my gaze, my cheeks burning. What were the chances of running into him here? I prayed he wouldn't notice me as I tried to focus on reviewing my sketches one last time.

"Excuse me, are you Alexia Manchester?"

I froze at the sound of the familiar deep voice, my heart racing as I slowly looked up to meet his gaze. It was him, Prince Aiden Suarez.

"I-I am," I stuttered, feeling a mix of shock and embarrassment.

He seemed taken aback for a moment before composing himself and taking a seat across from me. I noticed he was dressed in a crisp suit, his hair perfectly styled, giving off an air of sophistication and power.

"I apologize for the unexpected meeting," he began, his eyes scanning over my sketches with interest. "But I couldn't help but notice your work when I walked in."

I felt a surge of pride at his compliment but also confusion. Why was he here? Did he know who I was? Was this some sort of coincidence?

"I'm sorry, have we met before?" I asked hesitantly.

He gave me a small smile before responding. "We have not officially met before today. However..." He paused for a moment, tilting his head to the side as if contemplating his words. "I believe we may have crossed paths briefly last night."

My cheeks flushed red as the memories of our encounter flooded back to me. How could I forget something like that?

"Oh," was all I could muster in response.

He nodded understandingly before continuing, "But that is not why I am here today." He reached into his briefcase and pulled out a document which he slid across the table towards me.

"This is a contract for a design project at my family's estate. We are in need of some renovations, and my mother spoke highly of your work," he explained.

My mind was racing as he spoke. This couldn't possibly be happening. An actual client wanted to hire me based on my talent alone? Not because of my father's connections or money?

"I-I would be honoured to take on this project," I said, trying to maintain my composure.

"Excellent," he replied, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I look forward to working with you, Miss Manchester."

I couldn't help but feel a flutter in my stomach at his words. The way he said my name, with that slight accent, sent shivers down my spine. But I quickly pushed those thoughts aside. This was business, nothing more.

"Thank you, Your Highness," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I appreciate the opportunity."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Please, call me Aiden. We'll be working closely together on this project, after all."

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. The irony of the situation wasn't lost on me. Here I was, sitting across from the very man my father wanted me to marry, and he had no idea who I really was or why I was in his life.

As if fate itself was playing a cruel, twisted joke.

We spent the next hour discussing the project details, and I was amazed at how easily we seemed to connect. He had a keen eye for design, and his interest in my work felt genuine. He listened attentively as I explained my ideas, offering thoughtful suggestions and insightful questions. It was a professional exchange, yet there was an undeniable undercurrent of something more, a palpable tension that lingered in the air between us. I found myself captivated by his intelligence and his charming personality, a stark contrast to the stoic, arrogant prince I had imagined based on my father's description.

"So, when can you begin?" he asked, his dark eyes locking with mine, his gaze intense.

"I'm free to start next week," I replied, trying to maintain eye contact without letting my blush fully bloom.

"Perfect." He leaned back in his chair, a small, almost predatory smile gracing his lips. "I'll have my assistant contact you with the details. I look forward to seeing your vision come to life at the estate, Alexia."

He said my name again, and I could feel my heart skip a beat. How could I be both completely terrified and utterly captivated by this man at the same time? This entire situation was a chaotic mess, a tangled web of fate and coincidence that had me completely disoriented.

As he rose to leave, I noticed he subtly placed a business card on the table. "For your reference," he said before turning and walking out of the coffee shop.

The scent of burnt caramel and roasted coffee clung to the air as I stared at the business card.

Prince Aiden Suarez, Head of the SUTECH M'PIRE

The elegant script mocked me, each letter a tiny dagger twisting in the pit of my stomach. As if fate itself was playing a cruel, twisted joke.

Just hours ago, I had been sketching out design ideas, my mind buzzing with the prospect of this exciting new project. I had been captivated – mesmerized – by this man's intellect, his charm, the way his dark eyes seemed to penetrate right through me. I’d felt a pull, a connection that had been both thrilling and terrifying. And now, the pieces of the chaotic puzzle were brutally falling into place.

It was him. The man I had spent an unforgettable night with, a night filled with stolen glances, whispered secrets, and raw, unadulterated passion. A night I had dismissed as a beautiful, if careless, detour. Now, that detour was a full-blown collision course with the rest of my life. He was the same Prince Aiden my father had been so eager to marry me off to.

I felt a tremor run down my spine, a chilling mix of anxiety and a strange, fluttering hope. Could this be real? How could one man be both the intriguing stranger who had held me in his arms and the formidable Prince I was expected to marry?

I needed to talk to my father. This entire situation was ludicrous, a twisted fairytale gone horribly wrong. I couldn't go through with this farce, not on the basis of a lie. I shoved the business card into my purse and marched right to father’s office, bypassing his secretary and any semblance of decorum.

"Father, we need to talk," I announced, my voice echoing in the otherwise silent, opulent room. He looked startled, his reading glasses perched precariously on the edge of his nose.

"Alexia, what a surprise. What is so important that you couldn't wait for a proper invitation?" he said, his tone laced with his usual dose of patronizing condescension.

"It's about the marriage," I stated bluntly, no more time for niceties. The knot in my stomach tightened with every passing moment.

He leaned back in his chair, a smug smile forming on his face, "Ah, so you've finally come around? I told you, Prince Aiden is a most advantageous match."

"It's not that," I sighed, running a hand through my hair, "I met him today."

His eyebrows shot up, a flicker of surprise crossing his usually impassive face. "You... met him? How?"

"He's my new client," I blurted out, the words tumbling out before I could fully process them.

The confusion on his face was almost comical, the smugness instantly replaced with a baffled frown. "Your client? What are you talking about?"

"He hired me to design renovations for his family's estate. He saw my work, he liked it, and he chose me, Father. Not because of your connections or money, but because of my talent," I declared, my voice rising with the strength of my conviction. I was an artist, not a pawn in his game.

The silence that followed was deafening. I watched as all the colour drained from my father's face, replaced by a kind of bewildered panic. This was not the reaction I had anticipated.

“Are you telling me… that you met Prince Aiden today as a client, and he… doesn’t know about the marriage?” he asked slowly, his voice trembling slightly.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying,” I replied, a mixture of defiance and dread washing over me.

"This is… preposterous. Utterly preposterous," he stammered, scrambling out of his leather chair and pacing around his office. He looked like a man who had just been handed a live grenade. "This cannot be. There must be something amiss. He can't not know, surely he knows," he mumbled to himself. He stopped in front of me, his eyes wide with concern and frustration.

My heart pounded against my ribs. This was it. It's time for the full confession. "I don't believe he does, Father. And that's not all. I spent last night with him, in his hotel room. I didn't know who he was, either," I confessed, my voice barely rising above a whisper.

My father froze, his eyes widening in a mixture of shock and horror. His mouth opened to form a perfect ‘o’, his face contorted with rage, and his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "You… you did what?" he hissed, the words thick with anger.

"It was a mistake, Father," I said softly, my voice barely audible. "But I need to tell him the truth. I can't go through with this marriage without him knowing."

My father stood there, breathless, his eyes wide with shock. He was still silent, absorbing the impact of my confession. I had expected yelling, perhaps even threats. This was far more unsettling.

The weight of my revelation hung heavy in the air, like a physical entity pressing down on me. I knew that whatever happened next, my life, my future, and my relationship with the enigmatic Prince Aiden were about to change beyond recognition. I had walked into this situation blind, believing I was only in charge of my professional life, but it turned out fate had other plans. The first step, though, was facing the truth. And the truth was, this was no longer just about a design project. This was about a man, a marriage, and a night I couldn’t forget, and now, maybe never would. I needed to tell him everything. I owed him that much.