THE KINGSLEY'S TRADITION
929 Words
[CHAPTER TWELVE -- THE KINGSLEY'S TRADITION]
{ The Morning After}
Ruby awoke to the soft rustle of curtains swaying with the sea breeze. The room smelled like ocean salt and luxury linen, and sunlight poured in through the wide balcony doors, touching the white sheets like a kiss.
She blinked up at the ceiling, half-hoping it was all a dream.
But the empty space beside her in bed reminded her that it wasn’t.
Royal hadn’t slept next to her. He’d taken the couch — not because he was trying to be respectful, but because neither of them wanted to acknowledge the strange tension brewing between them.
Not yet.
She sat up, running her fingers through her hair. Her mind flashed back to the message from Clarissa. The pressure. The manipulation. The expectation.
And the fake marriage she was now tangled in.
Before she could wallow too long, the scent of freshly brewed coffee drifted in.
She got out of bed and followed it into the living room, where Royal stood by the kitchen counter, shirtless, in joggers, looking like a Greek god who happened to own an empire.
He didn’t glance at her, just pushed a mug toward her on the counter. “Caffeine. You looked like you needed it.”
“Thanks,” she said, taking it, avoiding his eyes. “Didn’t sleep well?”
“I was thinking,” he replied simply, finally looking at her. “About last night.”
“Royal, we said—”
“I know,” he interrupted, holding up a hand. “You asked me not to push, and I didn’t. But I won’t ignore this either. You’re clearly under pressure, Ruby. Someone’s pulling your strings. And I think I have a right to know who... and why.”
She sipped her coffee slowly, searching his face.
“I didn’t ask for this,” she said. “None of it. The marriage, the manipulation... It wasn’t my plan.”
His eyes narrowed. “So who’s plan was it?”
She hesitated.
Before she could answer, a knock sounded at the villa door.
They exchanged a glance.
Royal moved to open it cautiously... only to find a smiling Mrs. Kingsley on the other side, holding a bouquet of rare white orchids.
Behind her, Mr. Kingsley stood with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“We thought we’d surprise our newlyweds,” she chimed sweetly.
Ruby blinked in shock. “You're... here?”
“Of course, darling,” Mrs. Kingsley said, brushing past them into the villa. “It’s a honeymoon. How could we not come see how things are going?”
Ruby stood frozen as Mrs. Kingsley glided into the villa like she owned the place. She looked effortlessly regal in her cream blazer and matching heels, her hair pulled into a sleek bun, pearls dancing at her neck.
Mr. Kingsley trailed behind, a quiet force in a navy suit, eyes scanning every corner of the room like a businessman sizing up a deal.
Royal leaned against the kitchen counter, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable, but Ruby saw it—the tick in his jaw, the slight narrowing of his eyes. He didn’t like this.
“Mother,” he said calmly, “what kind of test are we talking about?”
Mrs. Kingsley smiled, her eyes settling on Ruby. “Oh, don’t worry, darling. It’s not a test you ,study for—it’s one you live through.”
Ruby raised a brow. “That sounds... intense.”
“It is,” Mr. Kingsley said with a slight grin. “You see, every Kingsley marriage goes through a ‘compatibility challenge.’ A tradition. We believe true relationships are revealed under pressure.”
Ruby chuckled, shaking her head. “Your family is... something else.”
Royal looked at her, his voice low. “Do you want to do this?”
She met his gaze. “Do you!?”
He hesitated, then smirked. “Let’s show them how unbreakable a fake marriage can be.”
They both knew they were lying to themselves.
And neither wanted to admit how much they were starting to care.
—
Ruby’s stomach twisted. This was too much.
Royal stepped forward. “We’re not interested in playing games.”
“Marriage *is* a game,” Mrs. Kingsley said with a knowing smirk. “A game of patience, compromise, and truth. We’re just speeding things up a little.”
“What exactly do we have to do?” Ruby asked, trying to sound composed.
Mrs. Kingsley pulled a small envelope from her purse. “Inside is a list of tasks you must complete together before we leave the island in three days.”
“Three days?” Royal scoffed. “You're staying here?”
“In the guest villa,” Mr. Kingsley said. “Don’t worry, we won’t hover. But we’ll be watching.”
Ruby exchanged a look with Royal. There was no escape from this.
Mrs. Kingsley handed over the envelope with a flourish, then turned to leave. “Have fun, darlings. We’ll see you tonight for dinner at the main house.”
When the door closed behind them, Ruby exhaled slowly.
Royal tore the envelope open and pulled out a folded sheet.
He read aloud:
“Kingsley Compatibility Challenge:
1. Cook a meal together – without any help.
2. Complete a romantic scavenger hunt.
3. Share three truths and one lie – and guess which is which.
4. Spend 24 hours without phones or distractions – just each other.
5. A kiss… with no audience.”
"seriously"Royal said
- Writer
