CHAPTER 10. IVY This situation is becoming increasingly surreal. How on earth did he know I was staying at this hotel? I know this might not be the best decision, but who’s to say I’m not having the time of my life? Back at the hospital for generic tests, I was treated like royalty. As soon as I walked in, everyone greeted me warmly, and I couldn’t help but wonder about the identity of my baby’s father to be. I shifted uncomfortably as he stopped the car, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks in embarrassment. I quickly avoided eye contact and pushed the door open to get out. Then, the shrill ring of my phone drew my attention. I turned to see who it was, praying he wasn’t looking in my direction. “Block him!” he commanded, his authoritative tone should have sparked my inner feminist, but oddly enough, it was soothing. I quickly picked up my phone and followed his advice. Why was Leon calling me, anyways ….. That jerk put me in this situation, and he still has the nerve to call
CHAPTER 11. CASPER. Perhaps I should have warned her about all this, but considering her reaction just now, I’m grateful I didn’t mention it beforehand. She might have backed out of our date tonight. I watched her lips form a thin line as she leaned closer, her wide grin plastered for the cameras. “Who the hell are you, and why is the media all over us?” she whispered through her forced smile. I turned to her and said, “Let’s step into the elevator, my lady.” I pointed toward the door, which slowly slid open, deliberately ignoring her question. Once inside the elevator, she snapped her arm from mine. “Who the hell are you?” she demanded. “I’m sorry.” I waited until the elevator doors fully closed before continuing. “Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Prince Casper Forbes, fondly called Lord Cas. Heir to the province of Monaco and CEO of Sky's Investments.” I could see the reality of my words sink in. She was too stunned to speak, her eyes glued to me until we reached our des
CHAPTER 12 IVY. My mouth fell slightly open at the mention of wedlock. I stared down at our intertwined hands. “You really want to get married?” He smiled. “Of course I do.” He raised his head and fixed his gaze on me, his charming smile breaking through my stern expression. “We’ll need to have a proper courtship. I’m the lord of Monaco; I can’t just bring a woman into my life and do nothing. My family wouldn’t believe me otherwise.” My brows furrowed in anxiety. “You mean your family doesn’t even know about this?” He shook his head. “Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. My family is quite conservative, so…” Was that supposed to be reassuring? He glanced at the paparazzi, and when he noticed they were getting a good shot of us, he leaned in, his eyes locked on mine. His hands were intertwined with mine beneath the table, and he flashed me one of the most beautiful smiles I’d ever seen. I quickly reciprocated. “How long will this…?” I shrugged. “I mean, how lo
CHAPTER 13. CASPER. "Of course," I replied, almost frowning at her question. "If you're my wife, I can't have you running around and sleeping with any man you choose—especially not while carrying my child." I watched her eyes widen in shock. "Are you saying I'm banned from having sex for the next three years or even longer?" I gave her a sidelong glance. What did she mean by "banned"? She couldn't be restricted when I was sitting right next to her. I would gladly offer myself to her anytime, any day. "I mean anyone aside from me," I clarified. "Wait," she paused, her face flushing. "You never said anything about being required to sleep with you, did you?" "Of course not!" I replied quickly. Well, it wasn't really forbidden either. I knew she didn't want to be celibate. I rubbed my temples, trying to shake off the images flooding my mind—visions of Ivy, naked and glistening, as I oiled her body and slowly traced my lips over her skin. I liked my women slick and ready. She blurte
CHAPTER 14. IVY. 15 days later. Truth be told, my head is still spinning from my agreement to be Casper's surrogate just fifteen days ago. A lot has happened since our last dinner, and I still can't quite believe I'm doing this. It’s been more fun than I expected. Earlier this week, we went on dinner dates, movie outings, and regular walks, all of which were captured by the paparazzi. I was getting tired of always being in front of the cameras, but I can only say I'm starting to get used to it. Each day, we get to know each other better. I must be the most foolish girl on the planet, or maybe I’ve just drawn the lucky card. Taking a deep breath, I walked into my room, which was filled with designer clothes and shoes. I felt like a celebrity. Casper made sure I had the most expensive outfits imaginable, not to mention the jewellery worth thousands of dollars. As I wandered around with a wine glass in hand, I remembered that we would be leaving for Monaco in just a few hours. I wa
CHAPTER 15 CASPER. I started to feel anxious when I didn’t see Ivy arrive within the next twenty minutes. The thought that she might have backed out of our agreement crept into my mind, but I quickly pushed it aside. If she had changed her mind, Cotti would have let me know. Still, twenty minutes had passed with no call. I figured she was just running late, as usual. The past few days have been a whirlwind of activities.Our appointment at the fertility clinic was certainly interesting—I hadn’t realised I would need an examination too. They explained that, as the father, I was required to undergo a check-up, but deep down, I know I won’t be the donor. Telling Ivy now would only spoil the moment, right? I plan to wait for the right time to share that with her, but definitely not now; I need to get her to Monaco first. At the hospital, I was taken aback when they requested a sample of my genetic material. The room they provided was filled with naked pictures , clearly intended to ge
CHAPTER 16. IVY. --- I hold my breath as the convoy of cars approaches the Monaco Ville district. It’s truly gigantic and grand! Guards are stationed at every nook and corner. I notice Casper move his hand and slowly take mine. My heart raced with uncertainty; I can hardly think straight. I turned to him. “Am I supposed to bow when I meet your family?” He blinked a few times. “No, that won't be necessary. You might give my brothers a slight curtsy. Don’t worry; they’ll welcome you with open arms as my betrothed.” It seems I’m not the only one feeling nervous. I can hear the tremor in his voice and see him tapping his lap as he talks. He’s clearly anxious too. I narrow my gaze at him. “You seem nervous.” His nervous laughter gives him away. “Me? Not at all.” Looking out the window, I admire the view. “Monaco is really beautiful—more stunning than it looks in pictures.” I suppose I’ll have the next year to untangle his true feelings. But now, we’re pulling up to Mon
CHAPTER 17. IVY Casper waved dismissively. “Though the engagement might be new, my relationship with Ivy has been going on for a long time, and it has been all over the media. I’m sure everyone has seen it.” Vlad toured over me,he said, “Well, they’ll still ask questions you might not be prepared to answer.” He scanned me from head to toe, as if he had his own questions but chose not to voice them for some reason. In the meantime, Vlad gestured for us to come inside. Casper’s smile faded slightly when his brother turned his back. It was clear he hadn’t expected this kind of welcome. I instinctively reached out and placed my hands reassuringly on his arms. He glanced at me with raised brows, and I felt my face flush with embarrassment….. I could have just left him alone but why is he shocked? Aren't we supposed to be a couple? From what I’d heard in the last few minutes, his family might be more challenging than I anticipated. I hooked my arm through his, attempting to be flirtat
IVYI followed the directions to the office they had arranged for me. It wasn’t large, but it was cosy—well-furnished and equipped with everything I might need during my stay to oversee operations. Despite their efforts, I wasn’t impressed. I doubted anything associated with Leon could ever win my approval.My lack of enthusiasm stemmed from the fact that this office was provided by Leon and Hailey. I scrutinised the room for a moment before scoffing, “They can put in their best effort, but it will never be enough for me.”Meanwhile, I sensed Leon and Hailey waiting outside, anxious for my reaction. Hailey nudged Leon, who seemed lost in thought, preoccupied with his ex-girlfriend. “What’s going on, Leon?” she asked in a low voice, her frustration evident.“Hey, keep your voice down,” Leon cautioned. “We need to maintain the act until she leaves.”Hailey scoffed. “What do you mean? I can’t work with that woman! You know I can’t stand her!”Leon took her hand, fixing his gaze on her.
IVY.The following day, as soon as it was 7 AM, I was already dressed and almost ready for my visit to F&K Financials. My eyes widened with anticipation as I looked at my reflection in the mirror; my pulse quickened. Nothing else mattered right now. I couldn’t stop smiling—my whole face radiated excitement.When Casper woke up, I could swear he rolled his eyes, clearly frustrated by how early I was up. Well, I wouldn’t blame him. He was born with a silver spoon and could never imagine what it meant to grow up in New York, struggling on the streets of Seattle without parents. Just when I thought things were looking up, I met a boyfriend who turned out to be a serial cheater and abusive jerk. I doubted he ever knew the feeling of fulfilling a long-held dream.“Didn’t you check your email yesterday? I sent you your schedule for the week,” he grumbled as he climbed out of bed.“Of course I did.” I didn’t bother to look his way.“Your first stop is F&K. You’re their major shareholder, over
IVYI smiled, savoring the way I was getting on his last nerves. “Just get me wine,” I said, watching Leon scramble away. He was desperate to catch Hailey before she did something reckless. Well I didn't care if he caught up with her,I just need him to get me my wine. When I heard the door swing open , I knew I was in for some entertainment. I took a sip of my drink, feeling confident. I could only imagine the chaos I was stirring between them.Soon, the door opened, and one of the staff members brought in a bottle of wine and glasses. “Good morning, ma’am,” she greeted politely. I accepted the drink, my eyes gleaming with satisfaction as I leaned back in my chair, feeling like the queen of the office. Well I was…I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of conversation Leon and Hailey were having. Manipulating their emotions was almost too easy, and it thrilled me to think of the discord I had sown but if only they knew this is just the beginning of whatever I was planning. When they
CHAPTER.CASPER It’s barely been twenty-four hours, and the whole coast has been cleared. Leon made sure to take down all those photos and sweep away the negative narrative hovering over my name. As I scroll through the internet, my lips curl into a proud smile at how cleverly he handled it.At least now I won’t be running around like a headless chicken, answering the constituents of Parliament about why I broke such vague family rules. And as for Xavier? I’ll be sure to give him a taste of his own medicine. Did he really think he could get away with that?But for now, I choose not to focus my energy on him. My parents’ death anniversary is just a few hours away, and the whole province will be mourning their past king and queen. This will be the first time I attend the anniversary for the world to see. In previous years, the royal family mourned privately, but that changed three years ago when my grandmother decided to open it to the public. Since then, I haven’t been able to attend.
CASPER. “Of course not!” I quickly defended myself with a sharp wave of my hand.How could she label me as impotent? That was cruel, especially for a man like me. Back in high school, I remember a girl from my hostel getting pregnant, but she ended up having an abortion before she even told me. I also go for regular check-ups, so I know I’m capable of fathering children with any woman I choose.Well, I don’t care if she still doesn’t believe me; maybe she can find one of her friends to bet on how good of a man I am.“You’re potent. Then why are you using a donor?” she asked, throwing the most bitter question my way—one that always made me turn away in insecurity.Maybe I should just admit that I’m paranoid sometimes. Or should I confess that I have my own issues? If I reveal my flaws and traumas, who knows if she might change her mind about wanting to have a baby with me? I’ve been with her for weeks, trying to understand her, but opening up like this would give my brothers leverage
I smiled, savoring the way I was getting on his last nerves. “Just get me wine,” I said, watching Leon scramble away. He was desperate to catch Hailey before she did something reckless like calling her parents.Leon had made a deal with her parents' company, and they only agreed because of their relationship. I could already picture him rushing to the rooftop, where Hailey usually went to smoke and clear her head.When I heard the door swing open, I knew I was in for some entertainment. I took a sip of my drink, feeling confident. I could only imagine the chaos I was stirring between them.Soon, the door opened, and one of the staff members brought in a bottle of wine and glasses. “Good morning, ma’am,” she greeted politely. I accepted the drink, my eyes gleaming with satisfaction as I leaned back in my chair, feeling like the queen of the office.I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of conversation Leon and Hailey were having. Manipulating their emotions was almost too easy, and it t
“I don't know; it's all over the news outlets in Monaco. You're the trending topic right now, and it's that bad,” Leon continued.Casper's eyes widened in horror as he rushed outside with Leon. From his reaction, I could tell it was serious, but my mind couldn't help but wonder who had leaked those photos to the press. Casper had boldly claimed that there was no access to phones in that part of the palace. It had always been a sanctuary, keeping the royal family away from media scrutiny. But clearly, that was no longer the case—someone was trying to sabotage him.If only he had let me speak first, he would have heard the bad news from me. I wasn’t trying to be the bearer of bad news, but I had intended to tell him before that jerk snatched the opportunity away.I let out a disappointed sigh. I knew I had been cold toward him these past few days, but I didn’t want him to endure the media's scrutiny in such a negative light. I picked up the file he had meant to show me before Leon inte
# Ivy's POVI smiled, savoring the way I was getting on his last nerves. “Just get me wine,” I said, watching Leon scramble away. He was desperate to catch Hailey before she did something reckless like calling her parents.Leon had made a deal with her parents' company, and they only agreed because of their relationship. I could already picture him rushing to the rooftop, where Hailey usually went to smoke and clear her head.When I heard the door swing open, I knew I was in for some entertainment. I took a sip of my drink, feeling confident. I could only imagine the chaos I was stirring between them.Soon, the door opened, and one of the staff members brought in a bottle of wine and glasses. “Good morning, ma’am,” she greeted politely. I accepted the drink, my eyes gleaming with satisfaction as I leaned back in my chair, feeling like the queen of the office.I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of conversation Leon and Hailey were having. Manipulating their emotions was almost too ea
I smiled, savoring the way I was getting on his last nerves. “Just get me wine,” I said, watching Leon scramble away. He was desperate to catch Hailey before she did something reckless. Well I didn't care if he caught up with her,I just need him to get me my wine. When I heard the door swing open , I knew I was in for some entertainment. I took a sip of my drink, feeling confident. I could only imagine the chaos I was stirring between them.Soon, the door opened, and one of the staff members brought in a bottle of wine and glasses. “Good morning, ma’am,” she greeted politely. I accepted the drink, my eyes gleaming with satisfaction as I leaned back in my chair, feeling like the queen of the office. Well I was…I couldn’t help but wonder what kind of conversation Leon and Hailey were having. Manipulating their emotions was almost too easy, and it thrilled me to think of the discord I had sown but if only they knew this is just the beginning of whatever I was planning. When they retu