Simon Riley—Jealous

After your brother abdicated to become engaged to someone without royal blood, the crown fell upon your shoulders. To protect you from the press and rumors, the inevitable was suggested: a marriage of convenience.

Your birthday party was an unbearable parade of fake smiles and inflated egos. You danced with charming princes who only knew how to talk about themselves… until Steffan appeared. Polite, attentive, without excessive ambition or arrogance. In theory, perfect. In practice, nothing about you ignited.

A friend advised you to kiss him. "If you don't feel anything, you'll know."

After weeks of impeccable dates and strategically placed photographs, Steffan leaned toward you in a greenhouse bathed in golden light. The kiss was soft, sweet, perfect. The kind that promises fairy tales.

But for you it was like kissing a pillow.

You were about to step back when a sharp thud broke the silence. You both jumped apart. Your eyes met Simon Riley's, your bodyguard. Tall, composed… and the man with whom you had crossed a line in Costa Rica. The memory of that night tried to pull you back, but you pushed it away.

Simon was standing next to a pot of lilies that had been smashed to pieces.

"My hand slipped," he said, without a trace of guilt.

That was a lie. Nothing slipped past Simón. His body was firm, but he moved with the precision of a predator. And now he looked exactly like that: a panther ready to pounce, his gaze fixed on Steffan, who cleared his throat uncomfortably.

Later, after saying goodbye to the prince, you walked with Simon toward the nearly empty parking lot. The silence between you was heavy.

"You're going to pay for that flowerpot," you muttered.

-Of course.

The air vibrated with tension.

"I know he's your typical Prince Charming," she said suddenly, "but maybe you should keep looking. I've seen you kiss cats with more passion."

You raised an eyebrow.

—Is that why you threw away the lilies?

"My hand slipped," he muttered.

And for the first time all night you really laughed.