Chapter 2

Emily’s POV

“Gen, for the last time! It wasn’t Sebastian you saw at the club last night,” I semi-shouted to my friend, who was still pleading with me about seeing my ex-boyfriend.

“Think about it, what would Sebastian be doing out here?” I asked her as I got into my pair of heels.

“I have no idea, but I’m certain that I’m not mistaken.”

“Girl, you were drunk out of your mind last night. It’s a wonder that you’re not hungover, but that’s excellent because we’re heading to the construction site now.”

I took my purse off the table and checked myself in the mirror to make sure everything was on point. It was a habit of mine.

I ushered Gen through my hotel’s room door and took my car to the site where the new hotel would be established.

______________

“Boss, we have a big problem,” one of my contractors said as I reached the site and got out of the car.

“What seems to be the problem, Jerry?”

“The land around us.”

“What’s wrong with the land around us, Jerry?”

“It belongs to a Prince.”

I laughed and placed my hands on my hip. It was always like Jerry to be funny when he should be starting my jobs and taking them seriously.

“I’m a very busy woman, and I don’t have time for games, Jerry.”

“I’m not joking around this time, Boss. Here, the men who came to warn us gave me this to give it to you.”

He handed me a white envelope and inside was a letter, which stated that all construction development should be terminated immediately.

“This is plain bullshit!” I yelled. “I’ve already paid for this land, and I've got the papers to show it.”

“Boss, I smell foul play. Those men who came by, they weren’t joking about this land. You have to straighten this out before we proceed. I don’t want to get into trouble over this.”

“I’ll handle this. Gen, get this ‘so-call-kingdom’ on my GPS. I’m going to pay that Prince a visit.”

Everyone looked at me as if I had grown two heads, but I didn’t care. I was furious.

“I’ve located the palace on the GPS,” Gen spoke as I drove angrily. I glanced my eyes at the monitor and turned on the Voice Navigation System.

"Destination: Three miles ahead."

I stepped on the accelerator.

“Em, can you please slow down?” Gen said, and she held onto her seatbelt.

I slowed down.

_________

Half an hour later, we arrived in front of a massive and beautiful palace.

“My word. This is as beautiful as Buckingham Palace,” Gen spoke as she stared in awe.

We approached a guard at a tall gate.

“Good morning, I’m Emily Hollen, and this is my assistant, Generosa. We’re here to settle an urgent matter with the Prince.”

“Which one?” the guard asked firmly.

“Um, how many are there?” Gen asked in a flirting manner, and I gave her The Look, which indicated she should keep her mouth shut.

“I would have to stop you right here, ladies. No one enters unannounced and uninvited.”

“Uninvited? He invited me here when he stole my land.”

The guard’s eyebrows rose in fractions.

“Are you the hotel developer?” he asked next.

“Yes,” I answered shortly.

“Please come in. They’ve been expecting you.”

“They?” I asked, but he didn’t clarify on that.

He opened the gates, and Gen and I walked in.

“Hold it!” the guard ordered. He took our cellphones and wanded us with a metal detector.

Afterwards, we walked up the very long pavement. We took in the surroundings as we walked by. Trees lined the neatly trimmed lawns, beds of flowers spread around, water fountains looked like waterfalls, and more guards, dressed in red, yellow, and white, lined the entrance.

“Okay, this is freaking me out,” Gen spoke softly.

“Sshh,” I let out.

We walked through the entrance of the palace.

“Oh, sorry, can I help you?” a woman asked when she accidentally bumped into us.

“I’m really not sure where I have to go actually, but I have a problem with the land I’m to build my hotel on,” I explained.

“Oh, you’re that brave hotel developer. Conovia praises you on your efforts, but you can’t go around stealing land.”

“I didn’t steal it. I have the paperwork that shows I paid for it. All of it.”

“Oh dear, right this way please,” she offered, and we followed her down a very long aisle. My feet ached, my breathing increased, and I thought that I was going to pass out at any minute.

Gen looked the same, but she didn’t dare complain, nor did I.

“In here,” the woman spoke finally, and I let out a breath of relief.

I walked into a large room, which resembled a conference room. Golden chairs and a large golden table with 'goldish-coloured' curtains were the decorations. A large air conditioning unit blew out cool air. Gen and I took a seat and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

“How much longer? I’m becoming hungry,” Gen asked.

I was becoming irritated. I tapped my nails on the surface of the table and looked at my wristwatch.

The door finally pushed open, and an elderly man appeared.

I stood up, and Gen did the same.

“Good afternoon. I’m King Charles the Third. Welcome to Conovia.”

“It’s a pleasure, Your Highness. I’m Emily Hollen, and this is Generosa Sky.”

“Yes, I know who you are. Please, have a seat.”

We sat down, and he took the chair at the head of the table. Gen and I sat at the end.

“My son will be here shortly to resolve the issue,” he said.

“Thank you,” I spoke.

The doors pushed open again, and I almost fell off my chair when I saw who entered, dressed in a uniform suited only for a prince.

My eyes widened, my heart leaped, and my brain bounced around in my head. I couldn’t believe it.

It was, indeed, him. It was Sebastian.

Our eyes collided, and I saw a tiny smile displayed on his familiar lips, but it quickly disappeared when his father spoke.

“Son, resolve this matter now!”

Sebastian turned towards me. “Emily Hollen, what makes you think you can build on my land?”

His tone was harsh. I wanted to laugh it off like if we were back in high school, but when I saw the stern look on his face, I knew it was no joke and I was serious trouble.

I reached for my papers with trembling hands and handed them to him. He looked over the documents then handed it to the King, who did the same.

“This is a big misunderstanding,” Gen spoke finally.

“Indeed. Someone ran a scam on you for land that wasn’t theirs to begin with,” The King said.

“Oh my goodness. So what should I do now?” I asked as a terrible feeling flooded me.

“That’s not our concern!” Sebastian answered and exited the room.

I got off the chair and went after him. I didn’t think twice about whether I was allowed to run after a prince.

I caught up with him in the long hall.

“Sebastian, why did you speak to me like that in front of the others? It’s like you don’t know who I am.”

“Maybe I don’t, Emily. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get to a meeting.”

I watched his tall, beautiful figure walk away.