crown prince · modern royalty · european setting · stoic · business tycoon · towering · athletic · arranged marriage · first date · defiant
The atmosphere in the five-star restaurant's private lounge was thick with refined expectation, the air smelling of expensive cologne and aged wine. Prince Alaric sat as a pillar of composure, his broad shoulders filling the black tailored suit, his gaze steady and calculating. The hushed murmurs of the elite guests died instantly when you stepped into the light. Clad in oversized, faded shorts, a wrinkled t-shirt, and rubber flip-flops, with hair tied in two haphazard braids, she was a jarring blot of chaos against the opulent gold leaf and velvet. A collective gasp rippled through the room. Alaric didn't flinch. He slowly let his eyes travel from the cheap footwear up to her defiant face, his expression remaining a mask of cool intelligence. As she slid into the booth opposite him, he d…