NOLAN

“Are you feeling alright?” Luna asked.

She had been watching suspiciously as Nolan refused a glass of wine that her servant offered him when he sat down.

“Yes, I’m alright.” Nolan shrugged. “I just have a lot of work to do tonight, and need to keep my energy up.”

She nodded and sipped her own glass. “We need to discuss your plans, Nolan.”

He took a sip of water. Stalling.

“Tell me what you’re going to do,” she continued, “if I allow you to process this divorce.”

“If?” Nolan looked up expectantly.

“Yes,” Luna replied. “If. Because I will permit you to divorce Yena but only if you will take a new wife immediately after you do so.”

Nolan couldn’t think of what to say. He just wanted to get out of this conversation somehow. And find a way to put off this task she was pushing him about.

“And do not tell me you are even considering marrying Gina.” Luna gave Nolan a fiery look. “That woman will never be your Luna.”

“No,” Nolan said. “I am not going to marry Gina.”

“Well, then you will have another concubine selection party. Immediately after the divorce is finalized.”

Nolan sighed.

“Son,” Luna said sternly. “Do not make me regret negotiating this deal with you. You know I would have preferred for you to stay married.”

“I know…”

“This is your mess, and I am just helping you clean it up.”

“I know.” Nolan bowed his head. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried I don’t have time for all that, considering the demands of my work right now.”

“Well, consider this a demand of your work. And a very urgent one.”

Luna snapped her fingers at a servant, who came over to refill her empty glass.

“Because it is, Nolan. You are not only a prince – you are the Heir. And it is one of your most important responsibilities to produce another Heir to rule after you.”

“You’re right,” he said. “I know.”

ADAN

“It’s very nice to meet you,” Adan said, shaking the woman’s hand.

“Pleasure’s mine,” she said, looking up at him with googly eyes.

Adan smiled.

The woman had short, dark red hair and heavy-lidded eyes. She was wearing way too much eye makeup. Adan figured he could put her in glasses, and have her tie her hair back, to get her looking more serious and studious.

“Have a seat.” He pulled a chair out for her, and then sat down on the other side of the table.

Kerr had found the woman for Adan. Adan didn’t need to know where or how.

What mattered was that she was human.

And morally compromised enough to be willing to do this for some quick cash.

“So the job I need you to do is really simple,” he told her. “We’re going to pay you ten thousand upfront, as soon as you sign the NDA. And another ten after the meeting.”

“Works for me.”

“The meeting will be short and simple. I’ve got a script for you to follow, that you’ll want to rehearse. It won’t take longer than twenty, thirty minutes at most.”

“Okay. And how do you know she’s going to stay on script?”

Adan smiled and leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table.

“It’s in your best interest,” he said, “not to ask me questions like that.”

He gave the woman a very stern look and pushed the contract forward on the table and set a pen down on top of it, without breaking eye contact.

Adan could smell the her fear. He resisted the temptation to grin.

The woman dropped her eyes down to the contract. She barely looked at its contents. Just signed on the spot marked with an X and passed it back to Adan.

He picked it up and looked at her signature.

“Let me see your ID again,” he said.

She rummaged through a messy purse and pulled out a small red booklet.

Adan snatched the passport from her fingertips and opened to the front page. He checked the photo again. And studied the shape and length of the signature.

It matched what the girl had just reproduced in front of him, so he was satisfied. He gave the passport back to her, along with his best charming smile.

“I’ll be in touch later with a time and place for the meeting,” he said, rising to stand. “We’ll send the script and the payment now.”

The woman rose to her feet and threw her big purse back over her shoulder.

“I’ll walk you out now.” Adan gave her a gentlemanly smile and put out his elbow, offering her his arm.

She laughed and slipped her arm through his, and let him lead her out through Kerr’s mansion. Adan could feel that she still wanted him. She was scared of him now, too, but she was still into him.

He put her in the car that was waiting out front, and gave her a wink before closing the door.

Back in the house, he met Kerr in his office.

“So, what do you think?” Kerr asked.

“She’ll work,” Adan said. “You can send the money now.”

NOLAN

Nolan’s private investigator had taken on another job for the prince a few days prior. The information was ready now and waiting for Nolan in an envelope on his desk.

He tore it open and pulled out the contents. It was a slim stack of papers. Less than twenty pages.

Nolan had asked the PI to do some digging into hospital records, and get him some information about Gina’s medical history.

It felt a little sleazy, but it wasn’t exactly illegal. And Nolan needed to know what was really going on with Gina.

Because each time he spoke to her, her story seemed slightly different.

And Nolan had to be suspicious of everyone right now. Even if it seemed that Gina just wanted to get back with Nolan because she still had feelings for him, he couldn’t just take her word for it…

He sat down at his desk and read through the reports, one by one.

Nolan wasn’t a medical professional, so he couldn’t understand every word on sight. But he studied all the documents and looked up some of the codes to be sure he was getting the information right.

When he was done, he sat back and sighed.

So Gina did have some medical issues over the years, it seemed. Problems with her heart due to a minor genetic defect. A few short-term hospitalizations, over the past couple of years.

But it also seemed that the way she had explained the situation to Nolan was an exaggeration. She had been making her illness seem worse than the facts supported.

Nolan rubbed his eyes. Thinking about it just made him feel even more sad for her.

Then he picked up the papers and took them over to the fireplace.

He didn’t have any interest in exposing Gina’s lies to anyone. He’d just wanted to know the truth.

He opened the grate and dropped the papers into the fire.

They caught flame and went up with a big WHOOSH sound and a flash of bright yellow.