This mission is a boon, not a burden. It’s a privilege. In fact, it’s the greatest honor an Evorian can ever hope for.
The door opens and a man steps into the room. His dark hair is neatly trimmed, but there’s a hint of whimsy to his eyeglasses. A fitted linen blazer hangs open over a white tee, paired with tailored trousers and polished shoes. He looks expensive and artsy, the kind of man who belongs on a TV show.
“Viscount Antoine de Bellay. Pedro Monfort,” Adam introduces us.
Pedro leans across the table, and I shake his hand.
“Sir,” Adam says to me, “Pedro will be your liaison for this mission. He’s our inside man on the show.”
I size him up. “Ah, so you’re the mole on the committee of experts who made sure I was matched with Laura Yang?”
“Guilty as charged, my lord.” He smiles. “Do you mind if I call you Antoine for the duration of the mission?”
“I don’t, Pedro,” I reply. “We should keep it simple.”
“I’m going to do my best to make this experience as frictionless as possible for you.”
Adam sits down next to Pedro. “Pedro will oversee your transformation, Sir.”
“We have it all under control,” Pedro chimes in. “Acting classes, tattoo apprenticeship, makeover. By the time we’re done, you’ll be a regular hippie heartthrob.”
“Can’t wait.” My voice drips with disdain.
“Tattoo artist Antoine Bellay is estranged from his parents,” Pedro continues. “But not his brother.”
“I’ve read my file,” I tell him before he wastes any more of my time on things I already know.
He taps the digital screen, pulling up a fake social media profile. “Years of posts and replies, and even photos of your supposed work. Looks good, huh?”
I glance at the screen. There’s a picture of “me” at work, covering a customer in elaborate tattoos. The thought that I’ll have to ink my arms and torso makes my stomach churn. My only consolation is that my face and hands will be tattoo-free.
Grimacing in disgust, I look away from the screen. Outside the window, the palace gardens stretch far, purposeful and well organized. Like my life. Until now.
“Trust me, there was no other way,” Pedro coos as if reading my mind. “Laura was very emphatic in her application letter as to what kind of man she was looking for. If we kept your fake persona closer to your real one, there’s a risk she’ll reject you on Wedding Day.”
Adam nods. “We couldn’t take that risk. Not with how determined Kurt Ozzi is and how far he’s willing to go to get what he wants.”
As far as poisoning Prince Benjamin, setting the royal palace on fire, shooting Crown Prince Theodor’s helicopter out of the sky…I know.
Pedro flashes me a smile. “Cheer up, Antoine! It’ll be fun. Think of it as a Cinderella in reverse adventure.”
“I don’t follow.”
“You’ll get to be a commoner for a strictly limited time,” he explains. “The many perks include minimal etiquette, relaxed rules, and low standards.”
“I prefer strict rules and high standards,” I snap.
“Of course you do,” he mutters under his breath.
“There’s only one strict rule,” Adam interjects. “You can’t sleep with Laura Yang.”
Pedro’s head nods. “If you do, a swift and painless annulment by an Evorian judge will be off the table. You’ll need a classic divorce signed by Laura and validated by a French court.”
“The show’s production team will help with the paperwork,” Adam says. “Still, we want to minimize the variables outside of our control.”
“Don’t worry,” I assure them. “I have no intention of sleeping with Laura Yang.”
“She’s hot,” Pedro points out.
