"Natalia." A baritone voice spoke up.

"Y...your highness?" Natalia uttered in surprise and blinked a few times at the man standing before her.

"Told you I'll see you in the future." Prince Neero, who's wearing a light blue formal long-sleeved shirt paired with black slacks and black leather shoes, beamed at the woman.

"What're you doing here?" The beautiful lady asked in confusion. It's such a coincidence that the royalty is at the same country and at the same hotel at the same time.

"I'm one of the new shareholders of this grand hotel. I'm a businessman too after all." He informed and winked at her.

"Your highness..you made it." Mr. Kana greeted warmingly and bent down his waist.

"Mr. Kana, you can address me with my business name. Mr. Jabal is fitting." The royalty replied and bowed his head in return. The middle-aged man nodded and raised his hands as a gesture to let the royalty enter the board room for the meeting.

"I'll see you later, Natalia." The Prince stated smiling at her. His stare lingered at the woman before completely disappearing behind the door.

The woman who was still startled, subconsciously pulled her assistant to go back in their room.

At the other side of the hallway, a silent man in a black suit witnessed the exchange between the two persons. He saw how the woman smiled at the man and how the man gently looked at the woman. His hands which were inside his pockets balled into fists but his face remain expressionless.

Sergei, who also witnessed the scene, cleared his throat. "Sir, I shall now join the meeting." As he was saying this, Alexander put his hand on Sergei's shoulder.

"I will attend the meeting." With that, Alexander strode forward while buttoning his coat and elegantly entered the board room.

--------------

"Devon.." Ariel embraced the man from behind.

"Hmm?" Devon replied as he worked through his laptop.

"Do you remember what you said to me back then?" The woman whispered to the man in a provocative way.

"Don't worry Ariel, you can plan ahead for the wedding. Then you can show it to me after." Devon replied with a controlled voice. Honestly, he forgot about it. His head was still bothered about the night of the gala. He wanted to be responsible for Natalia once she conceived their offspring.

Ariel on the other hand became happy with Devon's reply. She cannot wish for anything at the moment. She got her man and that man became powerful as she dreamed about and she's just waiting to be the Madam of the Yushkova household.

What's more, her good-for-nothing bestfriend is nowhere to be found. The social circle has now labeling her as the 'great beauty' of the city capital.

Convinced with her fortune, she got wild again with Devon that very night.

--------------

As the meeting commenced, everyone was sitting quietly and most of them were nervous as the big boss is present and emanates a very cold atmosphere. The presenters had done a good job of reporting about their own departments and for that, the boss didn't say anything that will make them kneel down.

Alexander remained quiet for the rest of the meeting. The only person who seemed to be unaffected by him and cozily sat down was the Prince.

Unaware, Alexander was quietly observing the royalty. He smirked inside and thought about the man's words to Natalia. The thought made Alexander to brood more.

At the eyes of those who are present, the royalty has an approachable presence thus some of them were smiling at him and avoided the big boss' aloof demeanor in contrast.

The reporting ended and Alexander dismissed the meeting. Everyone bade their goodbyes to the President in a quick manner and approached the Prince to chat with him.

Unknown to all, the Prince was also surveying the new President as he saw the latter stared at him quite few times.

Alexander exited the room and was about to return to his suite when he saw Natalia and her assistant alighting from the elevator. He marched at her direction.

"Natalia---"

"Natalia---"

Two persons called out the same name and stared at one another while the woman halted her steps. The woman lifted her head and gazed at the two.

"Alexander Gates." The Prince said in a slow manner and held out his hand.

"Neero Jabal." Alexander uttered in a cold tone and firmly shook the royalty's hand.

Both didn't let go and both of them wouldn't back down.

"Come on guys, don't be like that in front of these lovely ladies." Another man spoke up and hold the shoulders of the two men with each hand.

"What are you doing here?" The aloof man asked in an irritated tone.

"The Prince here is my friend and you are my sworn rival. Of course I have to be here. But ultimately, I came here because of Ms. Zimmer. So if you'll excuse me." The man explained and stood beside Natalia.

"Care to have lunch with me, Natalia?" Gregory Ellison said to the woman. Natalia nodded and left with her friend and her assistant.

"Thanks Gregory." The brunette woman said as they ride inside the man's car.

"Always my pleasure, my lady." The man smiled as he drove to a nearby restaurant.

"What're you doing here anyway?" Natalia curiously asked.

"Well, aside from saving you from those dragons, I'm chasing someone." Gregory simply said.

"A girl?" The woman knowingly inquired. The man smirked and rigidly stared at the road. "My, my. An Ellison man chasing a woman. That's radical." Natalia chuckled and didn't pry anymore as she saw the man became serious.

Gregory recovered fron his own thought. "You know, either way you can become a real princess."

"What are you saying?" Natalia was puzzled at his words.

"Word says, the monarch at the North continent will soon be replaced with a new one. The political parties are looking for a fresh Crown. As the old royal family has been up for decades, they want something new and something beyond them. The Gates family is a top candidate for such vision. With much power and influence on different parts of the world, they are a great catch." The man explained and looked at the woman who seemed to be contemplating.

---------------

After the two faded from his sight, Alexander nonchalantly left the Prince and went back to his suite. Sergei was already there and patiently waited for him.

"Speak." He callously expressed as he loosened his necktie to give him a comfortable breathing. He then went to the open kitchen to drink water as he felt a great thirst inside of him.

"Sir, the results are out." Sergei laid a sealed document over the kitchen countertop. His boss regained his old stature and calmly pulled out the file.

After few minutes, Alexander closed his eyes and crumpled the paper as he hold on to the countertop for support.

'Fudge.'

Sergei already knew the result without even looking at the document. He sympathized with his boss and slowly patted his shoulders.

All the strength of Alexander seemed to be sucked out. Absent-mindedly, he marched towards the bed and closed his eyes. He thought about a wonderful woman who will soon become his forbidden love.

A lonesome tear escaped his eyes and the man quickly fell into deep trance as he continued thinking about her.

--------------

"Are you done with it?" A woman's voice can be heard whispering to a person at the other line.

"Yes." The other person replied.

"You sure they won't trace it back to me?"

"Of course."

"Good then. Thank you Prime Minister. Rest assured, my father, the Grand Duke, will put a word to the Institution to consider your race for the new monarchy." Duchess Ruth smirked and ended the call.

The duchess resumed her planning about the wedding and thought about Alexander.

"Checkmate."

One of the most powerful men in the world was deceived by a mere person --- a woman.

He vowed to hunt her down.

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