The Pretender and The Prince novel Chapter 27

When Ondine arrived at the south gate, she saw a man in a suit standing by a Toyota, seemingly waiting for someone. As she approached, he looked up and saw her. He walked over, addressing her with deference. “Good morning, Ms. Sterling. My name is Zeke. I’m Mr. Thorne’s assistant.”

Ondine was slightly taken aback. She hadn’t even said anything.

How did he know it was her? He had called her “Ms. Sterling” directly, without asking if she was the person he was looking for. She was certain she had never met him before.

“Hello,” she said politely. “Thank you for coming to get me.”

“It’s my pleasure. Please, this way.” He led her to the Toyota and opened the back door. Only then did she see Seth sitting inside. He was dressed in a sharp black suit that accentuated his refined air. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes were as cool and sharp as ever.

“Hello, Seth,” she said softly. He simply gave a curt nod in response.

Ondine got into the car, fastening her seatbelt and leaving a noticeable space between them.

On the way, Seth wore headphones and was engrossed in a video conference on his laptop. It was a Wednesday, a workday. She couldn’t help but think about how busy he was, taking meetings even on the way to get a marriage license.

She didn't know much about him. The first time she’d seen him at the Thorne estate, she was seventeen, and he was twenty. Everything she knew came from Zaria, who had told her that Seth had always been exceptional, a star among his peers. He was top of his class, had won a gold medal in a physics competition, and was later accepted into Boreal University.

Ondine looked at the camera and forced a smile. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination, but the photographer's frown seemed to deepen.

Was something wrong with her smile, or was it Seth’s expression?

She couldn’t see his face, but she couldn’t recall ever seeing him smile. She couldn’t even imagine what it would look like.

After receiving their marriage license, the first thing Ondine did was look at the photo. Seth wasn't smiling. He had the same cool, emotionless expression as always. A flicker of disappointment passed through her as she put the license away. She noticed that Seth hadn’t even bothered to open his, simply tucking it away without a glance.