The Pretender and The Prince novel Chapter 3

Ondine’s family lived in a small town on the outskirts of Riverdale, and the bus was the only way she usually got home. But at this hour, the buses had stopped running. She tried to hail a car on a ride-sharing app, but after five minutes, no one had accepted her request.

Just as panic began to set in, a black Maybach pulled up beside her. The rear window glided down, revealing a face so handsome it was almost surreal.-

Ondine blinked, momentarily stunned. “Seth?”

His features were striking, with a sharp, defined jawline. Behind his gold-rimmed glasses, his long, narrow eyes were cool and piercing. He had the same intimidating, unapproachable air he always did.

Seth Thorne’s gaze lingered on her for a moment. “Get in,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Ondine glanced at her phone. Still no ride. Biting her lip, she hesitated for only a second before canceling the request and pulling the car door open.

As she slid into the plush leather seat, Seth’s deep, magnetic voice sounded beside her. “What are you doing out on the street alone this late? It’s raining, and you don’t even have an umbrella.”

As if on cue, the driver got out, retrieved a new, unopened package of towels from the trunk, and passed it through the window to Seth. He took it and handed it to Ondine, his long, pale fingers elegant against the plastic. “Dry off. You’ll catch a cold.”

“Thank you,” she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper, as she tore open the package and began to towel her hair.

The car’s heater was on full blast, and she slowly began to feel warmth return to her body. In the confined space, the scent of his cologne—a cool, woody fragrance—filled her senses, stirring a bittersweet memory.

Ondine had first met Seth five years ago, during her sophomore year of high school. Her best friend at the time was his younger sister, Zaria Thorne, who had invited her over one weekend. It was the first time Ondine had ever set foot in a mansion. The sheer luxury of the estate left seventeen-year-old Ondine breathless, and for the first time, she truly understood the vast gulf between the rich and the poor.

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