Princely Agreement, page 1
part #1 of Fairy Tales Are Forever Series
Princely Agreement
FAIRY TALES ARE FOREVER
ALEXA RILEY
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
His Princess
Chapter 1
Read Me Romance
Stalk the Author
Copyright © 2023 by Author Alexa Riley LLC. All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, email to riley_alexa@aol.com
http://alexariley.com/
Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.
Edited by Aquila Editing
For those of us who first fell in love with romance because of a fairy tale!
Princely Agreement
BY ALEXA RILEY
Ella Cinder lost her father and now the step mother she adored can't remember her. After being locked away by her wicked step brothers, a chance meeting with a Prince changes everything.
As the head of his family Leo Prince must do his duty and take a bride. What he doesn't expect is to take one look at the beautiful stranger and give up all his responsibilities.
Warning: Fairy tales are forever so grab your pajamas and get ready for the best kind of bedtime story. We've given these classic tales our own sprinkle of love and can't wait for you to roll around in them.
Chapter One
ELLA
“Do you really think you need that?” The white chocolate strawberry pauses right before it hits my lips. The sound of Matthew’s voice has always annoyed me, and I’m pretty sure my dad felt the same way.
“We must make sure they taste good.” Oliver, the chef that has been here for longer than I can remember, is quick to defend me.
There are only a few of the staff my dad hired remaining on the Cinder estate. Slowly my step-brothers Matthew and Jace have replaced them one by one. They wanted full control over the Cinder estate, and they aren’t even Cinders. Their mom isn’t one either. She wanted to keep her last name the same as her sons’.
When I lost my dad five years ago, it was devastating. He could be old-fashioned at times, but I loved him, and I’ve never met a sweeter man. I always felt loved too, even though I was a late-in-life surprise baby for him and my mom. They hadn’t planned on having children and instead focused on building their company together. That had been their baby together before I came along.
My dad always told me how thankful he was that I was a surprise. He said he would’ve never made it through losing my mother without me. I’m not sure what I did because I was only a few years old, so I don’t remember. At times I’m thankful I was so young, because losing my father was all my heart could handle.
Then I almost lost my stepmother Fiona. My dad died instantly in the crash, but by some miracle Fiona made it and was in a coma for months. When people think of stepmothers, they cringe, as I did at first. My dad was even hesitant for me to meet her, but she was nothing like I expected.
I was ten when they got married, and I worried that she’d take my dad from me. Instead, Fiona gave me a taste of what having a mom was like, but after the accident, she wasn’t the same.
Her memories and thoughts can get jumbled together. There are times she is crystal clear, and I cling to that. Her mind can make her gullible, which is something her sons use against her. They’re horrible, and I hate them both. How they came from her, I’ll never know.
Both are over ten years older than me, and most days I’m able to ignore them.
Today, however, Matthew is his usually terrible self. I take a bite of the chocolate-covered strawberry, deciding that I should get to taste them. I was the one who made them to begin with, even though they are for a party I’m not going to. In my own home! It’s the yearly celebration of Cinder Financial, and it’s almost laughable. I’m the only Cinder in this whole estate, but I’m not allowed to do most things.
My stepbrothers keep me locked away, wanting the world to forget that I exist. It’s what they need if they want to finally take full control of Cinder Financial, even though my parents built the company. It’s not that I want the company; it’s the fact that they thought they could claim it. Day by day, they’re getting closer, and my time is slowly running out.
I let out a small moan because white chocolate is my weakness. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Matthew glaring at me with hate. The tension between me and my stepbrothers is growing by the second, and I suppose time is running out for all of us.
“I’m going to get ready for the party.” He turns, leaving the kitchen.
Oliver pulls out one of his biggest knives. “Are you sure don’t want me to—”
“No!” I laugh. I think he’s teasing when he makes jokes about handling Matthew and Jace for me, but sometimes I’m not so sure.
I can see the anger in his eyes because he hates them too. I don’t think my dad cared for them much either, but he loved his wife and tried to make it work. He loved her, but he also had this need to try and give me a family.
Oliver can be very protective, and my dad knew that. It’s why he specified in his will that Oliver was to maintain his job at the Cinder estate unless he requested to leave or I personally dismissed him, no matter my age. He was a fill-in parent at times because Dad ran a giant company that was growing faster than he could keep up. It made him a very busy man, and Oliver was often picking me up from school and being a second parent.
My dad’s will was odd, and it doesn’t help that my stepmother isn't considered fully competent. With how close I was with her, a lot of what my father wanted weaved between her and me.
Then there were fallback contingencies that shocked me at first, like if something happened to Fiona. The active board at the company would maintain control until I turned twenty-one, and then I could step in, whether it was to oversee daily operations or take my place at the head of the table.
There was also one more little contingency that stood out. By the time I turned twenty-one, I had to be pregnant or have already had a child. It was a week after my father died and I was only fifteen years old the first time I heard it. Even at that age, I knew not to ask what would happen if I wasn’t.
I truly don’t think my dad believed something might happen to both him and Fiona. Now her sons are chomping to get their mother’s inheritance, but that isn’t how it works. Cinder Financial was to go to either Fiona or me alone.
Now my stepbrothers are hoping that when I turn twenty-one I won’t have met the guidelines of the will. They are going to try and wiggle their way into taking control of the company under the guise that if it can’t be Fiona and me, then it should be passed to Fiona’s sons. Them. They already work for Cinder Financial, which gives them an advantage.
I’m three months away from my birthday, and there’s no way I’m getting pregnant before then. I know my father put that into the will because he often said that he and my mom should have had kids sooner and more than one. I’m guessing he didn’t want me to follow in their footsteps, but honestly, I’m nothing like them when it comes to work and family.
I love the idea of being married and having babies. What I don’t love is being forced into it, and that is what my stepbrothers are doing. We don’t fully know what will happen when my birthday passes and I haven’t done what the will dictates, but they’re prepared to take matters into their own hands and force a marriage between Jace and me.
Jace and Matthew have made it a mission to make sure no man gets near me. That was easy when I was in an all-girls high school, but after I graduated, they practically locked me inside the Cinder estate. Jace made it clear that the only way I’d meet the requirements was through him.
I’m supposed to marry him and have his child, but the thought makes me want to throw up the delicious strawberry that’s turning sour in my stomach.
Chapter Two
LEO
“I’m not going.” I push the paper invitation to the side and go back to typing. Who the hell sends paper invitations these days anyway?
“You have to. It’s the yearly Cinder Financial celebration,” my mother insists.
“Great, that means I can go to the next one.” I don’t look up, but I can almost hear her eyes rolling as she sighs. “You go. Take Zelly. It will be a good excuse for her to leave the house.”
“Your sister’s activities are none of your concern.”
When I finally glance up from my screen, I see the expression on my mother’s face that means she’s fully resigned to getting her way, and I don’t stand a snowball's chance in hell of getting out of this tonight.
“Why is it so important that I go?” I ask even though we both know she’s going to win this battle. She doesn’t ask for much, so in moments like this I know I have to give in and play the role I’m expected to.
“Because you are Leo Prince, CEO of Prince Enterprise and the head of this family. It’s your duty to attend the most important events, now more than ever. Your sister enters society soon, and you’ll need to name her husband.”
“Mom—” I start, but she cuts me off.
“No, you’ve ignored this long enough, and I won’t hear excuses now. Since your father died, it’s fallen to your shoulders to initiate the contracts of her betrothal. I have a list of eligible bachelors from the top five families, but you’ll need to meet with their heads of houses to negotiate.”
“Negotiate? Really, Mom, is this not archaic? Have we even asked Zelly how she feels about this?”
“She will do as she’s told to secure her financial future and legacy for this family.” My mother’s words are direct, but she’s not angry or mean as she says it.
The facts remain that Zelly comes from the kind of power and influence that could be used against her or us if she were to marry the wrong man. It’s in our best interest that we vet her future husband to ensure that she’s protected along with her children. My father was supposed to be the one to do this, but he died suddenly last year and left me to take over.
I’d started learning the business as soon as I could walk, but I wasn’t ready to lose my father and mentor. There was no time for me to mourn before I was suddenly thrown into the deep end alone, and since then I’ve been trying to keep my head above water.
“This is the first year without him,” my mother says softly as she touches the invitation, and I realize that she used to attend all of these with him.
They were an arranged marriage, but they fell in love and ended up being best friends. They had fun going to parties, and he loved dancing with her at all of these events. I can only imagine the pain of losing someone you cared for that deeply.
I’ve been so busy with work that I often forget about my mom losing a husband and my sister losing her hero. It’s left a hole in our family, and she’s not wrong: This falls on my shoulders now.
“Tell Avery to lay a suit out for me,” I say and offer her a smile. “And my most comfortable dancing shoes.”
“I’ll see you downstairs in an hour.” When I open my mouth to argue, she shakes her head. “One hour, Leo.”
“One hour,” I agree, and she smiles happily as she leaves my office.
I lean back in my chair and stare out the window onto the perfectly manicured grounds. Our family has owned this land for centuries, and at one time the castles on the property were lived in by my ancestors. When my great-grandfather got married, he had a modern estate built which serves as the main house today. But Zelly refuses to live in the main house with my mother and me even though we are separated by immense wings that are practically their own houses within the house. She could have her own space, but still she prefers the solitude of the castle to living with us.
I'm busy thinking about how the hell I’m going to choose a suitable husband for my sister when an alert on my phone shows a text message from my best friend.
Flynn: Are you going tonight?
Me: Unfortunately my mother has insisted.
Flynn: Good. Now we can talk shit about the Vault twins taking over Cinder Financial.
Me: Speaking of talking shit, save a dance for my mother.
Flynn: She hates me.
Me: I know.
Flynn: You’ll owe me. Big time.
Me: Don’t I always?
Flynn: Yeah, but I mean it this time. If I’ve got to sacrifice my pinkies to your mother’s stilettos, I deserve something good in return.
Me: How about my sister? I’m supposed to find her a husband tonight, so you’d be doing me a favor.
Flynn doesn’t respond before I see an urgent email I need to reply to, and then I’m swept up in work. Before I realize it, my valet Avery is coming into my office and telling me I’ll have to get dressed quickly if I’m going to make it on time.
My dark suit is embroidered with gold on the lapels, and I’m wearing a gold tie and vest. My mother is in all black, and I’m not surprised. It’s the only color she’s worn since my father died, but I don’t mention it as I tell her she looks beautiful.
Tonight is about fulfilling my family obligations and nothing more. I’m supposed to treat my mother to a night out, interview prospective husbands for my sister, and strengthen business relationships that mutually benefit Prince Enterprise.
It’s too bad nothing goes according to my plan.
Chapter Three
ELLA
“Ella, dear, what are you doing?” I pull my nose out from the book I’m reading to see my stepmom in the doorway of my bedroom.
After I got done cooking with Oliver, I slipped out and took a shower before putting on my comfy pajamas for the night.
“Reading.” I hold up the book, smiling at her. It’s always nice when Fiona knows my name.
Even when she doesn’t remember, she’s always so sweet and tells me I’m the most beautiful thing she’s ever seen.
I enjoy it until she talks about introducing me to one of her sons. It is a bit funny, though, that she’ll whisper that they need a strong woman to put them in their place. At least on some level, she knows her sons aren’t perfect, but I’m sure that would be hard. To love them but know that they aren’t the best.
“Reading? Now?”
“Ah, yeah. Do you want me to read to you?” I ask as I pat the other side of my bed. I’m guessing not, though, since her makeup and hair are already done. She must be going to the party tonight.
“You can read to me while you’re in the makeup chair if you want.”
“What?” I ask, confused.
“The party is starting soon. You can be fashionably late but not too late. Don’t you want to see if there are any handsome men?” She gives me a smirk I know all too well, and I hold back the lump in my throat.
I can’t go to the party. My stepbrothers would freak out, but I can pretend for the moment. Fiona’s head is clear, and I’ll go along with anything to keep it that way.
“Are you trying to marry me off?” I tease, picking up Jaq from my lap. I carry him over to the cat tree and set him on top with his brother Gus.
I found the two of them a year ago. They must have gotten through the gate and onto the property. They were so tiny that I had to bottle-feed them at first. I give Gus a scratch on his head, and although he’s a bit fluffier than his brother, he loves his snacks, and I can’t fault him for that.
“I don’t think I’ll have to try. They’ll be all over you.”
“Right,” I laugh.
“What's so funny? Boobs and ass for days.” I burst into laughter. Fiona is tall and thin. “Isn’t that what men are into these days?”
“I think everyone has their own tastes,” I respond, because I haven’t a clue what men are into besides money and power.
“What’s yours?” She grabs my hand to hurry me along to get ready.
“Loving.” It’s the first thing that comes to mind as I follow Fiona down the long hallway into her suite. There are people waiting when we walk in, and I’m taken aback. They look like they could be pieces of art.
“Oh, you were right,” the man says before coming over to me. He grabs my chin and tilts my face back and forth. “A little shine to give her some sparkle. But yes, we should keep her natural for the most part. Your skin is perfect. What do you use?”
“Soap?” I say, and he laughs.
