Chapter 9 Trap.

The guards entered the dungeon and freed Alex. As soon as he was released, he sprinted towards the dinner room to search for his parents. Spotting them, his eyes burned with fury.

"Welcome back, my sweet child. Come and have dinner with us," his mother said. Ignoring her invitation, Alex demanded, "Where is Dora?" His mother let out a dark chuckle before speaking.

"I have arranged for her to get married. She should already be married by now. Don't bother searching for her because you're grounded. You're not allowed to leave the palace walls."

Alex's eyes widened in shock. He stormed out of the palace and made his way to the horse stables, where he found his horse, Pearl. Patting her on the head, the horse nickered in satisfaction. He took Pearl out of the stables and rode far from the castle.

However, he was stopped by some guards who informed him that he wasn't allowed to leave as per the Queen's orders. "When I become the king, I will make sure to have you killed. You do not order me," Alex said.

The guards reluctantly opened the castle gates for him. He rode on until he reached a stream and stopped to drink water. He tied Pearl to a tree and as he bent down to drink, he caught a glimpse of a woman's reflection in the stream.

When he turned around, the woman was gone. He couldn't forget her face. She had long black hair, pale skin, and emerald green eyes. He wondered who she was. Was it love at first sight? His heart raced as he searched for her, hoping to see her again.

He waited for a while for what seemed to be eternity and he was about to return but he saw her coming towards him and couldn't help but smile. There was something about this woman that intrigued him,maybe it was her rare beauty or how she walked gracefully,he didn't know why but he felt drawn to her.

Meanwhile, Belle hid behind the trees in the dark wood. Her heart raced as she thought about what would happen if Alex saw her. Her mother approached her, asking if she had found him yet.

"I forgot, Mother. I have never seen him before, so I wouldn't know how he looks like," Belle replied. Her mother showed her a scroll with the image of the man she was supposed to find.

Belle's eyes widened as she recognized the man as the one she had seen at the stream. "Mother, I saw him by the stream," Belle said. "Go and complete your mission. Only come back when you have finished it," her mother said with a smirk.

Belle ran back to the stream and saw Alex. She smiled in relief and went to meet him. "What's your name, my lady?" Alex asked. "Belle," she answered before scolding herself internally for revealing her name.

She couldn't let him know who she really was. Alex smiled, sweeping Belle off her feet. "We'll call me Alex. My full name is Alexandra Ivarion Brown, the crown prince of this kingdom. I wonder what a lady like yourself must be doing here?" he said.

Belle admired his dark brown hair, thin lips, amber eyes, and fair skin. She was lost in her thoughts until she heard him speak again. "I see you find me attractive. Well, I do too. But let's shift that aside and kindly answer my question," Alex said cockily.

Belle felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment as she tried to keep up her act. It was time to put her acting skills to the test. "Your Highness, I am an orphan without a place to call home. I have been living on the streets," she said, hoping to evoke sympathy.

Alex gazed deeply into Belle's eyes before breaking into a chuckle. "You're not a very convincing liar or actress," he thought to himself. "She's dressed in expensive clothing and yet she's pretending to be a pauper.

Is she trying to trick me? Well, they say to keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Belle's heart sank as she noticed Alex's amused expression.

"Does he not believe me?" she wondered. "What should I do now?" "Forgive me, Belle," Alex said, his laughter subsiding.

"I didn't mean to offend you. I was just reminded of something. I will offer you a place to stay in the palace, and you can work as a maid." Belle's mind raced as she contemplated the idea of being a maid after being raised as a princess.

However, her mother's words echoed in her head: "Only come back once you have completed the mission." Alex couldn't help but smirk, knowing that Belle was trying to trap him.

Nevertheless, he couldn't resist the challenge. He knew that he was walking into a trap, but he couldn't help but fall into it.