The King's Chosen Bride

Catherine Jones stood frozen in the doorway, her heart pounding in her chest. The scene before her seemed surreal, yet painfully real. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the sight of Tristan and Evelyn, her stepsister, tangled in each other's arms on the king-sized bed.

A few hours ago, she'd gotten an anonymous text message from someone who said her boyfriend was in a hotel with some girl. The text contained the hotel room number and some additional details. However, she didn't want to believe it. She had trusted Tristan too much and almost deleted it, thinking it was some sort of sick joke.

But something inside her urged her to confront her fears head-on. And now, she wished she had never entered that room. The betrayal cut through her like a knife, shattering the illusion of trust she had built with Tristan over three years.

Her voice trembled as she found her words. "Tristan... How... How could you?"

Tristan sat up on the bed and turned towards her, his eyes avoiding hers. There was a flicker of guilt in his gaze, quickly masked by indifference. He was already planning to break up with Catherine for a while now, but he was too chickenhearted to bring up the discussion. Perhaps, her finding out like this was for the better.

There wasn't a single sympathy in his voice as he spoke. "I'm sorry, Catherine, but I've always liked Evelyn. I can't deny my feelings for her anymore."

Catherine's heart shattered into even smaller fragments as his words sank in. She had given Tristan everything, believing their love was unbreakable. Yet, here he stood, confessing his attraction to her stepsister and showing no remorse for his actions.

"So, I was just a placeholder until you could be with her? Was I ever important to you?" Catherine choked, fighting back tears.

"You were important at some point, but now I'm sick and tired of you. Evelyn is different. She understands me in a way you never could."

"You... You're heartless... a monster."

"Don't act like you're innocent in all of this. You were so clingy, always demanding attention." Tristan scoffed irritably.

"I loved you! I gave everything I had to make us work." Catherine shouted at the top of her lungs. Her entire body was trembling now and she felt her legs could give way at any moment.

He replied with a sneer, his lips curling in contempt. "We were together for three years, it was always the same routine with you and I got bored. You were always more focused on your job anyway. Evelyn here brought excitement back into my life."

Catherine's eyes blazed with fury as she turned her attention to Evelyn who was watching their exchange with keen interest. She had a devilish smirk on her face as if she'd achieved something glorious. Catherine's eyes widened in realization. Evelyn had orchestrated this whole thing. The text message she had received, the timing of it all-it was all part of Evelyn's plan to destroy her happiness. She wanted Catherine to catch them in the act all along.

"You... You planned this, didn't you, Evelyn? You wanted to hurt me, to see me suffer." Catherine spat, her voice dripping with venom.

"Yeah, so?" Evelyn shrugged, her smirk widening as she wrapped herself in the bedsheet.

"Funny how you conveniently sent me the address. You couldn't stand seeing me happy, could you? You've been jealous of me since we were kids, but I never thought you would stoop this low."

"I simply took what I wanted. Tristan is mine now, and there's nothing you can do about it. You always were so blind. Did you really think he would choose you over me? I've always been the one he desired," Evelyn said mockingly, her voice dripping with malice.

Catherine couldn't believe what she was hearing. The man she loved, the one she thought she would spend her life with, had turned into a heartless stranger. And Evelyn, her stepsister, was reveling in her pain. The pain and betrayal coursed through Catherine's veins, but she refused to let them break her. Wiping away her tears, she straightened her shoulders and looked at them with newfound strength.

"You've shown your true colors, Tristan. I hope you find the excitement you crave."

Catherine turned on her heels and walked away, leaving behind the shattered pieces of a love she once believed in. As she stepped out into the cold night, the tears flowed freely and blurred her vision. She didn't know how she drove back home in that state but it was definitely a miracle. She went straight to her bathroom, turned on the cold shower, and sat under it, crying furiously.

She was almost nineteen years old when she started dating Tristan Presley, who was twenty-two at the time. He was one of the young masters of the Presley Family, the 7th most powerful family in Australia. Their friendship went way back to when she was about fourteen. And they officially started dating 5 years later after meeting again at a get-together event for Melbourne-raised youngsters. He was her whole world and she loved him to the moon and back.

And now, she caught him red-handed sleeping with her malicious stepsister, Evelyn Jones. Ever since they were little girls, Catherine knows Evelyn has been obsessed with taking everything she loved and cherished away from her. It has lasted for as long as she could ever remember. Right from when they were both wearing diapers to their era of playing with Barbie dolls and so on. She would rather live her life trying to upset Catherine and make her miserable.

Catherine couldn't help but laugh at herself for believing in the love she shared with Tristan. She was only twenty-three years old with her whole life ahead of her. Not to mention, she was also a completely stunning woman with her very long brown hair locks and beautiful brown eyes to compliment it. She had an amazing model-like slender figure, standing tall at 5ft10. Anywhere she went, she was sure to turn heads.

Which man in his right mind wouldn't fall for her anyway? It was surely Tristan's loss and sooner or later, he would regret what he did to her. She gave him her all and poured her blood, sweat, and tears to make their love work for years only to be sidelined and abandoned in the worst way possible.

After crying her eyes out for hours, she wiped away her last round of tears and turned on her Tv, hoping for something to distract her from thinking about the betrayal.

As Catherine flicked on the television, she mindlessly scrolled through the channels for something interesting to watch. Her attention was immediately captured by the sight of a regal figure standing at a grand podium. Her heart skipped a bit and her breath became hoarse as she recognized the face.

It was King Shawn, the drop-dead handsome king of Australia. The King was renowned for his wealth, power, and influence, making him one of the most eligible bachelors in the world. Her heart fluttered as she watched him speak with eloquence and grace and somehow, she forgot all about Tristan. She couldn't help but be drawn in by his charisma and commanding presence.

"He's truly mesmerizing." Catherine thought to herself.

She found herself admiring the King' chiseled features, his piercing blue eyes, and the air of authority that surrounded him. She envisioned a world where she could stand by King Shawn's side, a queen who would be cherished and adored. It was a fantasy that momentarily allowed her to escape the harsh reality of her own heartbreak.

"If only... If only life were like a fairytale." Catherine said smiling wistfully.

She knew deep down that finding love with a powerful king was nothing more than a distant dream. But for a brief moment, Catherine indulged in the fantasy, finding solace in the idea before quickly snapping out of her thoughts. "That is an impossible dream."

She turned her attention to Zowie, her 4-year-old orange tabby cat, who had now fallen asleep beside her. Catherine gently stroked the fur on the back of her cat, feeling comforted by the rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing. Four years ago, she'd found this little fluffy cat crying helplessly for its momma at the park. Catherine decided to take it home and the rest was history.

She remembered when her old childhood dog, also named Zowie, was poisoned to death by non-other than Evelyn and her other step sisters. Catherine had gotten into a fistfight with the girls afterward but she was eventually outnumbered and severely beaten.

When the elders of their family summoned the girls to explain the situation, they accused her poor dog of destroying the girls' room cabinet. Meanwhile, the real culprit was Evelyn. It was all a setup by her to get rid of the one thing that was precious to Catherine after her mum died. She was only 11 years old back then and her mum had gifted her the dog on her birthday, barely a month before she passed away in a terrible Thanksgiving day accident.

Every time she was bullied by her wicked step-siblings or cousins, Catherine always found comfort with her little puppy but then she eventually lost it as well. From their childhood to this moment Evelyn has never stopped tormenting her.

Amidst the hurt and betrayal she was presently facing, memories of her painful childhood kept crawling back, further adding to her misery. She felt like she was never meant to be happy in this life.

Her family, the Jones Clan, was ranked 16th in the hierarchy of the wealthiest and most powerful Kindred families in Australia. All her grandparents, great-grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins, nieces, nephews, and parents all leave in the same huge villa. It was all so suffocating for Catherine and she always felt like everyone was out to get her, especially since her mother passed away.

And that's why at the age of 16, she decided to study abroad in America as an excuse to only come back home whenever she wanted. It wasn't that hard for her to achieve a scholarship to study in the US due to her intelligence.

However, her problems were far from over. Even though she already bagged the scholarship, there were still tons of things she needed to pay for on her own as well as her feeding expenses. Back then, when she first arrived to start school at NYU, she struggled to eat even 2 square meals a day despite being from a rich family.

It was all thanks to her own Father, Magnus Jones who convinced the elders of the Jones Family not to give her a dime because she refused to study in Australia like his other children and even ran off on her own to the USA. Of course, that happened because he was manipulated by her stepmother, Elissa who hated the fact that Catherine was going away and her daughters would no longer have someone to bully each day.

Despite her two best friends, Vanessa and Steven trying their best to support her, she still encountered difficulties. If it wasn't for her father's younger cousin, Desmond who started secretly sending her some money, Catherine would have dropped out at the beginning.

She hated living in the Jones villa as she felt as if everyone was always out to get her, especially since her mum was gone and no longer there to protect and defend her and Austin, her little brother. After all, people will always want to pick on the weak ones who were defenseless to feed their egos.

She felt bitter about how she was treated back home especially when she was younger and that was one of the reasons she kept thriving to be a strong independent woman. The truth is, she'd been so hopeful Tristan would propose to her soon and she wouldn't have to go back there after getting married. But right now, that seemed like an impossible dream. Catherine took a deep breath, trying to shake off the hurtful memories of her past as she stared blankly at the wall.

********

The next few months flew by in a whirlwind of hurt and depression for Catherine. Evelyn kept tormenting her by sending her pictures of herself with Tristan through anonymous texts. Catherine couldn't believe her petty her evil stepsister was. The betrayal was a struggle to forget but she knew she had to move on from those two devils, who were now engaged.

Just as she kept thinking about it, the song 'Traitor' by Olivia Rodrigo came on from her speakers as if trying to elevate her pain. She always felt teary whenever she listens to this song which always reminds her of the past, and NO, she didn't feel like shedding a single tear over that jerk again.

She couldn't believe that they had the audacity to get engaged after what they did to her. And Evelyn never missed an opportunity to flaunt her engagement ring in front of her. The engagement ring that was supposed to be hers.

What hurt Catherine more was the whole family never cared about her feelings, instead, they were all rooting for them to get married. It was as if she didn't matter to anyone.

Suddenly, the buzzing sound of her phone jolted her from her deep thoughts.

It was Steven, her queer bestie since childhood who called. At this moment, she just wanted to be alone and think about her miserable life but she just couldn't ignore the call.

"Hi Steve, what's up?"

"Girl, you won't believe what I just heard on the news."

"What?" Catherine asked, her interest piqued.

"All single ladies aged 20-28 from prominent families were asked to upload their data and basic information on the royal screening website. King Shawn is about to choose a queen." Steven said unleashing a screech filled with excitement.

"Really?" Catherine replied flatly.

"Yes really. And why is your voice so down? Aren't you excited?" Steven asked curiously. The whole world was excited about this. King Shawn, every woman's dream man, and the world's most powerful king would be choosing a bride. He had finally given in to the people's demands to have a queen.

"I'm fine, Steve. I just caught a really bad cold," Catherine lied through her teeth.

Steven knew her so well and could sense the falsehoods in her voice but decided not to press further. One thing he was sure of was Catherine still thinking about her foolish ex, Tristan. He wishes he could smack her through the phone.

"Cool. So aren't you going to apply? I mean, you have all the qualities they're looking for," Steven nagged.

His best friend was born with a sharp brain and an amazing level of intelligence. At just 23, she had already bagged two major degrees from two of the best universities on the planet. Not to mention, she was young and gorgeous. When he thought about it more, he saw that she had a great chance.

"No, I don't think so. I'm not interested in tying myself down to a stranger just because he's a king. Besides, I know they won't choose me anyway."

"Come on, Cat," Steven pleaded. "It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You'll never know if you'd be the lucky girl they chose. You'll be living in a palace, wearing beautiful gowns, eating the best meals and you'll have everything you could ever want. Plus, think of the impact you could make as a queen."

Catherine sighed. She knew Steven had a point, and he had also purposely mentioned something about food which he knew damn well that she couldn't resist, as the obsessed foodie she was.

Catherine nodded, even though Steven couldn't see her. "Okay. I'll apply for it. Thanks for letting me know. You're the best as always."

She couldn't deny the fact that she felt a spark of curiosity and intrigue about the idea. Catherine thought that Steven was right. She thought about all the good she could do, all the people she could help, and it made her heart swell with pride. But at the same time, the thought of leaving her comfortable life and job as a journalist in New York scared her.

Catherine's mind wandered, envisioning herself standing beside the handsome King Shawn, commanding respect and wielding influence.

But amidst her daydreams, a pang of doubt gnawed at her. What if she was merely chasing an illusion, seeking solace in a fairytale that didn't truly exist? The wounds from her past relationship with Tristan still lingered within her, casting a shadow of skepticism over her heart. Could she truly trust love again, especially in the context of royalty and power?

"Now you're talking. You see that's why you're my favorite bitch. I'm hanging up now I wanna call Vanessa to also check on her if she's done uploading her profile as well," Steven's voice jolted her out of her deep thoughts again.

"Okay, bye, love you,"Catherine replied heartily.

After hanging up with Steven, Catherine proceeded to the royal seal website. When she was done submitting her personal information, she quickly scrolled through her gallery, searching the folder where she stored her photos. After scrolling aimlessly for a while, she saw a photoshoot she had done a few months ago.

Although it didn't look elaborate and she wasn't particularly dressed to the nines, she felt it was decent enough. She wore a V-necked, thigh-slit royal blue dress, sitting on a simple wooden chair while looking straight at the camera with a small smile playing across her face which wore nude makeup. Her hair was styled in a smooth and sleek down ponytail without any jewelry except her old purple wristband.

She hesitated for a moment, her finger hovering over the "Upload" button. She knew damn well she isn't one of the favorites or among the popular elite female socialites who stood higher chances of getting the crown. So never in her wildest dreams could she even dream of becoming the queen of Australia. But why was something in her guts urging her to do it? It was as if the universe was whispering in her ear, daring her to take a leap of faith and challenge the status quo.

As a top-tier licensed freelance journalist and a foreign correspondent in the United States, Catherine had a great portfolio. So she couldn't say she didn't stand a chance of being noticed and picked for this, especially since they said they were going for the best. She has published for numerous top media outlets like The Daily Mail, New York Times, Cosmopolitan, and more.

Unlike most young ladies from highborn families across the country, Catherine was hardworking and her career was very promising. She couldn't care less and frankly wasn't interested in this queenship stuff at all.

It seemed like a long shot, a mere fantasy she was entertaining. But something in her stirred, a flicker of hope that whispered of the possibilities that awaited her. She thought about how she would never have bothered to sign up for this if she was still happily in love with that jerk, Tristan.

With a deep breath, Catherine summoned the courage and clicked the upload button. Just then, an anonymous text message appeared on her phone. Her face turned pale and her breathing hitched in an instant.