The Prince Problem

Lily Lawson met Theodore in a pub.

She didn't know his surname.
She didn't know where he came from.
She definitely didn't know why he looked like a man trying very hard not to be recognised.

All she knew was that he was too polished for the sticky table, too serious for the terrible lighting, and far too good at making her curious.

So Lily did what Lily does best.

She talked too much.
Teased him a little.
Made him laugh when he looked like he'd forgotten how.

For one night, Theodore was just Theodore.

And then Lily found out he wasn't.

He was Prince Theodore Montclair. Future King of England. A man with a title, a palace, and an entire country waiting for him to become exactly who they expected.

Suddenly, the person Lily can't stop thinking about belongs to a world of royal rules, polished smiles, arranged expectations, and consequences big enough to ruin them both.

Theodore is dutiful, controlled, and tired of having his life decided for him. Lily is warm, sharp-mouthed, chaotic in the worst moments, and impossible to ignore. She sees the man beneath the crown before she understands what loving him could cost.

Because Theodore's world is already choosing a bride for him.

And Lily?

Lily was never supposed to be part of the plan.