My Dark Prince: An Enemies-to-Lovers Romance (Dark Prince Road)

Trial Day Nineteen.

On the second week of filming, Hailey Johansson managed to corner me on set, sandwiched between two catering tables. If I’d expected some personal development in the months since our New York meeting, I’d be sorely disappointed.

She flicked her hair over her shoulder, no doubt delaying hair and makeup another half hour with the single gesture. “Is your fiancé coming?”

I sighed, snagging a plate from the stack. “For the millionth time, he’s not my fiancé.”

Not yet, at least.

Truly, the woman lacked the basic ability to hear anything that didn’t exit her own mouth. It didn’t help that I spent every waking minute keeping busy, trying to push Cooper and Oliver from my mind. (Emphasis on waking. I didn’t stand a chance against my dreams.)

I missed Ollie. A lot.

Last week, I’d even managed to put aside five hours to make the hike up and down the mountain for cell service, but production put a halt to that with a last-minute schedule change, courtesy of Hailey’s three-hour on-set meltdown over a scene she couldn’t quite execute.

As for Cooper … I couldn’t stomach the fact that our separation had led to his death. It simply refused to register. If I focused on my tasks, busied myself with extra hours scheming positioning and scenes, I thought about it less. So, I did just that, sinking myself into work with a vengeance.

Hailey followed me down the buffet line. “You know, for an engaged couple, you two never hang out.”

“Because we’re no longer engaged.”

“Does he even like you?”

“You’ll have to ask him.” I stacked half a vegetarian banh mi onto my plate. The catering staff had gone all out, sending a fleet of chefs to the island.

“Can I get his number?”

That did it. I spun to her, discarding my food on the table. “You’re asking me for my ex-fiancé’s phone number?”

“Well, it’s not like you want him anymore.”

I sighed, not bothering to explain to her – yet again – that calling off the engagement didn’t mean we’d called off our relationship. Though, to be fair, after nineteen days without contact, it didn’t even feel like a relationship.

This was everything I’d feared when I’d tried to break up. Love would transform into longing and longing into doubt.

Hailey blinked back at me, waiting for a response. Instead, I stomped back to my trailer, where I planned on hiding out until someone needed me.

Fae’s words on the way to the airport lingered over my head like a guillotine.

The past is a chapter, not the entire story. Stop letting it decide the next pages.

Around me, actors baked under hot lights, ready to burst into character at action. Makeup artists hovered nearby with powder brushes. Production assistants scurried back and forth with coffee orders and annotated scripts. The director and cinematographer exchanged words behind a monitor, their eyes locked on the perfect frame.

My Hollywood dream pulsed through my veins, alive and vibrant.

But it no longer thrilled me.