Kathy stared at him, the words washing over her like a wave of cold water. She was unsure whether to laugh or punch him.
"What the actual fuck are you talking about?"
"What if," Zane repeated slowly, almost like he was savoring the words, "you became Princess Katherine."
"No, I heard you the first time." She said, almost a whisper, then louder. "No I can't. Are you out of your mind?"
Zane didn't flinch. "Hear me out." He muttered in a calm voice.
"There's nothing to hear! You just told me a princess is dead. I'm… I'm just some random woman you married in a drunken haze and now you want me to… what? Replace her?" She scoffed, throwing her hands in the air. "That's insane. Beyond insane."
Zane stood, slow and deliberate, and walked to the massive window overlooking the city skyline.
His shoulders were tense beneath his shirt. "No one knows what Princess Katherine looks like. She has been hidden most of her life, since she was eight. She was raised in isolation, protected for this very reason; to ensure peace between her country and mine. Hardly anyone know what she looks like." He explained.
She blinked.
"We were to be married in two months."
Kathy slowly shook her head. "You're crazy." She said, but this time, her tone had lost it anger.
"Am I?" Zane asked, his tone calm but firm. "You already wear the ring. You're my wife by law. And no one outside the palace knows what she looks like."
Kathy folded her arms. "… Okay. So your genius plan is to parade me in her place and hope nobody notices?" she asked.
"It's more than that," Zane said, turning back around. "With her gone, the treaties fall. Her kingdom might interpret it as a betrayal or failure on our part. We could lose the alliance. We're on the brink of war."
"And you want me to pretend to be her?"
"Just until I fix this. Just until we find who killed her and why. If I go back alone, the kingdom will panic, and I can't let that happen, especially now that the King, my father is ill. We might lose the treaties. But if I show up with you… alive… safe… married…"
She gaped. "Do you hear yourself right now? This isn't a rom-com, Zane. This is international fraud." She muttered.
He gave a wry smile. "It's survival. You and the baby…" he started to say, but paused.
She stiffened.
Zane's eyes narrowed slightly, catching the reaction. "You're pregnant… aren't you?" he muttered. She had a feeling that it wasn't a question, he already knew the answer.
Kathy's breath caught in her throat. Her heart thudded against her ribcage, loud enough she was sure he could hear it. She hadn't said a word. Hadn't hinted. So how…? How the hell did he know that she was pregnant?
Her gaze dropped to her bag. The hospital envelope was barely visible, just peeking out between the folds of leather. She should have zipped it shut.
He followed her eyes, then sighed. "I saw the name of the hospital… and the department." He explained softly in an exasperated voice.
She said nothing.
"I didn't mean to snoop," he continued, voice softer now. "It was just there when you set your bag down. OB-GYN. And we met a month ago, give or take. I did the math. Took a wild guess."
There was a beat of silence.
Kathy slowly closed her eyes, her shoulders slumping. There was no point denying it now.
When she opened them again, her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Yes."
He nodded. "Then we have a reason. A story. The princess went into hiding for her safety, and now she's back."
She stared at him for a long moment, a million emotions clawing through her chest. He didn't even ask her how she was doing with the revelation or if she even wanted to keep the child.
"You want me to lie to the world. Wear a crown. Play the part."
He stepped closer. "I want you to live. And this… this keeps you alive." He said.
She didn't even want to know what he meant by that statement. "I'm not a princess, Zane. I work for a fashion company. I design ad pitches. I'm not royalty. I can't do this." Her voice cracked a little at the end, her body finally beginning to shake from everything; shock, fear, pregnancy hormones, pure disbelief.
Zane stepped forward, but he didn't touch her. "Kathy, I know this sounds like a lot. But if anyone finds out the princess is dead, we lose everything. And you…"
He paused, his gaze falling briefly to her stomach. "You're pregnant." He said, as if that should mean more to her.
Kathy swallowed hard, her hands wrapping protectively around her abdomen. "I… I didn't plan for this." She muttered.
"I know," he said gently. "But you're carrying a royal heir now. That means you're already in danger. Whoever targeted us earlier, they'll come for you again. But if you step into Katherine's role… you'll be protected. You'll have a title, a reason to be guarded. A reason to stay close."
"You mean I'll be a pawn," she said bitterly. "A puppet wearing a crown so your country doesn't fall apart."
Zane's jaw clenched. "I wouldn't let you be a puppet. This isn't ideal, I know. But it's the best move we have right now. For both of us."
Kathy looked away, her heart thudding painfully. This was madness. An hour ago she was sipping coffee in a café, dreading the thought of raising a child alone.
Now she was being asked to step into the shoes of a dead princess, to play royal wife to a stranger she barely knew, for the sake of an alliance she couldn't even begin to understand.
"I'm not her," she whispered. "I don't know how to walk like a princess or talk like one. I wouldn't even know how to sit at those ridiculous formal dinners."
"We'll train you," Zane said. "We'll keep your identity locked down. You just need to pretend long enough until we figure out who killed her… and why."
"And what then?" she asked, lifting her eyes. "What happens after the killer is caught?"
He hesitated. "Then… we make a choice. Together." He said, staring her straight in the eyes.
Kathy studied him. In the soft lamplight of the penthouse, Zane looked less like the arrogant royal she'd met this afternoon and more like a man burdened by a thousand expectations. The easy confidence had dimmed. In its place was something more guarded… human.
She hated that a part of her wanted to trust him.
Kade reappeared then, clearing his throat. "Your Highness. The plane is ready. We can depart as soon as you're both set." He announced.
Zane nodded. "Give us a moment." He replied, never taking his eyes off her for a second.
Kade left, the door closing behind him.
Kathy felt herself swaying slightly, as if the world was shifting under her feet. She pressed her hand against the back of the couch for balance.
"You expect me to get on a plane and fly off to your kingdom? Pretend to be your dead fiancée and act like this is normal?"
"No," Zane said. "I expect you to survive."
She met his eyes again, heart pounding. "And what if I say no?" Kathy asked.
His expression was unreadable. "Then I'll still protect you. But I won't be able to shield you from everything coming. The best cover you have right now… is me."
Kathy was quiet for a long time.
She thought of the baby.
She thought of the headlines, the paparazzi, the danger, her failing career. She thought of Zane and the terrifying honesty in his eyes.
And she thought of the girl who had died. Princess Katherine.
A name so close to hers.
She exhaled shakily. "If I say yes… and that's a big if… I want conditions."
Zane's lips twitched faintly. "Go on."
"I get to walk away when this is over. Clean. No royal blood. No more crowns. Just Kathy Meadows and her baby. Got it?"
He hesitated and she understood why. She was asking him to let go of his child. No sensible father would do such, but then he nodded. "Agreed."
She released a sigh. "And if you lie to me… if I find out there's more to this…"
"You'll walk. I swear."
She paused. "And I want answers. About why we were targeted. About everything."
"You'll have them," he said, stepping closer. "But first, we need to get on that plane."
Kathy looked down at her hand. The gold ring still glinted on her finger.
She looked at him.
Prince Zane.
Her husband.
She took a breath… and nodded. What the hell had she gotten into?
"Fine. Let's go play dress up."
Zane didn't smile. But the relief in his eyes was unmistakable.
And just like that, her fate was sealed.