Page 54 of Defying the Crown
I've been holed up in my bedroom for days now. The blinds stay drawn, letting in just enough light to see the mess I've become. My phone chimes with another notification—probably Jayda trying to coax me out for dinner again. I ignore it and continue scrolling through yet another news article about"The Crown Prince and His American Lover."
My reflection in the dark phone screen startles me. Bloodshot eyes stare back, surrounded by dark circles. My patchy stubble has grown into an uneven beard that itches constantly. I haven't showered since... I honestly can't remember when.
"Denmark's playboy prince slums it in New York with American escort boy"reads the headline. The article includes photos of us on the Wonder Wheel, Harald's arm wrapped around me. What felt intimate and special is now splashed across the internet for everyone to dissect.
I switch to Twitter, which is even worse.
"Who is Daniel Ramirez? Royal insiders say the Crown Prince's latest fling has a troubling past."
"Sources confirm Prince Harald met commoner on mental health support website. Palace in crisis mode."
"Does anyone else think this Daniel guy is just after royal money? #GoldDigger #RoyalScandal"
My stomach twists as I scroll through the comments:
"He looks trashy. Denmark deserves better than this nobody."
"Just another attention seeker. Bet he leaked the photos himself."
"Look at his eyes—total psycho. No wonder he was in a mental hospital."
They've found everything. My hospitalization. The suicide attempt. Photos from high school. Even shots of me leaving work at Insuricarica. Every private moment between Harald and I has been picked apart and analyzed by people who know nothing about us.
I click on a Danish news site translated to English and see photos of Harald I've never seen before—in military uniform, at state dinners, shaking hands with the Queen of England. There's an entire slideshow titled"The Life of Crown Prince Harald,"showing him growing up in the palace, attending boarding schools in Switzerland and England, graduating from university with honors in international relations.
A photo shows Harald standing beside his father, both in formal royal attire with medals and sashes. The caption reads:"Crown Prince Harald and King Magnus at the 2023 New Year's Royal Reception."
This man—this entire life—was hidden from me. The person I thought I was falling for doesn't even exist.
I drag myself out of bed Monday morning after refusing to go to work for a week, knowing I need to face the music eventually. My phone's been buzzing non-stop—Harald's texts, calls, and voicemails piling up. I switch it off completely, tossing it on my bed before heading out.
The subway ride is excruciating. People stare, some even take photos. A teenage girl whispers to her friend, "That's the prince's boyfriend." I pull my hoodie tighter around my face.
At Insuricarica, the security guard eyes me suspiciously before reluctantly letting me through. The office falls silent as I walk to my desk. Coworkers pretend to work while sneaking glances.
"Daniel Ramirez." Cassandra's saccharine voice cuts through the silence. "My office. Now."
Her office feels smaller than usual. She sits behind her desk, jowls quivering with barely contained glee.
"Well, well. Quite the celebrity, aren't we?" she drawls, her southern accent stretching each word like taffy. Her smile doesn't reach her eyes, which glitter with malicious delight. The family photos on her desk—all featuring her array of cats in different holiday-themed outfits—seem to judge me alongside her.
I stare at the carpet as Cassandra's words hammer into me like nails into a coffin.
"The board has decided to terminate your employment, effective immediately." Her lips curl into a smile that reminds me of a cat who's finally cornered its prey. The fluorescent light glints off her too-white teeth as she savours each syllable. "Your... escapades have damaged our company image. We can't have someone so publicly scandalous representing Insuricarica. The insurance industry is about trust and integrity, Daniel, and you've become a liability."
My stomach drops to my feet, a cold wave of panic rushing through my veins. Two years of mind-numbing work, of forcing myself out of bed each morning to face her torment—gone in a single sentence. I can already feel the anxiety clawing at my chest, wondering how I'll make rent next month.
"You can't fire me for my personal life."
"Oh, but we can. Page 47 of the employee handbook clearly states employees must maintain professional conduct outside of the workplace that reflects company values." She slides a folder across the desk. "Your final paycheck and termination papers. Security will escort you out."
As I empty my desk into a cardboard box, memories of Alex flood back. Finding him in our bed with another man. His pathetic excuses."It didn't mean anything, baby."The same hollow feeling settles in my chest now.
Harald's betrayal cuts deeper somehow. Alex was upfront about who he was—a cheater. Harald built an entire relationship on lies. Pretending to be someone else. Tricking me into thinking he understood me.
A security guard hovers as I pack. Everyone watches, even Piper who doesn't want to look me in the eye. I hear whispers—"royal plaything," "fifteen minutes of fame."
Walking out of the building, box in hand, I realize this is what I deserve. People like me don't get fairy tales. Foster kid who nobody wanted, mental case who couldn't even kill himself properly, fool who falls for men who lie.
