to face. Ryan couldn't help but steal glances at Avery, who was sitting beside him, her eyes fixed on the floor. She was so beautiful, so strong, and yet, so vulnerable. He reached out and took he

e had never felt this way about anyone before. He had never felt this connection, this spark. And as he looked into Avery's eyes, he knew that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. But as the night wore on, Ryan's phone rang, shattering the peace. He hesitated for a moment before answering it. "Hello?" he said, his voice cautious. "Ryan, it's Captain James," a deep voice said on the other end of the line. "We've received a tip that the princess is hiding in your house." Ryan's heart skipped a beat. "What are you talking about?" he asked, trying to sound convincing. "Don't play dumb, Ryan," Captain James said. "We know that you're hiding her. And we're going to find her, no matter what." Ryan's mind was racing. He knew that he had to protect Avery, but he also knew that he couldn't keep her hidden forever. "I don't know what you're talking about," he repeated, trying to sound firm. But Captain James just laughed. "We'l

pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Hey, Mike," he said, when a voice answered. "I need your help." There was a pause on the other end of the line. "What's going on?" Mike asked. Ryan hesitated, unsure how much to reveal. "I've got a friend who's in trouble," he said. "We need a place to hide out for a while." Mike's voice was reassuring. "I've got a place you can use," he said. "But you have to be careful. If anyone finds out..." Ryan nodded, even though Mike couldn't see him. "I know," he said. "Thanks, Mike." As Ryan hung up the phone, Avery looked at him with a questioning expression. "Who's Mike?" she asked. Ryan smiled. "He's a friend of mine," he said. "He's got a place we can hide out for a while." Avery nodded, her eyes still uncer

aybe someone who wants to take the throne for themselves." Mike's face darkened. "We need to get her to a safe place," he said. Ryan nodded. "I know," he said. "But it's not that easy. The police are looking for her, and if they find her, they'll take her back to the kingdom." Mike's eyes widened in understanding. "And that's where the danger is," he said. Ryan nodded. "Exactly," he said. "So we need to keep her hidden until we can figure out what's going on and who's behind it." Mike nodded. "I can help with that," he said. "You can stay here with me, and I'll make sure you're both safe." Avery smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Mike. "Thank you," she said. Mike smiled back. "No problem," he said. "We'll figure this out together." As they talked, Ryan couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. He had been carr

Ryan took a deep breath. "Well, when Avery's parents were killed, it was assumed that she had died too. But now that she's been found, it's a problem for the new ruling family." Mike's eyes narrowed. "Because she's a threat to their power," he said. Ryan nodded. "Exactly. And according to the law, she must be eliminated in order for the new family to maintain their power." Avery's face went pale. "So, they're going to keep trying to kill me until I'm dead," she said, her voice shaking. Ryan reached out and took her hand. "We won't let that happen," he said. "We'll protect you, no matter what." Mike nodded in agreement. "We'll figure out a way to keep you safe, Avery. Don't worry." But as they sat there, trying to reassure Avery, Ryan couldn't shake the feeling that they were in grave danger. The new ruling family would stop at nothing to eliminate Avery, and it was up to them to protect her. As they finished their co

ng. "I'm... uh... out of town on business." There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Ryan, we know that Avery is with you," Captain James said. "And we're going to find her, no matter what it takes." Ryan's heart was racing. He knew that he had to protect Avery, no matter what. "I don't know what you're talking about," Ryan said, trying to sound firm. But Captain James just laughed. "Don't play dumb, Ryan," he said. "We know that you're hiding Avery. And we're going to find her." Ryan's mind was racing. He knew that he had to get Avery to a safe place, and fast. He couldn't let Captain James and his team find her. "Listen, Captain James," Ryan said, trying to sound calm. "I don't know what you're talking about. But I'm going to hang up

can just act like everything is normal. Focus on your business, and check on me anytime you want." Ryan's face was skeptical. "But what if they suspect something?" he asked. Avery's smile was confident. "They won't," she said. "You're a great actor, Ryan. You can totally pull this off." Mike nodded in agreement. "And I'll take care of Avery," he said. "Don't worry." Ryan's eyes locked onto Avery's, searching for any sign of uncertainty. But all he saw was determination and conviction. Finally, he nodded. "Okay," he said. "I'll do it." Avery's face lit up with a smile. "Thank you," she said. As they hugged goodbye, Ryan felt a pang of uncertainty. Was this really the right decision? But as he looked into Avery's eyes, he knew tha