Victor and Emily
«Bloody hell, thats Emily!» Victor nearly choked on his coffee as recognition hit him. Five minutes ago, hed settled into a wicker chair at a pavement café along the high street, unfolded his newspaper, and there she was.
«No, it cant be.» He tossed the paper aside irritably, leaning back. Thinking about her always brought back a flood of memorieshis university days, hopelessly in love with that beauty whod played him like a fiddle. Hed been finishing his maths degree at Oxford when shed started, a fresh-faced first-year impossible to miss. Shed clocked his lingering glances straight away and cornered him in the library with some innocent question. And just like that, he was hooked.
Turned out, she was hopeless at maths. He ended up writing her essays, even scribbling cheat sheets before examsall for nothing. Her academic life was a train wreck. Later, he wondered if shed even got into uni legitimately. Eventually, shed had enough. By the end of her first year, she dropped outand dumped him.
«Were just too different,» shed said bluntly. «Id only make you miserable. Youre a decent blokeyoull find someone better suited.»
And that was that.
Now her face was plastered across the front page of a tabloid. What the hell had happened? Victor snatched the paper back.
The article detailed the scandal of the season. A European royalsome playboy princehad swept into London, picked up a dancer from a nightclub, and within a week, announced their engagement at a posh hotel. A proper circus. And there she washis Emilyposed as the future princess. Shed gone far, alright.
«Anything else for you, love?» The waitress hovered, eyeing his empty cup.
Right. Hed overstayed. They needed the table.
Stepping outside, Victors gaze landed on the grand entrance of the very hotel hosting Emilys engagement. He caught himself thinking «my Emily» again. Damn it. That old, aching loveburied like a splinterhad torn open. He hadnt forgotten her at all.
Before he knew it, he was marching into the hotel, drawn to the ballroom where it was all meant to happen. Inside, a concert was underwayflashy lights, pounding music, scantily clad dancers. The crowd buzzed with cameras ready. Something was brewing.
Victor pushed forward, just in time for the lights to dim. Purple smoke curled up from the stage, swirling into a haze. Drums thundered, guitars wailedthen a spotlight sliced through, revealing a figure spinning slowly, draped in a sea-green dress, hair cascading down.
Victor squinted. His stomach dropped.
Emily.
«No way.» He looked away, then back. She seemed taller, oldernot the girl he remembered but a striking woman. Yet undeniably her.
A reporter near the stage gaped, transfixed. Hed got a tip-off about a «sensational event» and hadnt regretted coming. This was goldthe future princess, elusive to every journalist, dancing right here. And she was stunning.
Then the music shifted. Her movements turned sharper, her body swaying to the beat. A belly dance. The crowd eruptedphones up, flashes popping.
And then her dress slipped clean off.
Chaos.
A champagne bottle hurtled from the crowd, straight for the stage. But before it struck, Emilys figure flashedthen vanished. The bottle smashed somewhere behind the curtains. The lights snapped on. Security chased a fleeing figure, but the culprit got away.
«I knew it was a setup the second I saw you.» Victor lit a cigarette, leaning back in his chair at a café. Emily propped her chin on her hands, watching him. Hed tracked her down that morning, begged a meeting.
«Ive got a degree in AI,» he said. «I know whats possible. Low light, smoke, lasersthey scanned your old club performances, digitised them, and projected a hologram. All someone had to do was hit play and let you strip to Queen.»
He smirked. «But weve got them. I filmed itclear as day, the bottle went right through you. Ill post it. Expose the lot.»
Emily sighed. «Dont bother. The prince called off the engagement yesterday. His mum threw a fit, and he folded. Frankly, Im relieved. I never believed in fairy tales.» She paused. «But Im not losing out. Got a lingerie dealproper money. So leave it.»
Her fingers brushed his cheek. «Youre sweet. But were not right for each other. Find someone else. Forget me.»
Then she was gone, vanishing into the crowd. Victor watched her go, knowing she was rightbut wishing she wasnt.
