The Billionaire Prince and His Secretary

Chapter 16

John POV

Without wasting any time, I sent a message blast to all the division heads, informing them of my upcoming absence, requesting them to submit any urgent documents for my signature and stating if they had to consult something with me, they had to see me before noon. Ember watched me with a mixture of disbelief and excitement.

“Are you serious about this?” she asked, still trying to wrap her head around the sudden change of plans.

“Absolutely,” I replied, taking her hand in mine. “You deserve a break, and so do I. It’s time for us to unwind and enjoy ourselves.”

We quickly dressed and headed to the office. As soon as we arrived, I made the necessary arrangements for our trip to Greece. What could be so hard in organizing a trip? I was at a loss on what to do first, but I completed everything within two hours, when Ember would have done it in fifteen minutes. I had the help of Uncle Lucas in a few things and to get me a short meeting with the Prime Minister of Greece. My visit there was on unofficial business, but I still had to pay respect, thus I asked for a private audience. It would also do us good in the future–for business ties and political connections. My sister would love that. From what I knew, Alya and Leo also invited the Prime Minister to their wedding, but the public official had a prior schedule so he sent a proxy instead.

I had a friend in Greece who was selling his shares in a huge company, which provided a perfect pretext for the visit. Besides, it had been a long time since I last visited the country, and I was eager to explore with Ember.

In the office, Ember was a whirlwind of productivity, ensuring that everything was in order before our departure. I admired her dedication and couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride.

By late morning, we had wrapped up our tasks. I made a few final calls to confirm our travel plans, while Ember finished organizing our schedules. She kept glancing at me, trying to guess our destination, but I remained tight-lipped.

“Are you sure you won’t tell me where we’re going?” she asked again, her eyes sparkling.

I shook my head, grinning. “Nope. It’s a surprise. You’ll find out soon enough.”

With everything set, we left the office and headed to her apartment. I helped Ember pack, telling her not to be stressed and that what she didn’t have, we could buy wherever we would go. After that, we went to my place, and she helped me pack. She had been in my apartment and had gone through my closet to pack for me a lot of times, but that particular moment felt different for me. I couldn’t pinpoint what I was feeling but it had me smiling. I loved the way she walked around my place, especially my bedroom, like she was at home. Among the ladies I had, she was nothing like them. I was a fucker for not giving her more time and attention. All was not lost though.

“What are you thinking? Your mind seems busy.” She walked up to me and kissed me lightly on the lips. She still looked shy, but I loved that she was gaining confidence.

“I’m just excited for this trip,” I replied, then kissed her back.

Early in the afternoon, we boarded the private jet, and Ember’s curiosity reached its peak.

“Okay, seriously, where are we going?” she demanded, unable to contain her excitement any longer.

I leaned in and whispered, “It’s a secret, love, but I’m sure you will love it.”

She thought for a moment, then sighed. “What time will we be landing? I’m asking in case I want to take a nap.”

I knew what she was thinking of. She would calculate and guess where we were going based on our ETA at our destination. I chuckled and said, “You can take a nap. I’ll wake you up when needed.”

Ember frowned at me. “I guess I can’t win. I’m not going to take a nap then.”

I laughed gently, wishing I could take her in my arms, but the seatbelt sign was on. “I can think of a lot of things that could make us both busy.” I winked at her then laughed again when she blushed.

“I don’t think I would like them. You know? How many women have you brought there?” She pointed to the back of the plane, to where the bedroom was located.

“Ember, I haven’t brought any women on trips. You’re the first one.” I c****d an eyebrow at her.

We stopped talking as the flight attendant came in with our drinks. I saw Ember was about to ask the flight attendant, but I stopped her. “Don’t even think about it,” I told her.

My little secretary was grumpy for a minute only to be back to her old self after. She was busy on her phone, and then when I looked at her again, she was typing fast.

“Is that work?” I asked.

“Hmm?” She looked up at me for a second before going back to her phone. “Earlier, yes. HR asked about my vacation leave and if I filed it. I said yes, but I think you have not approved it in the application. It’s not showing up yet. Anyway, don’t forget to approve it. But now, uhm, I’m texting my mom. I told her I’ll see her next week. But have you seen the news already?”

I shook my head. “No, with the busy morning we had, I didn’t have time to check. What’s up?”

Ember hesitated, biting her lip. “My mom sent me a message. She said I’m in the news.”

“Really?” I said, intrigued. “What’s it about?” Most likely, it must be from the wedding the previous day.

Ember hesitated. “I haven’t looked yet. To tell you the truth, I’m a bit scared.”

This piqued my curiosity, so I took out my phone and navigated to the search engine. There it was: multiple articles featuring the wedding of Alya and Leo, with a bit of me and Ember, too. The headlines ranged from the simplest to the sensational. One photo, in particular, caught my attention. It was a candid shot of us outside the church, Ember’s hand on my elbow and me smiling down at her. Ember looked stunning. The camera had captured her perfectly.

“Well, they got a good shot,” I said, showing her the photo. “You look beautiful.”

Ember glanced at the screen, her eyes widening. “Oh my God. That looks…really intimate.”

I nodded. “It does. We look good together, though.”

She bit her lip, her brow furrowing. “What are the headlines saying?”

I scrolled through, reading aloud some of the more neutral ones first. “‘Prince John Seen with New Mystery Woman,’ ‘Prince John and the Palace Secretary: An Inside Look.’” Then, I reached the less forgiving ones. “‘Scandal in the Royal Family? Prince John and His Secretary.’ ‘Is This the End of Prince John’s Bachelor Days?’”

Ember sighed, her shoulders slumping. “This is going to be a mess. I didn’t want this kind of attention, especially not now. I’m so sorry for bringing this to you and to your family. Now I know why my mom is worried.”

I put my arm around her, pulling her close. “Hey, don’t worry about it. This is not new to us. Remember, Leo also got this kind of publicity.”

“But Leo was a soldier. There’s a big difference. He served the kingdom. His parents are your parents’ friends and also served in the palace for many years. I’m just a–”

“No. Don’t say it. No one else gets to say who I get to be with, okay? And I don’t want to hear you belittling yourself. You are serving the kingdom. Period. End of discussion.”

She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. “But what about your family? The public?”

I gave her a reassuring smile. “My family will understand. As for the public, they’ll always have something to say. We just need to focus on us.”

Ember nodded slowly, her tension easing a bit. “I guess you’re right. It’s just…overwhelming.”

“I know,” I said softly. “That was what I was trying to say to you yesterday. Anyway, this trip is all what we needed-to be away from negativity.”

She leaned into me, resting her head on my shoulder. “Thank you, John.”

I kissed the top of her head, feeling a warmth spread through me. “Anytime, Ember. I told you many times and I’ll say it again. I got you.”

The rest of the flight was a mix of quiet conversations and comfortable silences. As we started our descent into Greece, I took Ember’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Ready for our adventure?”

She smiled, a genuine, radiant smile that made my heart skip a beat. “More than ready.”

As the plane touched down in Greece, I couldn’t help but watch Ember’s reaction. Her eyes widened as she calculated the time we were up in the sky until we landed. She was excited. A brilliant smile lit up her face. She turned to me, her expression a mix of shock and delight.

“John, are we really here?” she asked when we were about to disembark. “In Greece?” Of course, that would be her first guess.

I nodded, smiling. “Surprise. I knew you wanted to visit Greece.”

Her reaction was more than I could have hoped for. She cried out in joy, jumping up and throwing her arms around me. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she exclaimed, her voice catching as she started to cry happy tears. “I can’t believe we’re really here!”

She pulled back slightly, looking at me with shining eyes. “I’ve wanted to come here for so long! Thank you so much, John.” She hugged me again, her words tumbling out so quickly that I could barely keep up. “There are so many places I want to see! The Acropolis, Santorini, Mykonos…Oh my gosh, the food! We have to try everything! And the beaches! They look amazing in the photos! And the history…I can’t wait to see everything!”

I chuckled, holding her close. “We’ll see it all, I promise.”

Once we got through the airport quickly, thanks to the expedited services I had arranged, we were soon on our way to the hotel. Ember was glued to the window, her eyes wide as she took in the beautiful scenery passing by. She was like a kid in a candy store, pointing out everything that caught her eye and talking about all the places she wanted to visit.

“We will definitely visit the Acropolis,” I said, smiling as I tried to keep up with her enthusiasm. She was a sight to behold, so different to the professional Ember I was used to seeing in the office.

“And the food! We have to try moussaka, souvlaki, baklava…everything!”

“I’ll make sure we try everything,” I promised, mentally noting down the dishes she mentioned.

“And the beaches! We have to go to the beaches. I’ve heard Santorini has the best sunsets, though I’m sure Solandia's are even better. But, we still have to see them!”

“We’ll see all the sunsets you want,” I said, loving how animated she was.

She took out her phone and started recording, capturing every moment of our journey to the hotel. She talked to the camera, sharing her excitement with whoever would watch her video. “Hey, everyone! Guess where we are? Greece! I can’t believe it! This is a dream come true!”

I watched her, feeling a deep sense of satisfaction and happiness. Seeing her like this made the effort to plan this trip worth it.

When we finally arrived at our hotel, a luxurious structure overlooking the Aegean Sea, Ember was practically bouncing with excitement. The view was breathtaking, with the blue waters stretching out to the horizon and the ancient city visible in the distance.

“This is incredible,” she whispered, her eyes shining. “Thank you, John. This is the best surprise ever.”

We checked in and were shown to our villa promptly. I booked the villa for privacy, of course. It was spacious and elegantly decorated, with a large balcony that offered a panoramic view of the sea. It also had a hot tub, where we could take a dip later on. Ember immediately ran out to the balcony, taking in the view with wide eyes.

“Wow, this is amazing,” she said, turning to me with a huge smile. “I can’t wait to start our adventure.”

I joined her on the balcony, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Neither can I. But first, how about we freshen up and then go for a walk around the hotel? The architecture is beautiful. We can have dinner after.”

She nodded eagerly. “That sounds perfect.”

We spent the rest of the day exploring the outdoor amenities of the hotel. The manager, a charming local named Dimitris, guided us through the beautiful gardens, pristine pools, and tennis courts. Ember’s excitement was infectious as she took in the breathtaking views, luxurious facilities, and the sunset.

After the tour, Dimitris led us to the hotel’s exquisite bar, where we were treated to drinks while a local singer performed songs. The music was soulful and captivating, perfectly complementing the stunning view of the night sky from the bar’s terrace.

As the singer finished her set, Dimitris reappeared to guide us to the hotel restaurant of our choice for dinner. Ember had selected the place serving authentic Greek cuisine, and I could tell she was eager to try it.

On our way there, though, we bumped into someone I never expected to see so soon. My gut clenched at the sight of him. He was a wildcard, someone whose presence could never mean anything good.

“John! Fancy seeing you here,” he exclaimed, extending his hand.

I shook it, keeping my grip firm. “Mr. Blackwood, this is a surprise.”