When I met Anderson North, I fell in love with the man, not the title. With his heart, not the crown.

But as I step foot in the Nation of Belmont for the first time as the Crown Prince’s fiancée, I’m reminded of exactly who he is outside of the bubble we built around ourselves.

I’m reminded of exactly who I’ll need to become if I’m to survive this tangled web of antiquated rules, constant media attention, and negative publicity from a country that hates the idea of an American marrying their future king.

This may be a life of privilege and excess, but I soon learn that with notoriety comes jealousy. With fame comes enemies. With a crown comes a gilded cage.

I’ve always dreamed of finding my happily ever after. I didn’t realize ours would come at a price.