— Narrator’s POV —

  Last we saw our heroes, they were freshly reunited, just twenty-four hours after being reincarnated from a battlefield in a fantasy world. But now, Princess Bridget is being spirited away… by someone she knows, but not really.

  Is she being saved? Kidnapped? Or is this just another Dallas Sexton incident?

  Yeah. It’s that last one.

  Bridget, tied at the wrists and fuming, was quick to assume the worst. “I can’t believe Dallas is dragging me somewhere without my permission. If this were Belguria, he’d already be in chains.”

  Sadly, she wasn’t wearing heels today—those would’ve made excellent weapons.

  Being stuck in traffic with Duke Dallas Sexton, a.k.a. Austin Wales, is currently the CEO of an Investment Firm, but previously, as a duke, he was a full-time disaster, was torture. Worse? He was in control. The last time that happened, he turned a diplomatic summit with the Barbarians into an all-out brawl… by showing up drunk and without any pants.

  “Dallas being in charge is a disaster,” she muttered, glaring sideways at him.

  “Am I really that bad?” Austin asked.

  Oh, he knew the answer. He’d never been able to impress her, not in five years of awkward encounters. But today, he’d managed to keep his shirt on and his pants zipped. That had to count for something.

  “Yes,” she said flatly. “Yes, you are, Dallas.”

  “Am I, though?”

  “Most messy. Most vulgar. Most ludicrous duke I’ve ever met.”

  Austin didn’t respond. He just stared out the window, watching traffic inch forward while car horns blared like trumpets of chaos.

  Kevin, their long-suffering driver, eavesdropped from the front. He found the conversation strange, mostly because he was 100% sure Austin had never met this woman before. And Kevin would know—he used to work for the CIA.

  Ten years ago, he’d been assigned to investigate young Austin Wales, a teenage stock-market savant too smart for his own good. The government suspected foul play—foreign influence. But when Kevin broke into Austin’s room during a mission during his birthday banquet...

  “If you’re going to snoop,” said a thirteen-year-old Austin, “you might want to wait until I’m not organizing my investment portfolios.”

  Kevin stared at the highly detailed documents. No kid should be able to write this.

  Austin, unfazed, handed him a diary. “Compare the handwriting. It’s me.”

  “How…?”

  “I’m from the Wales family. I’ve had the resources and the will. The rest is just effort.”

  Kevin never underestimated him again.

  And today, Austin was still surprising him, especially by playing kidnapper.

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  — Reality —

  Back in the present, horns blared around them. Bridget flinched at the noise, but with her hands tied, she couldn’t even cover her ears.

  “Alright, enough of this,” Austin said. He opened his door mid-traffic.

  “Are you insane?” Kevin yelped.

  “Not yet,” Austin replied with a grin.

  He circled the car, opened the passenger door, and gently removed Bridget’s restraints. Her first reaction?

  Whack! A clean punch to Austin’s jaw.

  “I deserved that,” he mumbled.

  "Give us a warning when you are on the other side of the bridge," he knew it was going to take a while.

  They crossed the bridge on foot, walking beside the rush-hour traffic. Bridget took a deep breath—the open air helped. Finally, she didn’t feel trapped.

  “Enjoying the air, Your Highness?” Austin asked.

  Bridget was startled by the sincerity in his tone. Maybe—just maybe—he wasn’t completely awful.

  “I am,” she admitted. “It’s better than being stuck inside all day.”

  “You’ve been indoors this whole time?”

  “Transportation is… complicated here. I couldn’t contact anyone, didn’t know where I was supposed to go. It was overwhelming.”

  Her eyes dimmed. “I wonder how my kingdom is faring...”

  Austin sighed. “I wish I could help. I don’t know how to get back either. Maybe… maybe we have to accept this place.”

  “No.” Bridget stood tall. “I will return. You can’t stop me.”

  “I’m not trying to,” Austin said with a chuckle. “That’s the Bridget I remember.”

  For all his chaos, Austin admired her resolve.

  “I’ll talk to Kevin,” he said. “We’ll get your job reassigned—aligned with your goals.”

  Bridget raised an eyebrow.

  “But,” Austin added casually, “you’ll need to give me proof that your boss is laundering money.”

  Bridget smiled. Really? That’s all?

  “You don’t need to ask me twice.”

  Deal struck. Hands shaken.

  — Narrator’s POV —

  Later, Kevin returned with news once they met them on the other side of the bridge: “Luke found a shortcut. We can avoid the worst of traffic.”

  The shortcut, naturally, was very effective, and Kevin was glad he took it.

  Finally, the trio arrived at their destination, where they could discuss peacefully. However, the two heroes were not expecting what they saw to be the location.

  “Mum’s Ice Cream?” Austin blinked.

  “Not just any ice cream shop,” Luke beamed, “my mom’s shop!”

  Mark chimed in, “Best ice cream in Boston!”

  “Massachusetts,” corrected Alyssa, holding hands with Mark.

  Bridget stood awkwardly among the strangers. Austin caught her unease.

  “Kevin, any place we can talk privately?”

  Behind the shop was a cozy backroom. There, they finalized Bridget’s new role—and confirmed the money laundering allegations. Kevin acted as the mediator, ensuring everything was fair.

  “I’m impressed,” Kevin said. “Didn’t think you’d remember that case.”

  “I didn’t,” Austin admitted. “My old diary did.”

  As they left, Luke intercepted them. “Austin! Your favorite’s ready—Strawberry Basil.”

  Austin had no memory of it, but something about it felt… comforting.

  “I’ll stick around. Kevin, can you get Bridget to her bus stop?”

  “Yes, sir.” Kevin wasn’t thrilled to leave before getting his ice cream, but duty called.

  Bridget turned to leave when the door suddenly opened.

  In stepped a disheveled man with glasses and a haunted look. His eyes locked on hers.

  Redhead. Emerald eyes. Red ruby lips...

  “Bridget…?”

  “Duke Licker?” she gasped.

  “Your Highness!” Richard Licker dropped to one knee, pledging loyalty in the middle of an ice cream shop.

  Everyone stared. Based on his position, the people thought he was proposing to Penny.

  “What a romantic proposal!” Luke’s mom gushed.

  Except Austin, who sighed. “I’ll eat this in the back…”

  But Richard had exceptional hearing.

  “You! How dare you show yourself before the princess!” he roared.

  Kevin tried to restrain him, for he immediately felt a déjà vu. However, it was too late.

  “You killed us, you fool! I demand satisfaction for the princess and my honor!” Richard tossed a tissue, instead of a handkerchief, to the ground. “I challenge you to a duel!”

  Bridget groaned. “No, please no…”

  Austin, please don't be a fool. “I accept.”

  Great. From romance to duel in under five minutes. "Classic".

  The situation is getting out of hand. Maybe I need to step in somehow.

  Next time: Two dukes. One duel. Zero chill.

  PS, please tell me how I can fix this problem, Baozhai!!!