The Prince Who Traded His Crown for the Mountains

The bachelorette party for my best friend was in full swing. We were playing ‘Never Have I Ever,’ and the shots were pouring. I lifted the last finger I had left, ready to deliver a killer truth. “Never have I ever dated Beltway Royalty.” Someone across the table, a friend of the groom, scoffed playfully. “Oh, everyone in Capitol City claims to have dated some ‘Prince.’ Which one did you bag?” “The Palisades. A Caldwell.” The patio instantly fell silent. Brock, the groom, finally leaned back in his chair, a strange look in his eyes. “So, you were the girl who actually dumped Holden Caldwell?”

1 My vision was starting to blur. I fought to keep my eyes focused on Brock. “How do you—how do you know his name? Are you two, like, acquainted?” Brock snapped back to the moment, fiddling with his phone, his expression returning to normal. “Not acquainted. But in that part of D.C., there’s only one family named Caldwell that matters.” “Yeah, that one.” Sierra, my best friend, leaned in, her eyes wide with gossip. “’Royalty’ means serious money, right?” “Serious,” I confirmed, gesturing vaguely. “His family estate had a private lake on the property. Like, a full-sized, you-can-dock-a-boat lake.” “Holy hell! In The Palisades? That’s more than rich, that’s legacy! Was he good to you?” “He was. Incredibly good. I wouldn’t have finished college without him.” “And, okay, was he hot?” The image of a face, sculpted and precise like a museum piece, flashed through my mind. I nodded. “Put him next to any A-list actor and he’d still win.” That’s the trouble with meeting someone breathtakingly perfect too young. It raises your emotional threshold so high, everything else feels like a compromise. Sierra sighed dramatically. “Rich, gorgeous, and good to you—why on earth did you dump him?” I paused, staring at the condensation on my glass. “It… wasn’t really dumping. You know how those families are. They don’t exactly welcome a girl without the right pedigree into the inner circle.” Brock seemed intrigued. He tossed his phone onto the table and nodded toward the rest of the group. Everyone else here, except Sierra and me from Bay City, were his D.C. friends. They caught his meaning immediately. With knowing glances, they filed out to the downstairs card room. It was just the three of us on the rooftop patio. Brock poured me another drink. “Spill it. Did his mother try to buy you off?” I shook my head. Not quite. A woman in Eleanor Caldwell’s position wouldn’t bother with clumsy tactics. She simply forced me to face reality. It was right before graduation. Holden had planned a trip for us and asked where I wanted to go. I’d seen videos of Iceland’s volcanoes and glaciers on my feed and was excitedly showing him when I heard him on the phone. His tone was tight, edged with a barely contained frustration. “I’ve been too busy lately, I can’t make it back.” … “She’s busy, too. Internships, final papers—she has a lot on her plate.” … “If this is all you’re going to talk about, don’t call me again.” He hung up and turned, catching my eye. The panic he tried to mask by quickly lowering his gaze didn’t escape me. I asked tentatively, “Was that your family?” “Yeah.” “Should you go back and check on them?” “No need.” He saw my phone screen and instantly changed the subject. “So, have you decided where you want to go?” We had just settled on Iceland when a car pulled up next to me on my walk home from my internship. The tinted window slid down, revealing a face of bright, cold elegance. “Miss King, hello. I’m Holden’s mother.” I quickly clocked the license plate—the kind of tag that screamed power, not just wealth. Mrs. Caldwell smiled. “Don’t look so nervous. I just wanted to take you to a quick dinner. I mentioned it to Holden, but he insisted you were too busy, so I decided to invite you myself.” I stayed rooted to the spot, reaching for my phone to call Holden. “Holden is tied up with business right now. Best not to bother him with a trivial matter like this.” With a subtle nod, two large men rushed out. One took my phone, the other ‘escorted’ me into the car. I had no choice but to go. The Caldwell estate was in The Palisades. Through the intricate lattice window, I could see their private lake. I realized then that his family was far wealthier and more entrenched than I had ever imagined. Another woman was sitting in the parlor. Mrs. Caldwell’s lips curved into a cordial smile as she introduced us. “Miss Reed, this is Alexandra Reed, Holden’s fiancée.” My heart plummeted. I stared at the woman, whose quiet confidence and reserved elegance mirrored Holden’s own aristocratic bearing. When did this happen? How had I missed every sign? Noticing my ashen face, Mrs. Caldwell’s smile deepened. “Did Holden not tell you? It was settled ages ago.” “Well, of course, he wouldn’t tell you. There’s no need to share that kind of detail with an outsider.” She left me standing there and swept over to greet Miss Reed. “This is the girl Holden’s been keeping on the side? She’s certainly pretty enough.” Mrs. Caldwell conceded, as if giving praise. “The girl has ambition, I’ll give her that. She’s slated to be her class valedictorian. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have caught Holden’s eye.” Miss Reed gave me a cool, dismissive glance. “I heard her family is from the Appalachian South? How did they meet? Is her background… clear?” “Rest assured, Holden doesn’t mess around. There’s a backstory involved; that’s why I’ve let it go on this long.” “Holden’s father, before he passed, was on a fly-fishing trip and fell, breaking his leg. This girl, she ran down the mountain to call for help. He gave her his card and told her to call if she ever needed anything. She never did, until she was finally old enough to be trapped by her family, who were trying to force her into a marriage for the dowry.” “She called the number out of desperation, and Holden picked up. Lucky girl. He started sponsoring her after that. Then she came to D.C. for college, they finally met face-to-face, and the rest is… this.” Miss Reed managed a thin smile. “Such a deep history with Holden. It makes me feel like the interloper.” Mrs. Caldwell chuckled softly. “Girls from that background, they’re always a little grasping. But you, Alexandra, you have grace and appropriate reserve. Holden knows that, too. Why else would he keep her hidden, never daring to introduce her publicly?” “I can’t control the past. But since the engagement is now being finalized, how does Holden plan to dispose of her?” Mrs. Caldwell remained calm and composed. “Holden has been supporting her for years. If she’s a girl who understands gratitude, she’ll know what to do. If not, I am here. This is a small matter I can handle myself. I won’t need to trouble Holden.” Every word was delivered clearly, plunging like ice picks into my chest. A sudden, dizzying wave of nausea hit me. So that was the source of Holden’s panic. He was getting married, and he didn’t know how to tell me. The line of bodyguards behind me felt like a concrete wall, preventing any chance of a dignified, or even panicked, escape. Miss Reed’s face softened slightly. “With you handling it, Mother Caldwell, I feel much better. Oh, by the way, I picked up a few bottles of Pingus in Spain last month. I thought you might want to try one.” The deal was done. Mrs. Caldwell smiled and signaled the butler to serve the meal. “Tonight’s main course is fish. River trout, prepared by a chef flown in from New York….” They continued their polite small talk. I managed to hold my composure, stood up, and excused myself. Mrs. Caldwell gave me a cold, level look. “Since Miss King doesn’t care for our company, I won’t insist.” This time, the bodyguards didn’t stop me. I went back to the apartment and started packing. I had to figure out my next move. Holden had bought this condo when I started my internship to make my commute easier. Now, with the breakup, I had no reason to stay. Housing wouldn’t be a problem. I was graduating in two months, and I could apply for company housing early. Iceland was out. I told myself it was too cold anyway, and there was nothing to see. I had kept a meticulous log of every dollar Holden had given me. I planned to organize the records and pay back whatever I could immediately. The rest, I would save up and send in installments. Surely, given our history, he wouldn’t be so heartless as to demand immediate payment the second we broke up. What else? I started a list of everything I needed to separate from Holden. The list grew longer and longer. My composure finally shattered when my eyes fell on the ring on my finger. He had given me that ring, promising we would marry right after graduation. I sank to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. My fingers were shaking so badly I tried several times but couldn’t pull the ring off. The electronic lock beeped. The front door was wrenched open. Holden’s chest was heaving, his knuckles white. Seeing me still there, he took a deep breath, quietly closed the door, and walked in. He began taking the clothes I had stuffed into the suitcase and hanging them back in the closet. I took them down. He put them back up. After a few repeats, I exploded. I roughly shoved the clothes back into the bag. “Holden Caldwell, we’re done.” He was silent for a long moment, then spoke. “I don’t love Alexandra Reed, and I never agreed to marry her.” “That was their decision, not mine.” I ignored him, continuing to pack. He leaned in, his hand pressing down on mine. “Adora. I love you.” I froze, finally meeting his gaze. His eyes were bloodshot. I also saw the wine stains on his chest. His face was flushed, and there was a faint, angry red mark—a handprint—on his cheek. In that moment, my concern for him eclipsed my own pain. I reached up, touching his face, forcing a bright, broken smile. “Holden, I’m fine. I was the one who benefited most from these years. You… you should just listen to your family. Marry Miss Reed…” He pulled me roughly into his arms, crushing my waist. “I won’t do it. No one can force me.” His voice caught, his throat working several times. “Adora King, we are not breaking up. I can handle this. Trust me.” The embrace felt like an anchor. Holding Holden, I suddenly felt less consumed by self-doubt. The situation wasn’t yet beyond saving. Mrs. Caldwell hadn’t managed to convince Holden, so she came after me instead. I thought for a moment, then nodded. “Okay.” “We’ll stick to the plan. We’ll go to Iceland soon.” “Okay.” But faster than the trip to Iceland came his transfer notice. When I rushed home after getting the news, Holden had already packed his things. Two familiar bodyguards stood behind him. My eyes instantly welled up. “Why would you be transferred out of Capitol City? Is this because of me?” He set down his bag and held me, murmuring reassurances. “Don’t cry. It’s a normal organization shuffle. I’ll be back in two years.” I hiccupped, my voice ragged. “Where… where are they sending you?” He lowered his head, silently speaking the name of a town. I’d never heard of it. I pulled out my phone and searched. A remote, desolate little town, thousands of miles from D.C. Wickham County, Wyoming. Surrounded by mountains. To get to the town from the county seat, you had to transfer three times. I instantly understood. This was his mother’s warning shot. I trembled and pushed him away, tears streaming down my face. “Go back to The Palisades now. Go back and tell her you agree to her arrangement. It’s just a political marriage! You can…” “Adora!” Holden cut me off with a sharp voice. “I don’t care about the career hit. Are you going to abandon me over it?” In the two years we’d been together, he had never spoken to me with such severity. I knew he was genuinely angry. I’d hesitated when Holden first confessed to me. Our relationship was already unequal; I owed him too much, and mixing love into it felt wrong. But he was a stubborn man. He only asked if I loved him. He was the gentleman who saved me from my dire circumstances. How could I not love him? He sighed in relief back then. “I love you, and you love me. There’s no better reason to be together.” I’d slowly come to believe that as long as two people were in love, nothing else mattered. Until I met Alexandra Reed. The easy confidence and security that only generations of wealth and privilege can breed. It was something I could never possess. Crying, I whispered, “I’m sorry. But I truly don’t want to be the thing that destroys your future.” He took a deep breath, softening his tone. “You aren’t destroying anything. I’ve wanted to break free of my mother for years. This is my best chance. I have to go. Will you wait for me?” I couldn’t speak. “Will you wait for me?” He lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes, demanding an answer. “…Yes.” His eyes red, he pulled me against him and kissed my forehead. “Infrastructure is bad out there. Cell service is spotty. If you miss me, write me a letter.” “Okay.” “Be a good girl and wait for me here. Just two years.” 2 That was the last time we saw each other. A month after Holden left, I received his letter. He wrote that he was doing well. It was remote, but the people were kind, and the scenery was beautiful. He occasionally went to the villagers’ homes to teach the kids to read. Adora, work hard, live well, and don’t think about anything else. In two years, I’ll come back and marry you. Mrs. Caldwell found me again. Her expression was laden with veiled meaning. “Don’t think you’ve won.” “Today, he’s willing to sacrifice his career for you. But look again in three or five years.” “When others with less talent and less pedigree are climbing higher than him, he’ll blame you. He’ll resent you for not being decisive enough to leave, for holding him back.” “You think love can conquer all? You’re wrong. Eventually, you will only look at each other with contempt.” I couldn’t find a single argument to refute her. It was almost summer, but a chilling cold crept up my spine and spread through my entire body. I managed to drag myself home. An unexpected person was waiting by the door. Alexandra Reed tossed several photos onto the passenger seat and asked, “Want to see Holden Caldwell? I’ll take you.” D.C. to Wickham County, thousands of miles. Hours on a plane. After we landed, Miss Reed’s driver took us the rest of the way in a four-wheel-drive SUV, deep into the mountains. The car stopped after a long drive. Alexandra pointed to a cluster of people by a shallow creek below. “There. Holden’s down there.” I remembered the first time I saw Holden. Broad shoulders, lean waist, standing outside our university gate in a perfectly tailored suit, pristine down to the crease in his trousers. A man so striking he was impossible to ignore even in a crowd. Now, I pressed against the window, straining to recognize him. He was sunburned. He was wrestling a hog with a few local farmers. He was clearly inexperienced and had been knocked around a few times. His trousers were muddy, his shirt wrinkled and dirty. He looked exactly like the man in the photos Alexandra had shown me: dusty and disheveled. For the first time, I thought he looked pathetic. My nose burned, and tears silently ran down my face. How could he let himself look so beaten down? Alexandra sounded genuinely wistful. “Holden was the most promising of his generation among the Capitol City legacy families. My father even said Holden would likely surpass his mother’s accomplishments.” “Eleanor Caldwell didn’t get where she is by being soft-hearted. She will not compromise just because Holden is struggling.” “I’m telling you plainly: if he keeps acting like this, Mrs. Caldwell will abandon him completely.” She rolled down the window and lit a cigarette. “Honestly, Adora, I didn’t want to come between you two. But I’ve enjoyed my family’s privileges for too long to flip the table when they need me for a strategic marriage.” “Holden just doesn’t understand that. He flipped the table completely. But what’s the result?” “He was so successful in D.C. Everyone vying to be in his orbit. Now he’s stuck here, chasing pigs today, looking for lost dogs tomorrow. Do you really want to watch him do this?” “I don’t love him, so I don’t understand. Is love truly more important than a man’s future? If you think so, you can go down and find him now. A man abandoned by Eleanor Caldwell is not a man my family needs for an alliance.” I held onto the window frame, my fingers trembling uncontrollably. In the distance, Holden and the villagers finally subdued the hog. The farmers trussed it up and carried it away. Holden remained behind, bent over, hands on his knees. He looked like a bamboo stalk that had been pressed too hard. After regaining his breath, he slowly started to follow them. A few steps later, Holden suddenly lifted his head and looked directly in our direction. The hill was heavily treed. He didn’t see the car. He turned and continued walking. The sun was setting. I pulled back from the window and said quietly, “Miss Reed, let’s go back.” “Are you sure?” “…Thank you for bringing me.” Alexandra didn’t say another word, signaling the driver to move. She had the answer she came for. In the rearview mirror, Holden’s figure grew smaller and smaller. The mountain air pouring through the window was chilling. The car rounded a bend. The remote village disappeared completely. I closed my eyes, the cold air seeping into my temples. I returned to D.C., and it took me two days to pack my entire life. Before leaving, I cleaned the condo until it was immaculate, as if I had never lived there. As the train pulled away toward Bay City, I thought the breakup letter must be arriving soon. Everything related to Holden Caldwell ended that summer. For the next six years, I heard or saw nothing of him. I worked, I started a company, I focused on surviving. I rarely had spare time. I occasionally dreamt of him. I’d wake up and just stare blankly. The longing was a long, endless rainy season. I couldn’t seem to dry out the part of my heart that belonged to Holden. For years, I regretted it. If only we had said a proper goodbye. The patio lapsed into a strained silence. I wiped my tears away and repeatedly apologized. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t be a downer on your wedding weekend.” Brock stared at me for a moment. He picked up the bottle and poured me another drink. “This is a truth night, Adora. Drink whatever you want. I’ve got the liquor covered.” Sierra glared at him. “Tomorrow is the wedding. If she gets wasted, where am I going to find a maid of honor? There’s no time!” “Relax, honey. I’ll handle everything, okay? Adora, seriously, though… do you still love him? Do you still want to be with him?” I tilted my head, thinking hard, and nodded. “I do.” Then I shook my head. “But we can’t be together.” He was probably married with kids by now. Even if he wasn’t, the problems that existed six years ago were still there. Six years wasn’t enough time for me to forget reality. The evening breeze slipped through the patio door. It was humid, warm, and gentle, like a lover’s caress—a characteristic D.C. spring night. The warm air combined with the alcohol was intoxicating. I quickly became dizzy. In my haze, I heard someone on the phone. The voice was distant and loud, filled with bizarre excitement. “I’m giving you a chance, get your ass back from The Triangle!” “I swear it’s her! The real one!” “If I’m lying, you can call me Dad!”