Chapter One
"I'm not going to marry her, Papa!" eighteen-year old William Windsor told his father. He slammed the fist holding the detestable contract on the desk.
"I'm sorry but ths marriage had been arranged between you Grandmama and the McCoughlin's even before you were born. You are to be married either upon the age of twenty-one or till the passing away of either heads of the family. Her father has died. You are to married as soon as possible."
"Like hell!" William shouted.
"I don't like your tone of voice."
"I can use what tone I bloody well please. This is my life you're messing with!"
Charles tried to find words that could comfort his son in this state. He found none. "It cannot be changed."
"I'll find a way," William promised.
"William..." Charles used the scolding tone which no longer worked.
William shook his head. "I'm not going into this without a fight!" He turned to leave the study but stopped at the door to say these words. "Just because you married a woman you didn't love doesn't mean I have to suffer the same consequence."

"Don't say anything, Harry," William told his fifteen-year-old brother as he passed him down the hall. He had obviously been listening through the door.
"Did I say anything?" Harry defended, falling into step behind him.
"I just can't take your: I'm glad I'm the second son and I'm not going to be king speech," William informed, angrily. "Not today."
"William-" Harry called.
"What!"
"I'm sorry."
William nodded. "So am I." He locked himself in his room.

He didn't want this. He didn't want a marriage based on a contract. He had seen it all too close and how miserable it made its participants and the people around them feel. In William's mind flashed the headlines of affairs and unfaithfulness. "I don't have to suffer the same consequence. I don't," he told himself as he roamed his room. But he knew his words were empty convictions. He was going to go through with the marriage whether he wanted to or not. Because it was he was going to be king. And he had a duty to a country and his family. But he thought it terribly, terribly unfair that they had to choose the woman he had to love for him. And he knew that whoever they chose he would never love her. He had already lost his heart to a dream.
When he was sixteen he had been to a masquerade ball. The stuffiness of the party was strangling him so he went out in the woods behind the home. for a breath of fresh air. And there she was. Lying asleep under a tee. She too was wearing a mask. He had a great temptation to remove it. To see if she was as beautiful as she deserved to be. But he made no such move. Instead he kissed her. The eyes behind her mask fluttered as she awoke. Her eyes held his gaze for a moment. They spoke no words. He heard a someone coming and he left her. It had been so long ago and he could still remember the kiss as if his lips never left hers. "Robin McCoughlin," he said the name of his future wife for the first time. "I'm sorry. But I can never love you."

"Miss McCoughlin, what are your thoughts on your father's suicide?"
"Miss McCoughlin, who'll run the company now that your father's gone?"
"Miss McCoughlin, did you know of your father's contract to marry you to England's future king?"
"Miss McCoughlin..."
"Miss McCoughlin..."
"No comment. No comment," Robin told the press members as she made her way to the chauffered car. She got in closed the door and dwelled in the silence the soundproof windows provided. "Press hounds," she muttered as she rubbed her temples with her forefingers.
"Welcome to the real world," her lady in waiting Vicki told her.
Robin allowed herself a wry smile. The real world. Before yesterday she was barely recognized. The world only knew that Mr. Roland McCoughlin, one of the five richest men in the world, had a daughter who he kept under tight security. Other than that the world knew nothing about her. She had been raised in a quiet country home, educated by tutors, and her friends were the servants that took care of the mansion. And she had her father, who was the center of her world. Until yesterday. Yesterday chaos took over her world of peace with one bullet through the head.
"No one is going to take the company away. Father worked too hard and too long for it to be sold. No one is taking it away. No one." Robin repeated.
Vicki tried to change the subject. "So how do you feel being engaged to the most eligible bachelor in the world?"
Prince William. She didn't know him from a gum wrapper. She didn't spend her time watching TV, except when she knew her father was going to be featured. And the books she read were all classical novels. "Too much has been on my mind lately. Being married to some titled person is the least of my worries. I hope there's a pre-nuptual agreement. I'm using all my energy fighting Father's business partners. I might not have the strength to fight the Royal Family too."
Vicki laughed. "Business. Business. That's all you talk about."
Robin prevented herself from feeling any emotion. "It's the only thing that can make me forget."
"Aren't you depressed you're not marrying for love?"
"In my position?" Robin laughed. "There is no such thing."
"Don't tell me you're still pining over some fantasy," Vicki said.
Two years ago, still innocent of the future. Robin, along with Vicki's assistance, had snuck out to attend a masquerade ball. The party had turned out to be a big bore to her. Nothing different from the gala's her father provided. Waiting for her friend to pick her up she had fallen asleep under a tree. Then he came to her like a dream. It was only for a brief moment but when she looked into the eyes behind the mask she knew she had fallen in love. He had kissed her. With lips too light and passion too strong. And like a deam, he faded from her. "He wasn't a fantasy," Robin informed. She remembered te kiss. "He was real."
The car pulled into Buckingham's gates.

Chapter Two
William watched from the window as the car approached the front of the palace.
A girl stepped out from the backseat of the car. He took not that she didnt wait for a footman to open the door for her. They took her luggage out from the back seat of the car which seemed considerably small for a person who was going to move in with him for the rest of her life.
"William," Charles hissed. "Get away from that window and help me greet her."
William sighed and came to the front door.

"Hello." Robin said, shaking Charles hand.
"I'm sorry about you father," Charles offered his condolences.
Robin nodded in awknowledgement. Her eyes drifted to the young man standing beside Charles. He had blonde hair and blue eyes.
"This is William," Charles introduced.
"Hello," William couldn't force any cheerfulness in his voice.
At least he's not ugly, Robin thought to herself. She shook his hand. "Hello."
"Wife," William tried the word.
"Husband," Robin returned.
"Not yet."
"Likewise."
"Come in," Charles told her.
Robin entered Buckingham but was not impressed. Her father owned a string of hotels who's lobby's could rival the legendary building's opulence. She tried to push all thoughts of her father out of her mind.
"So when would you like to set a wedding date?"
"Tomorrow. Today if you can make it." Robin said.
Charles was taken back by her answer.
Robin didn't think her request was unusual. "The contract did say: As soon as possible." she reminded.
"Yes, but we need time to reserve a church and invite some company. Surely, there's someone you would like to invite-"
"No one," Robin answered. She allowed. "How about a week?"
"I think that-"
"Two weeks."
Charles thought this over. "It might be tight but I'm sure we can manage-"
"Then it's settled. A week." Robin said.
Charles left to discuss with his secretary about the arrangements.
Robin followed the servant who showed her into whqat was to be her new room. She took out her cellphone and instructed Vicki who was waiting in the car to go back to the office to get some of her father's papers which she wanted to study tonight. She hung up. "What is it?" she asked irritably when she realized William was staring at her.
"You really want to land me bad."
"Don't flatter yourself. I'm not a woman who wants to land anybody. I'm only carrying out my father's last wishes."
"You wanted to get married to me today."
"What do you want? A courting period? We both know we don't love each other."
"True." He took gladness in the fact that he was marrying no dummy.
"Think of it this way. The sooner we get married; the sooner we can get divorced."

Chapter Three
Robin looked at the figures in her hand. They had to be wrong. It was true that with fifteen billion dollars in assets The McCoughlin Company was the richest conglomorate in the world. But when she looked at the accounting forms in her hands she looked at the industry's twenty billion dollar deficit.
"No wonder he shot himself," Robin whispered to herself in the night.

William couldn't sleep. He paced Buckingham's halls. The light in Robin's room shown under the door. He peeked inside and saw her at her desk pouring over folders and surrounded by stacks of papers. He closed the door puzzzled. Surely a lady in her position, a daughter of a rich aristocrat, wouldn't bother herself with figures and business data. He peeked in again. The light from the desklamp highlighted the intense features on her face giving them an stthereal glow.
This was the woman he was going to marry. And he knew nothing about her.

"Good morning," William greeted Robin.
Robin took time to stop her fast paced march to the front door to loook out the patio where Wiliam called to her. She her eyes surveyed the vast arrays of bread, sweet rolls, sausages and eggs that filled the table. "What's this?" she asked him.
William handed her a tall glass of orange juice. "Breakfast. I thought it would be good if we sat down. Got to know each other."
"William I-" She looked at the briefcase and folders she was carrying. "I know you went through a lot of trouble but- I can't do it right now. I have this meeting with the board today." she checked her watch. "I can't be late-"
William kissed her on the cheek. He placed a blueberry muffin in her hand. "It's okay. we have the rest of our lives to get to know each other."
"Or till we get divorced," she reminded. She kissed him on the cheek. 'Thanks foir understanding." She took a gulp of the orange juice ate the muffin on her way to the front door and got into the waiting car.

Outside the McCoughlin headquarter's reporter's were again swarming the from door to catch England's future princess.
Robin stepped out of the car. She adjusted the sunglasses. She was glad about all the hype her arangemenats with Wiliam were was getting
so much attention. It was a distaraction from what was going to happen from the state of her father's company. And she liked it that way.
"Miss McCoughlin..."
"Miss McCoughlin..."
"You met your fiance yesterday. How did it go?"
"Quite well." Robin answered.
"When will the wedding be?"
"Two weeks. If not sooner."
"Too early for the two of you to fall in love." someone observed.
To which Robin replied, " I'll marry him first. I'll fall in love with him later."
"Miss McCoughlin!'
"Miss McCoughlin!"
She walked into the building, shutting out the reporters behind her. Now, she was going to face some real sharks.

When she went into her father's office -correction: her office- Vicki was waiting there with a package.
"He left this for you." she handed the bulky envelope to Robin.

Robin,
For your eyes and your eyes only.
Father

"I'll leave you alone," Vicki said understandingly.
Robin sighed when she was alone. She opened the envelope. Inside was a videotape. Curious, she went to one wall which held the Television and VCR She put the tape in.
Her father appeared on the screen.
Robin felt her heart tighten up. Was it really just a few days since he passed away?
"Robin," Roland McCouglin addressed his daughter. "If you're watching this. It means I'm dead. Knowing you, you probably already seen the reports. Yes, the company is in debt. yes, that is the reason why did what I'm suppose to do." On screen he took out a gun fromhis desk. The desk Robin was leaning on now. "I've did some calculations. And this is what I want you to do. Auction every single personal asset we own. Not sell. Auction. Down to my toothbrush if you can. Everyone wants a piece of a fairytale and isnt taht what people have said our life has been? A fairytale? You're going to be part of the Windsor family now. I'm sure you know that. Use that position to your advantage. Use every position you have to your advantage. I've already collected favors from two international banks. That limits the debit down to what? Two billion? Three Billion?" The soft laugh her father gave tugged on her soul. "Three billion. I've reserved a trust ffund for you containing slightly over that much. It is untouchable till my death." he paused to look at the gun on the table."Which is why you must understand why I have todo this. I would have no other daughter than you. You always knew you came second. Next to the company. For that I love you. I love you Robin. And for the sake of the company..." he looked at the gun once more. "This must be done. You have always carried out my orders before. I know you will not fail me now." The tape stopped at that point. And like a cliche line it said at the end. "This will self-destruct in five seconds."
Robin watched in silence. She didn't need thge tape to show her what happened next. Her father had placed the gun under his chin and fired.
She sat behind the desk. The desk where her father had sat in countless of times.
I love you Robin, he had said.
"Father, the first time you tell me you love me... and you're dead. Robin thought. She refused to cry. she did not cry at thge fuyneral. she was not going to cry now. She got on the phone. "Hello. Vicki? It's Robin. I want to talk to my father's lawyer, Mr. Austin, about my trust fund. And i ned the names of the two ointernational banks which owed my father favors. And the board meeting we have in half an hour? Transfer it to seven o'clock tonight. Hold all my calls. I'll be busy till then."
She hung up the phone. She looked at the blank tv screen. I know you will not fail me now, his last words echoed in her mind. I hope so father. She fired up the computer on his desk. She had to auction off everything before seven o'clock tonight.

Robin enetered the board meeeting late. She couldn't believe the words that met her ears as she walked in the room.
Matthew Cunningham, her father's head partner, was speaking. ""... Considering the state the comapny's I believe it is in eveybody's best interest to sell all existing stock to Foresman Industries."
They people around the board were mumbling in agreement.
"What did you say?"
"Robin, you're late-" Matt greeted.
"Miss McCoughlin," Robin corected cooly.
'Well, we were discussing our options and it seemsa as the best olution is to sell to Foreman Industries. Cut our losses-
" I disagree," she managed to say calmly though shecould hardly contain herself. They were rats as well as sharks!
Matt looked at her from the page. "Excuse me?"
Robin stood up. "I disagree." she repeated.
Matt laughed. "Well, obviously you havent looked at the figures correctly. I know your father-"
"My father and the Foremans have been at each other's throats since he started the comapany. He would rather the whole corporation go bankrupt than sell out to to them. And so would I!"
The executives looked at each other uncomfortably. They felt no passion for the comapany. All they wanted was to sell. Get thier chunk and run!
Robin took a deep breath. She was ready for the kill."I've rebought everything. There is no more debt."
There were awed mutterings at the table.
"How can that be?" Matt asked.
"Magic," Robin responded the way her father would have. She passed around the table folders that contained the most recent state of the company. She took her seat. "Now that that problem's solved I'd like to transfer our attentions to several projects that have already been discussed. One being the real estate property in Virginia." Robin looked up at Matthew who was looking at the folders contents in stunned silence. "And Matt. We won't be needing you. You're fired!"

"You really showed them whose boss," Vicki praised as they walked Robin's office. "I loved the way you used the word magic. It would've made your father proud."
Robin mind went back to her father. She was six. And the press had asked how he was able to make a company on the verge of bankruptcy flourish. her father had answered them in that one word 'magic'. She had asked him why he said that. he answerede back "Because in this world if you need magic to survive. And if you don't have magic? Fake it. It's almost as good." She has scampered onto his lap. "Dad," she whipsered in his ear. "You have magic."Robin brought herself to the present. "Let's just hope these projects pul through. otherwise we're going to have to start borowing from banks again. Are you sure you don't know who donated the last billion?"
"It was strictly anonymous," Vicki said again.
By the end of the day after the last personal asset was sold, and added to the trust fund, and the two monetary favors of he banks they were still lacking one billion. It Looked as if she was going to have to seell her father's island where she had grown up. She ahd been holding out till the last minute hoping that it wouldn't have come to that. And sjust when she was going to close the deal with a buyer someone had anonymously donated the necesary funds for her cause.
"Well, whoever he is. He's a lifesaver. The Foreman's! Daddy's rolling over in his grave!" she shook her head. "I still have to finish some stuff. I'll se you at the Palace."
"All right," Vicki waved good-bye.
"Think you're really something now, don't you?" a voice greeted her as she stepped into the room.
"I told you you're fired!" Robin told the man. "Leave this office now or I'm calling secirity."
Matt walked to her. His hand was on her throat. "We're alone. There's no one here. I could kill you now."
Robin's eyes showed no fear as she accused. "Go ahead. You've already ruined my life. You killed my father."

Midnight: Chapters 4-5