Chapter 1

ONE

R aelee Arison's fingers traced the cold metal of her favorite racing trophy, a bittersweet reminder of the freedom she once tasted on the track. The polished silver gleamed in the soft light of her bedroom, a stark contrast to the suffocating opulence that surrounded her. Designer clothes worth more than some people's yearly salaries hung in meticulous rows, a colorful army of fabric that felt more like a uniform than a wardrobe.

She turned to face the full-length mirror, its ornate gold frame a perfect representation of the gilded cage she called home. Raelee's reflection stared back at her, blue eyes storm-tossed and defiant. She smoothed down her silk blouse, a habit born of years of public scrutiny, then deliberately mussed it up again.

"Screw it," she muttered, running a hand through her long blonde hair. "It's not like I'm going to be wearing this again, anyway."

Thoughts of the upcoming wedding sent a shudder through her body. Raelee closed her eyes, trying to push away the image of herself in a white gown being handed off to a stranger like a prize mare at auction. Her stomach churned, a nauseating mix of anger and fear threatening to overwhelm her.

She took a deep breath, focusing on the reasons she couldn't go through with this farce. It wasn't just about her freedom, though that was a big part of it. It was about standing up for herself, about refusing to be a pawn in her father's political games. It was about living a life that was true to who she was, not who others wanted her to be.

The sudden opening of her bedroom door jolted Raelee from her thoughts. Jack Arison strode in, his presence commanding and unyielding as always. He surveyed the room, his gaze settling on the racing trophy in Raelee's hands.

"I hope you're not getting nostalgic," he said, his tone clipped. "This is about looking forward, not back."

Raelee's grip on the trophy tightened. "Is that what we're calling it now? Looking forward? Funny, it feels an awful lot like being shoved off a cliff."

Jack's jaw clenched, a telltale sign of his rising frustration. "This alliance with Tharvis is crucial, Raelee. Earth's future?—"

" Earth's future, Earth's future ," Raelee mimicked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I've got it memorized, Dad. But what about my future? Or does that not factor into your grand plan?"

"Your future is secure," Jack countered, his voice rising. From the dresser, he picked up the gaudy alien engagement ring she was supposed to be wearing and slapped it onto her palm. "You'll be married to the crown prince of an advanced alien civilization. You'll have power, influence?—"

"But will I have a choice?" Raelee interrupted, her eyes flashing. "Will I have the freedom to be myself, to pursue my own dreams? Or will I just be Earth's most valuable export?"

The tension in the room was palpable, years of unspoken resentment bubbling to the surface. Jack opened his mouth to retort, but a gentle hand on his arm stopped him.

Melanie Arison had entered silently, her presence a soothing balm to the charged atmosphere. Her simple yet elegant dress and soft updo were a stark contrast to the rigid formality of her husband.

"Jack," Melanie said softly, "perhaps we should give Raelee some time to herself."

Jack hesitated, clearly torn between his roles as president and father. But Melanie's quiet insistence won out, and he left with a final, conflicted glance at his daughter.

As the door closed behind him, Raelee's shoulders slumped. The fight drained out of her, leaving behind a bone-deep weariness. Melanie crossed the room and sat beside her on the plush ottoman, close but not quite touching.

"Oh, sweetheart," Melanie sighed, her voice thick with emotion. "I wish... I wish things could be different."

Raelee looked at her mother, really looked at her for the first time in years. She saw the fine lines around Melanie's eyes, the slight tremor in her hands—signs of the toll their life had taken.

"Mom," Raelee whispered, her voice cracking. "I can't do this. I can't be what they want me to be."

Melanie reached out, her fingers brushing a stray lock of hair away from Raelee's face. "I know, darling. Believe me, I know." She took a deep breath. "There are times I wonder what my life might have been if I'd chosen a different path. If I'd had the courage to forge my own way."

The admission hung in the air between them, heavy with implications. Raelee felt a surge of love for her mother, mixed with a fierce determination. She wouldn't let herself be trapped in a life of regrets and what-ifs.

When her mother left the room, she flung the ring still in her hand across the room. She would never wear it.

As night fell, casting long shadows across the room, Raelee paced, energy thrumming through her veins. Her mind raced through scenarios, weighing risks and possibilities. She couldn't stay, that much was clear. But where could she go? How could she disappear when her face was known across the globe?

Her fingers flew across her phone's screen, tapping out a message to Maya Reynolds: "I need out. Now."

The response came almost instantly: "On my way. Be ready for Operation Runaway Bride minus the bride part. And the running. More like Sneaky Escape of the Century."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Raelee found herself smiling at Maya's message. Leave it to her best friend to find humor even now.

Raelee's heart pounded as she changed into jeans and a hoodie, clothes that felt more like armor than the delicate silks and satins that filled her closet. She threw essentials into a small duffel bag, her movements quick and purposeful. Each item she packed felt like a declaration of independence.

A soft knock at the door made her freeze, but it was only Maya, slipping into the room with a grin that was equal parts excitement and nerves.

"Ready to make like a banana and split?" Maya asked, her green eyes sparkling with mischief.

Raelee couldn't help but laugh, the sound a bit hysterical even to her own ears. "God, your puns are terrible. I don't know why I keep you around."

"Uh, because I'm amazing and I come bearing gifts of freedom?" Maya retorted, motioning to her backpack. "Now, let's turn you from America's sweetheart into America's most wanted. In a good way, of course."

From her friend's pack appeared a fake ID. "How do you have this already?" she asked Maya.

Maya snorted at her. "Really? You think I don't know you? I've had this and everything else ready the day you told me you were being forced to marry some jerk."

Raelee hugged her best friend tightly. "I would die without you."

Maya hugged her back. "Don't go all drama queen on me. Just don't ask me how I got it."

Raelee mimicked zipping her lips closed. "Never." They giggled for a second then Raelee put away the ID with the cash from her secret stash, then Maya handed over an untraceable phone.

"All right, Houdini," Maya said, zipping up the duffel bag. "What's the grand escape plan? Should we tunnel out? Zipline from the balcony? Ooh, I know, we could build a catapult!"

Raelee rolled her eyes, but she was grateful for Maya's attempts to lighten the mood. "I was thinking something a little less medieval. There's a service entrance near the kitchens. The night staff should be minimal, and I know the blind spots in the security cameras."

Maya nodded, her expression turning serious. "Okay, we get out, then what? Where to?"

"We leave town," Raelee said, the plan forming as she spoke. "We need to lay low and figure out our next move. I've got enough cash to keep going for a while, and I know some people from my racing days who might be willing to help."

"Sounds like a plan, Stan," Maya grinned. "Or should I say, Emily ?"

Raelee groaned. "Emily? Is that my new name?"

"Hey, beggars can't be choosers. Now, let's blow this popsicle stand before your dad decides to do another ‘fatherly' check-in."

As they finalized their hasty plan, Raelee's gaze fell on a framed photo by her bedside. Her family smiled back at her, frozen in a moment of manufactured happiness. Her hand hovered over it, torn between sentimentality and the need for a clean break.

In the end, she left it behind. She couldn't bring herself to erase them completely, but she couldn't carry the weight of their expectations any longer.

The estate was quiet as they crept through darkened hallways, avoiding the watchful eyes of security cameras. Raelee's heart pounded so loudly, she was sure it would give them away. But they made it to the service entrance undetected, slipping outside like shadows.

Raelee's car sat waiting in the furthest slot of the multi-car garage, a sleek machine built for speed and freedom. Her fingers trembled as she inserted the key, and the engine roared to life, full of promise and possibility.

"Last chance to back out," Maya said softly as they sat in the idling car. "You sure about this?"

Raelee's grip tightened on the steering wheel. She thought about the life she was leaving behind—the privilege, the security, the predetermined path. Then she thought about the life that could be—one filled with choices, adventures, and the freedom to be herself.

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life," she said, her voice steady and determined.

They peeled out of the estate grounds, leaving behind tire marks and the only life Raelee had ever known. As the lights of the Arison estate faded in the rearview mirror, Raelee felt a wild mix of terror and exhilaration.

Maya glanced at her. "Where to, boss?"

Raelee took a deep breath, the first one that felt truly free in as long as she could remember. The road stretched out before them, dark and full of unknown possibilities.

"Anywhere," she said, a smile spreading across her face. "Everywhere." Her eyes slid toward Maya, who gave her a fierce, encouraging nod.

"Sounds good, but how about a real destination," her best friend replied.

Raelee had no answer. God, this was such a doomed idea.

"How about my family's lake house?" Maya said. "We need to make a few more changes before you hit the road for real."

Raelee nodded, her grim expression replaced by a look of determination. "Smart thinking. Let's make me disappear completely."

They drove in tense silence, both hyper-aware of every passing car and every set of headlights in the rearview mirror. The lake house appeared like a sanctuary, its dark silhouette a promise of safety if only for a moment.

As soon as they were inside, Maya sprang into action. "Okay, time for Extreme Makeover: Fugitive Edition."

Raelee couldn't help but laugh, the sound tinged with hysteria. "God, you're ridiculous. How are you making jokes at a time like this?"

"Someone's gotta keep the mood light," Maya retorted, pulling out a pair of scissors from her backpack. "Now, how attached are you to those luscious locks?"

Raelee took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Do it. Make me unrecognizable."

Maya's hands were gentle but efficient as she chopped off Raelee's long blonde hair. Clumps of gold fell to the floor, each snip of the shears feeling like another tie to her old life being severed.

"Now for some color," Maya said, holding up a dark brown bottle of hair dye. "I'm thinking mysterious brunette?"

As the coloring set, they went through the collection of fake documents Maya had procured. New driver's license, passport, even a library card.

"Emily Smith ?" Raelee raised an eyebrow.

Maya shrugged. "I figured going for the most common last name might throw people off even more."

Once the dye was rinsed out and her hair styled into a short, edgy cut, Raelee barely recognized herself in the mirror. Gone was the polished, picture-perfect First Daughter. In her place stood a stranger – exactly what she needed.

"Damn, I'm good," Maya whistled. "You look hot in a ‘don't mess with me' kind of way."

Raelee laughed, but it quickly turned into a sob. The reality of what she was doing – leaving everything and everyone behind – suddenly hit her full force.

Maya was there in an instant, wrapping her arms around Raelee. "Hey, hey, it's okay. You've got this. You're the bravest person I know, Rae."

Raelee clung to her friend, allowing herself this one moment of vulnerability. "I don't know what I'd do without you, May."

"Probably get caught in the first five minutes," Maya joked, but her voice was thick with emotion.

They stayed like that for a moment before Raelee pulled back, wiping her eyes. "Okay, enough of the waterworks. We've got a getaway to finish planning."

Maya led her to the storage shed out back where her cousin's car sat, rarely used. "A sports car built for speed," she explained. "He's a big fan of yours so racing cars are his thing. I'll tell him I'm borrowing it for a road trip. Which, technically, isn't a lie."

As they transferred Raelee's belongings to the new car, Maya hesitated. "Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? I could be your sidekick. Every fugitive needs a good sidekick."

Raelee smiled, touched by the offer. "I need you here, May. You're my eyes and ears. Plus, someone needs to throw them off the scent if things go sideways."

"Fine," Maya sighed dramatically. "I'll stay here and be boring while you go off on your grand adventure. Just promise me one thing?"

"Anything."

"Have at least one wild fling with a mysterious stranger. Preferably tall, dark, and handsome. Or tall, alien, and handsome. I'm not picky."

Raelee burst out laughing. "I'll do my best to live up to your romance novel expectations."

They stood there for a moment, both aware that this could be the last time they saw each other for a long while.

"I'm gonna miss you, you know?" Maya said softly. "Who else is going to appreciate my terrible puns?"

"I'm sure you'll find some other poor soul to inflict them on," Raelee replied, pulling her friend into a tight hug. "Thank you, May. For everything."

"Just don't forget about us little people when you're off saving the world or falling in love with alien princes or whatever it is you end up doing," Maya said, her voice muffled against Raelee's shoulder.

They pulled apart, both wiping away tears even as they laughed.

"All right, Emily Smith," Maya said, opening the car door with a flourish. "Your chariot awaits. Try not to break too many hearts out there."

Raelee slid into the driver's seat, her heart racing with a mixture of fear and excitement. She looked at Maya one last time, trying to memorize every detail of her friend's face.

"Stay safe, Rae," Maya said softly. "And remember, you've always got a home here at the lake if you need to hide out for a while."

With a final nod, Raelee started the engine. As she pulled out of the drive, she watched Maya's figure grow smaller in the rearview mirror. The enormity of what she was doing hit her again – she was leaving behind everything she'd ever known, diving headfirst into uncertainty.

But as she hit the open road, a sense of exhilaration washed over her. For the first time in her life, her future was entirely her own. No expectations, no predetermined path – just endless possibilities stretching out before her like the highway ahead.

Raelee – no, Emily now – pressed down on the accelerator, her heart soaring as the wind whipped through her newly shortened hair. This wasn't just an escape, this was Raelee's chance to have some space. She may not be able to get away from this wedding indefinitely, but if she could just get some time to adjust to the idea, she might find a way out.