“Ok. Fine.” She reluctantly untied the red ribbon and removed the lid to reveal what was inside.
As she suspected, it was a ball gown, a beautiful black evening dress. When she pulled it out, she could not stop staring at the stunning material in her hands.
“Wow, that is so beautiful.” Even Jacky could not take her eyes away from the dress. “Is there a note?”
Jacky might proclaim that she did not believe in love, but she did like romantic gestures. She waited until Dani rummaged inside the box. Under the paper protecting the contents were matching stiletto shoes with a lacy strap that would look quite sexy in her legs.
“Oh, now I am so jealous,” Jacky announced when she saw the shoes.
“Oh, here it is.” Dani placed the shoes back on the box and stared at the note.
“What did it say?” Jacky could not keep her excitement from showing in her voice.
“He wanted me to wear it tonight.” She looked again at the dress and the matching shoes.
She already picked something else to wear for tonight, but admittedly, she liked Alex’s gift more. However, she wondered how she knew her size. Simply by looking at it, she could see that it would fit her perfectly.
“That is so romantic.” Jacky expressed dreamily, finding herself wanting someone like Alex, who would shower her with some romantic displays of affection.
Marcus was sweet and a gentleman, but there was nothing romantic about him. She thought as she tried to think of a time where Marcus even showed her anything resembling romance.
“I better get back to my room. We still have a long night ahead of us. We need our beauty rest.” Jacky instructed before she left her to be alone in her room.
She walked around the room, exploring each corner of it until she found herself on the double doors that lead to the balcony. She went outside and checked out the view. As expected, it was magnificent. The palace ground looked like it came from a magazine.
She remembered what happened earlier when she met Alex’s parents. She felt comfortable around them, which was a bit odd since they were Alex’s parents.
She always thought that she would be nervous and uncomfortable around them, but the opposite happened. She enjoyed talking to them as they waited for her parents to arrive.
She sat down on the chair and gazed at the clear sky, wondering if she could manage to pull this through. “Oh! I hope I know what I am doing here.” She whispered to herself, staring at some birds flying away until they were gone behind the trees.
She began to doubt all the decisions she had made lately. She felt liked she made a rushed decision in agreeing with it. She was not sure if she could handle the consequence of her actions. She suddenly wished she could be a bird so that she could soar high above the clouds and fly away to freedom.
She was almost ready when a knock came through her door. She was slightly startled, still not used to be in this place. She hesitantly opened the door, making sure to peek first at whoever was at the other side.
“The prince wanted you to have this, My Lady.” The man offered a box in his hand, placing it in front of her.
“Excuse me, who are you?” She asked the man, who was also the one that brought the box earlier.
She was not used to people serving her without even knowing their names. They deserved the same respect they were giving as far as she was concerned.
“I am Roy, My Lady.” The man answered her with a bow. “I am Prince Alexander’s personal assistant.”
“You don’t have to call me, my lady. Dani would be fine. And stop bowing to me. I am not nobility.” She instructed, uncomfortable with the way Roy was addressing her and acting around her.
“But I can’t do that, My Lady. As the future wife of our prince, our rules required me to treat you with the same respect as we gave the royal family.” Roy announced to her with determination on his face.
Roy did not move from his position and held the box in front of him, patiently waiting for her to take it from him.
“Fine.” She announced and took the box from him. It would seem that she could do nothing about it.
“If there is nothing else you need from me, My Lady.” He was about to make his exit when she stopped him by holding her hand in the air, palmed up.
“Wait.” She quickly opened the box, taking a peek at what was inside.
When she saw that it was an exquisite piece of jewelry, a necklace and a pair of earrings to be exact, she immediately closed it again. She shoved the box back in the hands of Roy.
“Returned it to the prince. Tell him that I don’t need it.” She was not about to wear those and be used as a display in this charade.
It was enough that she agreed to this arrangement, and now, wearing the gown and shoes, he had sent. However, she was not about to act like a princess for everyone else’s benefit.
She was here, for one thing, to act as her fake fiance and not to be a princess.
“But, My Lady.” He was about to protest, but she again stopped him.
“I don’t need it. I already have something I want to wear for tonight. Please, return it to Alex.” She instructed before closing the door on him. She could still not wrap her mind around the idea that Alex was a prince. But she had to get used to it soon.
She returned to her dresser and started fixing her hair. A young lady, who claimed to be one of the stylists of the palace, came to her room earlier to help her for tonight’s celebration. She also politely declined her help. She knew she could manage to do her makeup and hair by herself.
She finally finished her preparation. She also had her shoes on. Staring at herself in the mirror only reminded her of what she used to be. The princess that her father made her believe when she was growing up.
After a few minutes, her door opening only meant that Jacky just entered her room. She was the only one who would dare enter her room without knocking.
She turned around to see her friend looking fabulous in her new gown, a dress she had not seen before.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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