《Emery: A Prince's Adventure》 Chapter One Chapter One Emma ''''What?!'''' I ask, without realising the tone of my voice¡ªcausing the whole restaurant to be quiet and turn to look at me. I immediately cover my face with my hand; embarrassed. As I mutter curses under my breath, I start to look back up at my mother, seeing her lips curve up into a smile. ''''You heard me, sweetheart.'''' She replies, taking a bite of her salmon. Both of her brown eyes are looking straight at me and for once, I feel like poking both of her eyes due to the anger I''m feeling. My mind can''t seem to take the pressure I''m feeling at the moment. ''''What does that even mean?'''' I groan, rubbing onto my temples as I start to feel stress radiating. My mind can''t seem to forget the words she said minutes ago. She told me that I am engaged to a well- known prince of Ennd. Not only that, she also told me that I have been engaged ever since I came out of her tummy¡ªtaking the first breath of fresh air. My mother could be insane, she might need to be admitted to the hospital and get things checked out but I know that''s not it. ''''Emma, what''s so shocking about it? You''re twenty-five this year, you don''t have a boyfriend, you are beautiful, avable¡ªso you shall get married. It''s destined for you. Other girls would be dying on their feet to marry a prince. I really don''t expect a reaction like yours,'''' She says, shaking her head in disagreement. My eyebrows furrow, not really believing what she said, ''''I don''t want to get married, mother. I''m twenty- five, single, beautiful but not avable. There''s nothing that you can do to force me because I have control over my own life.'''' I reply, with a smile on my face; trying to calm myself down. To my surprise, she starts to chuckle which leaves me in confusion. I continue to look at her, trying to All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. seek for answers but she seems calm and prepared for everything¡ªwhich terrifies me. What if she nned everything out yesterday before meeting me? That can be a disaster. ''''You simply don''t understand, child. Your great-grandfather made the agreement with the previous king of Ennd. Do you know how important is it? Royalties take such things very serious, they don''t fool around.'''' She continues before taking a sip of water. ''''No. This is not happening. I have a life, mum. I managed to take over dad''s restaurant and make it sessful again after my graduation so you''re not going to take that away from me. Marriage is very out of topic, we shall not talk about this again if you don''t want to upset me.'''' I say, groaning afterwards. My life can''t be destroyed with marriage. This is too much for me to handle. Sometimes, I can''t even handle myself and she wants me to marry a royalty? That''s very insane. I know, I''ve been single ever since I got my heart broken by my first love¡ªback in high school but that''s not the case, I really don''t want to fall in love again. Not yet. ''''Sweetheart, this isn''t my choice. It was made before your father was even born. There''s surely not an option either for you,'''' She breaks the silence, causing me to groan once more¡ªrealising that she''s really starting to piss me off. When ites to temper, I''m not very good at handling it. My family knows that about me. They say that ites from mum but she hardly agrees. Almost everything about mees from her except for my appearances¡ªit''s mostly from dad but the eye colour is definitely from mum. Brown eyes all the way, people. Mum and dad had a divorce when I was fifteen. It''s due to the fact that they can''t solve things very well ¡ªit''s the cause of their marriage to be broken. Dad also said that they weren''tpatible anymore and if they continue any further, it might scar deeply. Apart from their divorce, they are still close friends. ''''Wouldn''t you like it if I marry someone I love?'''' I ask, causing her to stop talking at once. Her eyes are looking straight into mine; somehow I see regret appearing but she immediately blink it away. Tears are starting to appear in her eyes, making me lean back on the chair. She breathes out, smiling down before looking back up at me, ''''Just like your father and I.'''' She mutters under her breath but still loud enough for me to hear. ''''Exactly,'''' She holds onto my hand on the table, ''''That''s exactly what I want for you, Emma. I want you to marry the man that you love, the man that you will n your future with together, the man that you will fight for. I want what''s best for you, honey. Marrying the prince is definitely not one of them but there''s not an option for you,'''' She rubs the back of my hand with her thumb; trying to soothe me down. We end up enjoying the silence, only remembering the memories of growing up and spending with our loved ones. I know, deep inside, she never wanted to let dad go and it goes the same with him but it''s also true that if you truly love someone, you''ll let them go when it''s right. For the sake of each other''s happiness. ''''I don''t want to marry someone I don''t know,'''' I say and she nods, agreeing, ''''I''ll think about it, I''ll either run away and leave the country so that they''ll never find me or I''lle and see you,'''' I add, making herugh. I immediately stand up, walking towards her before wrapping my arms around her neck and pulling her close for a hug. She rubs onto my back, soothingly trying to make me feel and think that everything will be alright. Everything will be fine. Nothing wille and prevent me from living the life I have nned. ''''I love you, mum.'''' I whisper near her ear. ''''I love you more,'''' She replies, pecking onto my cheek. I head straight towards the cashier to settle the bill before heading out after ncing onest time at her¡ªseeing that she''s also looking back at me with a small smile. Not a single mother would want to see sadness in their child''s eyes but sometimes it''s too difficult. I walk down the street but my mind can''t seem to forget about the things she said. My eyebrows furrow, remembering that she didn''t say his name so I can''t exactly search his name online because that''s the only way I can know how he looks like¡ªincase he''s beautiful, I might reconsider. Excuse me, what? I thought. I am not that cheap! I will not go for someone just because he''s good- looking but that may be like the first reason¡ªthen again, it''s not really necessary to only go for his looks. He could be handsome but he could also be hot-tempered; like me. If we''re both hot-tempered, things will fall apart. Even the castle''s roof. I push the door open to my restaurant and I am greeted with arge amount of people enjoying their meals. My lips curve up into a smile at Jace¡ªa very close friend of mine ever since he started working here. He''s been good at giving me advice especially when ites to men. I''m not the only one that is interested in men, he is too. ''''How was it with your mother?'''' He asks, resting his elbow on the counter. With a deep sigh, I turn to look at him, ''''It''s awful. It would be better if I didn''t go.'''' I reply, earning myself a chuckle from him¡ªmaybe we can trade ces. He can take my spot and go marry while I stay here, enjoying the life that I''ve always wanted. ''''Sorry to hear that, baby girl but what happened?'''' He raises an eyebrow. We both sit down at the nearest table as he continues to look at me, concern in this eyes. He takes both of my hands on the table; trying to ensure me to speak because everything is going to be fine. ''''I''m engaged,'''' I mutter which causes his eyes to widen¡ªnot quite believing what he heard. ''''Engaged as in engaged to be married?'''' He blinks a few times. ''''Yes, silly.'''' I chuckle. He looks down at my hand, trying to search for the engagement ring but I quickly raise both of my hands up, showing him that there''s definitely no ring. Then, he continues to furrow his eyebrows in confusion; probably thinking that I''m insane and creating a fake engagement with an invisible man, ''''Who are you engaged to? Is he hot? Handsome? Fuckable?'''' His grin widens. I roll my eyes, expecting his answers already. ''''I don''t know!'''' I reply. Jace furrow his eyebrows a bit more than necessary, almost squinting his light blue eyes, ''''Are you saying that you don''t know if he''s hot or not? Girl, then you shouldn''t marry him. What if he''s old or a pervert or a pedophile? That''s never safe, I wouldn''t be there to protect you, sunshine.'''' He raises his index finger before shaking it sideways. ''''I mean, I don''t know, Jace. My mum told me that I''m engaged to a royalty¡ªhow crazy can that sound? She didn''t even tell me his name so we can''t really search his name for pictures. I''m left clueless.'''' I shrug, making a sad puppy face. ''''Whoa, wait a minute. You''re engaged to a royalty?'''' His eyes widen instantly, showing how surprised he is. Then, he starts to stand up¡ªoverreacting a little before sitting down once more; but that''s Jace, you got to love him, ''''Damn, Emma. Go for it! He''s a royalty, what more do you want?'''' He winks. ''''That''s exactly what I don''t want. Marrying a royalty is pretty cool in Disney movies but in real life, it seems impossible and weird. I''m a normal city girl who doesn''t know shit about royalties¡ªbesides, this could be a pity joke. I don''t what to think anymore,'''' I lean my head against the seat, sighing deeply, ''''What if he thinks that I''m ugly?'''' I add. ''''What if he''s ugly?'''' Jace questions. Iugh, realising that it''s true. I don''t know how he looks like and he surely doesn''t know how I look like ¡ªwe both could be simply normal who might like each other or we might end up hating each other and never want to talk about anything. He can be a crazy lunatic or he can be a sweetheart; it''s all possible. ''''Baby girl, Emma, you''re the most beautiful friend I''ve ever had. I swear, you can make any gay guys go straight but that''s not going to happen with me, alright? You obviously have everything you ever wanted here in New York, maybe you can try and see, he could be one in a million?'''' He sits beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close; giving me support. ''''You friendzoned me, Jace.'''' I look up at his blue eyes. The both of us end upughing and deep inside, I know that Jace is right. If it''s true that I''ve been engaged to him ever since I was born, I can just go and see how things will go on¡ªif he''s a lunatic or something awful, I''ll leave and never look back. I either live in regret of not going to see my so-called- fianc¨¦ or confirm things. Who knows? He might be really nice and we might have each other''s back. ''''You might be right.'''' I mutter. He yfully punches me on the arm, ''''What are you talking about, sunshine? I''m always right.'''' He replies, chuckling before standing up, ''''Look, unlike you, I actually work here and I need to get back before something goes wrong.'''' He pats onto my shoulder and he starts to disappear into the kitchen; leaving me here, thinking about my life. ''''Boss, you got a phone call!'''' One of my employees shout from behind, causing me to quickly run towards the back, taking the call. After work, I am just chilling in the living room, watching my favourite TV show. It''s quite a day at the restaurant since it''s actually the weekend, that exins the amount of customer. I''ve been dedicated towards my dad''s restaurant ever since I graduated because when I was younger, he told me that it''ll be mine one day. Only if I work hard enough. I guess I did work hard enough because if I didn''t, I wouldn''t be here, running after the restaurant. It''s quite thrilling, running after a family business¡ªI once thought on bing a cardiologist but bing one is a risk; leaving me here, running a business. ''''Hi dad,'''' I say after hearing him answering the call. ''''Hey, princess. How are you? Is everything okay?'''' He asks, making me smile after hearing his voice¡ª I''ve missed him. Thest time I saw him wasst Christmas because we''ve both been busy and he moved to San Diego a couple of years ago. ''''I''m good, how are you?'''' I feel tears appearing in my eyes; making me press my lips into a thin line, wanting to prevent myself from crying. For no reason, I really feel like crying and tell him everything that has been going on with life but I don''t want him to worry. ''''The usual, sweetheart.'''' He answers and keeps quiet for a few seconds, ''''I know there''s something wrong, Emma. You can tell me anything. You and I against the world, remember?'''' My lips curve up into a smile as I wipe away the tears that has fallen, ''''I had lunch with mum today and I found out that your grandfather was a really close friend with the previous king. Due to the fact that they want their friendship tost, they made an agreement.'''' I speak, hearing him sigh at the other line; probably not expecting me to find out. ''''It''s not like that, Emma.'''' ''''How long were you going to keep it a secret, dad?'''' I ask. ''''It was never a secret. Some people say that you were destined to marry the next king in line because ever since the agreement, you were the only first daughter born and he was the first son born. They have always had a son¡ªit''s highly unexpected for them to have a first daughter born.'''' He continues, ''''The agreement was made centuries ago but an agreement with the royalties are very respected.'''' I breathe out, ''''I''ve never had a choice, haven''t I? You would never walk down the aisle with me towards the man I love but towards a man I barely know, would you still consider that destiny? What happened to you and I against the world, dad?'''' Tears are streaming down my cheeks as I swallow the nonexistent lump in my throat. ''''I''m so sorry, princess. This is one of the reasons why I don''t want you to know,'''' He replies. ''''You can''t keep it away forever.'''' I mutter under my breath. ''''I love you, Emma. I was only trying to protect your feelings. I wanted you to be the girl with hopes and dreams instead of the girl who knows that she''ll never have a choice of her own future because it was decided before she was even born. I was only protecting my little girl,'''' He says, somehow, I understand ¡ªhe''s only trying to make me believe that I''ll actually have a normal life. A life where I can choose where I''ll stay, what I''ll be, who I''ll end up with but that has turned into memories. Memories that I don''t intend on remembering. Maybe they were right, being an adult is much more difficult than I thought it would be. I''ve been wanting to grow up fast so that I can own everything, earn anything, be something but I can''t seem to believe that it''s all decided. ''''I love you too, dad.'''' I reply, ending the call before sighing deeply; watching the rain through the ss window. Chapter 1 Chapter 1 All Rights Reserved My great-grandfather was a very close friend of the previous king of Ennd. They''ve known each other since they were kids; that''s one of the reasons why they were close. When they were in their Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. sixties, they made an agreement between friends that the first daughter born from my family will be engaged to the first son born from the royalty. Unfortunately, my grandfather was born which made the agreement continue on. When they thought that my grandmother would be having a girl, they were mistaken. My father was born and that''s exin why I''m here¡ªa result of his love with my mother. Would I consider it fate or misery? The agreement was made in the twentieth century which was highly impossible to not have a single daughter born until me. Other girls wouldn''t beining¡ªseriously, being engaged to a royalty right after you were born¡ªthat''s a fairy tale. Am I made for Emery? Find authorized novels in Webnovel, faster updates, better experience, Please click for visiting. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 ''''What?!'''' I ask, without realising the tone of my voice¡ªcausing the whole restaurant to be quiet and turn to look at me. I immediately cover my face with my hand; embarrassed. As I mutter curses under my breath, I start to look back up at my mother, seeing her lips curve up into a smile. ''''You heard me, sweetheart.'''' She replies, taking a bite of her salmon. Both of her brown eyes are looking straight at me and for once, I feel like poking both of her eyes due to the anger I''m feeling. My mind can''t seem to take the pressure I''m feeling at the moment. ''''What does that even mean?'''' I groan, rubbing onto my temples as I start to feel stress radiating. My mind can''t seem to forget the words she said minutes ago. She told me that I am engaged to a well- known prince of Ennd. Not only that, she also told me that I have been engaged ever since I came out of her tummy¡ªtaking the first breath of fresh air. My mother could be insane, she might need to be admitted to the hospital and get things checked out but I know that''s not it. ''''Emma, what''s so shocking about it? You''re twenty-five this year, you don''t have a boyfriend, you are beautiful, avable¡ªso you shall get married. It''s destined for you. Other girls would be dying on their feet to marry a prince. I really don''t expect a reaction like yours,'''' She says, shaking her head in disagreement. My eyebrows furrow, not really believing what she said, ''''I don''t want to get married, mother. I''m twenty- five, single, beautiful but not avable. There''s nothing that you can do to force me because I have control over my own life.'''' I reply, with a smile on my face; trying to calm myself down. To my surprise, she starts to chuckle which leaves me in confusion. I continue to look at her, trying to seek for answers but she seems calm and prepared for everything¡ªwhich terrifies me. What if she nned everything out yesterday before meeting me? That can be a disaster. ''''You simply don''t understand, child. Your great-grandfather made the agreement with the previous king of Ennd. Do you know how important is it? Royalties take such things very serious, they don''t fool around.'''' She continues before taking a sip of water. ''''No. This is not happening. I have a life, mum. I managed to take over dad''s restaurant and make it sessful again after my graduation so you''re not going to take that away from me. Marriage is very out of topic, we shall not talk about this again if you don''t want to upset me.'''' I say, groaning afterwards. My life can''t be destroyed with marriage. This is too much for me to handle. Sometimes, I can''t even handle myself and she wants me to marry a royalty? That''s very insane. I know, I''ve been single ever since I got my heart broken by my first love¡ªback in high school but that''s not the case, I really don''t want to fall in love again. Not yet. ''''Sweetheart, this isn''t my choice. It was made before your father was even born. There''s surely not an option either for you,'''' She breaks the silence, causing me to groan once more¡ªrealising that she''s really starting to piss me off. When ites to temper, I''m not very good at handling it. My family knows that about me. They say that ites from mum but she hardly agrees. Almost everything about mees from her except for my appearances¡ªit''s mostly from dad but the eye colour is definitely from mum. Brown eyes all the way, people. Mum and dad had a divorce when I was fifteen. It''s due to the fact that they can''t solve things very well ¡ªit''s the cause of their marriage to be broken. Dad also said that they weren''tpatible anymore and if they continue any further, it might scar deeply. Apart from their divorce, they are still close friends. ''''Wouldn''t you like it if I marry someone I love?'''' I ask, causing her to stop talking at once. Her eyes are Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. looking straight into mine; somehow I see regret appearing but she immediately blink it away. Tears are starting to appear in her eyes, making me lean back on the chair. She breathes out, smiling down before looking back up at me, ''''Just like your father and I.'''' She mutters under her breath but still loud enough for me to hear. ''''Exactly,'''' She holds onto my hand on the table, ''''That''s exactly what I want for you, Emma. I want you to marry the man that you love, the man that you will n your future with together, the man that you will fight for. I want what''s best for you, honey. Marrying the prince is definitely not one of them but there''s not an option for you,'''' She rubs the back of my hand with her thumb; trying to soothe me down. We end up enjoying the silence, only remembering the memories of growing up and spending with our loved ones. I know, deep inside, she never wanted to let dad go and it goes the same with him but it''s also true that if you truly love someone, you''ll let them go when it''s right. For the sake of each other''s happiness. ''''I don''t want to marry someone I don''t know,'''' I say and she nods, agreeing, ''''I''ll think about it, I''ll either run away and leave the country so that they''ll never find me or I''lle and see you,'''' I add, making herugh. I immediately stand up, walking towards her before wrapping my arms around her neck and pulling her close for a hug. She rubs onto my back, soothingly trying to make me feel and think that everything will be alright. Everything will be fine. Nothing wille and prevent me from living the life I have nned. ''''I love you, mum.'''' I whisper near her ear. ''''I love you more,'''' She replies, pecking onto my cheek. I head straight towards the cashier to settle the bill before heading out after ncing onest time at her¡ªseeing that she''s also looking back at me with a small smile. Not a single mother would want to see sadness in their child''s eyes but sometimes it''s too difficult. I walk down the street but my mind can''t seem to forget about the things she said. My eyebrows furrow, remembering that she didn''t say his name so I can''t exactly search his name online because that''s the only way I can know how he looks like¡ªincase he''s beautiful, I might reconsider. Excuse me, what? I thought. I am not that cheap! I will not go for someone just because he''s good- looking but that may be like the first reason¡ªthen again, it''s not really necessary to only go for his looks. He could be handsome but he could also be hot-tempered; like me. If we''re both hot-tempered, things will fall apart. Even the castle''s roof. I push the door open to my restaurant and I am greeted with arge amount of people enjoying their meals. My lips curve up into a smile at Jace¡ªa very close friend of mine ever since he started working here. He''s been good at giving me advice especially when ites to men. I''m not the only one that is interested in men, he is too. ''''How was it with your mother?'''' He asks, resting his elbow on the counter. With a deep sigh, I turn to look at him, ''''It''s awful. It would be better if I didn''t go.'''' I reply, earning myself a chuckle from him¡ªmaybe we can trade ces. He can take my spot and go marry while I stay here, enjoying the life that I''ve always wanted. ''''Sorry to hear that, baby girl but what happened?'''' He raises an eyebrow. We both sit down at the nearest table as he continues to look at me, concern in this eyes. He takes both of my hands on the table; trying to ensure me to speak because everything is going to be fine. ''''I''m engaged,'''' I mutter which causes his eyes to widen¡ªnot quite believing what he heard. ''''Engaged as in engaged to be married?'''' He blinks a few times. ''''Yes, silly.'''' I chuckle. He looks down at my hand, trying to search for the engagement ring but I quickly raise both of my hands up, showing him that there''s definitely no ring. Then, he continues to furrow his eyebrows in confusion; probably thinking that I''m insane and creating a fake engagement with an invisible man, ''''Who are you engaged to? Is he hot? Handsome? Fuckable?'''' His grin widens. I roll my eyes, expecting his answers already. ''''I don''t know!'''' I reply. Jace furrow his eyebrows a bit more than necessary, almost squinting his light blue eyes, ''''Are you saying that you don''t know if he''s hot or not? Girl, then you shouldn''t marry him. What if he''s old or a pervert or a pedophile? That''s never safe, I wouldn''t be there to protect you, sunshine.'''' He raises his index finger before shaking it sideways. ''''I mean, I don''t know, Jace. My mum told me that I''m engaged to a royalty¡ªhow crazy can that sound? She didn''t even tell me his name so we can''t really search his name for pictures. I''m left clueless.'''' I shrug, making a sad puppy face. ''''Whoa, wait a minute. You''re engaged to a royalty?'''' His eyes widen instantly, showing how surprised he is. Then, he starts to stand up¡ªoverreacting a little before sitting down once more; but that''s Jace, you got to love him, ''''Damn, Emma. Go for it! He''s a royalty, what more do you want?'''' He winks. ''''That''s exactly what I don''t want. Marrying a royalty is pretty cool in Disney movies but in real life, it seems impossible and weird. I''m a normal city girl who doesn''t know shit about royalties¡ªbesides, this could be a pity joke. I don''t what to think anymore,'''' I lean my head against the seat, sighing deeply, ''''What if he thinks that I''m ugly?'''' I add. ''''What if he''s ugly?'''' Jace questions. Iugh, realising that it''s true. I don''t know how he looks like and he surely doesn''t know how I look like ¡ªwe both could be simply normal who might like each other or we might end up hating each other and never want to talk about anything. He can be a crazy lunatic or he can be a sweetheart; it''s all possible. ''''Baby girl, Emma, you''re the most beautiful friend I''ve ever had. I swear, you can make any gay guys go straight but that''s not going to happen with me, alright? You obviously have everything you ever wanted here in New York, maybe you can try and see, he could be one in a million?'''' He sits beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me close; giving me support. ''''You friendzoned me, Jace.'''' I look up at his blue eyes. The both of us end upughing and deep inside, I know that Jace is right. If it''s true that I''ve been engaged to him ever since I was born, I can just go and see how things will go on¡ªif he''s a lunatic or something awful, I''ll leave and never look back. I either live in regret of not going to see my so-called- fianc¨¦ or confirm things. Who knows? He might be really nice and we might have each other''s back. ''''You might be right.'''' I mutter. He yfully punches me on the arm, ''''What are you talking about, sunshine? I''m always right.'''' He replies, chuckling before standing up, ''''Look, unlike you, I actually work here and I need to get back before something goes wrong.'''' He pats onto my shoulder and he starts to disappear into the kitchen; leaving me here, thinking about my life. ''''Boss, you got a phone call!'''' One of my employees shout from behind, causing me to quickly run towards the back, taking the call. After work, I am just chilling in the living room, watching my favourite TV show. It''s quite a day at the restaurant since it''s actually the weekend, that exins the amount of customer. I''ve been dedicated towards my dad''s restaurant ever since I graduated because when I was younger, he told me that it''ll be mine one day. Only if I work hard enough. I guess I did work hard enough because if I didn''t, I wouldn''t be here, running after the restaurant. It''s quite thrilling, running after a family business¡ªI once thought on bing a cardiologist but bing one is a risk; leaving me here, running a business. ''''Hi dad,'''' I say after hearing him answering the call. ''''Hey, princess. How are you? Is everything okay?'''' He asks, making me smile after hearing his voice¡ª I''ve missed him. Thest time I saw him wasst Christmas because we''ve both been busy and he moved to San Diego a couple of years ago. ''''I''m good, how are you?'''' I feel tears appearing in my eyes; making me press my lips into a thin line, wanting to prevent myself from crying. For no reason, I really feel like crying and tell him everything that has been going on with life but I don''t want him to worry. ''''The usual, sweetheart.'''' He answers and keeps quiet for a few seconds, ''''I know there''s something wrong, Emma. You can tell me anything. You and I against the world, remember?'''' My lips curve up into a smile as I wipe away the tears that has fallen, ''''I had lunch with mum today and I found out that your grandfather was a really close friend with the previous king. Due to the fact that they want their friendship tost, they made an agreement.'''' I speak, hearing him sigh at the other line; probably not expecting me to find out. ''''It''s not like that, Emma.'''' ''''How long were you going to keep it a secret, dad?'''' I ask. ''''It was never a secret. Some people say that you were destined to marry the next king in line because ever since the agreement, you were the only first daughter born and he was the first son born. They have always had a son¡ªit''s highly unexpected for them to have a first daughter born.'''' He continues, ''''The agreement was made centuries ago but an agreement with the royalties are very respected.'''' I breathe out, ''''I''ve never had a choice, haven''t I? You would never walk down the aisle with me towards the man I love but towards a man I barely know, would you still consider that destiny? What happened to you and I against the world, dad?'''' Tears are streaming down my cheeks as I swallow the nonexistent lump in my throat. ''''I''m so sorry, princess. This is one of the reasons why I don''t want you to know,'''' He replies. ''''You can''t keep it away forever.'''' I mutter under my breath. ''''I love you, Emma. I was only trying to protect your feelings. I wanted you to be the girl with hopes and dreams instead of the girl who knows that she''ll never have a choice of her own future because it was decided before she was even born. I was only protecting my little girl,'''' He says, somehow, I understand ¡ªhe''s only trying to make me believe that I''ll actually have a normal life. A life where I can choose where I''ll stay, what I''ll be, who I''ll end up with but that has turned into memories. Memories that I don''t intend on remembering. Maybe they were right, being an adult is much more difficult than I thought it would be. I''ve been wanting to grow up fast so that I can own everything, earn anything, be something but I can''t seem to believe that it''s all decided. ''''I love you too, dad.'''' I reply, ending the call before sighing deeply; watching the rain through the ss window. Chapter 3: Chapter Two Chapter 3: Chapter Two Emery I open the door to see a familiar dark brown haired woman standing with a smile on her face and just like that, I know there has got to be something, ''''Mother.'''' I mutter, earning myself a push from her so that she can enter the house¡ªI take a few steps back, seeing that she has brought two bodyguards along. As I turn to look at her, I see her eyes wandering around the house; probably mocking this ce in her mind. Without further ado, I close the door, stepping towards the middle of the living room, ''''I know that''s not yours, Emery.'''' She points at a white loose blouse, clearly a women''s clothing. To my surprise, she stands up, heading straight towards my bedroom. I quickly follow behind her, ''''What are you doing?'''' I ask but she ignores me by pushing the door open, revealing a woman with dark blonde hair, still in her deep slumber¡ªwhich causes my mother to re at me immediately. She closes the door, gently and starts to pull me by the wrist, ''''This is what you''ve been doing in Melbourne? Living like a man with no purpose? Who is she? Is she your girlfriend?'''' She questions, making me put both of my hands on her shoulders and slowly letting her sit down on one of the sofas. 1 Both of her hazel eyes won''t stop ring at me and I know that she''s not satisfied with me. Ever since I was eighteen, I moved straight to Australia because I don''t want to be involved with any duties back in Ennd¡ªI never wanted that kind of life. I want a free life where I can do whatever and however I want. Apart from that, I furthered my studies here. Even in Australia, I know she''s been keeping track of me. I''m the only child and I''m next to the throne; it''s clear why she takes really good care of me. Other than the motherly love, sometimes I can''t even have my own privacy¡ªI''ve caught a few people following me and it was all her idea. She thought to keep me safe. ''''Is she a prostitute?'''' She questions once more which causes my eyes to widen slightly. ''''No, she''s a friend.'''' I answer, shaking my head in denial. Honestly, I barely even know her and she''s just a girl I metst night at a party. She kept on wanting my attention and maybe I was too drunk to think clearly which exins why she''s here, in my bedroom, in my house; in bed. Clearly, something happenedst night with her. ''''Friends don''t have sexual intercourses.'''' She responds and I start to chuckle¡ªrealising that it has been a while since I''ve talked to her. I''ve missed her and her voice; I missed her nagging a bit more because she always does that on the phone. ''''It''s a bit creepy when you say it like that,'''' She rubs onto her temples, ''''Oh dear, Emery. At least she''s not your girlfriend, that would have broken my heart. She''s definitely not I imagined my daughter-inw would be but now when I think about it, she''s far from what I imagined. Too far,'''' She says, stating the truth. Some men would be finding a girlfriend or even settling down at my age but due to the fact of being royalty, I have a hard time trusting women. No one here knows who I am because I want them to see me as a normal person with a normal life; not someone who''s royalty and should be highly respected. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ''''I don''t n on having a girlfriend, just so you know.'''' I say, taking a sip of water in the kitchen. I look up to see her walking towards me. Her eyes are hiding something¡ªsomething that I can''t figure out. Mother has always been good with secrets because she enjoys keeping them, for the sake of someone''s happiness or sadness. She''s really good at keeping other people''s secrets too. ''''Excellent because you are getting married,'''' She says, pping her hands and smiling widely at me, causing me to choke on my water. ''''What do you mean?'''' I put the ss in the sink before turning to look at her once more, trying to seek for answers in her eyes. The way her eyes shine with happiness; I know that she has known this for a long time and has been waiting for the right time to tell. She walks closer towards me, ''''Emery, your great-grandfather was very close to her great-grandfather and they made an agreement for the sake of their friendship. They want their friendship tost forever so that''s why you have to marry her. She''s the first daughter born ever since the agreement was made ¡ªin the agreement, it stated that the first daughter born shall marry the first son born. Do you get this?'''' She grins. ''''You mean, that I have to marry her no matter what?'''' I raise an eyebrow. ''''Don''t look of it that way, it seems a bit heartless, don''t you think? You two have been destined to marry each other¡ªit''s fate. People say that all the time because how can there not be a single first daughter born in their family? It''s quite a mystery.'''' She chuckles, patting onto my shoulder. I immediately furrow my eyebrows, realising something. Yes, it''s true that I never really think about settling down just yet but when ites to marrying someone, I would like it to be someone that I love instead of marrying someone that I barely know¡ªit seems ridiculous. This is the twenty-first century, we all have the right to marry whoever we want but I guess that right isn''t for royalties. Then again, I don''t know when ites to her; she''s probably jumping up and down when she heard that she would be marrying me, a royalty. I guess she just got lucky. 1 ''''I can''t just marry someone. I don''t want to,'''' I mutter under my breath before sighing deeply, walking towards the other side, not really wanting to face my mother at the moment. She follows me from behind, ''''There''s nothing that we can do. The agreement has always been sealed to fulfil when your great-grandfather died¡ªhe made your grandfather promise and your grandfather made your father promise. I guess you won''t be making that promise because you''ll be fulfilling it.'''' ''''I won''t even be making that promise if I''m not in ce to fulfil it. Everyone has a choice, mother especially when ites to marrying someone. Just cancel the agreement, no one will question. You have the power to do that,'''' I say, running my fingers through my hair, not quite believing that my mother came all the way to Melbourne just to tell me that I''ll be getting married to a stranger. ''''It can''t be cancelled, my dear. I don''t have the power to that, it has been written in thew until it is fulfilled¡ªwhich will be cancelled on its own.'''' She replies, sighing before sitting right next to me, soothingly rubbing my back. My eyes immediately meet hers, ''''She could be older than me¡ª'''' She cuts me off, ''''She''s twenty-five this year.'''' I let out another sigh, somehow realising that there''s not other way for me to run away from this kind of things. Agreements are taken seriously with royalties because it is something that rarely happens unless necessary. For some reason, I feel a bit curious about the girl; maybe she''s attractive. No, don''t think about it right now. I thought. I don''t marry someone just because she''s attractive, I''ll marry someone for her heart¡ªfor herself. ''''Have you met her before?'''' I ask, trying to know a bit more if I''m stuck with her. I might as well know something about her and not filled with nks when we meet. Mother looks at me, ''''I''ve never met her before but I''ve seen pictures of her. Of course, I would want the best for you, Emery. She''s a very beautiful girl, you don''t have to worry about how she looks. I know how it bothers you with your curiosity but try to push that thought away for a moment.'''' She replies. I squint my eyes, trying to take a better look in her eyes before trying to joke around, ''''I don''t trust you.'''' I say, jokingly and she starts to p onto my arm; making meugh once more. With a smile, I wrap my arm around her shoulder which earns me a sigh. I look down at her, seeing that she has a heartwarming smile that can cheer anyone up¡ªthat exins why father fell in love with her; anyone would, ''''If she''s not what as you described, I''ll be screaming bloody Mary.'''' I joke once more. She rolls her eyes, ''''Never underestimate the queen, Emery France Van An.'''' I cringe after hearing her say my full name because I rarely hear anyone say it. It would always be Emery or Prince Emery of Cambridge. Then, we both turn to see the woman with dark blonde hair standing near the bedroom door as she watches my mother and I with confusion, ''''I''mte, I should go.'''' She says, walking towards the front door after pecking onto my cheek. My mother watches the whole thing with res but as soon as she''s out, I peck onto mother''s cheek, ''''You must''ve learned something after years of staying by yourself.'''' She says. ''''I''ve learned to cook, if you must know.'''' I reply with a grin. ''''Fascinating, prove it.'''' She stands up, looking at me. From the look on her face, I can tell that she doesn''t seem to trust me but I walk straight towards the kitchen with her trailing behind me, waiting for me to cook her a meal that I''vee to know by heart. ''''You''ll see how lucky you are to have me as your son,'''' I say, taking the ingredients before putting it on the kitchen counter as she sits on one of the stools, watching my every movement. As I turn around to wash the vegetables, I can''t seem to remove the thought of marrying someone I don''t know. Of course, we all start with being strangers but it takes time to know each other before actually moving to a stage where marriage is an option¡ªunlike me, it''lle straight and forward. ''''Mother, may I at least know her name?'''' I nce towards her direction for a few seconds as I see her taking a bite of an apple. ''''Emma,'''' She replies. I look down at the vegetables in the sink before thinking of the name Emma. How would an Emma be? Funny? Outgoing? Boring? Caring? I just feel like knowing something about her; so that I can actually decide whether it''s a right choice to make or not¡ªI''ve been fooling around and never thinking on being serious with someone. Even if we may marry soon, I mighte to like her or I might alsoe to dislike her. If we are going to marry, we''ll be spending the rest of our lives together and mother will expect us to have children or at least a child; which I can confirm, will not be soon. ''''Has she already filled your mind?'''' I hear mother asks from behind, causing me to chuckle lightly. Surprisingly, yes even though I don''t even have a single clue of how she looks like or how she is¡ªI''ll try my best to imagine her as someone I''d want to spend my life with; putting away any negative thoughts. Emma, that''s a pretty name. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4: Chapter Three Emma It has been a week since the talk with both mum and dad. I took the whole week to really sort things through without hesitation because I want to figure things out instead of keeping them. Due to that, I guess it has been working for me to choose. Apparently, mum booked the flight ticket earlier than I thought she would. She told me that she knows how I''ll think through it and ept sincerely but then she also told me that there was also a high chance of me declining. That''s the truth; I was considering declining but like Jace said, why not give it a try other than living in regret. ''''You could be wrong,'''' I say, turning to look at her. Her lips curve up into a small smile, ''''I could but you''re here with me¡ªin Ennd, fulfilling your fate. No one can run away from everything, right Emma?'''' She replies, putting on her lipstick before eyeing her lips in the mirror. I nce onest time at the mirror before we start to make our way towards the exit and my eyes widen as soon as I see a ck limousine parked at the front; grabbing everyone''s attention at the sight of the two gs. My eyes wander around the tinted windows¡ªtrying to see if it''s even possible for me to look inside but it''s very impossible. Mum and I stand still, not really knowing what to do. ''''I thought we''re getting a cab?'''' I say, ncing at my mother and she nods,pletely agreeing. To my surprise, a royal chauffeur starts to make his way towards us with a small smile on his face. He appears to be around his forties but still manage to look young. Within seconds, he has already grabbed both of our bags before cing them in the trunk and opening the door for us. ''''I''m sorry but as my mother informed, we''re getting a cab.'''' I say, trying to make sure that he''s not picking up the wrong person or anything because that''s far from what I want at the moment. We''re in a foreign country and we''ve hardly been to Ennd before except for dad, he was born here. He furrows his eyebrows, ''''I''m sorry miss but I was tasked toe and pick you and Mrs. Parker at the airport¡ªas requested by the queen.'''' He replies. My mother smiles, ''''Alright then,e on in, Emma.'''' She says, getting inside the car while I stand still, watching her gettingfortable. With a sigh, I start to step inside¡ªseconds before the chauffeur starts to close the door. I nce once more at my mother, seeing that she''s eyeing the sparkling water, ''''I can guess that you don''t know about this but I could be wrong.'''' I say, breaking the silence and earning myself a sigh from her. ''''Emma, I only arranged for our flight and our transportation which is clearly not this limousine. As far as I''m excited to meet the queen or my future son-inw, I''m not as cruel as you think.'''' She responds, choosing the mineral water instead before taking a sip. I let out a deep sigh as I turn to look out through the window and realise that we''re on our way to meet the queen and even the prince¡ªmy fianc¨¦, that''s what they call him. The whole ride is awkwardly quiet, I wouldn''t dare to make a conversation with mother, who''ll know what she will say. She''s quite excited, I can see that and truth be told, I don''t know what I should be feeling. Excited or casual? Deep inside, I don''t feel a thing except for this curiosity of how he looks like. He might be curious about how I look like too if he haven''t seen any of my pictures but you can never trust a royal family when it ways. My eyes wander around the city of London and it somehow surprises me at the sight. I can''t deny that this country is a beautiful country¡ªit''s also the ce where mum and dad met during their first year of university. I consider London as their spot of love because this ce has brought them together while New York has been a ce that teared them apart. ''''Don''t you miss this ce?'''' I ask her. I can feel her looking at me before I start to turn and see the emotions in her eyes, ''''There are a lot of memories here in Ennd and London is the very one of them. Your father and I met here, we spent our time here and we even dered our love here. You can pretty say that it sums everything. Emma, you should know that I still love your father but sometimes, it doesn''tst forever.'''' She replies. ''''Don''t be like me. I let the man that I love go. I want yours tost with happiness and love¡ªno pretending needed. If things don''t work out the way you have in mind or nned, just tell me and I''ll get you of here as soon as possible.'''' She adds, pulling me in to snuggle and I quickly respond by kissing her cheek. I''m lucky to have a mother like her. This agreement has nothing to do with her, she doesn''t force me into this. She may seem like she''s choosing what''s best for me and I guess that she wants me to try it out¡ªprobably I''ll find love here and won''t even seek for a new one back in New York. Ever since my heart was broken terribly, I had no desire in dating. I want a love thatsts till the end of my breath instead of a love that can hardly make it through the first stage. I don''t want a love where it''s filled with lusts but a love where it''s filled with specialities. Honestly, I may not be an expert in love but I have my own concept. 1 ''''We''ll see soon enough,'''' I mutter under my breath. If only I have a sibling to pour my worries and sorrow, that would''ve been much better. Being the only child, it''s not much of a joy sometimes. Yes, I can get anything I want because my parents love me very much that they''d risk everything but they also hope for everything when ites to me. They have no other child to hope for. As soon as I see a glimpse of the castle, I immediately feel attracted to it. The way it beholds its beauty from afar, it''s quite mesmerising¡ªtruthfully, it feels like a fairytale but everything feels real and the world is not only filled with happiness and happily ever after. There are endings, pains, sorrows and problems that only the strongest one can ovee. The cares to a stop at the entrance of the castle before the royal chauffeur steps out, opening the door for mother and I. We both step out of the car, taking in the sight we both see with awe and respect. My eyes immediately focus on a woman with dark brown hair as she steps down from the stairs, a wide smile stered on her face. ''''Wee, it''s very lovely to finally meet you two.'''' She says in her ent but by the way she talks and moves, it is full of poise. Then, her hazel eyes meet mine instantly, showing some sort of awe in them, ''''Oh dear, you are a very beautiful youngdy.'''' She adds, grabbing onto my hand. I smile back at her, feeling my cheeks heat up within seconds. Mother stands beside me as she looks at me with a smile¡ªthen we were both invited to step inside the castle, making us take the view much more further and deeper. As soon as we stepped inside the castle, we were speechless. Everything seemed beautifully arranged and expensive. Now, we''re in one of the rooms, where we''re just standing in the middle. ''''It''s very rude of me not to introduce myself, I''m Queen Genevieve but you can just call me Genevieve. Apparently, my son is quitete than usual¡ªit''s very rare of him to act this way, my apologies.'''' She speaks which I respond with a smile; not really knowing how I should react with a royalty but to only keep my manners well. ''''I''m Julia and this is my daughter, Emma.'''' My mother replies. ''''Of course, I''ve known her existence ever since she was born.'''' The queen¡ªGenevieve says before she starts to look up at the door but I stay still, not really wanting to turn around and see if it''s her son. The sound of the two doors opening start to bother my heartbeat, making it faster than usual. I immediately look down at the ground, ying with my fingers as I do so, wanting to make it seem less awkward than it already is, ''''Emery, you''rete.'''' She says, showing an unpleasant look on her face as the footsteps get closer. ''''I''m sorry mother, I was out.'''' He responds. At the sound of his voice, it''s deep and husky which can be listed in one of the attractiveness in men article I read a few months ago. Genevieve smiles as she looks at me, ''''Emery, this is Emma.'''' She says, gesturing for me to turn around but my skin goes ice cold¡ªshowing how nervous I am. It''s not the fact that I''m scared if he won''t like me but I''m scared of the sight I will see. With full courage, I turn around, meeting a pair of light brown eyes looking back at me as he eyes my face. I manage to take a better look at his six foot two height and his well-built body because he seems to do the same but with a slight of respect. One word, gorgeous. That''s all I can say at the sight of him. Well, there''s more. He''s beautiful, gorgeous, handsome and very good-looking. I think all of those are categorised in the same way but I can''t help it. Maybe Jace was right,ing here isn''t a bad choice¡ª I can actually meet the prince up close and take in his beauty. It might be weird for me to drool or stare at his face so I look down, breaking the eye contact. ''''It''s nice to meet you, Emma.'''' He says with a small smile on his face. When he spoke my name, it felt like my whole body was being burned in fire. It glided off nice and I never seemed to have this much of an effect when ites to people saying my name. ''''Likewise.'''' I reply. The queen chuckles from behind, ''''Now that''s settled. Emery, would you care to show Emma around while Mrs. Parker and I have a little talk, getting to know each other.'''' She says and I immediately look up at Emery¡ªwho seems to clench his jaw and fake a smile that I can very much notice. ''''As you say, mother.'''' I turn to look behind and see my mother and the queen has made their way towards the other door, leaving the room as they are having their conversation. Now, it''s only Emery and I; the both of us are drowning in the ocean of awkwardness. He looks down at my five foot five height, ''''Shall we?'''' He says, pointing at the door. I respond with a smile and we start to make our ways out, just walking down the big hallway. My eyes can never seem to look at him because I fear of getting caught; that would be very awkward. Even though we''re walking side by side without uttering a single word, it feels like we''re saying everything. ''''I just came back from Melbourne a few days ago, I''m sorry if I''m a little bit off.'''' He breaks the silence. ''''It''s alright. I have the same effect sometimes,'''' I reply, ncing at his direction. We continue to walk in silence once more until we enter a different room where there are paintings hung on the wall. It doesn''t take me long to notice a painting of Emery¡ªhe seems slightly different but even in the painting, everyone can tell how attractive and ravishing he looks, ''''That''s you.'''' I say. He turns to look at his own painting, ''''That''s me, a couple of years ago.'''' He replies. I nod, only looking around the room without uttering anything. When I turn to look at Emery, I see him looking at the painting beside his but I keep quiet, not wanting to invade his privacy¡ªit might make him dislike me more if he already has. Surprisingly, our eyes meet once more but this time, I don''t find the need to look away. We are staring into each other''s eyes with thoughts in our head yet I can''t reallyprehend what those thoughts are. Even though my eyes are brown, yet I find his very warm and beautiful than any other brown eyes I''ve seen; including mine. ''''I¡ª'''' We both say at the same time which causes both of us to keep quiet afterwards. His lips are curved into a small smile, ''''You first,'''' He says. ''''Well, just so you know, I was thinking really hard before I came here. If you think that I shouldn''t be here, say it so I can leave. It wouldn''t be much if I leave now because things won''t be tooplicated.'''' I say and all he does is just looking at my face without saying anything for a few seconds. ''''Your turn,'''' I mutter after realising that he has not spoken a word. ''''That''s far from what I want to say.'''' He replies, slightly smirking as I watch him taking a few steps towards the side¡ªproviding distance between us, ''''I heard that you own a restaurant.'''' He adds. My eyes widen before chuckling which earns his attention at the sound of myughter, ''''Yeah I do in New York and it originally belongs to my dad but he gave it to me¡ªso I run it now,'''' I answer, eyeing his every movement, ''''What about you?'''' ''''I''m sorry to say that I''m not that kind of guy but I own the country if that impresses you.'''' He smiles, making me chuckle once more. Honestly, I wouldn''t think of being very casual with him¡ªwe''re actually chatting like normal people and I seem to forget that he''s royalty. ''''That''s the first,'''' I mutter, realising that I''m actually speaking as if I''ve been with a lot of guys so I quickly look up at him¡ªclearing my throat. It wasn''t supposed toe out that way. His brown eyes are staring into mine, ''''Do I have to worry about other men courting you?'''' He asks, lessening the distance between us by taking a few steps forward. Due to our heights, he is currently looking down at me but for some reason, our heights are more likely perfect. We both end up staring at one another and I don''t seem to mind either. Why would anyone mind if a charmingly beautiful prince stares at you for quite a long duration of time but you want to stare at him too and the best way is to just stare at each other? True. That''s quite a statement. I thought. ''''Do you intend on courting me?'''' I ask. ''''It won''t take long,'''' He replies. Within seconds, the two doors are opened from the other side, causing both of us to turn and look¡ª seeing a man in his suit stepping in, probably one of the guards, ''''My apologies, Your Highness but the king requests for your presence.'''' He says, earning a nod from Emery before stepping out. Emery turns towards me once more, ''''I''ll see you around.'''' He says and I reply with a nod as he starts to make his way towards the door, pulling it open before closing it behind him. I am left here standing all by myself until I decide to make my way towards the garden, unintentionally finding my way without trouble. Once I reach there, my eyes widen immediately, surprised to see my mother standing near the door and has a yful smile on her face. I ce a hand on my chest as a reaction, ''''Oh shit, you scared me.'''' I mutter in a hurry. Sheughs, ''''You aren''t easily scared, what''s in your mind? How was he?'''' She asks, pulling me close before closing the door and sitting on the nearest bench. We are both just looking at each other but from the look on her face, it shows that she had quite a pleasant conversation with the queen probably talking about an engagement or even marriage. That''s just a wild guess. ''''How was who?'''' I raise an eyebrow, trying to cover up the sudden nervousness. ''''Don''t fool me, Emma. He must be very charming to have this kind of effect on you.'''' She chuckles and I immediately feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment¡ªit''s not due to Emery but being around Emery, it feels different. I''m not sure whether it''s a good different or not and I can''t seem to realise that. Staring into his brown eyes manage to make me feel lost because they are somehow filled with emotions and something else; something I can''tprehend. When we were talking, I can''t help but feel nervous around him even though I might seem like I''m alright. His presence brought feelings that I haven''t felt for awhile; thest time I felt it was in high school with some guy, should''ve known he was a waste of time and tears. Emery talked about courting and I can''t be sure if he was serious or not because men tend to fool us around but instead of pushing me away or trying to take advantage, he actually said courting¡ªwhich made me feel like I''m not even living in the twenty-first century. ''''He''s alright,'''' I reply after minutes of being quiet. ''''Just alright?'''' I turn to look at my mother, ''''Well, he''s a prince so you can guess what he is like. He''s charming but I''m just guessing that being charming is in his nature, he was raised that way. A royalty is always raised to be charming and respectful. He was like that when we talked,'''' I say. ''''That''s quite true. We can hardly know if that was the true him or he was only pretending for the sake of his reputation.'''' She agrees, looking at the fountain up front before letting out a deep sigh. ''''Exactly.'''' I mutter under my breath, ''''How was your talk with the queen?'''' ''''We talked about your engagement with Emery and how to make it public. It''s going to be one hell of an engagement, Emma. You can actually kiss your privacy goodbye because it''s a dangerous world with the press and all, trying to get a bad side of you and she also told me that everything goes on well, the wedding won''t take long to happen.'''' She replies. I let out a humourless chuckle, ''''We arrived for a few hours and she already talked about the engagement. That''s quite blunt,'''' I say. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ''''There will be a weing dinner tonight where the queen will invite a few of her friends including us. We''re requested toe so that you can be seen with Emery¡ªI can''t say I agree but there''s not much of an option.'''' She breathes out, ''''We''re here now, might as well enjoy it before you make up your mind and start to run off.'''' As she stands up, she starts to look down at me with teary eyes. ''''Mum, why are you crying?'''' I stand up, pulling her close. ''''Please don''t run off, Emma. Even if you don''t want this engagement or wedding to happen, tell me so that we can leave as soon as possible but don''t walk away and never see me again¡ªthat''s not what I want. I don''t force you to stay and fulfil what has been destined for you because I''m giving you a choice, you deserve to choose your own life. If you also think that this kind of life doesn''t suit you and that you want to find your own kind of man to marry, I''m always here to support you.'''' She looks into my eyes and I can''t help but pull her for a hug. ''''I''m not going anywhere,'''' I whisper into her ear. Once we head up to our rooms, I am surprised to see a big beige coloured box on the bed so I immediately make my way towards it before opening the box, seeing a dark red dress nicely ced in the middle with another small beige box and surprisingly, there are a set of earrings and a ne¡ª made from diamonds. My lips curve up into a small smile, knowing the fact that red is definitely my colour Chapter 4-2 Chapter 4-2 Emma As I enter the dining room, I immediately see Emery talking to his mother but within seconds, he turns to look at me before eyeing my dress and my face; causing my cheeks to slightly flush pink. Without further ado, I continue to make my way towards them and joining the small crowd. ''''I''m sorry but the king won''t be joining us today,'''' One of the guards say, breaking the silence. Emery nces at his mother for a few seconds before pointing at one of the seats near me as a gesture for me to sit down. He pulls the chair to the back, letting me sit in my ownfort and to my surprise, he leans in near my ear, ''''You look stunning.'''' He whispers. Then, he starts to make his way towards his own seat while I continue to keep my calm high instead of getting all excited over apliment. The truth is, I feel like jumping up and down due to hispliment; I''ve never beenplimented by a prince before and I''m sure it''ll cause anyone to react in a crazy own way. My mother sits beside me in her dress that I''vee to notice, fits her perfectly which define her natural curves. I hold onto her hand, ''''You look nice, mum.'''' I say with a smile and she chuckles; lightly caressing my cheek. The queen has finally seated down next to Emery and she turns to look at me immediately, ''''Emma, you look absolutely beautiful and I''m d that the dress fits you very well. Red is definitely your colour, dear.'''' She says and I nod with a smile stered on my face as a thank you. Within seconds, I start to see other peopleing in. The amount of people in this dining room are around ten¡ªI heard the queen only invited her closes friend as she does not want mum and I to feel a little bit pushed by her weing. Almost all of them has their eyes glued to me but I pretend not to notice because I''ll end up embarrassing myself without noticing. I look up to see Emery focused on the food in front of him without ncing elsewhere. My mind seem to have forgotten that it''s very impolite to stare as I continue to look at him and see the way he frowns just by looking at his food which makes me chuckle lightly. Honestly, he looks unknowingly adorable in his own ways. All of a sudden, he starts to look up at me, causing my eyes to widen immediately. Our eyes meet and they start to look deeply into one another as if we can go through each other''s soul. I break the eye contact, trying to cover up the embarrassment I''ve earned. ''''I saw that,'''' My mother says beside me in a low tone. ''''What?'''' I raise an eyebrow, gazing at her. She raises the ss of water before taking a sip, ''''The whole romantic stare, I saw it all. Don''t need to be shy or hide those things away from me, it''s normal for you to develop feelings¡ªeven without knowing each other yet,'''' She replies. ''''That''s very impossible, mum. This is the twenty-first century, there''s no such things as developing feelings without knowing one another; there''s also no such things as love at first sight because it does not exist. Humans are attracted to attractive people and love at first sight may only be possible if the person is undeniably beautiful.'''' I state, causing her to look at me with disbelief before smiling, half- agreeing. ''''Suit yourself, Emma. A mother knows best,'''' She says. During the whole dinner, I was trying my best to not spare a single nce towards Emery because I know that we might end up in another awkward situation which I highly want to avoid. Even though I felt him looking at me for a few times but I managed to stay still and pushed away the temptation to look at him too. Right now, I''m just walking down the hallway as I excused myself earlier. I can''t get my thoughts straight with being near all those people¡ªthey looked at me and they started to talk but I hardly pay any attention. It''s probably because they know that I''ll be marrying the Prince of Cambridge. I immediately stop my steps once I see Emery walking in a hurry towards the king''s chamber. I furrow my eyebrows at the sight of him¡ªcatching a glimpse of his eyebrows frowning in worry but I stay still, taking a few steps further away, scared if I might get caught for invading someone''s privacy. When I turn around, I see a man standing quite near me with a smile stered on his face. My eyes widen instantly, surprised at his figure. Then, he chuckles, ''''I''m sorry to scare you but you look like you''re troubled.'''' He says in his thick ent and I just curve up my lips in an awkward smile. ''''I''m fine,'''' I reply. After taking a closer look at him, it appears that he''s around his thirties, probably yet his blue eyes are the only feature that''s appealing enough to attract someone. He looks deeply into my eyes but I find it slightly ufortable, ''''I''ve learned from experience that when a woman says that she''s fine, she''s actually not. I don''t know whether I should say the same for you.'''' He says. We both end up staring at each other but my stare is a little bit more confused. ''''I''m really fine, actually. There''s nothing that is bothering me or anything and I appreciate your concern but I don''t need it at the moment or any other moment, to be honest. I''m good,'''' I speak, taking a few steps further away because he seems a little bit mysterious in a way that I don''t prefer. ''''Alright, that''s good to hear.'''' He replies before smiling once more. Then, he continues to walk down the hall, leaving me here all by myself¡ªjust how I want. When I start to hear familiar voices, I turn towards the king''s chamber, seeing Emery and the queen stepping out but what surprises me most is the look on Emery''s face. It shows how he''s worried and troubled which confuses me slightly. As for the queen, she starts to sigh deeply, holding onto her son''s arm, ''''Emery, there''s no other choice. You know that too,'''' She says. ''''There has got to be a choice, mother. The agreement cannot determine my life as I do have a choice to my own life and you know that better than anyone else including father. He''s too caught up with the promise he made with his father years ago and I don''t me him at all but I''m not letting the agreement ruin my future,'''' He replies, looking straight at his mother. Genevieve sighs once more, hugging onto her slim figure, ''''Choices are limited for us, my son. Royalties have to sacrifice and sometimes the sacrifices me make are worth it. Trust me,'''' She says, trying to persuade Emery into something but I stay still behind the wall, wanting to continue on hearing their conversation without getting caught¡ªthat can bring me into trouble. ''''What sacrifice do you think that''ll be worth it by marrying someone I don''t know? Marriage is something that everyone has a choice, royalty or not. Divorce is very out of topic for someone like us, I know that so I don''t want to choose something that I might regret one day. I don''t want to hurt anyone including myself,'''' He mutters, quite low but from his voice, anyone can sense that he''s all tensed up. The queen shakes her head in disagreement, ''''I don''t see it. I don''t see anything that''s wrong with Emma. She''s beautiful, smart, stunning and anything that a man could ask for. What is it that you don''t want to marry her? What is it that I don''t see? Is she not good enough for you or is it the opposite?'''' She moves around, stating. They both end up in silence and it bothers me somehow, am I caught for eavesdropping but seconds before I can make my way down the hall, I start to hear them talk once more and I wish I had left because for some reason, it''s something that I don''t want to know. ''''There''s nothing wrong with Emma. She''s a wonderful person and I''m very sure that she has a pure heart but it''s not something that I can force upon myself. I can''t love her, mother. When I look at her, I just don''t see myself loving her in a way that a husband should love his wife¡ªin fact, I don''t see myself loving her in anyway possible.'''' He speaks, causing me to sigh just by knowing the truth. ''''Feelings wille, my son.'''' ''''Like I said, I don''t want to force myself and I don''t want to marry. If only there''s something that I can do, if only the agreement isn''t important enough and if only I can cancel the whole thing, wouldn''t that be an easier option?'''' He says and I immediately make my way down the hall¡ªnot wanting to continue on listening. My heart doesn''t feel like it''s hurting because Emery is right, we barely know each other and he doesn''t want to force himself to love me when he feels absolutely nothing¡ªI would do the same too. It''s impossible to love someone that we don''t feel any sort of connection with because feelings don''te by force. If I go through this marriage even with sadness and despair, I know that I''ll be saying goodbye to the dearest happiness I still manage to feel now; he won''t love me, that''s the answer. He''ll keep on pushing me away and he won''t try because he doesn''t want to force himself¡ªhe thinks that by marrying me, it''ll ruin his life. For some reason, I can say the same. Who would want to marry a stranger? No one. I don''t know what he is like and I don''t know whether I''ll be able to ept his ws because we barely know one another. It goes the same for him. I don''t know if he might dislike me after months of being married or even days. It can happen. Once I''ve reached my bedroom, I quickly take my suitcase before putting it onto the bed and cing my stuff inside without hesitating. I look up to see my mother entering the room with a surprised look on her face, ''''What are you doing, Emma?'''' She asks, continue to walk closer towards me. Without thinking, I keep on cing everything inside before taking a pair of skinny jeans and a loose shirt with cardigan out¡ªwanting to change out of this dress. As I make my way towards the bathroom, I quickly change and ce the dress right on the bed; not sparing a single nce. ''''Emma?'''' My mother calls out but I ignore her. ''''We''re leaving,'''' I say, swallowing the non-existent lump in my throat as I nce towards her direction and tying my hair up into a ponytail, feeling a little bit messed up if I leave my hair down. ''''Leaving? What happened? Are you alright?'''' She asks but seconds before I can answer, we both turn around to see Emery standing near the door as he looks at me as he clenches his jaw. I let out a deep sigh, not really believing that he''s here, did he see me walk away earlier? I thought. Emery takes a few steps inside, ''''I''m sorry, Mrs. Parker but can I please speak with your daughter?'''' He asks without breaking the eye contact with me and within seconds, my mother starts to walk out of the room, closing the door afterwards. I am left with Emery. ''''What do you want?'''' I question before crossing my arms and looking straight at him. For the first time after being here for a few hours, I finally have the courage to look straight and deeply into his eyes without fear of getting lost because I know his true feelings so it doesn''t bother me anymore. He stops once he sees that we''re close enough, ''''I want to clear up any misunderstandings with you because that''s definitely not what I want right now. Look, Emma, I know you heard what I said earlier with my mother and somehow, it might have caused you react this way. I''m sorry,'''' He replies, his brown eyes are buried deep into mine. I see him clenching his jaw before sighing and I can''t help but eye his every movement. We both keep quiet for a couple of minutes without realising because we''re both busy staring into each other''s eyes yet Ie to notice and remember the words he said earlier about not seeing himself loving me¡ªit doesn''t necessarily matter because we won''t be having that with our future. ''''I''m leaving because I have a choice and my choice is to not marry you. Whatever it is that you said earlier, it makes me realise something that I have probably forgotten when I came here today. You All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. brought back reality and I should thank you. We''re two different people, Emery and I don''t care if you don''t want to marry me because I''m saying the same to you. It doesn''t bother me.'''' I say, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. ''''So, I''m leaving tonight. You don''t have to apologise because it''s not your fault. I''m taking the quickest flight back to New York and we''ll be on our own lives without looking back at what happened today, you''ll forget about me and I''ll forget about you. Eventually, we''ll meet someone new ande to appreciate that we did not get married to each other because we both knew that it wasn''t right.'''' I add and from the look on his face, it shows how he''s slightly confused but he understands that what I''m saying is clearly what he''s thinking. As I turn to continue on packing, he grabs onto my wrist, making me turn back at him with my eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ''''Leave tomorrow. I''ll book a flight for you tomorrow, that''s the least I can do after causing you so much troubleing here.'''' He says, in a low tone but still loud enough for me to hear. Then, he starts to let go of my wrist. We both look at each other once more before he makes his way out of the bedroom¡ªleaving me staring at the spot he stood, confirming my choice. It doesn''t matter if I''ll keep on thinking about this day in the future because what matters most is that I don''t want to ruin someone else''s life due to this. It makes me wonder somehow, does he not feel the sparks? Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Emma As I continue on scrolling down my phone while we cue at the airport, my mother continues to talk about how she doesn''t exactly understand what exactly is going on but I pay no attention because I don''t want to trouble my mind with regrets that I can barely resist. I may letting go the chance of a lifetime but if it doesn''t include happiness, I won''t participate. ''''Can I at least know why?'''' She asks, making me turn to face her and see the look on her face¡ªit shows confusion. Deep inside, I know I would be the same if I''m in her shoes; I would want to know. ''''There''s nothing to know,'''' I reply, dropping my phone inside my handbag before putting both of my hands in my coat''s pocket. Honestly, I don''t want to tell about what happened yesterday to her even though I know that she deserves to know because she''s my mother and she came here with me. Leaving without a reason is definitely confusing for her but my reason is enough for me to leave. My mind can''t seem to forget the words he said yesterday and he didn''t deny it either when we were talking. He kept his word, he did book a flight for both mum and I for our return to New York. The queen was surprised to hear my decision but she didn''t stop me because she knew, her son doesn''t even want to marry me. We don''t want to marry each other. ''''There''s nothing wrong with Emma. She''s a wonderful person and I''m very sure that she has a pure heart but it''s not something that I can force upon myself. I can''t love her, mother. When I look at her, I just don''t see myself loving her in a way that a husband should love his wife¡ªin fact, I don''t see myself loving her in anyway possible.'''' The way he spoke, showed determination. I let out a deep sigh before ncing down at my wrist watch, wanting to get out of Ennd as soon as possible and without a second thought of this ce. My new n is to get back to New York, probably spend a couple of days trying to make my priorities straight and my feelings stable before finally going back to the restaurant to start dealing with the business again. It may sound like a perfect n but ns can be ruined by unexpected people. Happens all the time. Mum mighte and try to force me to leave the house just so that we can go back to Ennd but I won''t be taking any chancesing back here; I don''t feel like there''s a purpose. We came all the way from New York just to hear myself getting rejected and it wasn''t even at my face. My heart continues on saying that it doesn''t matter and it doesn''t bother me at all but deep inside, I want to know if he even thinks of me as someone who''s beautiful. I want to know why he doesn''t want to try and give in for once just so that there''s a chance for our rtionship to work out¡ªeveryone starts as strangers and we can probably begin there. Like I said, Emery and I are two different people. He''s the prince and I''m just a city girl with a business to run instead of a country. He deserves someone better and with a high status other than me because look at him, he''s like the definition of perfection. The way he look, stand, talk and even move, it contains power and grace. ''''There''s obviously a lot of things to know, Emma. You just don''t want to tell me, that''s all. You want to keep it to yourself and I don''t me you for that but I have the right to know if you decline the marriage or even the engagement¡ªis there something that you don''t like? What happened with Emeryst night? Did he say something hurtful?'''' She continues to ask which makes me let out another sigh¡ªshe pisses me off sometimes and I just wish I can block my ears for a few hours until she finally stops talking but I can''t do that so it irritates me. ''''You said that we have a choice. What I''m doing right now is choosing my choice so I''m not looking back because that''s far from what I have in mind,'''' I reply. ''''I want to know the reason behind this.'''' She starts to stand in front of me as she looks at me dissatisfaction so with another sigh, ''''He doesn''t want to marry me. I don''t want to marry him. We don''t want to marry one another and from that, it shows how our marriage will neverst. I don''t want to be forcing myself to love or even like him so the only way to not regret afterwards is to walk away, leave everything behind and start fresh.'''' I say. ''''That''s not even a great exnation,'''' She mutters. ''''There doesn''t need to be an exnation, mum. Just know that this is my life and my choice so you have to ept everything without saying how I will regret this. I might regret this one day but that''s life, you just got to move on and forget the unnecessary details of your life.'''' I say, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. When I see that she''s looking at something behind me, I turn to follow her gaze¡ªsurprised to see Emery standing there, looking straight at my face. My eyes widen slightly at his presence before he continues to walk closer towards me until we''re close enough. His light brown eyes are buried deeply into mine without a sign of looking away. Even though I still feel slightly ufortable under his gaze, I pretend to not care and just look back; wanting to show how he doesn''t have any effects on me even though he brings me all sorts of feelings in my stomach. My mother clears her throat as she makes her way towards the restroom, leaving Emery and I standing awkwardly close to each other while we just try to calm ourselves down. He''s probably thinking in his head while mine remains nk and confused. Due to his gaze, I know that he''s here for something, probably wanting to clear things out but I don''t know, I can never be so sure. ''''What are you doing here?'''' I ask, breaking the silence between us. He clenches his jaw, ''''I came here to exin things to you before it''s toote and I might not see you again. I hope that you''ll give me a few minutes to talk, then you can make your own decision, I''ll ept.'''' He replies, ncing for a few seconds at the surroundings around us. Some people are ncing towards our direction, probably wanting to confirm themselves about the figure in front of me. It''s their prince and they don''t seem to notice much¡ªbut I don''t bother think about it. There''s a lot more worth thinking about than that. They can waste their time for all I care. ''''I don''t really think there''s anything much to exin,'''' I mutter. ''''Look, Emma. I''ll just be honest with you because that''s what I''m good at, being honest. I know that you heard everything that I said with my motherst night and that''s probably the reason why you''re leaving. I would too because who would want to stay when the other person doesn''t even care or want our presence, right?'''' He starts before he clears his throat, ''''But the thing is, you''re the only one with a choice in our situation.'''' My eyebrows furrow in confusion as I take a better look at his face, trying to seek for lies. ''''What do you mean?'''' ''''You can leave this country and nevere back. Then, you will meet someone out there before you actually choose to settle down with him¡ªhave a family and all that stuff or you can stay here, continue on this agreement that our great-grandfather decided to make for the sake of their friendship and marry me. From there, we''ll see how it''ll goes.'''' He speaks. ''''That doesn''t exin why i''m the only one with a choice here,'''' Emery sighs, ''''You''re the only one allowed to marry someone else other than me. In the agreement, it states that I am allowed to marry only you and take the throne but if you disagree, I am not allowed to marry anyone at all until the day I die. With no heir or throne, my family are left with nothing except for our fortunes,'''' He continues; making me frown at the difficulty of our situation. If I leave and choose to not marry him, he will not be allowed to marry anyone else because that is what stated in the agreement. He will also not have an heir¡ªdue to the fact that he will never get married so he will lose everything that has been going through his family for generations. On the other hand, if I stay and choose to marry him, he will step up for the throne once it is time and I will be his rightful queen. We both look into each other''s eyes, probably thinking of what can possibly happen. My throat suddenly feels dry due to the fact that his future depends on my choice. How can that even be possible? It''s highly impossible. He''s the prince, for god''s sake, he is allowed to marry whoever he wants Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. but due to the stupid agreement that was made centuries ago, his choice is limited¡ªit all depends on me. ''''What do you choose?'''' I ask, my voice low but loud enough for him to hear. ''''Is that the prince?'''' We both hear someone say from afar but Emery keeps quiet, only focusing on me without looking back. ''''Do you choose me?'''' He asks, leaving me in utter confusion. ''''I don''t know,'''' To my surprise, he goes down on one knee, earning almost everyone''s attention. Within seconds, most of the people here start to realise that he''s actually their prince. I look down at him before ncing around the airport, seeing that people are muttering words that I can''tprehend as they look at us in surprise. They''ve never seen or heard about me before and all of a sudden, their prince is kneeling to an unknown girl. Emery furrows his eyebrows, ''''I don''t really have a ring with me but uh, either way I''m still kneeling. You can walk away and leave or you can ept me and we''ll get this over with. So, Emma, I barely know anything about you because we met yesterday and it''s really unrealistic for me to be proposing to a woman I barely know but when I firstid eyes on you, I saw a very beautiful woman¡ªnot the prettiest but you are very beautiful. I don''t know what else I''m supposed to say and this is probably the most horrible proposal but Emma Faye Parker, will you or will you not marry me?'''' He says, causing me to continue on staring at him nkly. My lips curve up into a small smile, seeing that he''s actually putting zero effort into the so-called-proposal but I don''t really mind. He''s correct, we barely know each other and if he goes down with a cheesy proposal, it wouldn''t sound real¡ªit would sound like he''s not sincere. ''''Well, I feel sorry for you to die as a loner so yes, Emery France Van An, I will marry you.'''' I reply with a yful smirk on my face which causes him to smirk back before standing up, clearing his throat. From the side, I see my mother wiping tears from her eyes as she smiles widely at me. When my eyes wander around the airport, I see that people are starting to p for us as they watch us with awe and adoration. Emery on the other hand, continues to look at me, ''''Don''t worry, they didn''t hear my proposal so you''re the only one who knows how stupid it sounded.'''' He says. ''''Good to know,'''' I mutter. Then, he looks down at me before I start to look up at him once more. All of a sudden, he gives me his hand as a sign for me to take it¡ªwhich starts to make my heart go wild. Within seconds, my hand is already ced on his, letting me feel sparks overflowing my whole body; yet I still wonder if he feels them or not. ''''How did you know my full name, anyway?'''' I ask. He smirks, ''''How did you know mine?'''' Once we''re back at the castle, I am surprised to see the queen standing in the middle of the stairs before she starts to pull me into a hug¡ªsurprising me once more. When she pulls away, her eyes are filled with tears as she nces towards her son for a few seconds. I only smile at her; not really knowing how to react. Emery walks closer towards me before leaning in a bit, ''''Come with me.'''' He says. My mother and the queen starts to make their way inside the castle while Emery and I walk towards the back¡ªnearing the other garden around the castle and entering a ce filled with flowers, leaving a scent. I look around in awe, loving the surroundings before I finally see a white bench in the middle near the fountain which is currently upied by Emery. I sit right next to him, keeping the distance unupied. ''''We actually have a lot to talk about but it''s not really a serious matter. Just some stuff that we should know about each other for the sake of ourselves and our¡ªwhatever,'''' He says. I take a better look at him, ''''Do you want to get to know me, Emery?'''' I ask and surprisingly, I see his cheeks flush a slight pink that''s almost fading within seconds. ''''Well, I don''t intend on being stuck with a stranger for the rest of my life. Don''t you think it''s a little bit important to not skip the get to know each other part?'''' He nces at my direction for a few seconds before looking at anything except for me. My lips curve up into a small smile, ''''There''s not really much to know about me, honestly. I don''t have a story to impress or surprise you because I''m just a normal boring girl with a normal life until the day I know that I''ve been engaged to a prince ever since I was born¡ªwhich I find very unbelievable.'''' I reply with a sigh. He looks at me for a few seconds, ''''I''ll begin then. The reason why I said that I just came back from Melbourne was because I''ve been living there ever since I was eighteen so I barely remember much of what happened here in Ennd. Most of the people there doesn''t know about me because I''m rarely in the news or anything. My life was just like yours and any other people. I must say that I really like it, I prefer it, actually.'''' He says, looking down at the nearest flower. My mind starts to think about his past girlfriends. He must have one or used to have one. I thought. ''''I don''t have a girlfriend, if that''s what you''re wondering about. I never really even have a girlfriend before because I choose to not be serious with someone. It''s a good thing I didn''t, I wouldn''t have a choice with her anyway. So, instead of having a rtionship with someone, I only have the perks.'''' He says, looking straight into my eyes. Then, we stay quiet for a few seconds, ''''What about you?'''' I look down at my fingers, ''''I used to have a boyfriend but only back in high school. He broke my heart pretty bad so I didn''t really give a chance on liking or loving someone. I focused on my studies and my career instead of on myself because I know that it won''t worth the time anyway or even the effort, sometimes people just don''t appreciate me.'''' I reply, ''''He was shitty anyway,'''' I add. He chuckles at mynguage. My eyes can''t stop looking at him even from the side because I still see the smile on his face even though it''s not as wide as it might count as him being happy but there''s something than nothing. He continues to look down, ying with the ring on his finger¡ªprobably one of those family rings. Then, to my surprise, he looks up, meeting my eyes instantly. My brown eyes are looking back at his without a single blink preventing me from doing so. He doesn''t show any signs of looking away either and I take that as a good thing¡ªfor now. Other than that, he doesn''t seem to lean in and try to steal a kiss as he just stay still at his spot, cherishing our eye contact. I feel something cold touches my skin and I look down to see him sliding in an engagement ring on my finger, causing me to look down in surprise. Within seconds, I am looking up at him once more, seeing him focusing on the ring down on my finger¡ªsurprisingly, the ring fits perfectly fine. ''''I tried it on my pinky finger, I''m surprised that it fits.'''' He mutters, loud enough for me. As I nce onest time at the ring, I find him standing up, putting both of his hands in his jeans'' pocket as he looks down at me¡ªmeeting eyes once more, ''''I''ll see youter, Emma.'''' He says and I just continue on looking at him until he''s finally out of sight; leaving me sitting here and admiring the engagement ring. If a ring fitted a guy''s pinky finger and also fitted a girl''s ring finger, they are match made in heaven. My mind reys back the words that mum once said when I was little, leaving me staring at the ring once more. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Emma ''''A royal guest is here! Do you perhaps know who it might be?'''' One of the servants ask one another as they make their way towards the front entrance, muttering more words as they do so. With a frown on my face, I turn to see a lot of more servants going through that way. ''''A royal guest?'''' I question myself. I continue to walk inside the castle, seeing that most of the servants are lined up at the entrance, waiting for the royal guest to arrive shortly. While I continue to stare at the front door, I immediately turn toe face to face with a man''s broad chest. My eyes widen in surprise before stepping back a little and looking up in a hurry, seeing Emery looking down at me with a smirk on his face¡ªprobably from the look on my face because I bet it wasn''t pretty earlier. ''''You should really watch where you''re going, it is kind of deadly.'''' He says after rolling his eyes before passing by me, walking down the hall and straight towards the front door¡ªleaving me thinking that he''s going to greet the royal guest. Ie to realise that he has changed into a navy blue shirt. ''''Deadly, my ass.'''' I mutter under my breath. Without further ado, I start to make my way towards the front door, standing right next to one of the servants while I watch Emery taking a few steps down the stairs, looking around in confusion but he stays still, talking to the queen¡ªhis mother. I can''t help myself when ites to Emery. I end up watching his every movement and actions, even by the way he chuckles when the queen mutters a light joke. The way his eyes squint when heughs, it''s one of the things that may attract women. Especially him, he''s royalty. After a few minutes of waiting for the royal guest, we finally see a ck Range Rover stopping at the middle of the entrance¡ªthe windows are darkly tinted, preventing anyone from seeing inside. I can guess that it''s indeed a royal guest; being greeted by the queen and prince, must be a special person. Ever since I came here, for like two days, I haven''t met or seen the king. Rumours are spreading around the castle, rumours about the king that I am starting to hear, they say that the king is actually ill, badly ill. It has been a couple of months since he left his chamber but his illness has been going on for a few months now. As the door is being opened by one of the bodyguards, my jaw drops onto the ground as soon as I see a woman¡ªaround her twenties, stepping out in her high heels with full of grace and ss but mostly ss. My eyes manage to take a few seconds eyeing her whole outfit, seeing that she''s wearing a ck tight pencil skirt with a white tank top and a zer in her hands. One word, deadly gorgeous. The way her light brown hair are in soft curls just fall down her shoulders¡ªit''s surprisingly building up envy in me. As soon as she steps out of the car, I manage to catch a glimpse of her face, seeing that she has a light makeup on;plimenting her wlessplexion. ''''Damn,'''' I mutter under my breath, sighing afterwards. To my surprise, her lips are curving up into a wide smile as soon as she sees Emery before walking towards him and pulling him in for a very tight hug¡ªpressing her body against his in an inappropriate way but everyone doesn''t seem to notice. Emery doesn''t either. ''''It''s been awhile and it''s really nice to see you again, cousin!'''' She exims in excitement before caressing the side of Emery''s cheek, pecking afterwards. I raise an eyebrow in disbelief before continuing to watch them bond¡ªnot in a family bonding way. The queen watches them with a smile on her face before receiving a peck on the cheek by her too. Within seconds, Emery''s eyes are on me while he clenches his jaw for an unknown reason. Then, his cousin turns to look at me, something passing her eyes but it disappears within a couple of seconds, ''''Don''t you miss me?'''' She asks, pouting. Emery clears his throat, ''''Not quite.'''' ''''Howe? You should miss me,'''' She continues to pout, showing off her big lips on purpose, ''''I''d rather not,'''' He replies, a smile appearing on his face and she doesn''t seem to bother anyway. Without me realising, I manage to let out a chuckle that gain Emery''s attention. Then, he walks towards me before cing his hand at the back of my waist, earning a look from his cousin¡ªthe royal guest, ''''Dian, this is my fianc¨¦e, Emma.'''' He says, looking down at me. His cousin¡ªDian, looks at me. Her eyes are looking straight into my eyes before eyeing my face and down my clothes which doesn''t really matches her in any ssy or gracefully way; I''m only wearing jeans and a shirt with a coat due to the weather. She curves her lips into a smile, giving me her hand to shake, ''''It''s an honour to meet you, Emma.'''' She says but before I can return the handshake, she pulls away and looking back at Emery. ''''Likewise,'''' I mutter. Dian walks inside with the queen, her heels clicking onto the ground, bothering my ears. Emery continues to stand beside me as we both watch the servants walking in¡ªleaving us outside. I realise that Emery''s hand is still at the back of my waist before he starts to lean in near my ear, ''''You don''t like her,'''' He mutters. ''''What makes you think so?'''' I question, turning to look at him. Once I face him, I am surprised to see his brown eyes turning lighter due to the sunlight which lightens his hair too¡ªleaving him looking gorgeously beautiful. He doesn''t seem to realise that I''m looking at him with full of awe, feeling attracted as he clears his throat, looking around. ''''I don''t think so, I know so.'''' He replies. ''''Who are you? Einstein?'''' I cross my arms, standing on my tiptoes¡ªnearing our faces together but he chuckles, pushes me slowly by the shoulder; making me drop back on my feet. ''''Don''t worry, I''m not fond of her too.'''' He says, ''''She annoys me for some reason and I don''t like that. Unfortunately, I''m not able to show it but trust me, I would if I can.'''' Then, he makes his way inside the castle with me trailing behind him. Emery and I walk side by side, eyeing the queen and Dian from behind¡ªknowing that they''re talking about a few things we don''t bother listening. If only my mum is here, at least she''ll be the one I can pour secrets or stories to but speaking of mum, she went back to New York on her own because she wanted to meet dad and settle things there while I get my mind straight and n this engagement or wedding. She''ll be here when the wedding date has been set. Dian turns around, looking at us immediately, making us stop walking and eye her from afar. I clear my Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. throat, waiting for her to get closer towards us, ''''It''d be lovely if Emery can show me around.'''' She says, smiling seductively. ''''Why would I show you around?'''' He asks. ''''Oh, silly. Thest time I was here, we were both children.'''' She replies, ncing at my direction for a few seconds before cing her hand on the side of his cheek. Emery removes her hand away slowly with a small smile on his face, ''''Unfortunately, I have things to do. It''d be best if you show yourself around,'''' He says, earning a chuckle from his mother. ''''You''re as boring as usual,'''' She pouts. ''''I''ve never been fun,'''' He rolls his eyes, walking down the hall without sparing a single nce at Dian nor I. My eyes wouldn''t stop looking at him until he''s finally out of sight. The queen''s eyes widen before walking towards me, ''''We shall talk about your engagement party with Emery, Emma. Come, let''s discuss.'''' She gestures for me toe and walk down the hall towards one of the rooms. Apparently, it''s not only meing along but Dian seems to be trailing behind us. I can''t seem to remove the sound of her heels clicking against the floor from my head¡ªit''s killing me slowly without even physically hurting. We are sitting at the nearest table as Genevieve¡ªthe queen, gestures for one of the servants to prepare tea. I stay still and try my best to avoid Dian''s gaze so I only look at the queen; waiting for her to start a conversation. ''''I''m sorry, Dian but this is a conversation that only Emma and I shall participate.'''' The queen says, ncing at Dian while she nods in understatement¡ªring at me for a few seconds before leaving the room. Once she''s out of the room, we are served with tea to warm up our stomachs while she starts to speak, ''''I heard about the proposal earlier on the news, has everything been sort out between you and Emery?'''' She asks, taking a sip of her tea. I look down at my fingers, ''''He told me about the agreement¡ªthe full agreement. For the sake of your family, I epted his proposal. He doesn''t deserve to die without a wife nor an heir and I think it would be cruel of me to walk away from what has been destined ever since I was born.'''' I reply. Her lips curving up into a small smile, ''''Emma, honestly, I''ve been asking one of my men to watch over you to make sure that you''re safe and growing up in a perfect environment. You got good grades in school including in university and I''m impressed, you turn out to be an intelligent youngdy.'''' She says, taking a sip of her tea again. ''''Watching over me?'''' I frown. She blinks a few times, ''''Yes. Remember that boy in high school? The one you were with on your senior year,'''' She looks up at me. I keep quiet, waiting for her to continue, ''''I handled him to break things off with you before it be much more serious. I don''t want anyone toe in between you and Emery, that would risk the agreement andplicate things.'''' She adds. ''''What?'''' I ask, confusingly. We broke up because she told him to. She must''ve paid him to do so¡ªpretending that there was a deal made and breaking my heart was the ultimate goal. Genevieve got in between in my rtionship; for the sake of her son. ''''My apologies, Emma. I did it for my son. If you developed feelings for that boy, he wouldn''t risk letting you go and I only made things easier for the both of you. I hope you hold no grunge against me,'''' She ces her hand on top of mine; rubbing with her thumb. ''''I should''ve known, he was true with his feelings.'''' I mutter under my breath¡ªnot quite believing. ''''He liked you, that''s why I didn''t want things to be much moreplicated than it already was.'''' She continues. ''''But he liked me,'''' I speak. ''''If he confessed his love for you and if you have found out about the agreement when you were that age, you would''ve run away with him¡ªprobably elope. You would''ve left your studies, your family and your responsibility. What I did was for the sake of my country,'''' She says, sighing as she leans back at her seat. ''''You''re their future queen,'''' She adds. Future queen. I thought. ''''Forgive me, Your Majesty but I did not choose this. I''m here to help your son and your family,'''' I say. ''''That shows how you''re fitted to be queen. You sacrifice yourself for the sake of others, not everyone is capable of doing that.'''' She replies, ''''We were supposed to talk about your engagement with Emery but I guess that shall happen some other time when Emery may join us,'''' She stands, smiling down before walking towards the door and leaving the room. I stay still at my spot, breathing in and trying to calm myself down¡ªafraid if I might explode. The queen has caused my life to tremble. Apart from all the achievements that I''ve made, I was hating love. If only I knew that it was a lie; a made up. As I escape the room, I see Emery walking down the hall so I quickly make my way towards him¡ª stopping him by the shoulder, earning myself a confused look, ''''How did things go with my mother?'''' He asks. ''''She told me the truth,'''' I reply. ''''What truth?'''' He frowns. ''''It doesn''t matter right now. I want to ask you one thing, if we go through this, if we go through this agreement, would you feel something for me or would we just pretend to be happy in front of your people but suffer behind their backs?'''' I ask, looking straight into his brown eyes. Emery looks at me in confusion¡ªprobably surprised to see me asking this kind of question. He takes a few steps closer towards me, ''''You''re having second thoughts.'''' He mutters. ''''Don''t we always?'''' I breathe out. ''''I won''t force you into this. You may leave and never return¡ª'''' He says but I cut him off, earning a frown. ''''¡ªbut I won''t,'''' I cut. Before he can say anything, the sound of the familiar heels clicking against the floor interrupts us, causing Emery to look up at my back while I turn to follow his gaze, ''''Sorry, was I interrupting?'''' She asks, swaying her hips side by side as she walks towards us. ''''Not necessarily,'''' He replies. ''''My apologies, dear cousin but it was really hard not to interrupt. You''ve been attracting me,'''' She chuckles as Emery sighs, going down the hall without ncing back at her. Within seconds, Dian res at me before walking down the hall towards the other direction; leaving me standing here all by myself, thinking about my future. My life. If someone is in my shoes at the moment, what would she do? Would she walk away and leave or stay and proceed? I thought. I let out a deep sigh, gazing down at my engagement ring¡ªseeing that it has some sentimental value to it and has been passed down for generations; adding more meaning. With another sigh, I continue down the hall, with Emery still in my head and bothering my thoughts. As I walk down the hall, I am shocked to find someone pulling me near a dark room¡ªcausing me to yelp and shake in fear but as the door closes beside me, I look up to see Emery looking down at me with both of his hands are my shoulders. ''''You scared me, for god''s sake.'''' I breathe. He ces his index finger on my lips, preventing me from speaking so I keep quiet, only focusing into his light brown eyes¡ªloving the way they are actually looking down at me. As he removes his finger softly, I start to feel a strange feeling building up in my body. The only thing shining the room is the firece, warming the room too. I am surprised to find myself much more attracted to his warmth than the firece itself. Our faces are inches apart and due to that, I start to nce down at his lips; feeling weird out at the fact that it''s the first time we''ve been this close to each other. ''''You asked me, if I would feel something for you if we continue, would this exin?'''' He asks, ncing down at my lips for a few seconds before leaning in and kissing the side of my cheek¡ªcausing me to close my eyes; enjoying the warmth of his lips on my cold skin. My eyes open once more as soon as he pulls back, leaving us staring at each other¡ªletting the strange feeling disappear on its own. Within seconds, he has already pulled the door open before quickly stepping out of the room; leaving me breathing heavily due to his presence. I ce a hand on my chest, feeling my heartbeat raising as a sign of my nervousness taking control over my body. I breathe out, touching the side of my cheek. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Emma ''''We should go with blue, it''ll be perfect.'''' The queen says, pointing at the dark blue as she nces at my direction for a few seconds¡ªtrying to see whether I''m catching up or not but honestly, I''ve been sitting here; like an ultimate fool. ''''Blue? I''m thinking red,'''' Dian says. They have been arguing about what colour my dress should be during my engagement party with Emery and each time I was trying to speak up, Dian would cut me into it; pointing out more colours. ''''Well, I was wondering if¡ª'''' I say but the queen frowns, pointing at the colour brown before denying Dian''s choice. They both have been arguing about the colour for the past hour; letting me sit here and watch their every movement. I let out a deep sigh before stepping up and exiting the room, not wanting to hear them arguing¡ªthey didn''t even notice me leaving. Dian was also pointing out as if she''s nning her own engagement instead of mine and due to that, I felt like it was no use to join their conversation about colours. It''ll be a waste; knowing that they won''t even give me a chance to speak. I close the door behind me, sighing once more. As I look down the hallway, I see Emery staring out the window¡ªwithout even realising that I''m making my way towards him; slowly, not wanting to wake him up from his trance. Ever since our kissst night, it''s slightly awkward to be around each other. Once we''re close enough, I stop walking and look up at Emery from the side¡ªseeing a better side of his profile. Within seconds, he turns to look down at me; his face showing no expression. Our eyes are looking deeply without uttering a single word, only enjoying each other''s presence. All of a sudden, his lips curve up into a small smile, ''''Have you been stalking me, Faye?'''' He asks, earning a chuckle from me. ''''That''s far from what I''ve been doing,'''' I reply. He chuckles before we both end up in silence once more. I try to avoid his stare but I always look back at him and feel as if his stare is giving me different feelings from different levels. For once, we finally realise how our stares manage to make us feel lost¡ªleaving us speechless. He clears his throat, ''''Shouldn''t you be with my mother?'''' He asks. ''''Your mother and Dian have been arguing about what colour should my engagement dress be. I guess it''ll be best if I stay out of their argument,'''' I reply, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear before looking up at him again. ''''That''s not new,'''' He chuckles. I smile before seeing that he has been eyeing my lips for the past few seconds and me smiling only made it worse. He continues to look at me before looking back at my eyes¡ªblinking as he do so, ''''I thought so,'''' I mutter. ''''You thought so?'''' He raises an eyebrow, closing the distance between us. He caresses the side of my cheek with his hand, letting me feel his warmth radiating. Within seconds, volts of electricity passes through my veins¡ªleaving me slightly breathless at the effect. I blink a few times, wanting to make sure that I''m not dreaming, ''''Do you feel it?'''' I ask, my voice low. ''''Feel what?'''' He questions. ''''This,'''' I reply, touching the side of his cheek and our eyes widen, feeling the spark hitting us once more. Due to that, I know he felt every spark that has been flowing through my body ever since we first touched but of course, he must''ve thought it as something delusional. ''''It''s hard to not feel, Emma.'''' He says. Then, his hand is lifting my face up so we would be facing each other in a way that I barely understand. He nces down at my lips for a few seconds before looking back up into my eyes; probably questioning himself. My lips are parting before I slowly lean in towards him, brushing our noses together¡ªearning myself a surprised gesture from him but he regains by snuggling closer, letting our lips brush against one another. Inches apart but it feels so far away with the uncertainty. ''''Go ahead,'''' I mutter under my breath. My eyes are ncing up at his eyes, seeing that they are focusing at my lips but he doesn''t seem to be leaning in. He seems to be arguing with himself on whether this could be the right or wrong decision we''re making. He could entirely be wrong or the opposite actually. I cup onto his face as soon as his lips meet mine in an evesting touch, leaving me deepening the kiss. Both of our eyes are closed and we''re left enjoying the kiss, the feeling and the sensation. Slowly, I feel his hands on my waist before pulling me close towards him; letting our bodies touch. The kiss is passionately slow yet for some reason, it feels like we''re showing something through this kiss instead of a in one. The way he holds me against the waist and the way my hands are cupping onto his cheek while I feel the warmth of his skin¡ªit''s the first time of me to feel this way after my little heartbreak in high school. What surprises me is that we''re both sober and perfectly aware of what''s happening. I slowly break the kiss before resting my forehead against his, catching up my breath while he does the same. My hands won''t stop touching his face and I can''t seem to get my mind off of our kiss¡ªit seemed too perfect. Even though our noses are still brushing against one another and even though we''re both showing signs of continuing the kiss, I don''t seem to mind; it feels like I''m encouraging him in every way possible. I finally know what it feels like being kissed by a prince¡ªlike one of those Disney movies. I look up into his brown eyes and see him still looking down at my lips while clenching his jaw; probably holding himself back from giving in. He pecks onest time on my lips before moving back, loosening the grip of his hands on my waist. We both pull away from each other, suddenly feel the fear of giving in. The fear of wanting each other very badly that it can cause us to immediatelyplicate things. ''''I can go back in with you if you like,'''' He says, breaking the awkwardness between us. ''''I''d like that,'''' I reply. We both walk side by side before entering the room where the queen and Dian are having their argument. As soon as they see us inside, they both stop arguing and turn to look at us in surprise¡ªboth of their eyes wide in respond. ''''Emery, I didn''t see you there.'''' Dian says. He takes a few steps towards them, ''''Of course, you were busy arguing with my mother. I can definitely see that,'''' He says, gesturing for me to sit on the chair beside him. Once I''m seated down, I continue to look up at him while the queen and Dian continues to have their argument about the colour. I start to chuckle once I see Emery rolling his eyes in annoyance. ''''I thought we agreed on this, Your Majesty.'''' Dian says. ''''No, I thought we said green.'''' The queen replies, shaking her head in disagreement while Emery and I watch them with smirks on our faces. As I look up at Emery, I see him pping his hand in front of my face, causing both Dian and his mother to look at us. My eyes wouldn''t leave his face and my lips are grinning into a smile while he looks at them, ''''I''m thankful that both of you are actually participating for our engagement party but I would love it if only Emma and I decide,'''' He says, stating the truth and my thoughts. The queen clears her throat, ''''Of course.'''' Emery sits beside me, ncing at my direction for a few seconds before taking the catalogue on the desk and flipping through the pages. ''''What colour do you want your dress to be?'''' I look up at him, seeing that he''s waiting for my answer so I quickly respond, ''''Beige, if that''s okay with you?'''' I answer and he nods, agreeing. ''''You''ll look pretty in any colour,'''' He replies. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. My cheeks heat up as soon as possible before he starts to ask the next question on the next page, ''''You can choose the kind of dress you like and how you want the designs to be, it''s all up on you. That''s settled,'''' He says, closing the catalogue before looking up at his mother. ''''See, it''s not that hard.'''' He adds. ''''I suppose,'''' The queen mutters under her breath as she looks at us in surprise while Dian continues to have her eyes on Emery''s face. ''''Now, will you excuse us, we have things to settle before they are left undone.'''' He says, ncing down at me for a few seconds before pulling me up by the hand as we walk out of the room¡ªleaving the queen and Dian inside. Once we''re out, he looks down at our entwined hands, realising that we''re actually holding hands. Within seconds, he looks up at me before letting go of my hand and clearing his throat while I feel my cheeks heat up. ''''Uh, I have things to do. I''ll be around when you need me,'''' He says before walking down the hall¡ªafter ncing onest time at me. I continue to stare at his broad shoulders until he''s finally out of sight, leaving me here. All of a sudden, I feel a presence behind me; making me turn to see Dian looking at me before closing the distance between us, ''''I didn''t see you there,'''' I say. ''''Obviously,'''' She rolls her eyes. I am left surprised by her attitude but from the res or stares that she has been giving me, it has proven me enough that she dislikes me. Probably a bit more than I can expect. ''''I''m pretty sure you are considering yourself lucky right now due to the fact that you''re marrying Emery, the prince of Cambridge. Just know one thing, you are and always will be amoner.'''' She says while I take a moment to eye her, slightly confused. ''''I don''t think I understand,'''' I reply. She takes a few steps closer, ''''Oh, you understand me very well. There are a lot of girls like you, out there, taking advantage just because you''re marrying into royalty.'''' She adds, crossing her arms. ''''Excuse me but let me make it clear for you, Lady Dian but I am here for the sake of¡ª'''' I say but someone cuts me off. ''''¡ªour love,'''' I turn to see Emery standing behind me before nearing me with his steps. Dian looks at Emery as she continues to cross her arms, rolling her eyes in annoyance. ''''That''s very honest of you,'''' She points out. ''''There''s two things that we all need in a rtionship, honesty and trust. If you want me to keep on going ¡ª'''' He says, looking directly at Dian. ''''No, save it.'''' She shakes her head, walking down the hall without a second nce; which causes me look at Emery in confusion. ''''What was that?'''' I raise an eyebrow. He sighs deeply, ''''No one can know about the agreement, Emma. Only our parents know because it can risk both of us if someone ever finds out about it.'''' He replies. ''''What do you mean? It''s just an agreement where you and I have to get married for the sake our great- grandparents,'''' I throw both of my hands up in the air; not knowing why we should keep it a secret. Emery looks straight into my eyes, somehow I can hear him sighing again, ''''Are you serious? If they find out about the agreement, they will know that I am only allowed to marry you. If I don''t marry you, I won''t be able to marry anyone else. If I don''t marry someone, I won''t have an heir. Without an heir, my title and my family will crumble. We will fall,'''' He exins, closing the distance between us. ''''When someone finds out about this, they''ll use it as an advantage. They''ll harm you to watch me fall so that they can take my ce. Even though Dian is my cousin, I can''t trust anyone; not when ites to this.'''' He adds, leaving me speechless at this statement. Emery stated the truth; it''s no lie that he will fall if they know. They will probably try to harm me just so Emery won''t be able to marry me nor anyone else, leaving him heirless. I breathe out, ''''What if I''m not capable of giving you an heir?'''' I ask;pletely out of topic but it''s highly possible. His eyes widen slightly before he starts to frown, realising what I asked was the a possibility. It can happen to anyone and it can either be me or him who has problems¡ªwe won''t know, not until then. ''''I don''t have an answer to that,'''' He replies. ''''Me neither,'''' I mutter under my breath, ''''I''m sorry for bringing that topic but it can happen, it''s a possibility. If it hits me, you marry me for nothing¡ªno heir. You''ll end up falling anyway,'''' I add. Then, he clenches his jaw, ''''It won''t hit you, it won''t happen to us. We can''t predict the future and we won''t know what will happen but whatever it is, we''ll get through it.'''' He says, slightly touching the side of my cheek with a small smile on his face. ''''Both of our lives are at stake, we don''t live in safety even when we''re married¡ªthey can make us fall, it doesn''t matter when.'''' He adds, ncing down at my lips for a few seconds as he takes a few steps back; leaving me nodding, agreeing. ''''So much for being royalty,'''' I joke. ''''Everything has a price,'''' He says. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Emma ''''Dad,'''' My eyes widen as soon as I see him standing at the doorway with a smile on his face¡ªso I immediately stand up, heading straight towards his direction; wrapping my arms around his neck before feeling his arms around my waist. ''''How''s my girl doing?'''' He asks, pecking onto my forehead. I smile up at him, ''''I''m doing alright.'''' His blue eyes are looking directly at me but a reassuring smile but before he can utter a single word, I grab onto his arm and widen my smile, ''''Let''s go for a walk,'''' I say. We both walk side by side towards the royal garden. I''m walking in the castle with my dad but my mind is upied with something else; the engagement, the wedding, the queen and Emery. Theye in a single package that I can''t seem to dismiss. ''''Is everything alright, Emma?'''' He asks in his British ent. I breathe out as we sit down on the nearest bench before I ce my head on his shoulder¡ªleaning in for support. Then, he looks down at me, ''''Everything''s alright. It''s going as nned by your grandfather,'''' I mutter, loud enough for him to hear. To my surprise, he chuckles and I lift my head up, looking at him with a smirk on my face. He continues to chuckle, ncing at my direction for a few seconds, ''''He can be very demanding sometimes and even though you haven''t met him, it seems like you already know him well.'''' He says. My eyes remain to stare at the fountain; somehow mesmerised by the view but I can''t seem to appreciate it. Not when my mind is giving me a headache. ''''By the look on your face, it shows everything.'''' I hear him say, breaking me from my thoughts. Our eyes meet and I just can''t help but feel tears appearing yet I manage to hold them back¡ªpreventing them from streaming down my cheeks and weaken my state. Dad pulls me closer by the shoulder, so that mine would bump with his, ''''You can tell me anything and everything. You''re my little girl¡ªmy only girl, it''s always you and I against the world, Emma. There''s nothing to hide from me. If you want to leave all of this behind, you can because nobody is going to hold you back.'''' He says, soothingly rubbing my back. ''''It''s much moreplicated than you think,'''' I say. He sighs, ''''Howe?'''' ''''In the agreement, it states that Emery is only allowed to marry me and if he disobey, he will break the royalw while I can disagree and leave but it''ll give him an impact. He won''t be able to marry anyone else and he won''t have an heir which ends their centuries of ruling.'''' I reply, sighing afterwards. ''''You agreed to this?'''' My dad raises an eyebrow, making me close my eyes and look down at my fingers¡ªbreathing out. The way he looks at me shows how he does not believe the choice I have made for the sake of Emery. He''s probably right, I have ruined my future and my own life for him¡ªhe gets to keep the throne while I Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. have to stay by his side whether I''ll be happy or not. Life is always unfair. That''s a fact. ''''It would be selfish and heartless of me to disagree.'''' I reply, gripping onto his hand; trying to gain strength. ''''But Emma, a marriage with one of the royalties is not a game. Once you agree and once you''ve been married, there is no way back. The Van Ans don''t take divorces as an option; it has been going on that way for centuries, it can''t be undone. You don''t want to end with someone you don''t know for the rest of your life,'''' He says, clearly stating the truth. Dad and I think alike. That''s why I''m much more closer to him than with mum. We spend most of our times together but it has been less due to the fact that he moved, leaving me only seeing mum whenever she wants or whenever I want. She has been busy with her life too; besides, we don''t think alike. ''''I know, they take marriage very seriously.'''' I add. ''''You still choose to continue?'''' He asks, making me hesitating over my own choice. I look straight into his eyes, seeing his concern for me. Yet, I appreciate his effort trying to let me see the right choice; it might be leaving Ennd but at the same time, it might be staying. Maybe when I think about Emery, it makes me feel sympathy for him. That''s probably why I can''t find the heart to leave. ''''I''ll take it as my fate,'''' I reply. ''''It might not be your fate at all. Emma, whatever you choose, I will always support you. No matter how far or how unrasional it might be, I''ll try to reason with you and I''ll try to help you get through this. Your mother or even the queen, can''t force you into something that you don''t want. Do you understand?'''' He says, caressing the side of my cheek with a sad smile on his face. I lean closer towards him by cing my head on his shoulder, sighing deeply. I''m really d that he''s here because I can pour everything; anything that I''ve been holding in just for the sake of feeling some sort of released. My heart starts to beat normally, stabilising my body. ''''I''m sorry to interrupt,'''' I immediately turn. My eyesnded on Emery who is currently standing a few feet away from dad and I. Both of his eyes are looking straight at me before turning to look at my father; slightly confused at his figure. With a small smile, I stand in between, ''''Emery, dad. Dad, Emery.'''' I say. Emery blinks a few times, ''''Sir.'''' He says. I start to roll my eyes at his manner but I stay still, waiting for my father to respond properly, ''''I''ll give you two some space while I earn mine.'''' Dad clears his throat, exiting the garden and leaving Emery and I. Once he''s gone, I see Emery clenching his jaw; probably not realising that he just met my father. Correction, his father-inw. I take a few steps closer towards him, slightly hitting his arm, ''''You just met Mr. Parker.'''' I break the silence. 1 ''''Coincidentally,'''' He replies. ''''Whatever, what do you want?'''' I ask, raising an eyebrow at him; waiting for his respond. ''''Juste with me.'''' He answers, grabbing onto my wrist before starting to pull me out of the garden¡ª heading straight towards a ck motorbike, leaving me slightly breathless but then I realise that he''s a prince. For some reason, it feels like he''s just a normal person. Are all princes like this? We both stop in front of his bike and as I eye the whole body, he stands beside me; zipping up his leather jacket that I didn''te to notice earlier. ''''Let me get this straight, you want me to ride this with you?'''' I ask, pointing at his bike. Emery smirks but he ignores my question as he gets up on the bike, holding onto his helmet. I roll my eyes, crossing my arms while I wait for him to say something but he doesn''t even start. He throws a helmet at my direction which I luckily managed to catch. ''''Get on, cupcake.'''' He chuckles. ''''Oh yeah? Make me.'''' I challenge but he shrugs, putting on his helmet before pulling down the dark tinted visor¡ªpreventing me from seeing his face. He starts to hardly twist onto the handles; making the bike roar to life. Let me rephrase that, making the bike disturbing peace. ''''Emery!'''' I shout out his name but he keeps on twisting harder, making it harder for him to hear my voice. Then, he turns to look at me for a few seconds¡ªpurposely grabbing attention. While my eyes wander around, I manage to see a few royal servants looking at us in confusion. With a loud groan, I put the helmet on and immediately get on the bike. Just like that, I find myself wrapping my arms around his waist due to the fact that he ecrate towards the castle''s exit, leaving me grabbing hard. He purposely speed down the road, not letting me put any distance between us. Well, he may find some sort of excitement from this but all I want is to kick him off and let me ride properly; unlike him, riding like aplete maniac. Once we''ve reached further away from the castle, he starts to slow down the bike until fully stopping it at the side of the road. I get down from the bike, taking off my helmet¡ªquickly tying my hair up into a messy ponytail while I turn to eye him. From the side, I see his perfectly shaped body on the bike. Somehow, it defines a better side of him; honestly, I''ve always had a thing for guys who ride motorbikes because they always seem cool and hot. Then again, it''s very rare to find someone who rides a motorbike but still manage to look endlessly hot like Emery here. As he sits up straight, he starts to take off his helmet; letting me see his profile while his hair is currently in different ces¡ªmessily making him much more attractive. ''''You were being crazy,'''' I mutter. ''''I must say that you''re right.'''' He replies, ncing at my direction for a few seconds. I manage to see that his eyes are looking up and down my body, ''''It''s quite surprising, though.'''' He adds. ''''What?'''' I confusingly ask. ''''Unlike any other girls that I''ve been with, you actually enjoy riding.'''' He continues, ''''Well, most of them would be giving excuses, for instance, riding a bike would highly damage their hair or ruin their makeup but look at you, still on fleek, I must add.'''' Then, heughs, somehow not meaning what he said. ''''What do you want, Emery?'''' I ask. ''''Nothing, mother asked me to take you out. Ever since you came here, you didn''t get to explore London and all you ever did was stay in your room; acting like you were trapped forever. She said today is a beautiful day to spend with a¡ªuh,'''' He stops, frowning. ''''¡ªbeautifuldy,'''' I smirk after adding. Emery''s brown eyes are looking deeply into mine but he shrugs, ''''Not quite but sure, it''s eptable.'''' He jokes even though he may sound a bit more serious. Jerk. I thought to myself. ''''So, what are you waiting for? Show me Ennd.'''' I say; earning myself a smile from him as he puts his helmet back on, waiting for me to get back up on the bike. Once I''m up, I quickly put the helmet on and wrap my arms around his waist. I know he''s hiding a smirk behind that helmet. Emery speeds down the road, letting me enjoy the view. I close my eyes for a few seconds; enjoying the feeling of being in someone else''s country and just appreciate the moment. It feels slightly weird that their prince is currently wandering around the city with his destined fianc¨¦e and no one even knows about it. He stops in front of an old caf¨¦ and as I step down from his bike, I take the helmet off, looking up at the signboard; seeing that they serve freshly homemade cakes. For some reason, it triggers my hunger. ''''You''ll like their cakes,'''' He says before getting in the shop, leaving me following behind him. Once we''re inside, I see an old woman around her seventies smiling widely at Emery while she makes her way towards us. Her arms are wrapping around Emery''s neck as she reaches closer and Emery responds back with a smile on his face¡ªpulling the old woman close. ''''How are you, Ma?'''' He asks. ''''Oh dear, I''ve been well as usual.'''' She answers before turning to look at me. Her eyes widen in respond, ''''Who is this beautifuldy, Emery? She''s very breathtaking,'''' She chuckles as she smiles. Emery nces at my direction, ''''My fianc¨¦e.'''' My heart starts to beat at an unstable pace, leaving me smiling awkwardly as her eyes widen. As I turn to look at Emery, I see him taking a bite of one of the cookies, nodding his head ay the questions that is being asked by ''Ma''. ''''Oh my, what''s your name, dear?'''' She asks. ''''Emma,'''' I answer with a slight smile on my face. Her eyes twinkle with shine as if she''s d to hear such news. The way she looks at Emery shows how she cares for him in a way that any grandmother would care for their grandchild; that''s probably the reason why they''re close. ''''Emma, such a beautiful name for a very beautiful youngdy. How did he propose? I can tell he''s not much of a sweet talker, he might''ve asked you straight forwardly.'''' Sheughs, earning another smile from me as I nce at Emery; seeing him looking back at me. ''''Ma, I think your cookies are burning.'''' He interrupts, causing Ma to quickly make her way back to the kitchen; leaving Emery and I. I furrow my eyebrows, ''''I don''t think her cookies are burning.'''' I mutter under my breath and he chuckles, taking a sip of his water. ''''They never burn, Emma.'''' He says. ''''You''re very close with her, I can see that. She''s a wonderful person, I can see that too.'''' I add, wanting to reduce the awkwardness between us; my mind drifiting apart, probably making me think that I''ll receive some childhood stories from Emery. ''''Well, that''s the thing. It all started when I was lost in the city, probably at age six or seven. My mother and I went to London to bond like all mothers do with their child but unfortunately, I had mistaken someone else as her. Then, that was how I made my way towards Mary''s little caf¨¦. That''s also why I call her Ma,'''' He says, ''''She''s a very close friend and yes, she''s definitely a wonderful person.'''' I smile, ''''That''s very sweet of you.'''' His lips curve up into a small smile, leaving mepletely astonished by it. The way he smiles, the way his perfectly straight teeth are defining his smile, it''s making my knees go weak; really weak. ''''You can say that,'''' He replies. ''''Emery! My cookies didn''t burn,'''' Ma or Mary says as Emery and I chuckle at the tone of her voice; realising that she was very worried before. ''''They never do, Ma.'''' He says, taking a few steps towards her as he wraps his arms around her neck from behind; lightly pulling her close for a peck on her temple. This is the first time that I''ve seen Emery showing the sweet side of him, making me realise and notice that he''s not really as heartless or as selfish as I think he is. Well, not quite heartless or selfish but he was a bit¡ªthat''s all forgotten now due to this scene in front of me. Emery, that''s actually a very nice name. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Emma ''''You look beautiful, my dear.'''' The queen says, smiling at me as she eyes down my dress while Emery and I stand next to each other, trying to reduce the awkwardness between us. I look up at Emery, seeing him smirking as he nces down at my face¡ªleaving my cheeks heating up. Then, I feel his hand on my waist, ''''Clearly she''s much more beautiful than the girls you''ve chosen before,'''' He says, sarcastically. ''''I can''t seem to deny,'''' The queen replies. My lips curve up into a small smile, not really knowing what to respond as I keep quiet. Only keeping up with their conversation; hardly enough, I can''t seem to respond with anything. Emery clears his throat as he smiles yfully. ''''Excuse me, Your Grace.'''' One of the men says as he smiles at the queen. She smiles at us for a few seconds before making her way towards the crowd; socialising. I am only left staring at her back. I turn to look at the mirror on the wall, seeing that I am perfectly dressed in a long ck dress¡ªdefining my curves in the beautifulest way possible. From the side, I can see my waist and my hip could possibly be a seduction for men; that''s probably one of the reason why most of them have been staring. Yet, Emery has been standing beside me from the very beginning. Not quite sure of his intentions but I''m notining. When I nce down at him, I can''t seem to deny his attractiveness. As he stands tall with his confidence high, I can hardly spot a single w. He is in his ck suit¡ªhe didn''t seemed to wear his royal suit; that''s what the servants have been saying in the hallways. ''''Take a picture, it''llsts longer.'''' He says. 1 I quickly look away, trying to avoid his gaze but I fail once I hear him chuckle. His hand on my waist doesn''t seem to be loosening any time soon. I may be slightly ufortable from his touch but deep inside, I''m screaming hallelujah. ''''I think I should be the one saying that,'''' I reply. Then, I make my way towards the middle, leaving him staring at my back. Purposely, I sway my hips side to the side as I walk in a sexy and seductive manner. When I turn my head to the side, I see a few men staring but they don''t matter, I only turn to look at Emery. It surprises me to see him focusing on my body from behind yet he manages to hide it perfectly. He smiles but both of his eyes never seem to look away from me; even when there are decent women around. I can''t help but smile to myself¡ªfeeling proud. As I stand in the middle, I turn to the side, seeing him staring at me from my legs and up to my face; eyeing every inch of my body without even caring if people are looking at us. To my surprise, he starts to make his way towards me, leaving other people looking at us as they whisper to themselves. They don''t matter, I repeat in my head. Once he''s close enough, he runs one of his hands at my back before slowly sliding down near my hips; causing me to look up at him. I can''t seem to breathe properly. Our faces are inches apart but our lips seem too far. Yet, I can sense his aura; leaving me utterly speechless at his presence. I didn''t know that I would have any sort of effect to him but it''s clear that I do. He leans in closer towards me before brushing his lips against my cheek, making me hold in my breath immediately, ''''I don''t like seeing you grabbing other men''s attention.'''' He whispers, causing me to slightly turn around and see most young men looking at me. 1 Then, he runs the back of his hand on the side of my face. ''''What can I say? I attract everyone, not just men.'''' I whisper back, purposely brushing my lips near his. It''s quite a surprise to see him clenching his jaw when I leaned in. ''''Only attract me, that''ll be enough.'''' He replies. Without me realising, I am alreadyughing which seems to catches his attention as he looks down at my red coloured lips. I look straight into his eyes; loving how they are staring back at me with the same warmth. He''s undeniably attractive. Yes. ''''You''ll have a lifetime with me, don''t worry.'''' I wink. When I realise that we''ll be attached for the rest of our lives, I quickly look down with a frown. Somehow, we were both disagreeing but now we arepletely agreeing with marriage. How insane does it sound? I, Emma Faye Parker will be marrying a prince. ''''I don''t know if we will actuallyst a lifetime,'''' He replies, looking directly into my eyes, ''''A lot can happen, Emma. We might end up hating each other and when that happens, it will probably be toote for us to go back. We wouldn''t be able to start again.'''' All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I keep quiet, listening to him, ''''There are a few things that I fear once I am fullymitted to someone for the rest of my life. I may not be a great husband but I''ll try, we wouldn''t have to dislike each other. Love ispletely out of topic but we''ll never know,'''' He adds. ''''Do you see that?'''' I question. ''''See what?'''' ''''Love. Do you see love with me?'''' He furrow his eyebrows in confusion and I know he wants to say no. He''s trying to stay on my good side; I truly understand. Truth be told, I might not see myself loving him either¡ªyet. It terrifies somehow. Loving him. Loving someone. I''ve stopped. Fully. Is it possible for me to begin again? Within seconds, the music starts to y, interrupting our conversation. I know that we will never bring this up¡ªit''ll be the end of it. I look down at my hands as I look around, realising that my life is not made for this. Surrounded by royalties, mostly. My eyes wander around to groups of women, seeing them eyeing me from afar. Even though they might not show it truthfully but I see envy in their eyes in every way possible. I notice. Emery holds onto my waist a little bit tighter before pulling me close as a sign to dance. Once we''re close enough, I look up into his eyes; loving how he''s looking back at me without a single blink interrupting our gaze. As the music starts to y slowly, we also start to move our legs. We are in the centre of the ballroom and we are also the being the centre of attention. Everyone in here is looking at us in respect; especially because Emery is here. I can''t help but feel myself being so small. My body fits perfectly with his; due to the fact that I''ve never really felt this way with anyone before. The way everything fits, it''s what they call fate. Fate that I can''t seem to believe. ''''I don''t see love when I look at you,'''' I say. Then, we stop in the middle but both of our bodies are still close. We might even end up kissing each other if he leans in any further. I don''t understand the meaning behind his stare but I stay calm, controlling my breaths. ''''And I don''t think I deserve to be here.'''' I add, ''''Look at me, I''m a normal city girl who lives in New York and I own a restaurant instead of a country. I don''t have people to take care of, I only take care of myself. There''s a lot of differences between you and I.'''' He touches the side of my face before slowly leaning in that our noses are touching. I immediately look down at his lips before feeling the entire crowd looking at us¡ªsome even gape. ''''You''re different, that''s why and I don''t see myself loving you too. It might feel to surreal but then again anything can happen, Emma.'''' He mutters, near my lips. ''''We can try,'''' He adds, smiling. Then, he brushes his lips against mine in slow motion. My eyes are closing immediately after feeling his lip meeting mine; letting me feel electricity flowing through my veins and my entire body. I know he felt it too and I know he feels it whenever we touch but he wouldn''t just tell. As we passionately kiss, I feel him pulling my body close towards his; leaving no space in between. For once, I actually forget about the whole crowd¡ªnot even the slightest fear of them might gossip around. It doesn''t matter, I''m kissing my fianc¨¦ and it''s not a wrong thing to do; he''s my future husband. Husband. I break the kiss but I still feel his lips against mine yet it feels far away at the same time. My heart beats at an unstable pace due to the kiss; deep inside, I liked it. I wish that I didn''t pull away but I can''t help it. Spontaneously, I lean in once more, kissing his lips for a few seconds before pulling away. Emery seems surprised at the sudden gesture but he smiles, kissing onto the side of my cheek¡ªleaving me with a smile on my face. ''''I''ll try,'''' He whispers near my ear. ''''It takes two to tango,'''' I add and he chuckles lightly. When we both turn around to look at the guests, I see the queen staring at us in surprise but her lips immediately curve up into a smile. It''s probably because we''re actually progressing. My eyes can never seem to look away from the amount of people; realising that we kissed in front of them and yet, they have slipped my mind perfectly. Not a single trace of their faces inside which is pretty much worth questioning. The queen walks towards Emery and I, ''''The wedding shall happen in a week. No buts and no excuses, I will have to say that everyone has agreed to this.'''' She says, making both of us to stare at her in surprised. ''''But, mother¡ª'''' Emery starts but his mother raises her finger immediately. ''''Like I said, no buts. Everything will go as nned so there won''t be any dys. The sooner, the better.'''' She replies with a small smile on her face, leaving me looking at her, utterly speechless. I don''t have the power to disagree because for god''s sake, she''s the queen! From the side, I see Emery clenching his jaw but he stays calm, not wanting to cause a scene. Then, the queen dismisses herself with grace. ''''I''ll talk with her in the morning,'''' He says. My eyebrows furrow in confusion but I stay calm. I can''t seem to ept the fact that the wedding will happen in a week; I mean, it''s not something that can directly happen. Yes, Emery and I are destined ever since we were born¡ªthat''s one of the things they call fate. I just don''t understand how on earth is it possible for me to ever marry a prince? Things like this happen in movies or in stories, they can hardly happen in real life, furthermore in the twenty-first century. ''''I don''t think it''s going to be an easy week,'''' I mutter. He nces down at me with a sigh before clenching his jaw once more; as a sign that he''s thinking about it, ''''This time, she''ll hire hundreds of people for the wedding. I can see that.'''' He replies. As we both look at each other, we start to realise; she will definitely hire hundreds of people for our wedding which causes both of our eyes to widen immediately. I blink a few times before sighing deeply, ''''Well, damn.'''' I mutter under my breath. Well damn, indeed Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Emma ''''I think it''s too tight,'''' I mutter as the stylist continues to pull harder onto my corset. My body feels like I can just explode due to the pressure I''m feeling on my abdomen; bringing me difort. ''''No, no. It''s never too tight.'''' She replies. My eyes widen as she pulls one more time, causing me to immediately press my hand against the wall, ''''But I can''t breathe, at all.'''' I say, ncing towards the queen. Within seconds, the queen¡ªEmery''s mother, starts to stand up before walking towards me. She eyes my dress cautiously; leaving me like a statue at my spot. Then, she shakes her head, ''''We want her to look beautiful, not like she''s suffocating. Loosen it up a little bit. Let her breathe, Margaret.'''' She says. Margaret¡ªthe stylist nods her head before loosening my corset; earning a breath of relief from me. Once, everything is adjusted perfectly, I turn to look at myself in the mirror. A woman with brown eyes and brown hair looking back at me as she stands, pale yet there''s a slight glow appearing on her skin. ''''She''s already beautiful, Your Majesty. She doesn''t require much work.'''' Margaret says, softly. Even though her voice may be low but I still manage to hear the words yet I pretended I didn''t. I make my way towards the clothing racks, looking for a different clothing that I can change into. I''ve been trying on different dresses for the past two hours and trust me, it doesn''t sound much like a fairytale. My eyebrows furrow in confusion before taking a pair of jeans out but within seconds, I am immediately surprised to see Emery appearing out from behind the rack. Heughs loudly at my reaction. My heart stops beating immediately, causing me to trip but as I was about to hit onto the ground, I feel both of his hands on my waist¡ªpreventing me from falling My heart stops beating immediately, causing me to trip but as I was about to hit onto the ground, I feel both of his hands on my waist¡ªpreventing me from falling. I can''t help but look directly into his eyes, Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. seeing that he''s smiling down at me; letting me some sort of rush all over my body. It confuses me. Somehow. What am I feeling? I thought. Emery nces down at my lips for a few seconds before slowly lifting my body up yet we''re still close to each other. Both of his hands not even slightly looking his grip on my waist and due to that, I can still sense fireworks in the background; making me forget everything. We both turn to look at the queen, seeing that she is staring at us with a surprised look on her face. As for Margaret, both of her eyes are wide¡ªnot expecting Emery to appear out of nowhere and cause a scene. Then, I feel Emery loosening his grip on my waist beforepletely letting go of me. Once we''re quite far from each other, I can finally breathe. ''''Good morning, mother.'''' He says, heading towards her direction with a smile on his face. I stay still at my spot, not really understanding what just happened. Let me get this straight again, Emery just jumped from the clothing rack to surprise me and yes, he did it sessfully. I can''t seem to forget the look on his face though, he was amazingly beautiful. Now, I''m just staring at his back¡ªseeing him talking to his mother while they bothugh; it''s cute to see them bond. ''''You''re not supposed to be here,'''' Genevieve says. Emery smiles, ''''Why not?'''' Then, they both nce up towards my direction as I stand here awkwardly. The queen smiles, ''''Go change, dear. We''ll be heading out¡ªonce you''re done.'''' She says and I make my way behind the curtains, Margaret closing them for me while I change into a pair of clothing that I''m morefortable in. ''''How was your father?'''' I hear her ask. They both keep quiet for a few seconds before I hear Emery responding as he clears his throat, ''''He''s not so well but he says that he''s alright. You should see him, he needs you¡ªother than my support, he wants to see your face. He wants to know that you''re still there for him,'''' He replies, causing me to furrow my eyebrows in confusion. ''''It''s hard for me,'''' ''''It''s hard for me too but how hard can it be?'''' Once I don''t hear them talking anymore, I quickly make my way out, seeing that Emery immediately looks up at me as he soothingly rubs onto his mother''s back. The queen let out a deep sigh before standing up, giving me a small smile as she makes her way out. ''''I know you heard everything,'''' He says, making his way towards me. ''''It would be impossible for me not to hear but I''m sorry, I should''ve closed my ears or something.'''' I reply, looking down onto the ground. As I peek up through my eyshes, I see him looking down at me, ''''Sooner orter, you would''ve known, anyway. You''re going to be a part of the family till death do us apart, you''ll know everything that a royal family has to hide.'''' He says, sighing. ''''I''m sorry, Emery.'''' I mutter. ''''It''s not your fault, Emma. He''s ill. It''s God''s will. It''s not your fault.'''' He replies, running his hand on the back of his neck before looking up for a few seconds, ''''I don''t understand why he''s suffering so much, I don''t like to see him that way. It hurts me too just like how it hurts him,'''' He adds. My heart skips a beat at the sound of his voice, very heartbreaking. ''''I just wanted her to be here too. She knows him better than me and she even understands him more than I do. She should be here, she should see him¡ªsince mother has a hard time to go and enter his room, just for the sake of his soul, I guess having her would be enough.'''' He says, earning a confused look from me. ''''Her?'''' I ask. ''''Emery?'''' We both turn to look at the queen, standing near the door. Emery clears his throat, gesturing for me to walk first and we start to walk side by side, heading downstairs. Once we''re downstairs, I am surprised to see the amount of people entering the castle. Not guests but more like servants¡ªwalking around in a fast pace as they hold something. My eyebrows furrow in confusion before turning towards Emery, seeing that he has a confused look on his face too. ''''Excuse me, Your Highness!'''' One of the servants say as she quickly disappear towards the back. The three of us stands in the middle, watching most of the servants making their way towards the back before appearing once more, somehow preparing for someone important or special. Emery stands beside me, eyeing the scene without uttering a single word. ''''I don''t understand,'''' I breathe out. We all turn to look at the back once we hear something break, seeing that one of the servants are quickly picking up the broken ss on the floor¡ªclearing any mess that they can see. I watch the look on their faces, they are in a hurry that they can''t seem to realise that we are standing here in confusion as we watch them. ''''What is going on here?'''' I hear the queen ask. ''''Your Grace, forgive me but we are expecting a guest. Uh, not quite a guest. A royal guest. She''s arriving in less than five minutes¡ªwe have to hurry. My apologies for the inconvenience, my queen.'''' She replies before quickly running towards the front, standing at her spot as she waits for others. Once I see a glimpse of a ck car, I notice that all of the servants are quickly standing behind each other as they fix up they clothing and hair¡ªtrying to look their best. I can''t help but make my way towards them, focusing more onto the ck car that is currently entering and stopping at the entrance. Emery stands beside me. ''''She''s here,'''' He says. I remain quiet until the car stops at the front, causing everyone to stand still, waiting for the exact person toe out of the car. My eyes widen slightly as soon as my eyesnd onto a woman who has a smile on her face but I can''t seem to fully see her features. Within seconds, she is already walking towards Emery and I. Once she''s close enough, she takes off her sunsses, only for me toe face to face with her blue eyes¡ªseeing that she''s currently looking at Emery with a smile on her face; somehow satisfied at how she is greeted. The way she stands show how she''s somehow a part of the royalty. The way she is. All of a sudden, her eyesnd on me, eyeing from the bottom to the top before smiling once more. I only manage to keep quiet, not really bothered to utter a single word¡ªafraid if I might say something wrong. Then, she tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, effortlessly making herself looking more presentable. ''''We meet again, little brother.'''' She says. Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Emma ''''Indeed,'''' Emery says sarcastically. ''''Evelyn, none of us were expecting you.'''' I turn to see the queen closing her distance between Emery''s sister¡ªEvelyn. She smiles at her mother before being pulled by Genevieve for a hug; showing how much she has missed her. They both end upughing while I nce at Emery and see him rolling his eyes. ''''You must be Emma, Emery''s fianc¨¦e.'''' Evelyn says, causing me to immediately blink a few times as I return back into reality. To my surprise, she looks amazingly beautiful from up close¡ªwhich lowers my self-esteem to the lowest level, ''''It''s nice to finally meet you, I''m Evelyn.'''' She adds. ''''Emma,'''' I reply. ''''Well, we''ll talkter, for sure.'''' She says before disappearing inside the castle with the queen as they continue to talk¡ªmostly about her trip back in Mysia. That''s one of the reasons why she hasn''t been around here. She''s been busy travelling the world, mostly. I turn to face Emery who''s currently busy scrolling down his phone, ''''I thought you''re the first and only son born.'''' I say which leads him to look at me. ''''Correction, I''m the first and only son born because Evelyn''s adopted.'''' He replies with a smirk on his face, ''''She''s not really royalty¡ªshe''s been brought in by royalties. My mother and my father wanted another child but unfortunately, it wasn''t going to happen so they decided to adopt. Evelyn has been an orphan ever since she was a baby; that''s one of the reasons why they brought her in and cared for her. Her mother died while giving birth while her father died of cancer,'''' ''''She''s really pretty.'''' I say, quite low but Emery manage to hear the words. A frown appears as he looks at me, ''''Eh, you''re prettier.'''' He assures, causing me to turn and feel my cheeks heat up in embarrassment at hispliment but I can''t help feeling slightly happy or proud¡ªa prince justplimented me; that''s not happening everyday. My heart starts to beat fast when I realise that Emery is still smiling at me in a way that most girls would fall head over heels but I still manage to stand without falling. Then, I push his face slightly, ''''Don''t smile like that,'''' I say, earning myself a confused look from him. ''''Like what?'''' He asks. ''''Like that.'''' I answer. ''''Like what?'''' He asks once more, slowly closing the distance between us with a small smile on his face while I groan in frustration without realising that he is slowly cing both of his hands on my waist. ''''Like that! Like that!'''' I answer, twice which causes him tough, loud enough to catch other people''s attention but that doesn''t seem to bother him nor I. He starts to slow down due to my stare but he ends up chuckling¡ªfinding it exciting for me to roll my eyes. ''''Like this?'''' Then, he starts to pull me close so that our body would collide Then, he starts to pull me close so that our body would collide. My eyes widen at the sight¡ªsurprised to see him being such a beauty; the kind of beauty that could weaken my whole body system and shut down. I blink a few times but he doesn''t seem to realise that I''m deadly, attracted. ''''Or should I do this?'''' He asks. Surprisingly, I am only left focusing on Emery Surprisingly, I am only left focusing on Emery. Every sound on the back has disappeared into the thin air while I see himugh and smile; slowly dragging myself towards him. The way he does everything, attracts in every way possible¡ªwhich surprises me even more. For some reason, I only manage to hear my heart beating as my lips curve up into a small smile; feeling myself being pulled by some sort of power just by the way he''s acting childish around me. As he continues tough, I immediately cup onto his face before meeting his lips for a short couple of seconds. I pull back, realising what I just done. I am left to look at a surprised Emery who has both of his hands up in the same position but instead of mistake. Seconds before I can utter a single word, he starts to lean in before meeting my lips once more; this time longer. Both of his hands are ced on my waist while I continue to cup onto his face, deepening the kiss. We end up kissing passionately slow¡ªcontinuing what I just started. It doesn''t bother us that there are people out here probably looking at us as if we''ve lost our minds because right now, right here, we''re attached to each other. Only. Emery pulls me closer towards him even though our bodies are already collided against one another. I can feel everything from the waist below as our lips share something passionate; something that we rarely share with each other. Eventually, we slow down the kiss so that we wouldn''t actually start undressing each other. I can''t help but soothingly running my fingers on his face while I eye down his lips as he rests his forehead against mine. Our eyes meet in an instant¡ªmaking us realise that we''ve managed to take another step further. Bingo. I slowly let go of his face before taking a few steps back and he does the same. Things between us are slightly awkward but I manage to do a poker face before quickly making my way inside the castle as I smile to myself¡ªloving the way heughed and smiled and loving it more when he kissed me that way. This sounds crazy but I may have feelings attached. ''''Emma, there you are!'''' I am surprised to find Dian shouting my name from afar before making her way towards me, ''''The queen and Evelyn are waiting for you. Come,e.'''' She says as she pulls me by the wrist until we finally reach one of the rooms; I''m still trying to remember some but I can tell, it seems impossible. We enter the room and Dian let out a deep sigh, ''''It took me forever to find her.'''' She says and Evelyn chuckles as she takes a sip of her tea while Genevieve opens a catalogue for wedding dresses. ''''Evelyn''s here to help with the wedding too. Like I said, we don''t have much time left. We shall make the wedding happen as soon as possible with no disruptions¡ªthe sooner, the better and since Evelyn and Dian is here, they''ll be very useful. You can choose whatsoever, Emma, they''ll be here to give you advices and help you out. How does that sound?'''' Genevieve smiles, looking straight at me. Actually the three of them are. ''''What about Margaret?'''' I ask. She was supposed to help me n the wedding but she did quite a job by arranging it more than helping. I never did get the chance to choose what I wanted to wear because she obviously chose everything for me¡ªnot epting my choices. ''''Mother fired her. I heard that she''s no use,'''' Evelyn replies, earning herself a nod from the queen. My lips curve up into a smile, realising that I''ll actually have a chance to choose for my own wedding. Even though this wedding may not be filled and based on love but it''s my one and only wedding¡ªit shall be something worthy and my own taste. Everything will be perfect, simple and wless. ''''I don''t know what to say, I really want to thank you.'''' I say towards Genevieve and she smiles, agreeing and also knowing that Margaret didn''t do a great job¡ªso, letting her daughter and her niece helping me n would actually work out, since their fashion sense is ten times better. ''''Let''s get started!'''' Evelyn chuckles. It was a week filled with chaos and confusions. Then again, it was also a week filled with fun and arguments¡ªfrom the wedding dress to the wedding cake, everything was arranged perfectly well. Genevieve wanted me to wear their traditional wedding dress that has been worn for generations but Evelyn resisted because she said that I need to choose on my own; she was right. Besides, I want Evelyn to wear it; not me. Speaking of the wedding, I haven''t managed to speak with Emery but we would bump into each other in the hallways or positively catch glimpses of each other. Never really gotten the chance to speak or has finallye. Today! I may sound more excited; it''s because well, shouldn''t I be? Yes, I should be feeling sad. I turn around to find my mother entering the room and as soon as she sees me, her eyes wide with tears almost falling down her cheeks¡ªbefore pulling me close for a hug. I wrap my arms around her body as we both hug each other; while I try tofort her. ''''Don''t cry,'''' I utter. ''''You''re getting married, how can I not cry? You''re my only daughter and I''m already letting you go. You''ll be living here with Emery. I''ll only have less time with you. Whenever I want toe and visit, I have toe here but it wouldn''t be everyday because it''s too far away.'''' She wipes away her tears while I chuckle and pull her close once more. ''''I''lle and visit you, instead.'''' I reply. ''''You''re bing a princess, soon a queen. You will not leave your duties¡ªyou shall always be by the side of your prince, not by my side.'''' She adds and I just smile at her, realising that I''m actually going to get married and this willst till the end of my breath. This isn''t something yful. This is deadly serious. I turn to look at myself in the mirror, satisfied by the makeup that has been done. Overall, I look naturally beautiful with the light makeup that has been put on¡ªonly to highlight my features and enhances my beauty even more. For some reason, I actually see myself as a princess today. ''''Is she ready?'''' I turn to see Evelyn entering the room with a smile on her face, ''''Oh my god, you look amazing! Do you even know how amazing you look?'''' She nods her head as she smiles in satisfaction, Dian and her helped me n my wedding dres... ''''Is she ready?'''' I turn to see Evelyn entering the room with a smile on her face, ''''Oh my god, you look amazing! Do you even know how amazing you look?'''' She nods her head as she smiles in satisfaction, Dian and her helped me n my wedding dress and I''m more than satisfied. Once everything is settled, they all walk with me towards the car¡ªa transportation for me to the church. Deep inside, I am utterly nervous; even though, we''re getting married with no feelings attached but what makes me more than nervous is because of Emery. What if he''s not there? ''''Breathe,'''' Dian whispers beside me. I smile at her before entering the car. From inside, I manage to see that they are all in a hurry to get into a different car, leaving me on my own with the chauffeur. The ride is filled with nothing but silence and I can''t help but continuously y with the tips of my fingers¡ªtrying to cause some distraction to myself. Without me realising, I have already arrived at the church, causing me to breathe properly and take in a deep breath¡ªrxing. Everything will be okay, I keep on chanting. Then, the chauffeur starts to open the door for me; leaving me to step out from the car. A lot of people are here, screaming and shouting as they loudly shout my name which confuses me slightly, I''ve been inside the castle for too long that I haven''t gotten the chance to get out and realise that the people here in Ennd has already know me. My father stands at church door with a wide smile, assuring me that everything will be fine. I smile back Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. at him before receiving his hand as I hold tightly onto the flower near my abdomen. My heart couldn''t help but beat really fast; I can''t seem to find anything that would calm me down at the moment. ''''I love you, princess.'''' Dad whispers. The doors are opened, causing everyone to stand up at my arrival. I look down onto the ground, slowly getting myself together because I''m scared if I might trip and fall¡ªcausing embarrassment to myself and everyone involved. Within seconds, I look up, only to see Emery standing there with a smile on his face. My heart stops immediately, causing me to forget all of the noises and the sounds. The only thing I manage to focus on is Emery¡ªthe way he smiles and the way he kissed me a few days ago, the way we might probably end up working each other''s way together. I smile back and it takes me awhile to realise that Emery has been eyeing me from my face to the bottom of my dress. All of a sudden, I am already standing beside Emery after receiving a kiss from dad on the cheek. The archbishop begins, ''''Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of God, and in the face of this congregation, to join together this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God himself, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, in Cana of Galilee, and ismended in Holy Writ to be honourable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly; but reverently, discreetly, soberly, and in the fear of God, duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained.'''' I manage to furrow my eyebrows slightly but I keep calm. He continues, ''''First, It was ordained for the increase of mankind ording to the will of God, and that children might be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy name. Secondly, It was ordained in order that the natural instincts and affections, imnted by God, should be hallowed and directed aright; that those who are called of God to this holy estate, should continue therein in pureness of living.'''' Then, he looks up at both of us. Emery and I keep quiet as we continue to listen but it takes forever for the vows which causes me to sigh. Luckily, neither Emery or anyone hears a thing due to the fact that a microphone is attached to Emery and I, including the archbishop. ''''Thirdly, It was ordained for the mutual society, help, andfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity. Into which holy estate these two persons presente now to be joined.'''' He stays silent for a few seconds, ''''Therefore if any man can shew any just cause why they may notwfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter forever hold his peace.'''' Everyone stays quiet as a sign for the archbishop to continue and he does after looking at both Emery and I, ''''I require and charge you both, as ye will answer at the dreadful day of judgement when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, that if either of you know any impediment, why ye may not be coupled together otherwise than God''s word doth allow are not joined together by God; neither is their Matrimonywful.'''' He says but the both of us keep quiet, only agreeing. The archbishop turns to look at Emery, ''''Emery France Arthur, wilt thou have this woman to thy wedded wife, to live together ording to God''sw in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love her,fort her, honour and keep her, in sickness and in health? And, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?'''' He asks and I look up at the archbishop, waiting to hear an answer from Emery. His name is Emery France Arthur? ''''I will,'''' He answers. The answer is loud and clear which causes me to try and breathe properly. What makes me more than nervous is the fact that our wedding is being held live worldwide¡ªdue to the fact that Emery''s royalty and any royalty would have their wedding known to everyone. One of the other facts are, Emery''s hot. The archbishop turns towards me, ''''Emma Faye, wilt thou have this man to thy wedded husband, to live together ording to God''sw in the holy estate of Matrimony? Wilt thou love him,fort him, honour and keep him, in sickness and in health? and, forsaking all other, keep thee only unto him, so long as ye both shall live?'''' He asks. ''''I will,'''' I reply. The archbishop continues, ''''Who giveth this woman to be married to this man?'''' My father takes my right hand before giving it towards the archbishop in which the archbishop slowly gives towards Emery. Once my hand meets his, I instantly feel the warmth radiating¡ªsoothingly calming me down in a way it should be. Then, he turns slightly to face me with a small smile on his face and I do the same; trying to hide the blush from appearing on my cheeks. Thankfully to the blushers, it won''t seem like I''ll be red as a tomato. At least, people will think that it''s makeup. Emery says after the archbishop, ''''I, Emery France Arthur, take thee, Emma Faye, to my wedded wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, ording to God''s holyw; and thereto I give thee my troth.'''' He looks directly into my eyes as he said those words, giving me shivers. We loosen the hand before I start to pick his right hand once more and I say after the archbishop, ''''I, Emma Faye, take thee, Emery France Arthur, to my wedded husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse: for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health; to love and to cherish, till death us do part, ording to God''s holyw; and thereto I give thee my troth.'''' I can''t help but notice him looking at me while I stand here awkwardly, shy saying my vows. After the archbishop has blessed the ring, Emery takes the ring and ces it upon the fourth finger of my left hand¡ªmaking me look down at the ring, seeing it shining brightly as ever After the archbishop has blessed the ring, Emery takes the ring and ces it upon the fourth finger of my left hand¡ªmaking me look down at the ring, seeing it shining brightly as ever. With him, still holding onto my hand, ''''With this ring I thee wed; with my body I thee honour; and all my worldly goods with thee I share¡ª'''' He says but I fail to focus onto his words but only to remain focus on his face. ''''Let us pray,'''' The archbishop says, leaving Emery and I to kneel, ''''O Eternal God, Creator and Preserver of all mankind, giver of all spiritual grace, the author of evesting life: Send thy blessing upon these thy servants, this man and this woman, whom we bless in thy name; that, living faithfully together, they may surely perform and keep the vow and covenant betwixt them made, whereof this ring given and received is a token and pledge; and may ever remain in perfect love and peace together, and live ording to thyws¡ª'''' He finishes. Both Emery and I raise our right hands together to the front, letting the archbishop join our hands together as he ties, ''''Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder.'''' He says. Then, we put our hands down, somehow still attached. ''''Forasmuch as Emery and Emma have consented together in holy wedlock, and have witnessed the same before God and thispany, and thereto have given and pledged their troth either to other, and have dered the same by giving and receiving of a ring, and by joining of hands; I pronounce that they be man and wife together, In the¡ª'''' I look down onto the ground, waiting for the archbishop to finish while we''re both still kneeling in front of him. ''''¡ªbless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with his favour look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world toe ye may have life evesting.'''' He continues. Emery and I stand up straight. After everything has been done, the choir starts to sing while Emery and I move to the High Altar as we hold hands. Once everything is done, we walk down the aisle, heading towards the exit of the church, followed by both of our families. As we took our ride back to the castle, we are now standing at the balcony, looking down upon the people of Ennd as they cheer loudly of our wedding. I am standing right next to Emery, only waving and smiling back at them, widely. ''''Emma,'''' Emery calls out. I turn towards him, ''''What?'''' Within seconds, he leans in quickly before meeting my lips for a few seconds; leaving me with a smile on my face afterwards. I manage to catch a glimpse of him smiling but I turn to face the crowd once more as they cheer louder after the kiss¡ªwith one thing on my mind. Even though it was a public act, I still liked it. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Emma Emery and I are standing next to each other as we watch the celebration going on in the castle¡ªa private reception. We watch as people talk andugh with full of grace, enjoying the cuisines that has been chosen by the queen to satisfy each of the guests. When I turn to look at Emery, I see that his eyes are tired and a little bit droopy but he manage to stay and act like he''s happy; trying to make everything seem real, ''''You''re tired.'''' I say, causing him to look down at me. ''''You can say that,'''' He replies. Seconds before I can say a word, a woman with dark blonde hair starts to make her way towards us. Her lips are curved up into a small smile and once she has reached us, ''''Emery, remember me?'''' She asks and I look up at Emery, trying to seek for his reaction on whether he remembers her or not. It seems like I''m the person who stands in between while I watch them look at each other. The look on her face shows hope¡ªthat he probably remembers her but the look on his face shows confusion yet he tries his best to hide it; wanting to make sure that everything''s fine and not causing chaos. ''''It''s Brianna, remember?'''' She asks, smiling. Emery nods his head and smiling widely before agreeing, ''''Of course. We met, uh¡ª'''' He nces at my direction for a few seconds but then he changes the topic, ''''How are you? It has been awhile.'''' 1 Brianna doesn''t seem to notice that Emery does not remember her at all as she continues the conversation. For some reason, I feel sorry for her yet I keep quiet, only smiling while listening to them, ''''I''m alright. I can tell that you''re doing great,'''' She chuckles, ''''It has been awhile ever since you left for Melbourne, eight years ago.'''' She adds. His eyes widen slightly, somehow remembering. ''''I have always wanted to leave,'''' He says. She nods with a smile on her face before turning to look at me, ''''You two are a match made in heaven. Congrattions, Emery. It''s nice to finally get to meet you again,'''' She says, earning a smile from me and a nod from Emery¡ªI''m pretty sure he''s still lost in a world of his own. I thought. Then, she disappears into the crowd. ''''You don''t remember her, do you?'''' I nce up at his face, seeing him shaking his head slowly with a slight frown on his face¡ªI only respond back with a chuckle, ''''She seems like she remembers you very well. How can you not remember?'''' I ask. ''''It was a long time ago, I suppose.'''' He replies. All of a sudden, a slow song starts to y in the background as a sign for Emery and I to have our first dance. I look around at the crowd, seeing that they already have their eyes set on both of us. My body starts to feel slightly nervous due to the fact that we''ll be slow dancing in the middle of the ballroom even though it won''t be on television. Emery turns to look at me with a small smile on his face before giving me his hand. I raise an eyebrow at him as he clears his throat, ''''I know we never practiced this but I''ll lead you,'''' He says. My eyes wander around the ballroom as the crowd waits for us so I ce my hand on his, loving how they are always warm while mine stays cold most of the time¡ªprobably because I''m with him. We walk towards the middle of the ballroom before stopping. To my surprise, Emery pulls me by the waist ever so closely that our faces are only inches apart. I keep quiet, not wanting to disrupt the distance between us even though it''s slightly ufortable. ''''Does it have to be a formal dance?'''' I ask, lightly near his ear so that the conversation would only be between Emery and I ''''Does it have to be a formal dance?'''' I ask, lightly near his ear so that the conversation would only be between Emery and I. Within seconds, he ces both of my arms around his neck while he ces his around my waist, gently resting his chin on my shoulder¡ªcausing me to hold in my breath for a few seconds. We start to move side by side; realising that we''re only swaying our hips a little bit, it''s not even a formal dance. More like a romantic dance. ''''The vows were already formal, I can''t have another formal thing going on.'''' He whispers near my ear, causing me to chuckle lightly. It''s true, due to him being royalty, everything seemed to be formal¡ª nned and arranged, it''s quite bothersome. It wasn''t casual, at all. ''''It feels weird being the centre of attention,'''' I mutter under my breath but still loud enough for him to hear, clearly. Then, he twirls me around once before holding onto my waist again, now we''re face to face; making it easier for us to have a conversation. ''''It will always be that way, just so you know. Since our wedding was shown worldwide, everything we do is their business too, now. No matter how unrealistic it sounds, we are and will always be the centre of attention.'''' He replies, looking straight into my eyes while I look into his. Remember I said that his eyes were tired and droopy, earlier? It makes him look sexy. We end up looking at each other''s faces, only remembering our features. Honestly, I still feel a little bit ufortable when I''m around him, especially when we''re this close but I try to slide it away and just enjoy the moment¡ªenjoy our moment. Without me realising, he has already pulled me closer towards him so that our bodies would collide. Then, he leans in so that our lips would brush against one another beforepletely pressing his lips on mine. I respond back with the same rhythm which is slow and meaningful¡ªsomehow, our kisses meant something to each other but we manage to only prove and show it through smooches. We stand in the middle as we share the same kiss we shared a few days ago; not the kiss we shared a few hours ago, where it was shown in public. For some reason, I want to know what''s in his head whenever we kiss; does he have everything all mapped out or does he just go with the flow? Is he naturally this good? We both pull away, brushing our noses before I feel him pecking onto the side of my cheek, slowly as he pulls back; looking at my face. I open my eyes to find him staring at me, only at me but as my eyes wander around, he starts to cup onto my face, ''''Don''t. Don''t give a damn about them,'''' He breathes. I look back at him, agreeing. My heart beats at an unstable pace once I see him licking his lower lip which causes me to feel my cheeks heat up immediately. I wonder if I''m the only woman he kissed ever since we knew that we''re engaged to one another? I wonder if he have kissed someone else? I keep on wondering. The music stops ying, only for us to realise that we''ve been standing here for quite some time. The crowd are whispering something to each other but they don''t seem like they''re spreading anything negative. Everyone starts to appear in the middle of the ballroom, dancing and having fun to their heart''s content while I watch them with a smile on my face. I learn one thing about marrying a royalty, you''ve got to keep on smiling. I sigh. When I turn to look at Emery, I see him talking to a few men but he would nce at my direction for a few seconds while I just eye him from afar. With another sigh, I exit the ballroom and slowly making my way towards the hall that I''vee to know¡ªthe hallways that I''ve been going through for the past few weeks of being here. I enter my room, letting another sigh of relief before closing the door behind me and finally sitting onto the bed¡ªeven though I know that the queen has already asked me to go and move into Emery''s room in the other hall but I remain myself here, not wanting to jump into things when we''re just slowly getting to each other. Besides, I don''t even want to be there. Not now. After changing into a pair of clothing that I would befortable in, I head straight towards the bathroom; realising that I wasn''t supposed to leave the ballroom and Emery there, people might be wondering and asking but I''m too tired. I can''t even see the differences between pretending and reality. Am I pretending to be happy or am I truthfully happy? I look at myself in the mirror, seeing the same pale woman looking back at me¡ªher eyes are a dark brown colour, the only thing that''s enhances my feature is my lips; they''re naturally pinkish. Once I exit the bathroom, I immediatelyy onto my bed; feeling waves of relief due to the fact that I''m exhausted. It doesn''t take me long to finally drift into a deep slumber. ''''Your Highness,'''' I hear someone say. I open my eyes to find two servants looking down at me with a smile on their faces. I quickly sit up straight before running my fingers through my messy hair as I look around, realising that they must''ve stood there for quite some time¡ªprobably not wanting to wake me up. ''''My apologies, Your Highness but the queen requests that you get ready. She wants to meet you,'''' One of them say, smiling before cing a pair of jeans with a shirt and heels on the bed. Then, they start to stand near the window, letting the sunlight passing through. Once I''m fully satisfied with how I look, I immediately get out of the room to only bump into Emery as soon as I stepped out of the door¡ªcausing me to back away slightly while both of his hands are on my waist, preventing me from falling. ''''You scared me,'''' I breathe. ''''Sorry, didn''t see youing.'''' He replies before letting go of my waist. Without me realising, I am already eyeing his outfit, seeing that he is in his casual¡ªa pair of cks and a shirt which he has raised the sleeves up to his elbows. He looks back down at me, ''''How did you sleep?'''' He asks while I continue to eye his features, realising that there are dark circles under his eyes. ''''Good, I guess. What about you?'''' I ask, feeling a little bit concern. To my surprise, he starts tough humourlessly¡ªearning myself a frown. Then, he points at the dark circles under his eyes, ''''This proves well enough of how great I slept,'''' He replies. I try to hold back my won''t stop singing and everything was just¡ªdisturbing.'''' He adds, rolling his eyes. ''''I didn''t hear any singing,'''' I mutter. ''''You were dead asleep, what would you hear? Even if a bomb dropped and explode the whole castle, you would still be in your slumber, not even slightly awake. That''s you,'''' He assures, running his fingers through his hair, messily trying to fix it. ''''I''m surprised. We''ve been married for less than twenty-four hours yet you know me so well, I''ll praise you for that. You easily read me like an open book, well done, Emery.'''' I respond sarcastically which is true, we barely know much about each other but he has assumed me as the type to sleep like the dead. ''''I assumed you''d be sleeping like the dead,'''' He clears his throat. ''''That''s what I thought. By the way, why did they call me Your Highness? Is there something going on that I don''t know?'''' I ask,pletely wanting to know the answer while Emery looks at me as if I''m stupid or have lost my mind. Then, he shakes his head, sighing deeply. ''''That''s the dumbest question I''ve heard,'''' ''''What?'''' I furrow my eyebrows. ''''Look, sunshine, just so you know,'''' He leans in closer towards me so that our faces would be inches apart, ''''Once you''re married to me, you are known as the princess. It''s not because you''re royalty but it''s because you married into title¡ªso it means, you have gotten the title that I have. However, you would not be a princess in your own right. Clear?'''' He asks. ''''Not quite¡ª'''' I raise my index finger but he walks away, leaving me with a question that I haven''t finished asking. I still stare at him even though only from behind before running towards him until we''re walking side by side. As we turn towards a different hallway, we immediately stop walking once we see the queen. ''''There you are,'''' Genevieve says. ''''Uh, I''ll get going¡ª'''' Emery starts to speak but his mother interrupts him. ''''No, you''re staying. You both are staying. Come along, children.'''' She says, with a smile on her face but the tone of her voice shows how she is serious; which leads to Emery and I, following her towards one of the rooms avable. Emery sits onto one of the chairs before me and we wait for the queen to finish talking to one of her trusted chauffeur¡ªthen, he leaves the room after nodding respectively. I eye the room beforending my eyes on Emery, who seem to be zoning out every couple of seconds. ''''What happenedst night?'''' She asks. ''''Emery,'''' She continues, causing him to look at both Genevieve and I in confusion, leaving the queen sighing deeply, ''''Why weren''t you two in the chamber I''ve assigned?'''' She asks the question that we''ve been wanting to avoid; the rooming. He clears his throat, ''''I couldn''t find it.'''' Genevieve chuckles, ''''Don''t be in stupid, Emery. I know that you two were trying to avoid sleeping in the same room but there''s not much that you can do. You''re married, sleeping in the same room and on the same bed is required or the servants and everyone else in the castle might start spreading rumours. We don''t want that, do we?'''' She raises an eyebrow after putting on her sses. ''''Well¡ª'''' Emery starts but his mother continues to interrupt. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ''''¡ªanyway, there will be horse riding today. Since you two aren''t leaving for your honeymoon in a few days, you shall get involved with the public as much as possible until then.'''' She says, cing down her journal. ''''Horse riding?'''' He questions. ''''Yes, have you forgot how to?'''' She asks, looking straight at her son but Emery keeps quiet, only looking out at the window, trying to avoid answering more of her questions, ''''You will be teaching Emma how to ride a horse, remember, it''s a public event, don''t act foolish, Emery. Be the happy couple that you both are,'''' She smiles at the end. ''''We''re not a happy¡ª'''' He begins. Once again, interrupted but this time by Evelyn entering the room, ''''Mother, I need to see you.'''' ''''For god''s sake, Evelyn, I was talking!'''' Emery turns to re at his older sister but she ignores him, only to leave Emery letting out another sigh¡ªwhile I stay still, watching him acting like a child. ''''You just gotten married,'''' Evelyn states. ''''So?'''' He asks back, raising an eyebrow. ''''So, don''t be all moody. It''s probably because you didn''t get somethingst night but it''s okay, little brother, we all understand how you won''t be getting anything anytime soon.'''' With a chuckle, she sits right next to the queen and it surprises me to see Genevieve smiling widely at her daughter''s statement. Emery rolls his eyes in annoyance. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Emma ''''I need to be honest with you,'''' I turn to face Emery, seeing that he''s busy looking at a group of men who will be riding with us. Then, he looks down at me, ''''I havepletely forgotten how to ride a horse.'''' He mutters under his breath Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. and within seconds, one of the men starts to approach us; causing him to sigh. ''''Your Highnesses, will you be riding today?'''' He asks with a smile on his face before ncing at my direction. Both Emery and I return back the smile but from the look on Emery''s face, I know he doesn''t want to turn down the challenge but neither of us really know how to ride a horse. Well, except for him, he knows very well but he has forgotten about it. ''''Of course,'''' Emery replies. Then, he disappears back into the crowd before they all walk towards their horses, getting ready for the ride. I turn to look at Emery once more, bracing myself to ce a hand on the side of his face, earning myself a confused look from him but he stays still. We are looking deeply into each other''s eyes, ''''Try. You might remember how,'''' I say as I smile. He chuckles, ''''Might.'''' ''''It''s better than nothing,'''' I reassure him. He looks back at me, ''''Trust me. Get on your horse and show me, we''ll get the hang of it, together. How does that sound?'''' I lightly tap onto his cheek before walking towards the two horses that belongs to Emery and I. When I turn to look at him, I see that he has a small smile on his face before he actually starts to make his way towards his white beauty¡ªslowly caressing the side of her face but both of his eyes are still on mine When I turn to look at him, I see that he has a small smile on his face before he actually starts to make his way towards his white beauty¡ªslowly caressing the side of her face but both of his eyes are still on mine. Within seconds, he has already make his way towards me, slowly picking me up by the waist to ce me on my horse. 1 With a loud chuckle, I manage to grab other people''s attention but Emery doesn''t seem to bother as he like crap due to the fact that the reporters are busy capturing our pictures at all times. ''''There,'''' He says, looking up at me. Once he''s on his horse, he starts to move a little to the front, trying to get the hang of it while I stay still, watching his every movement. Slowly, I try to get along with my horse by caressing the side of his face ¡ªuntil we finally manage to make them move towards the crowd. ''''It has been awhile since you ride, are you sure you''ll be alright?'''' One of the men asks. For some reason, Emery finds it as a challenge because he starts to clench his jaw before actually smiling. He nces at my direction, ''''We''ll get the hang of it, together. How does that sound?'''' He points out the question, leaving me smiling and nodding my head while the gentleman nods in understanding. My heart beats at a very fast pace as I look at Emery, seeing him a few feet away from me. Just by the look of him right now, he seems extremely wless. The way his messy brown hair is being blown by the wind and his eyes lightening up due to the sun¡ªhe looks, breathtaking. Without me realising, he is already looking at me, ''''Youing?'''' He asks. ''''Yeah,'''' I reply, moving forward. We have a whole crowd watching us and as I awkwardly sit on my horse, he won''t move, causing me to stay still on the middle with my horse while Emery has already gotten the hang of it with his. He turns to look at me, seeing that I''m struggling with mine¡ªwhich causes him to turn back and getting off. To my surprise, he starts to pick me by the waist before cing me on the ground. When I finally think that he''s going to just walk with me back to the stable, I thought wrong, he picks me up, bridal style¡ª causing my cheeks to heat up immediately. The whole crowd starts to cheer and stand up, especially because we''re newlyweds. ''''What are you doing?'''' I ask. ''''Carrying you,'''' He replies as he looks down at my face. My heart continues to beat fast due to the fact that our faces are inches apart and that he doesn''t seem to bother much at our intimacy in public. Then, he ces me on his horse before getting up afterwards. ''''I can walk, you know.'''' I mutter near his ear. ''''I know,'''' He replies. Emery moves towards the front slowly before we finally start to fasten up, causing me to wrap my arms around his waist¡ªjust like when we were riding a motorbike Emery moves towards the front slowly before we finally start to fasten up, causing me to wrap my arms around his waist¡ªjust like when we were riding a motorbike. The feeling is the same yet the experience is different; I know, we''re being captured by the reporters. The reporters are busy snapping our pictures. Once we''re headed back towards the group of men, they all watch us without uttering a single word. ''''I guess, that''s enough riding for us today, gentlemen.'''' Emery says, earning their attention. They all nod and start to make their way towards the front, leaving Emery and I. I walk side by side with Emery as he takes off his gloves. Even though he''s not paying any attention at me, I take my chance to keep on eyeing him¡ªmesmerising his beauty. For once, I realise how lucky I am to have him as my husband. He sure is, magical. ''''How was it?'''' His voice breaks me from my trance. ''''Huh?'''' His brown eyes look down into my eyes, ''''How was the ride?'''' He asks, this time his question is clearer. Then, he takes a few steps closer towards me¡ªwaiting for my answer. It takes me awhile to realise that he''s just closing the distance to take off my gloves so I sigh in relief, after seeing him holding my hand. ''''It was an experience,'''' I reply. ''''That wouldn''t be yourst.'''' He assures me. Once we''re done spending time at the public event, we head our way back to the castle. As soon as we arrive at the castle, Evelyn and Genevieve stands at the front door¡ªwaiting for our return. My eyes widen as I see them but they have wide smiles on their faces before Evelyn starts to shove her phone towards Emery. Both Emery and I watch the video that has been taken by the reporters which has been posted online, worldwide. In the video, I can see Emery and I riding the horses together before he starts to pick me up bridal style¡ªcausing both Evelyn and Genevieve to smile widely, pping their hands. ''''Someone''s been a sweetheart,'''' Evelyn teases him. Emery shoves back the phone back at her before entering the castle, leaving herughing as she eyes me, gesturing for me to go inside with him. I do as told, following behind him; without uttering a single word. We head towards a room that I''m not quite familiar with, noticing that it is actually the room that Genevieve has assigned for both Emery and I. As soon as I enter the room, my eyes wide at the sight. The room is filled with white furniture but there are red petals of roses on the floor and on the bed¡ªGenevieve and Evelyn must''ve nned it. I clear my throat as Emery enters the room without a word as heys down on the bed, closing his eyes as a sign that he''s tired. I sit down on the nearest armchair before taking out my phone. Without me realising, I''ve been on my phone for an hour and I start to look up at Emery, seeing that he''s in a different position¡ªin a much more cuter position, I must add. He''sying on the side as his chest rises up and down, slowly; showing how he''s peacefully sleeping. I manage to watch him sleep and end up falling asleep too; with a small smile on my face. The next morning, The sunlight is hitting on my face, causing me to immediately open my eyes¡ªtrying to find a solution to why does the sun shining brightly against my skin when I clearly remember falling asleep on the armchair, where the window is nowhere near. I run my hands around to find myself being on a bed, quickly making me sit up straight; breathing out. For a second, I don''t know if I consider myself lucky to wake up alone without finding Emery in this room or to feel slightly sad about it. Without further ado, I head towards the bathroom for a nice bath before changing into a pair of clothing that has been ced by the servants on the bed. I quickly walk out of the room, heading towards the other side. ''''Emma,e here.'''' The queen says. I didn''t even realise that she has been sitting there with a book in her hand so I make my way towards her, looking around to find no one else here except the two of us. Once I''m fully seated, she starts to look at me. ''''How does a honeymoon sound like?'''' She asks. My eyes widen at the sound of her saying honeymoon when Emery and I barely even get to the first stage. We are hardly acquaintances¡ªhonestly, I don''t know what and where we are at the moment. ''''Uh¡ª'''' She interrupts me, ''''Perhaps, Bali, Maldives, Bora Bora or even Krabi. Somewhere far from here. I''m guessing you two would like somewhere far and private,'''' She says, smiling. All of a sudden, I start to think of a great idea. ''''I was thinking, maybe go to New York.'''' I answer, hoping that she would reconsider because I really want to get back to New York. It has been awhile since I''ve been back, besides, I have a restaurant to take care of. ''''New York isn''t exactly a ce for a honeymoon,'''' She replies but by the look on her face, it shows how she might reconsider. ''''Well, I wasn''t actually considering a honeymoon location. I¡ªI thought it would be best if we get to know each other first other than rushing things for a honeymoon. Emery and I are only slowly trying to getfortable with each other. I can really show him New York but in the meantime, we''ll get the chance to talk.'''' I assure her, trying to make her agree. Genevieve stays quiet for a few seconds before lifting her book up once more, ''''I''ll ask Phillip to arrange a private jet. You have a home in New York, I assume?'''' ''''Does this mean that¡ª'''' ''''Yes, you two will be going to New York.'''' She replies Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Emma ''''You took me on a jet to New York,'''' He says, causing me to look up and meet his eyes but due to the sunsses that he''s wearing¡ªI can''t really see where he''s looking. ''''That''s not surprising.'''' He adds. Then, he leans back on his seat, using his palm to support his chin, ''''Of course it''s not and for your information, I just saved both of our asses from being stranded on an ind for a whole week.'''' I effortlessly flip my hair, earning a smirk from him. ''''Howe?'''' ''''Your mother wanted to n a honeymoon for us and she asked me to choose a destination. I had a better idea and I took it as my chance. I chose New York because I told her I didn''t want to go on a honeymoon¡ªlike, why would I?'''' I reply. It irritates me that I''m not able to see his eyes. Just by the way his head is facing me, shows how he''s actually looking my way but I can''t read his facial expressions; especially right now. ''''Take that off,'''' I mutter under my breath. ''''Take what off?'''' He asks, raising an eyebrow. ''''That, take it off.'''' I say, pointing at his sunsses. For some reason, I''m not scared of challenging him or asking him to do things. Even if things were awkward before, I manage to feelfortable now. ''''If I won''t?'''' He leans forward a little bit. Surprisingly, I brace myself to lean in further so that our knees would be touching. It does not affect him the slightest but I remain my calm. I reach out for his sunsses and once I manage to take it off, I am left with his eyespletely attached to mine¡ªleaving me breathless. ''''There, that wasn''t so hard, was it?'''' I breathe. As soon as I lean back on my seat, he leans back too before pulling his sunsses back on; causing me to roll my eyes in annoyance at his attitude. Then, he crosses his arms¡ªin a way that shows he is going to sleep. Hours and hours have passed but I can''t seem to fall asleep for long because my mind is constantly remind of Emery. For instance, I am always reminded that he''s here, in front of me and when I fall asleep, he might end up watching me but that''s a total bullshit. Emery doesn''t seem bothered much in his sleep. He barely even move and would only slightly whenever he feels ufortable but other than that, he stays till at his spot. I don''t actually understand why he won''t go at the back in the bedroom provided¡ªbecause obviously, he''s allowed to sleep there. Then again, so am I. I open my eyes to find the private jetnding; making me look down at New York City. My lips curve up into a small smile, missing home and missing the smell of freshly cooked food. Everything seems to be ying in my mind for a few times; especially the food. The restaurant has been on my mind for quite some time, probably because I''ve missed it that much. With a sigh, I turn to nce at Emery, seeing that he''s currently rubbing the back of his neck but both of his eyes are closed¡ªhe had removed his sunsses a few hours back. Once we have safelynded, I quickly make my way out with Emery trailing behind me. Without us knowing, we are already standing outside the airport with our bags on the ground as we wait for a cab. ''''Sorry to disappoint you but I didn''t hire a chauffeur,'''' Emery snorts, fixing his hair by running his fingers through them before turning to look at me, ''''It''s actually expectable that we''ll be riding a cab,'''' He replies, both of his hands in his jeans'' pocket as he turns to look away. It surprises me at the sight of him. Every single time. God damn it, why? He doesn''t even do anything but I always end up falling hard. Falling deep. Yes, he doesn''t notice and he won''t notice but I think I have fallen for him¡ªin a way that I can''t exin. ''''Can you take that off?'''' I ask. ''''What is it with you and sunsses?'''' He asks back, taking it off before ring at me. It takes me awhile to realise that he manage to make my lips curve up into a smile. ''''I just don''t like it,'''' That I can''t look into your eyes, I say to myself in my mind; but I keep it to myself. ''''Oh yeah? That''s your problem. Not mine,'''' He puts his sunsses back on and starts to look straight down the road, slightly hiding his face whenever he finds people staring at him in a way that they would notice him. ''''Who are you hiding from?'''' I ask, slightly feeling concern but I expect an answer from him already. ''''I don''t think it''s safe to be out here for too long.'''' He replies, clearing his throat, ''''Especially when we''re still being the centre of attention,'''' He adds. All of a sudden, I find myselfughing so hard that I can actually explode on the floor. Emery nces at my direction for a few seconds before turning topletely look at my face¡ªprobably realising how Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. insane I am, bad luck to him then. I cross my arms, looking up due to his height, ''''I''m sorry, baby but I forgot to list in ten bodyguards for the sake of your safety. Remind me to do that, like yesterday?'''' I roll my eyes at him. Both of his eyebrows furrow in disagreement, ''''That''s not what I meant¡ª'''' He starts to speak. I cut him off, ''''Oh no. I know, there are like thousands of serial killers here in New York. Be careful, don''t want to be on their list.'''' I say, sarcastically. Seconds before he can respond, I manage to get a cab for the both of us¡ªhe just stands there while I pick up our luggages but I don''t mind due to the speechless look on his face. It satisfies me. Honestly, Emery is far from what I''ve expected. He has lived in Melbourne since he was eighteen and due to that, he has not act like a self-centred prince. He seems very humble andmon; like a normal person. No one would have expected him to be royalty. Neither would I, at first. I know what he meant and he was right. It''s not safe for the both of us to be in public for a long duration because we''re still fresh and known to the world. We need a few more weeks or even months to actually slowly let our name slide aside from the press but Emery doesn''t need to worry about it at the moment, New York is a busy ce and hardly anyone can recognise us unless they stop and stare. Once we have arrived at my apartment, Emery follows behind me without uttering a single word before he starts to make his way towards the middle¡ªwhile I close the door, hearing it lock itself. I take a few seconds to eye him from behind, cherishing. ''''Nice home,'''' He says ''''Nice home,'''' He says. ''''Thanks, Jace helped decorate this ce while I just agree to almost everything. Guess he did a pretty good job,'''' I reply before pulling my luggage near the middle. Emery turns towards me, ''''Jace? Who?'''' He asks but before I can answer, I look down to find my phone ringing and apparently, it''s from Jace. With a sigh, I ignore the call, luckily Emery doesn''t seem to notice that I was receiving a call because my phone is still on silent. ''''I have three rooms but I use the second one for my wardrobe and the third one for my office. So, it leaves you with my bedroom¡ªif that''s, okay?'''' I ask. I make my way towards my bedroom before opening the door and letting him enter first. He eyes the whole room, examining everything. Then, he walks towards my bed; probably counting the space in his head. ''''Where will I be sleeping?'''' ''''You can sleep in here. I''ll take the couch outside,'''' I point at the living room and he just walks towards the bathroom; not really caring if I sleep on the couch. I thought he was going to let me sleep in here, on the bed, with him. My bedroom and the living room doesn''t truly match in any way possible My bedroom and the living room doesn''t truly match in any way possible. It''s like, whenever I enter my room, it feels like being in a different ce due to the ck furnitures while the living room mostly have light coloured furnitures. My bedroom, my wardrobe and the bathroom are the only ces that I decorate in this house because Jace helped me with the living room, the kitchen and my office. ''''You can sleep on the bed,'''' I hear him say. ''''What about you?'''' I raise an eyebrow. ''''I''ll be on the bed with you,'''' He replies, ncing at the mirror near the bed as he watches both of our figures, ''''If you don''t mind?'''' Then, he looks into my eyes, seeking for answers. My heart starts to beat at a fast pace. Oh lord, I mutter in my head but I keep a natural expression¡ªnot wanting him to think that I''m a creep or anything but hell yeah! I want to be on the bed with him, especially when we sleep because we might end up cuddling. That''s one of my weaknesses, cuddling. ''''Sure,'''' I clear my throat. After a few seconds, I nce down at my wrist watch before realising that I was still stuck in Ennd''s time but I immediately turn to look at the clock on the wall, ''''You can explore the apartment on your own and order whatever you want if you''re hungry, I''ll leave the address on the kitchen counter.'''' I say. ''''Where are you going?'''' He asks ''''Uh, to my restaurant.'''' I answer. It takes me awhile to realise that I can just bring him along because then it''ll be easier. Apart from that, I can also show Jace, wanting him to see how amazingly gorgeous my husband is, ''''You cane along if you want, free food?'''' I raise an eyebrow at him with a smile. He shakes his head, ''''I''ll be fine. You go ahead,'''' I feel slightly sad at his answer but I smile onest time before taking a few stuff that I might need as I make my way out towards the living room. As I write my address on a piece of paper, just incase, Emery wants to order anything to eatter on. It hits me awhile but I write down my restaurant''s address before drawing directions. If he wants toeter. ncing onest time at Emery, I see that he''s busy eyeing the ce so I step out of my apartment, with a hope in my heart that he''lle soon. Walking towards the restaurant has been a must for me. It''s not far but it''s not too close either ¡ªit''s an okay distance. From outside, I manage to see the amount of customers walking in as they talk; it surprises me that my restaurant has never failed to attract people especially during lunch and dinner. Once I''ve entered the restaurant, I am surprised again to see the restaurant, filled with people. I make my way towards the back, smiling widely as soon as I see Jace talking to the chef; getting him to work. ''''Jace?'''' I call out, slowly ''''Jace?'''' I call out, slowly. Jace turns to look at me and his eyes widen immediately before running towards me; pulling me close for a hug, ''''Oh my god, you''re back! Emma, you''re finally back. Wait, I have a lot to tell you because a lot of things have happened ever since you were gone but girl, you were smoking hot during your wedding. Not to mention that your husband was fine as fuck,'''' He moans, lowly. I let out a chuckle, cing my index finger on his lips, ''''Shh, it''s our sweet little secret. I don''t want people to hear,'''' I reply with a smile. ''''Why? Everyone knows you now,'''' ''''Well, they know the wife of Prince Emery, not me. I don''t think it''s necessary because my life would be ending. The free old me won''t be the same if people find out; especially the press. So, Jace, just please, shut your mouth because I love you.'''' I peck onto his cheek and he rolls his eyes, agreeing. ''''Where''s your hot daddy?'''' He licks his lower lip. ''''He''s not my hot daddy and he''s at home, I don''t think he''ll be here for today so don''t get your hopes high. You will probably just see him on the inte. If you''re lucky, on television.'''' I joke, causing him to ''''You didn''t even invite me to your wedding,'''' He breathes. With a frown, ''''I''m sorry, Jace. Things weren''t really as slow as I expected. The wedding urred too quickly and I didn''t really have time to invite anyone except my family,'''' I mutter under my breath. Jace is a great friend. He''s understanding. A lot more than anyone would understand someone. Besides, he would always be here whenever I need him. Never far but always close. ''''It''s alright, I just can''t believe you''re married,'''' ''''It''s very hard to believe,'''' I chuckle. Jace smiles, pulling me in for a hug before kissing the side of my cheek¡ªleaving me chuckling again. It might seem weird to some people and they would always think of us as a couple but Jace and I are very close to each other, simple gestures like kissing and hugging are never too far. They''remon. Not lip kisses though. ''''Baby girl, I think your hot daddy is here.'''' I turn around to see Emery entering the restaurant as he takes a better look around but he still hasn''t found me due to the amount of people in here. My lips curve up into a smile, without me even realising. As I make my way towards him, I find him looking down at me immediately, his lips slightly curving; probably relieved to see me, probably. I smile back, ''''You''re here,'''' I mutter, loud enough for him to hear. ''''I''m here,'''' He chuckles. ''''I thought you wouldn''te,'''' I say. ''''I didn''t say I wouldn''t. Besides, who would reject free food? My stomach has been grumbling so since you''ve given me the address and the directions, I made it perfectly good for a first timer,'''' He replies. The look on his face shows how he''s a bit proud to make it here to my restaurant without trouble. ''''I''m d,'''' I roll my eyes. When I turn around, I see Jace standing beside me, extremely close due to the fact that he wants to be close with Emery. I look up at Emery once more, seeing him ncing at Jace. ''''This is Jace, he''s a very close friend and he works here. Jace, this is my, uh¡ªhusband, Emery.'''' I was about to stutter at the word husband. ''''It''s nice to meet you,'''' Jace shakes hand with Emery. They both smile at each other but it''s quite a bonus for Jace, since he finds Emery hot and very attractive, he shall take this moment as a gift. ''''Likewise,'''' Emery replies with a smile. ''''May I serve you for today?'''' Jace asks, pointing at the best table near the window. A lot of people would request this table because it brings them some sort offort; not because it''s close to the window but because they get to actually feel alone, whenever they bring their partners along. ''''Yeah, I can''t wait to hear the menu.'''' He replies. While Emery sits on his seat, I follow to sit the opposite from him¡ªleaving Jace standing beside the table, taking his order. Somehow, I couldn''t hear a single word he said with Jace because my mind is fully upied with his presence. My heart beats at a fast pace, just by seeing him chuckling; talking, even. He''s beautiful, I admit. Once they''re done, Emery turns to look at me with a small smile on his face, ''''Nice ce.'''' He says, earning himself a smile from me. Then, I continue to stare deeply into his eyes, not wanting to look away unless things get clearly ufortable, ''''Don''t tell me Jace decorated the whole ce,'''' I chuckle, ''''Actually, dad and I did. This was originally his restaurant,'''' He nods at my answer. To my surprise, he starts to reach out for my hand before lightly entwining our fingers together, causing me to feel my cheeks heat up immediately. I look up at him once more, ''''When I said that I''ll try, I meant it. For some reason, I feel like you''re worth trying for.'''' He smiles, gripping onto my hand. '''' He smiles, gripping onto my hand ''''I''m just Emma,'''' I breathe out. ''''And I''m just Emery,'''' We both end up smiling at each other as he caress the back of my hand with his thumb, causing me to look down at our entwined hand¡ªloving how my hand fits perfectly with his, mixing the perfect amount of warmth so that neither of us would feel ufortable if we hold hands for a long amount of time. I never thought that things might be this easy, I mean, I thought he would end up continuously rejecting me in a way that we''ll never talk frequently but we''re slowly getting somewhere. That''s better than nothing. ''''Like I said, it takes two to tango.'''' I mutter under my breath, loud enough for him to hear. ''''Then, try with me.'''' He replies, ''''We''ll never know if we might seed or fail but either way, at least we end up knowing we tried. Isn''t that a better option? I know, we were both forced into this but I''m not going to force any feelings along with it. Let ite and if ites, I''ll let it stay.'''' He says those words as he looks directly into my eyes. That''s one of the things that I like about him, he would look into my eyes whenever we have a serious conversation because that way, I know that he''s being sincere. Some other men, would just say those kind of words but their eyes would be looking the other way¡ªany other way, other than the eyes. ''''We''ll see,'''' I assure. ''''Here''s your order,'''' Jace ces the food on the table before winking at me, causing me to chuckle at his sudden behaviour while Emery smiles, somehow realising how we''re acting more than just close friends. ''''Do I need to worry about him liking you?'''' He suddenly asks as soon as Jace disappears towards the counter, taking other people''s order¡ªthe restaurant is in a rush at the moment, people areing in and out. 2 ''''He doesn''t like me,'''' I reply. ''''How can you be sure? The way he looks and act around you, that shows how he fancies you.'''' He says, slightly furrowing his eyebrows while I continue tough;pletely leaving in confusion. I have forgotten that our hands are still entwined against each other as I look up at him, smiling, ''''Is there something that I should know because I think that I don''t understand,'''' He adds. ''''I''m very sure that he doesn''t like me, Emery.'''' I mutter. He pulls away his hand as he leans in further towards my face, ''''How?'''' ''''Well, I''m very very sure that he doesn''t like me is because he likes men. So, instead of you worrying about me, I should worry about you¡ªhe might fancy you a lot more than he fancying other men,'''' I on his seat. ''''So, he''s gay?'''' We both turn to look at Jace, seeing him smiling at a woman. A beautiful woman. She is currently tell it if he prefers both but it doesn''t matter, he''s a great friend, overall. ''''You can say that,'''' I chuckle. Emery nces at my direction for a few seconds before fully facing me, making me stopughing at once. My cheeks heat up immediately, slightly ufortable by his gaze¡ªI''m always like this whenever someone stares at me but it''s much more ufortable when ites to Emery. Maybe, because I think that he can see every single ws that I have, that''s one of the reasons. ''''When I was in Melbourne, I had a few women in my bed. Only in my bed. I never thought of anything special or serious when I was with them¡ªonly for fun, they didn''t mind either.'''' He says as I listen, ''''I''m saying this because since we''re trying to get to know each other, I might as well tell you. I don''t want to feel like there are secrets between us,'''' I smile, nodding my head. ''''So, there are no crazy ex-boyfriends?'''' He raises an eyebrow. Iugh once more at his question as I shake my head, ''''Nope.'''' He smiles before taking a bite of his food but as I see him eating with his hand still entwined with mine, I try to pull away but he keeps on gripping¡ªnot giving me a chance, ''''You''re eating.'''' I mutter, pointing at his hand but he shrugs. ''''So? I''m not left-handed.'''' He frowns. ''''Still, it''s ufortable, isn''t it?'''' I ask but he ignores me by quickly shoving fries into my mouth, causing my eyes to widen at the amount of food he shoved. As I chew, heughs at my face¡ªprobably because I look like aplete fool. Then, I realise that the fries were dipped in ketchup. ''''You have a little something here,'''' He points as he touches the side of his mouth. I use my left hand to wipe it away, ''''The other side,'''' He mutters, looking down at my lips but as I continue to wipe it away, he continues tough¡ªleaving me frustrated but I end upughing with him. Emery, finds it interesting to see me reacting this way. ''''Where is it?'''' I ask, groaning. To my surprise, he leans forward towards me until our faces are inches apart, causing me to hold in my breath and look directly into his brown eyes. He has his lips parted as he looks directly into my eyes before lifting his hand, wiping away the ketchup on my upper lip with his thumb; leaving me breathless at his touch. Then, he puts his thumb in his mouth, causing me to feel an unknown feeling building up inside. Yet, he doesn''t seem slightly affected as he leans back at his seat¡ªknowing that I''m left speechless but he acts like nothing happened earlier as he continues to eat. I, on the other hand, start to touch my upper lip, feeling my cheeks heat up as I am reminded of his previous action. Without me realising, I am already smiling to myself but I try to cover it up; not wanting to make myself look like a fool. I know, stupid of me but any girl or women would be like this whenever someone does it to them, it''s breathtaking. Can leave anyone speechless. ''''I''ll be back,'''' I mutter before making my way towards Jace, seeing that he''s not doing anything at the moment. As soon as I reach him, I ce my hand on his arm, ''''I need you to close up tonight, I''m leaving early.'''' I say, causing him to frown. ''''Well, it''s almost seven¡ª'''' I peck onto his cheek, leaving him rolling his eyes, ''''Alright. Have fun with your man,'''' Then, he gives me a flying kiss; which I dly ept. Apparently, the sun has already set when we arrived at my apartment, leaving me with an idea, ''''I want to show you something. I know that you said, you didn''t like New York. I''m guessing that could change when you see this,'''' I say and he looks at my face, waiting for my next move. I quickly make my way towards the switches before turning off the lights¡ªleaving the whole room in total darkness but Emery seems to get it. He stands in the middle of the dining room, staring at the ss window as I make my way towards it, standing near the window and pointing out for him. ''''Beautiful, isn''t it?'''' I smile widely. The view from my dining room is amazing¡ªI''ve always fallen in love with it every time. That''s one of the reasons why I love staying in New York, I can always appreciate the view, especially in my apartment. Yes, there are a lot of other cities with the perfect view but for now, I''m all with New York. Emery takes a few steps closer towards me, ''''Very Emery takes a few steps closer towards me, ''''Very.'''' I turn to see him smiling down at me, leaving me smiling back at him¡ªnot even realising that he has been staring at my direction ever since I stand here. As my back faces him, I continue to smile down at the view; continuing to cherish and enjoy it. All of a sudden, I feel him wrapping his arms around my waist from behind before resting his chin on my shoulder; causing my eyes to widen and my smile to fall but I stay still, only focusing on the view yet my mind is fully upied with Emery. Due to all the lights that has been turned off, I can''t really see our reflections from the ss window and I''m not brave enough to turn around because I''m scared if I might ruin this moment¡ªI want this to We just stay, for as long as we can Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Emma ''''If wee here everyday, I''ll be fat in no time.'''' Emery says as he takes a bite of his food, causing me to chuckle while I look at him¡ªonly watching him eat. It surprises me how someone can be attractive in so many different ways? One look, he''s damn attractive while staring out the window but then when he eats, he''s ten times perfect. It surprises me how someone can be attractive in so many different ways? One look, he''s damn attractive while staring out the window but then when he eats, he''s ten times perfect ''''Fat or not, I''m stuck with you, either way.'''' I reply, leaving him smiling down at his food before taking a slice and handing it over to me while I slowly lean forward, making it easier for him to give me a bite. ''''It seems like you''re bringing me with you,'''' He chuckles at my respond, ''''You own a restaurant. Don''t tell me you''ve never tried everything in the menu and don''t tell me how many calories you''ve earned for giving in?'''' He asks by raising an eyebrow and that''s when he got me¡ªfood is my weakness. Yes, I may not look like I eat a lot but the people who knows me better, they would understand better. I roll my eyes at him, ''''I never said I haven''t,'''' Then, he smiles once more after ncing up at my direction; as he continues to eat his food while feeding me whenever he wants to. ''''I want to show you New York. Well, it''s not everyday that we get the chance to travel and since I''ll be living in your country, I kind of miss the things here.'''' I say, causing him to look up at me as he chews his food. As he thinks for awhile, he starts to nod, earning himself a smile from me. After the heavy lunch that we had, we head out to the city¡ªwanting to go to ces. Let''s just see this as basics to something better; we might improve our rtionship by this, who knows? We might end up being friends or more. I want more, though. ''''The most clich¨¦ ce that we have to visit is the Central Park. You might have seen it in quite a lot of movies?'''' I turn to ask him, seeing that he''s busy looking around but nces at my direction before answering. ''''Yeah, so we''ll be going there?'''' He asks. With a nod, I quickly pull him by the hand as we quickly make our way towards the Central Park. Due to my childish act, I hear himughing from behind but he does not say or stop me from doing such a thing. He keeps on encouraging me by running beside, hand in hand. A lot of people are ncing at our direction but they might see us as crazy freaks who really have nothing to do in the morning. People here, they don''t bother much so that''s why I don''t have to worry about getting noticed. Well, the media might have pictures of us but as long as they stay out of it and as long as the people here doesn''t bother us, we''ll be fine. Getting to know each other. That''s step number one. I don''t want the press to ruin it for us; we want a moment to ourselves and being disturbed by the press is very, worth smacking them. Step number two? I haven''t figured that out yet but probably getting close to each other. If that''s not too quick, whatsoever. Once we''ve arrived at the Central Park, wee face to face with the amount of people, walking Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. around with smiles on their faces but mostly with phones in their hands; of course. This is the twentieth century, what do I expect? Peoplemunicating through birds? I thought. ''''So, what do we do here?'''' Emery turns towards me. ''''We walk,'''' I answer, leaving him frowning as I grab onto his hand once more¡ªrealising that we''re now walking side by side, looking like a regr couple with our hands entwined. Emery doesn''t mind much that we''re holding hands, probably, because we said that we''ll give it a go. Theres nothing to say, honestly. It''s like we''re having a conversation but words aren''t really necessary. We might be talking in our heads; we''ll never know. He might be thinking about me and I might be thinking about him¡ªmaybe we''re thinking about each other. Isn''t that, sweet? I guess, a little. ''''Can we talk as we walk or is it against the rules?'''' He asks, leaving me tough at his question. I nod my head as a sign for him to ask first, fire away, as long as it doesn''t involve anything stupid, then I''ll answer. His grip on my hand tightens a little bit as I try to cover up my smile. ''''What''s your favourite animal?'''' He asks. I roll my eyes, ''''Really? That''s all you got?'''' I ask him and he chuckles, shaking his head; to show that he''s out of ideas, he''ll just ask anything he wants but it''ll be cool, I''ll try to answer, ''''Lion.'''' I reply. ''''What a coincidence, I think not. Did you Google about me in order to find out my favourite animal so that we can match?'''' He leans in a little and Iugh which causes him tough back. He''s such a teaser. ''''No, I really like lions. By the way, isn''t Emery a greyish-ck form of corundum?'''' I raise an eyebrow and he sighs, rolling his eyes; he probably have had this kind of question before but I don''t me him. Yet, his name sounds perfect. It matches him in a way that I think it wouldn''t. ''''Tell me something I don''t know,'''' He smirks. We bothugh before he continues to speak, ''''Look, I''ve looked up my name a few times when I was a kid so I pretty much know the meaning. At least it isn''t as awful as Arthur or France. Why would anyone name their kid over a country? A country that I don''t even own,'''' He says and I smile at him, seeing how he''s slightly annoyed. Somehow, I''vepletely forgotten about his ent; since I''ve heard him talk a lot recently. ''''France and Arthur isn''t an awful name but I like Emery a lot better. It suits you, someway.'''' I shrug. His brown eyes are looking at me, piercing deep into my eyes but I don''t mind because I want to see something in his eyes; I want to know that, there''s at least something for me. Even a little. ''''Thank you,'''' He mutters. I look down at his hand and I see that I never really notice him wearing the wedding band. My lips curve up into a smile; knowing that whenever people see him, especially women, they''lle to see his ring. Even though, yes, the world knows we''re married but in some way, it feels good to see him wearing the wedding band. It will constantly remind him that he''s married. I might sound like aplete freak right now but I don''t know, maybe I am a freak. We continue to walk and walk but something manage to catch my attention. A little boy is currently smile on his face¡ªas a sign that he''s happy. When I nce up at the parents, they seem utterly happy too. Not only because of their boy but because of themselves. My heart warms at the sight. It continues to warm up when the father picks up his son and kiss his cheek, long and lovingly. Without me realising, I am already smiling; not realising how this kind of thing can affect me so much. ''''Are you even listening?'''' Emery asks. I turn to look at him, slightly confused. As my eyebrows furrow, ''''I''m sorry, what were you saying?'''' I ask and he rolls his eyes, muttering ''never mind''. We enjoy our little walk at the Central Park and I can tell that Emery hase to like New York, a little bit more after what happenedst night. My cheeks will always heat up whenever I remind the scene in my head because I know what he really meant. The view, it was me. ''''Where do we go next?'''' He asks, looking down at me. ''''Well, we can go to the Top of The Rock Observation Deck. Do you want to?'''' I ask, with a smile appearing on my lips as I look up at his face. When I look around, I see that a few women are staring at him as he looks back at me; not really understanding why I''m busy eyeing ces. I know, Emery''s hot but I don''t like it when they stare; I''m not being possessive or anything, I just feel ufortable. Before he can say respond, I already pull him by the hand, causing him to move forward as we make our way towards the cab¡ªsaying our destination. As soon as we arrive up high at the top, I am surprised to see Emery looking around with a smile on his face but then when I make my way towards the sses, he starts to eye me from behind; his eyes showing something when I turn around to look at him. Is it awe? Is it something different? It''s definitely something. ''''What? Is there something on my¡ª'''' To my surprise, he cups onto my face before quickly meeting his lips with mine. My eyes widen at the sudden contact but he continues to kiss me, waiting for my respond. As a smile creep up my face, I quickly respond back to the kiss. He does a few things in surprise. I find it cute. I find it attractive. As soon as he breaks the kiss, I see him looking down at my redden lips for a few seconds before looking back into my eyes, ''''Is there really something on¡ª'''' He cuts me off by kissing me but he takes a few seconds to say, ''''Shut up,'''' before leaning in to kiss me again, giving butterflies in my stomach. My heart won''t stop beating fast, especially due to his hand on my face and his body, extremely close to mine. If bringing him to ces where they''ll be a view in order to get kissed, then I''ll bring him all day. We break the kiss once more, not continuing any further due to being in public but he can''t seem to remove his hands away from my skin, ''''Keep taking me to ces like this but at the end of the day, I''ll be saying that you''re the only view I see.'''' He mutters. His words left me speechless. ''''You''re a smooth motherfucker,'''' I breathe. He smirks, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear before pecking on the tip of my nose which causes me to blush immediately. Look, I expect improvements but this is a hell lot of improvements. On our way home, I manage to catch a glimpse of Emery looking at my direction for a few seconds but I act like I don''t even know what''s going on. We take the cab home and we don''t even utter a single word because I don''t know, things are getting awkward than we expect but I try to let it slide. Awkward. ''''You know what, are you hungry?'''' I ask. Emery looks at me, ''''Why? Is there like¡ª'''' ''''I''m craving Chinese.'' Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Emma While having Chinese, I manage to nce up at Emery once in awhile; just for my own satisfaction. He does not bother with his surroundings as he watches the television, unaware of me staring. ''''I didn''t know you find me that attractive,'''' My eyes widen at his sudden respond before he turns to look at me with a slight smirk on his face. Now, I realise how bad I am for staring because it takes me a whole lot of effort to look away. He''s too beautiful. Anyone can see that. Not just me. Everyone. ''''Excuse me?'''' I furrow my eyebrows, holding the chopsticks in the middle as I pay a closer look. To my surprise, he leans in a bit further, raising my heartbeat within seconds; which means that my body is reacting like a freaking pussy. I never really fall head over heels for someone this easily. Yes, it might take a few effort and a few moments but with Emery, it glides on smoothly. Is it because we''re married? ''''You can''t fool me, cupcake. I can see you look at me even if you try to hide it away. Truth be told, I would look at me too if I were you,'''' He replies, seconds before he leans back in his seat and continue to eat his food. Luckily, he ignores me the entire time and I don''t bother to stare at him anymore¡ªafraid if he might catch me again and the embarrassment will just grow bigger. He''s cocky. Since when? Just now. Once I''m done cleaning up, I look at the living room to see that Emery is nowhere to be found so I quickly turn everything off including the lights and only leave the downlight near the front door on, incase there''ll be any emergencies. As I enter my bedroom, I see Emery ying with his phone without even ncing at my direction¡ª probably not realising that I''m here as he continues to type off something on his phone. I do the same, ignoring him before entering the bathroom, brushing my teeth and cleansing my face so that I''ll sleep with feeling refreshed and clean. When I step out of the bathroom, I see Emeryying in the middle of the bed¡ªwith his phone up above as he continues to scroll down the screen with his thumb. I furrow my eyebrows at him but I sit near my makeup table, applying toner to my skin before applying my night cream after applying my skin serum; letting my skin heal while I sleep. As soon as the night cream absorbs into my skin, I quickly make my way towards my bed. ''''I actually own this bed too,'''' I mutter. Emery nces up at my direction before moving towards his side and he does nothing but y with his phone¡ªI wonder what he''s looking at. As soon as I lean over to look, he immediately hides away the screen from my sight, ''''Respect other people''s privacy. Okay, Emma?'''' He looks back at his phone. ''''Is it something worth being so secretive?'''' I frown, trying to peek but he won''t let me. So, with another sigh, Iy back and turn around, letting my back face him. Even if my eyes are closed, I can''t stop thinking about him and that he''s in the same bed as me. We''ve been sleeping together since yesterday because well, he doesn''t want to sleep on the couch but he doesn''t want me to leave the bed, either. Complicated. After a few minutes, I manage to fall asleep and within seconds, the lights are turned off; only letting me feel the coldness on my skin but the coldness is once reced with something warm, making me realise that he has covered my body with theforter before leaning close. When I turn around to face him, I see that he has his hands close to my body yet he doesn''t bother closing the distance between us. Even in the dark and only the light on my makeup table is turned on, I manage to see his features perfectly. The way his eyebrows are nicely shaped, naturally without even any effort of getting them done, how his nose is not even crooked. Not a slight as it defines his face nicely. Other than that, his lips. The way they redden whenever we kiss or the way they moist almost all the time; never once I see them chapped. Let''s not forget his jawline, though. ''''Sleep,'''' He whispers. My eyes wide as he opens his eyes, droopily. He nces down at my lips after looking deeply into my eyes and surprisingly, he starts to pull me by the waist, leaning in a bit closer. Then, he snuggles with my body¡ªletting me adjust so that the both of us can feelfortable before he starts to close his eyes. ''''If you wanted me to, you could''ve just asked. I would dly warm you up, sweetheart.'''' He mumbles and I quickly p him by the arm, causing him to groan and open his eyes once more. ''''What was that for?'''' ''''Your expectations are too high,'''' I reply. ''''Well, a prince can dream.'''' He winks so I ignore him by closing my eyes, trying my best to fall asleep. When I open one eye to look, I see him looking back at me, not even breaking the eye contact. ''''You know, speaking of expectations, I never expect you.'''' ''''Now, what does that mean?'''' I raise an eyebrow. ''''I mean, I never expect you to open up so quickly. It''s not a bad thing, I like it that we''re getting used to each other''s presence and sometimes we feelfortable but I thought you would be a little bit more, uh¡ª'''' ''''¡ªstubborn?'''' I lean closer. ''''Exactly. I''m notining. I''m just saying how things are going on smoothly in a good way. Look, what I''m trying to say is, that I''m awful at attracting people. I don''t know how,'''' He says. ''''You don''t have to do anything, seriously.'''' I chuckle and he does the same, ''''You obviously have that kind of thing, naturally. I, actually don''t expect to open up to you quite easily because we barely know each other but I guess, I really want to open up to you.'''' I smile. ''''Look at us, we''re actually having a conversation.'''' ''''About our feelings,'''' He assures. With a smile, I nod my head and he continues to embrace me in a way that would make me feel butterflies in my stomach just because of his touch. It''s intoxicating¡ªthat''s a fact. He''s toxic. The next morning, I open my eyes to find Emery sleeping soundly as his hand is nicely ced on my waist; not even removing it. Even if we''re slightly far from each other¡ªhis hand doesn''t even show any sign of moving. I smile to myself but as soon as I do, I find him opening his eyes. Oops? I thought. ''''Good morning,'''' He breathes out, removing his hand andying on his back before stretching out. I watch his every movement, seeing that he has his eyes closed again for a few seconds before opening them. ''''Morning,'''' I reply. Seconds before he can turn towards me, I hear his phone ringing which causes him to sigh and sit up straight before picking up his phone. As he is about to speak, I frown to see him staring at the wall¡ªhis face is showing, shock and confusion, ''''What?'''' He asks. Then, he quickly stand up on the ground, ''''What are you talking about, Evelyn? Don''t y with me!'''' His voice raising up a little, leaving me shock but I keep quiet; afraid if he might be angrier. ''''This is¡ª'''' He is cut off with someone saying something on the other line which causes his face to fall. After a few seconds, he ends the call immediately; looking down at the ground with tears appearing in his eyes. I quickly make my way towards him as he grips hard onto his phone¡ªsomehow holding back his anger. ''''Emery, what''s wrong?'''' I ask, feeling concern. ''''Emery, look at me. What''s wrong? Please, tell me what''s wrong. Why are you acting his way?'''' I cup onto his face but he continues to cry, only avoiding my eyes but as I take a closer look, I see sadness in his brown eyes as they are clouded with tears. ''''Emery,'''' I lean my forehead against his. ''''Father, he''s dying.'''' I hear him breathe, causing my eyes to open wide before wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him close for an embrace. I may not be good atforting people but I''ll try. I''ll try when ites to Emery because it pains me to see him this way, it causes me sadness too. Within seconds, he is wrapping his arms around my waist too, only letting himself crash and fall; without holding back his feelings. I know he''s not ready to cry in front of me and I know he doesn''t want to show his feelings too quickly but the sorrow, it doesn''t help. ''''We need to get back,'''' He whispers. Then, he looks straight up at my face, into my eyes. I can''t seem to look away from his teary eyes and his wet cheeks because I know how he needs me. During moments like this, he needs someone. I''ll be that. ''''We need to get back,'''' He repeats, standing up and quickly taking his suitcase out before throwing every single clothing that he has in it. I stand quite far from him as I watch his every movement which causes him to stop, ''''Pack, Emma. We need to go home,'''' I do as told. The flight back to Ennd was arranged in a rush. Emery didn''t matter if it would cost trouble to other people who works for him and his family because he wants to go back home, he wants to go back to Ennd. His father dying is affecting him; too much. I know, I''m not in his ce to speak. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. As soon as wend, we are still jetgged but I hold back that thought because I need to be strong for Emery. The whole country was shocked when they heard the news but the royal family hasn''t confirmed anything yet, they don''t want to rush. Not just that, Emery and I are also in the news. For being in New York. ''''I''m on my way,'''' He says before hanging up the call and looking out the window; leaving me to a peace of my own mind. I eye him from the side, only realising that he doesn''t bother to look, this time. All he does is try to control his breaths¡ªlittle by little. All of a sudden, he turns to look at me, our eyes meet and I don''t know what he sees in mine but I see all sorts of emotions in his; making me feel myself weakening and my heart hurting. We were happy, hours ago but it came crashing down¡ªwith news that we never expect. As we arrive back in Ennd and step out of the car, I see him clenching his jaw. When I take a few steps away from him¡ªit surprises me to find him grabbing onto my forearm, the sparks overflowing my whole body; even though it''s not the right time to feel those. He pulls me closer towards him as a sign to stay and not leave. I thought he needed space. ''''Emma, I need you.'' Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Emma I stay still at my spot as I watch Emery¡ªseeing that he has both of his eyes focused on his father, probably thinking something in his head but from here, he seems hopeless. The way he sits down and just eye his father for the past ten minutes, it''s something that I can hardly understand. Less than a week of us being married and we''re already facing things. I know, life is never easy and it can be very unfair sometimes; everyone knows that. Truth be told, I hope that the king would get better because I''ve never had a conversation with him before but not just that, this is actually the first time seeing him other than looking at his pictures. As I take my time to eye Emery, I manage to see glimpses of simrities between them two. For instance, they both have brown hair¡ªwhich I''m pretty sure, runs in the family. Their faces are defined and well sculptured, beautifully defining their other features even though they look quite different, I can''t help but say that their genes are the bomb dot. ''''How is he?'''' He asks. I nce up at the doctor, seeing that she has been reading her reports ever since we came. The doctor looks up at both Emery and I, ''''He''s stable, Your Highness. There was an emergencyst night but everything is alright now. I made sure of it,'''' She replies. Emery nods before standing up and walking out of the king''s chamber after grabbing onto my hand, pulling me out with him. Once we''re out, I look up at him, seeing that his frown is not disappearing anytime soon¡ªprobably. Then, he let out a deep sigh, ''''I''m sorry that our trip ended quickly,'''' He says. ''''Don''t worry about it,'''' I reply with a smile, ''''We can always go back to New York, eat more food and visit more ces but for now, we just have to make sure that your father will be alright,'''' He continues to look at me and seconds before he can utter a single word, one of the servants bow her head down, ''''My apologies for interrupting, Your Highnesses but the queen requests for your presence. Both of you,'''' She says and she quickly walk down the hall after giving us a small smile. We walk towards the queen''s reading room, seeing that she is busy reading a book but as soon as she sees us entering the room, she starts to ce it down. Her lips are curving into a small smile, ''''How was New York?'''' She asks us. Emery and I look at each other. ''''Nothing happened? I mean¡ª'''' She stops, eyeing me closely before turning to look at her son. Then, she clears her throat, gesturing for us to sit down. We do as told but as I sit, I can''t help but see her staring, ''''¡ªforget about that, how was New York, Emery?'''' She smiles. He runs his fingers through his hair, ''''It was great. Emma owns a really good restaurant¡ªyou have to try it,'''' He replies, looking straight at his mother while I continue to eye him from the side; seeing that he''s actuallyplimenting my restaurant, ''''We visited a few ces and it was great. Things happened ¡ª'''' Genevieve cuts him off, ''''What things?'''' Both Emery and I look at her in confusion but he seems to be getting her point a little bit quicker, ''''You know, those kind of things. It''s kind of a long story,'''' He winks at his mother as he grabs onto my hand, making me raise an eyebrow at him; wanting to smack his head but I y along. All of a sudden, Evelyn starts to enter the room with a smile on her face as she eyes Emery, ''''Keep dreaming, I''m one hundred and ny-nine percent sure that you guys didn''t do anything sexual.'''' She chuckles as her brother roll his eyes. ''''Nice job, Emma.'''' She adds. ''''How would you know? You weren''t there,'''' He raises an eyebrow, somehow feeling unsatisfied while I am left here, watching them trying to battle one another. Emery has his eyes squinted at her as she looks down at her manicured nails without a single nce at him. ''''I''m everywhere,'''' She smirks. Iugh at her statement before receiving a re from Emery, seeing that he''s not really satisfied with his sister. I immediately stopughing, only smiling due to his res; he might want to rip me apart and it''s not in a kinky way but in a deathly way. ''''Emery, you''ll be joining for another horse riding today. Free your time around two,'''' Genevieve says, standing up and walk towards her bookshelves; eyeing every corner¡ªchoosing a book to read. ''''I just got back. Is it important?'''' He asks. She looks at her son, ''''You just got back from Australia a few weeks ago¡ªpeople need to know their prince and future king. Show your face, have a little chit chat, make new acquaintances, meet important people and then you can go home. Agree?'''' ''''No,'''' He replies. I re at Emery, ''''He''s going.'''' ''''Yeah like¡ªyou know what, fine. As long as Emma ising along with me, then I''ll go.'''' He crosses his arms, smiling down at me; eyeing me from up to toe. ''''It''s settled then,'''' Genevieve mutters. Emery smiles widely at his mother before standing up and grabbing onto my hand; walking out of the room after he has finished ring at Evelyn who res back at him just with the same amount of yfulness. We step out of the room and head straight towards our assigned bedroom; which is in the other hallway, it''s quite far from my previous bedroom. When we enter the room, I take a look around¡ª everything is nicely arranged and clean. With a sigh, I start to enter the bathroom. After showering, I step out of the bathroom to find that Emery is nowhere to be found¡ªwhich makes me lock onto the door before entering the walk-in closet to change into a light yellow dress that has been ced on one of the sofas. Once I''m done changing, I look at myself in the mirror to check out myself; my lips curving up into a smile at the dress. As soon as I turn around, my eyes widen at the sight of two make up artists and Evelyn standing near the door¡ªsmiling at me. ''''They''re helping you get ready,'''' Evelyn says. ''''Alright,'''' I reply with a smile. They gesture for me to sit down in front of the makeup table beforebing onto my hair; while Evelyn go through my closet¡ªeyeing the different types of clothing. They start to put makeup onto my skin, starting off with moisturise and primer. Then, they start to apply foundation ording to my skin tone with a beauty blender. All of a sudden, the queen starts to enter the closet, ''''Make sure she''s presentable. There will be cameras everywhere,'''' She says, smiling before sitting down on one of the seats. ''''I thought it was just horse riding?'''' I ask. ''''Since Emery wanted you toe, you''ll be meeting people there. Of course, sources have their ways on finding out that you''ll be there. They want to see you live and we need to make sure that you''ll be looking wless because those reporters will do anything to get a bad shot of you,'''' She replies, looking at me. They continue to fill in my brows after plucking them; following my natural shape before applying a light cream coloured eyeshadow. Then, they curl up myshes without needing to put on any fakeshes. As I take a better look at my face, I''m starting to look more and more awake; liking how they are doing my makeup. They begin to contour my cheeks, my jawline, my nose and my forehead before lightly applying highlighter on my cheekbones, bridge of my nose, chin, upper lip, forehead and on my brow bone. Then,stly, they apply a natural coloured lipstick. ''''There, you look beautiful.'''' Evelyn says from behind, ''''The highlighter will definitely make you look glowing especially outdoors¡ªperfect,'''' She mutters. My lips curve up into a smile when they start to lightly curl my hair, making me seem presentable. When I''m done, Evelyn starts to eye my face; agreeing to my makeup and down to my clothing. Then, we start to walk out of the walk-in closet with the queen at the front but to onlye face to face with Emery¡ªseeing him busy looking for something in one of the drawers. ''''Emma, have you seen¡ª'''' He turns. Both of his eyes are wide in surprise before staring at my face, eyeing my every features; especially my face as he stands still, making Evelyn chuckle from behind me. Then, all of a sudden, he starts to be awaken from his sudden trance which causes him to clear his throat. ''''Are you sure we''re going horse riding?'''' He asks. ''''You''ll be the one riding the horse, sweetheart.'''' Genevieve replies before exiting the room after gesturing for all of us to follow her. My cheeks heat up immediately after finding out that Emery has not stopped staring at me; he seems slightly surprised which instantly boosts up my confident level. We start to walk down the hall before walking down the stairs towards the front doors with Emery beside me¡ªtrying his hard not to stare. The whole ride was silence, none of us utter a single word. As for Emery, he won''t stop looking at me even when I turn to look at him¡ªhe doesn''t seem to mind that I''ve caught him staring a few times. As soon as we step out of the car, reporters are surrounding the ce but they are behind the lines¡ª Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. wouldn''t be able to cross over. I turn to see Emery cing his hand on the back of my body, slowly walking with me towards the other people. When Emery starts to put on his gloves as he stands beside his horse, I am already seated with the other crowds; listening to them talking andplimenting me which I respond back with a smile¡ªnot really knowing what to say. ''''We heard that you were in New York, Your Highness.'''' A woman says beside me, making me turn to look at her nodding my head before smiling politely. Then, I turn around to look back at Emery; seeing him talking to one of the men as they start tough. All of a sudden, I find myselfpletely and utterly mesmerised by him. Just by the way he stands and the way heughs, he''s an absolute beauty. I''ve said this before and it would be silly of me to actually say it again but when ites to him¡ªthere''s no point in denying. To my surprise, he turns to look at me; making my eyes widen slightly. Then, he winks at me immediately¡ªheating my cheeks up in which I respond back with a smile. ''''Did he wink at me?'''' One of the girls say from behind, making me smile to myself¡ªknowing that I would be that way too if I were them. I turn to see that it''s actually the prime minister''s daughters. They are fanning themselves and smiling widely as they continue to stare at Emery. ''''No, he winked at me!'''' They argue. Once the horse riding is over, everyone stands up and start to p¡ªI follow their every movement, not really knowing what to do. Then, they all begin to wander around;municating and just having someone to talk to while I stand on my own, silently hoping that Emery will be here any minute. ''''Your Highness,'''' I turn around. My eyes meet a pair of light blue eyes as he bows down slightly, smiling at me. I smile back at him before eyeing his every features¡ªseeing that he''s actually a very good-looking man. Just by the way his dark blonde hair is messily hanging on his head; that''s actually attractive. ''''Are you having a great time?'''' He asks. Before I can answer, I feel someone hold me by the waist and I immediately look up to see Emery looking at the man in front of us¡ªsmiling slightly at him, ''''Excuse me while I be with my wife,'''' He says as he looks down at me to lightly run the back of his hand on the side of my face. God damn. ''''Of course,'''' He replies, walking away. ''''Number one yer, don''t want to be anywhere near him, do we?'''' He nces at my direction, letting go of my waist to stand in front of me, ''''He has money, that''s why he''s here and the other reason is to actually seduce women¡ªrich, beautiful and titled women.'''' ''''Are you saying I''m beautiful?'''' I look up into his light brown eyes, loving how he starts to smirk down at me¡ªnot expecting me to slowly close the distance between us. Then, he leans in to my ear, kissing onto the side of my cheek; making me smile to myself. ''''Let''s go home,'''' He says, pulling onto my hand and we start to walk side by side; ignoring envious res by the women even though they are looking at us in respect. That night, I am sitting on the bed as I chew on some chips while Emery is busy braiding my hair; continuously ncing at hisptop¡ªwatching Youtube to braid my hair properly. The reason why we''re in this situation is because I won a game of rock, paper, scissors. 4 ''''I''m horrible at this,'''' He breathes. ''''Yeah? Next time, don''t challenge me.'''' I reply, continuing to chew as I smile to myself¡ªloving how he has his eyebrows furrowed, focusing onto braiding my hair which he has been doing for the past thirty- minutes but I don''t mind, I''m not doing the hard work here. ''''Kim K doesn''t even do her own hair and you expect me to do yours?'''' He chuckles and I roll my eyes; agreeing with him but then again, it wouldn''t hurt to try and see how horrible he is at doing my hair. We keep quiet for the next five minutes before I start to speak again, ''''You know what, it''s fine. I can do it myself¡ªyou''re taking forever to finish this,'''' I say, almost standing up but he pulls me back down. ''''No, don''t move.'''' He mutters. I do as told, keeping my mouth shut and not moving much. Then, all of a sudden, I find him pping his hands from behind, ''''Okay, sweetheart, you''re going to be mind blown.'''' He smiles. Without further ado, I quickly run towards the mirror on the wall¡ªeyeing my braid and a smile appears on my face immediately, seeing that he has done a quite good job at braiding my hair even though it took him almost an hour. I turn around to check it from the side but for some reason, I find him looking at me too. I turn to look at him. ''''You did good,'''' I say, smiling. ''''Well, with a little bit of ambition, a masterpiece is created.'''' He replies, making me chuckle as he uses both of his elbows to support his body frompletelyying onto the bed. From the side, I can definitely see him eyeing me but I ignore that because for some reason, I actually want him to look at me¡ªthe same way that he is looking at me right now. I turn towards him again, seeing him eyeing my body before eyeing my face again. ''''Take a picture, it''llst longer.'''' Our eyes meet instantly, making me feel slightly ufortable but he doesn''t seem affected at all. The way his brown eyes are piercing deep into mine¡ªit''s killing me slowly from the inside. Maybe, it''s because of the look that he''s giving me or maybe it''s because of his eyes? Then again, I don''t mind. I start to make my way towards him slowly, leaving him clenching his jaw as he continues to stare at my face; when my knees are on the bed, he stays still on his spot¡ªonly making me cup onto his face. Just as his arms are on my hips, someone knocks onto the door Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 19: Chapter Eighteen Emma ''''I''m starting to think that you are everywhere,'''' Emery says towards Evelyn, who is currently standing at the door with her eyes squinting at him¡ªprobably not bothered to give a damn. ''''Oh my god! Who did your hair?'''' She walks towards me, her eyes widening at my braider hair; touching it after pushing Emery off the bed so that she''ll be able to be on the bed with me, not wanting her brother to be on the bed with us. ''''Excuse me?'''' Emery stands up. ''''You''re excused,'''' She nces at him for a few seconds before mumbling a few things that I can''t really catch up¡ªbut mostlyplimenting my hair. I turn to look up at Emery, seeing him rolling his eyes; pretending to rip her throat off without her knowledge as he makes his way towards me. He stands in front of Evelyn, making her raise an eyebrow; stopping touching my hair immediately. By the way she looks at him, it seems like she wants him out of the room and just let us have some girl talk. Then again, Emery doesn''t seem like he care. ''''You''re looking at him,'''' He points at himself. Evelynughs loudly which surprises me slightly as I smile¡ªwatching the two argue. She stops throw the nearest object from him which is the pillow directly towards her head. ''''Get out of my room,'''' He says. ''''Oh, it''s on!'''' She stands up. The both of them start to stare at each other before grabbing onto the pillows and attacking one another¡ªmaking me yelp as I fall down onto the floor;ughing at their childish behaviour. They are standing on the bed with pillows hitting each other''s bodies and heads, making a whole lot of noise. All of a sudden, Evelyn shoves Emery down the bed, making him fall onto the ground with a loud thud; causing the three of us to stare widely at each other¡ªafraid if we might wake up the rest of the people in this castle. When we hear noisesing from the door, we immediately turn to look. The door pushes open, revealing Genevieve. ''''She started it!'''' Emery points at his sister and she rolls her eyes in annoyance; before he drops his head onto the ground once more¡ªbreathing heavily while I justy on my stomach, using my elbows and forearms to support my body. 2 ''''Evelyn, get to your room.'''' She says. ''''Yeah, get to your room.'''' He throws another pillow. Evelyn responds back by roughly throwing the pillow straight onto his crouch, making him groan loudly in pain but Genevieve and Evelyn just exit the room after rolling their eyes. I continue to look at him¡ª seeing that he''s closing his eyes, ''''You''re pretending.'''' I mutter. He opens his eyes, looking directly at me as he sits up straight; his hair are in different directions, messily making him much more attractive. I take this moment as a moment that I shall appreciate by continuing to stare at him without even caring if he might ask me to piss off. That''s what they say it. ''''I needed a little bit of attention,'''' He chuckles, standing up and picking up the pillows on the ground before throwing them on the bed. Then, heys onto the bed, sighing deeply. I immediately join him byying next to him, focusing onto his face; seeing that he has his eyes closed again as he tries to control his breathings. My lips curve up into a small smile, liking how he hasn''t shaved today which leads him to having a light stubble. ''''Sleep with me,'''' He breathes. To my surprise, he starts to pull me by the waist¡ªmaking my bodyy down on the bed as he snuggles closer; hugging me tightly. In our current position, I can feel him breathing down my neck which causes me to stay still, wanting him to just stay near me and have his arms around me. I turn around so that I would be facing him before wrapping my arms around his body and snuggling even closer towards him¡ªso it''s two of us wrapping our arms around one another. He pulls the I am awaken by the sun shining brightly through the windows, making me turn to see Emery sleeping soundly without even bothered by the sunlight. He has one of his hand on my waist while the other near his head¡ªstill facing me but I move a lot in my sleep, it''s not a surprise to find my back facing him. He moves slightly in his sleep when I slowly remove his hand from my waist in order for me to get up, getting ready for the day. Once he has faced the other side, I quickly make my way towards the bathroom¡ªundressing myself and enjoy a warm shower after cleansing my skin and brushing my teeth, feeling all fresh and clean. When I step out of the bathroom, I find him still sleeping in the same position so it''s easier for me to run towards the walk-in closet without caring that he''ll start making noises from seeing me in my towel. I choose a loose blouse and a pair of dark skinny jeans,pleting with ts. I head downstairs when I''m done. Genevieve and Evelyn are having breakfast outside as they enjoy the sun so I make my way towards them and as soon as they saw me, they start to wave. ''''How did you sleep, dear?'''' Genevieve asks. ''''I slept well, what about you?'''' ''''Oh dear. Not so good. Evelyn was babbling all night long about her ns to travel this weekend. She has been bugging me that I couldn''t even sleep,'''' She replies before ncing at Evelyn; who''s taking a bite of her well-cooked pancakes. ''''Where do you n on travelling?'''' I ask her. ''''I don''t know yet. Got any ideas?'''' Knowing Evelyn¡ªshe has been travelling to different countries ever since she was gone; that''s what Emery said to me. She likes travelling because for her, life is too short to be mopping and repeating the same thing everyday so by travelling, she gets to see and learn new things. That''s what she wants to achieve in life. Bing her princess has really slipped her mind, she doesn''t want to do her duties; goes the same with Emery¡ªthe two of them really want to run away from their responsibilities. That''s quite a bonus for Evelyn, she''s not the next in line for the throne unless Emery and I fail to have a child¡ªshe''ll be the Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. one to rule. Why am I even talking about having a child? ''''You''ve been everywhere. I don''t really know,'''' I say and she chuckles; sipping onto her cup of tea. ''''I haven''t been to Mount Everest but you got a point there. You should try and travel with me whenever you want because it''s just a great experience,'''' She smiles; thinking of the adventures she had. One of the maids ce a te full of pancakes in front of me and I thank her by smiling before taking a bite of it¡ªinstantly loving the taste. They taste good, especially with the blueberry jam. ''''It''s not just the new things that you get to learn but the people that you get to meet¡ªthose hot men. They are very wild when ites to adventures,'''' She winks at me; making meugh as she joins me afterwards. ''''Of course, it''s always the men.'''' Genevieve mutters. ''''Speaking of men, your man is up.'''' Evelyn points at Emery who is currently walking towards us; seeing that he has showered and all ready as if he''s heading somewhere¡ªI take my chance to stare at him until he reaches us which will probably take ten minutes if he keeps on walking like a model, that''s for sure. 1 ''''Good morning,'''' He says, standing beside me. Then, he leans in, pecking onto my cheek which leaves Evelyn smiling widely as she holds onto her cup; and Genevieve starts to wink at her¡ªsending signals. ''''Morning,'''' I respond back. ''''Are you heading somewhere, Emery?'''' Genevieve asks, looking directly at her son before I look up at him; seeing that he is currently looking down at me. ''''Well, I''m taking Emma out. It''s not like I have anything to do today anyway,'''' He replies; grabbing onto my hand as he lifts me up¡ªafter pushing Evelyn slightly and making her throw her flip flops towards him which he dodges sessfully. ''''Have a nice day, you two.'''' The queen says. We start to walk back inside the castle, making the servants bow as they are a little bit busy this morning. Emery keeps on holding onto my hand until we reach the garage; my eyes widen at the amount of cars in here, leaving me speechless. We continue to walk towards a ck matte Maserati. Holy sweet cheeks of macaroni and cheese. Holy sweet cheeks of macaroni and cheese ''''Get in,'''' He says. I do as told and as soon as I enter the car, I am left to mesmerise the interior. Truth be told, I''ll be riding a cab every single day back in New York because well, I don''t think cars are important but now, I want one. He starts to drive out of the garage, exiting the castle and pressing harder onto the gas pedal; making the car go forward a little bit faster. I turn to look at the windows¡ªenjoying the view outside. ''''Where are we going?'''' I turn to ask him. ''''Somewhere,'''' He answers. ''''Where would that somewhere be?'''' I continue to ask him in which he responds back with a small smile; letting me eye his profile¡ªbefore turning to look out again, just going to see where he''ll be taking me if he does not want to tell me, that''s for sure. It''s not too long to realise that we''re stopping in front of the park; making me turn to look at him. He looks back at me before stepping out of the car after putting on his sunsses¡ªdue to the sun or due to his reputation. Then again, it doesn''t matter. A lot of people are here, enjoying themselves. I''ve never been to the park in London before and it sure does make me feel like everyone else; free and untied to thewa¡ªit makes me feel so much better. Emery walks towards me, holding onto my hand as we head straight towards the park, seeing that people are actually looking at us but he does''t seem bothered. I smile at the few people as they start taking pictures of us, ''''Are you sure it''s okay?'''' I ask him. ''''Yeah, look there.'''' He replies. I look up at the direction he points, seeing that there are men in suits standing and guarding this ce; each perimeter of this ce. For once, I thought we were going to be out by ourselves without anyone elseing to watch over us but then again, never mind. ''''Right. Of course,'''' I mutter under my breath. We find a great spot near the tree, making him sit and lean his head against it while I follow afterwards. He starts to look around¡ªenjoying the surroundings of being outdoors; ignoring other people''s stare. As for me, I continue to just look up front. ''''I really just want to get out of that ce,'''' He begins to speak, making me turn to look at him. ''''Yeah, it has been years and I think that I miss being treated as a royalty but I don''t want to be bound by thew. If you know what I mean,'''' He continues. My lips curve up into a small smile¡ªknowing exactly what he meant. Then again, no one wants to be bound by thew. We all want freedom where we can decide our own future and our own path. ''''I get what you mean,'''' I reply. Emery looks at me, ''''When we were in New York, it felt great. I was able to experience it all over again.'''' He says, causing me to nod my head; smiling. ''''I think I have an idea,'''' He mutters under his breath which earns my attention¡ªmaking me look directly into his eyes; waiting for him to continue as he smirks. The look on his face shows how he has an amazing n and that he intends to use it. ''''Oh, won''t you tell me?'''' I push him slightly. ''''Have you ever been to Greece?'''' He asks, smiling at me; showing his perfectly straight teeth¡ªas a sign that he definitely has something nned Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Emma Here we are,dies and gentlemen in Santorini, Greece. A beautiful destination; for honeymoon or anything to be honest¡ªdue to Emery wanting his freedom and some time off from his duties, he told his mother that we''re going on our honeymoon. Yes, on our honeymoon. He nned it all with Evelyn¡ªsince she has been here before, she knows it better. The hotel, the beach, the venues, the events, almostpletely everything. Evelyn did hint me that Emery wanted everything to be perfect and that it''s just not just a little getaway from his duties or the castle but it''s something more. ''''Do you like it?'''' He asks, hugging me from behind by wrapping his arms around my body before looking down at my face¡ªmaking me smile, eyeing the resort. ''''Like? I love it,'''' I reply, turning around to face him; to my surprise, it causes him to lean in¡ªkissing me on the lips, making me kiss him back. Our lips remain attached for a few more minutes, enjoying our kind of passionate moment together. We break the kiss to find ourselves staring at each other, somehow realising that things are getting a little bit awkward than usual. I clear my throat as he heads outside; leaving me all by myself. We''re staying at the Anastasis Apartments where he and Evelyn had booked an Anastasis Suite for us. This room is for two people features a bedroom with white double kingsize built-in bed, a white traditional bathroom with shower, a room with Jacuzzi bathtub, a spacious living room with dining area, a fully equipped kitchte and a private terrace with furniture overlooking the Aegean sea, the caldera and the sunset. One word; perfect. My eyes wandering around the suite, thinking of how grateful I should be; having this kind of perfection for my honeymoon¡ªmaking me smile as I watch the view. The one thing that can never beat this ce Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. is the magnificent view. ''''Let''s head out,'''' Emery says from behind. His voice interrupts my thoughts but I turn to look at him anyway, seeing that he has been eyeing me for a few minutes now¡ªmaking me walk down the stairs and take my purse, walking out of the suite. We walk side by side, seeing that there are other couples; enjoying their stay. As we continue to walk, I can see that we''re actually trying to lessen the tension between us, not wanting to feel weird or anything. I look straight at the sun; enjoying the sunsetting soon, showing how it has been a great day here in Santorini. People are surrounding this ce¡ªmostly couples,ughing and being in each other''s arms. Within seconds, I find Emery reaching out for my hand, entwining our fingers together which causes me to look at down and smile; trying my best to hide the smile away so that he wouldn''t be able to see it. We continue to hold onto each other''s hands as we walk. It takes us about twenty-minutes to reach La Maison Restaurant¡ªwhich is not even far from where we stay but it''s quite a walk. As soon as we step inside, I start to see that people are busy eating as they talk. We choose the table near the edge, giving us a better view of this ce¡ªa better view of the sunset. Once we''re seated, I continue to look at the sunset; not really believing myself that I''m in Santorini here with my husband who''s also the prince of Cambridge Once we''re seated, I continue to look at the sunset; not really believing myself that I''m in Santorini here with my husband who''s also the prince of Cambridge. Then again, life is full of unexpected things. When I turn to look at Emery, I see him staring at me; making my cheeks heat up immediately¡ª clearing my throat afterwards, ''''Thank you for bringing me here,'''' I say, slowly before meeting his eyes. His lips curve up into a smile, ''''d you like it.'''' ''''I told you, I love it.'''' I respond, taking a sip from the ss of water before breathing out. My eyes can''t seem to look away from Emery and my mind can''t stop thinking about him either, even though he''s right beside me and also looking at me. The waiteres to take our order and after ordering our food, we just watch the view¡ªas we wait for our food to be served. The wind starts to blow onto my skin which makes me feel calm and at peace. ''''You''ve never been here before?'''' I turn to ask. ''''No, not really. All I''ve ever been to is Australia and that''s only Melbourne,'''' He answers, making me smile at the thought that the both of us has never really travelled the world. ''''I''ve never been anywhere, honestly. Other than New York or London and let me tell you, I''ve only to end the conversation. ''''We can go anywhere you like,'''' He mutters. Then, he starts to reach out for my hand, gripping onto it¡ªmaking me curve my lips up into a smile before gripping his hand back. Our ways of trying are going on pretty well; we''re slow but proceeding. After a couple of minutes, the waiter hase to serve our food¡ªslowly cing our meal with a smile on his face; then, he starts to walk away, attending to other people here in this restaurant. ''''I like you, Emma.'''' He says. I turn to look at him, slightly surprised at his sudden confession but as my cheeks start to heat up again, I know that I feel the same way towards him. His eyes are showing sincerity; something that I always see in him especially in his eyes. ''''I like you, too.'''' I mutter, loud enough for him. We continue to eat while we keep on stealing nces at each other; it feels impossible to just stop. The food was great; it was worth keeping our tummies empty for the past couple of hours. At least, we got to eat some delicious food here in Santorini. When we''re almost near our suite, Emery stops walking which causes me to look at him confusingly. Within seconds, his phone starts to ring¡ªmaking me frown, ''''I have to get this. You go in first,'''' He says. He pecks onto my cheek, gesturing for me to walk. I walk towards our suite, only letting the lights guide me due to the fact that the sun has set a couple of hours ago¡ªwhich leads us enjoying the romantic sensation with all the dim lights surrounding. As I push the door open, my eyes widen at the amount of candles being ced on the dining table, on the stairs and on the kitchen counter; making me step inside with a wide smile on my face. Even though, it takes me awhile to realise the suite now smells like roses, jasmine but mostly flowery. All of a sudden, I hear someone closing the door behind me before wrapping his arms around my waist; instantly making me know and realise that it''s Emery¡ªjust by the way he has his arms around me All of a sudden, I hear someone closing the door behind me before wrapping his arms around my waist; instantly making me know and realise that it''s Emery¡ªjust by the way he has his arms around me. I turn around to face him, seeing that he is currently smiling down at me with both of his hands on my waist, making me look up into his eyes; even with only the candles lighting up the suite, I can still see a little something in his eyes. ''''You did all of this?'''' I ask, slowly. ''''Not really but yes,'''' He replies. Within seconds, I find myself cupping onto his face before meeting his lips in a passionate and lustful kiss. He kisses me back immediately, both of his hands are gripping a little bit harder on my waist which causes me to pull his body closer. There are no more space in between as we continue to be lost in this kiss. I find myself unbuttoning his shirt and slowly throwing it on the ground; leading him to deepen the kiss¡ªmaking me moan lightly. He groans at the sound of my moan near his ear before he starts to raise my top up; running his hands on my stomach¡ªattracting me even further. Without me realising, he has already thrown my top on the ground; leaving me standing here in my bra and pants. My head tilts to the back as he trails kisses down my neck, causing me to breathe heavily¡ªthen, he starts to bite at the spot near my jawline, making me moan even louder. My whole body trembles at his warm fingers running all over my skin, it''s a whole different sensation that I''ve never felt before. Emery picks me up by the waist to wrap my legs around his torso as he walks up the stairs; heading for the bedroom¡ªcing me on top of the bed, making me look down at his glorious toned body. He begins to hover on top of me, making me reach down for his pants to unbutton them; leaving him to take it off which he does sessfully before focusing on me again, trailing kisses in the middle of my chest and down to my stomach. My hands are gripping onto the sheets as he kisses the middle of my thighs. If I want this to end, I would''ve pushed him away. But, I don''t. Once my pants are out of the way, he begins to nce up at my face before pressing his thumb at the centre. Instead of gripping onto the sheets, I start to grip onto the ends of his hair; earning myself a groan from him. ''''Don''t stop,'''' I breathe out, heavily. He does as told, continuing to bring me pleasures without any intention of stopping¡ªit doesn''t matter if he has magic at the tips of his fingers or tongue, all that matters is that he''s making me feel good. My moanes out louder as soon as I feel myself exploding the amount of pleasure that has been built up for the past few minutes; making me bite onto my lower lip just as he hovers on top of me again. ''''Do you want more, babygirl?'''' I hear him whisper in my ear, making me moan in agreement at the sound of his voice which appears to be huskier than usual and a little bit more deeper. Then, he starts to look down at my face; his eyes are piercing into mine¡ªmaking me look back at him, staring deeply without looking away. It doesn''t even make me realise that we''ve never been this intimate before but for some reason, I want it to happen. I pull him by the neck to kiss him slowly. We continue to kiss each other and itsts a little bit longer due to the amount of lust and passion that we''re currently feeling¡ªit''s making us feel ten times better and much more attracted to one another. Just as we are skin to skin, I start to grip harder onto his body as he groans loudly near my ear; sounding more like he''s crying out in pleasure. Our eyes are piercing into one another. It''s not a surprise that we''re feeling each other''s warmth and enjoying our moment. For once, we actually forget about every single thing that we have in mind¡ªonly thinking of us. Everything feels like an endless amount of satisfaction when it has been minutes; not more than an hour. Yes, it does feel like we''re rushing it a little bit¡ªbut, when we wake up the next morning, we won''t regret. I open my eyes to find myself facing Emery, seeing that he''s sleeping soundly with one of his hands on my waist; holding me. My lips curve up into a smile when memories ofst night reys in my mind. Things are going to get really awkward. My eyes won''t stop looking at him¡ªstaring at his every features such as his eyes, his nose and his lips. I stare a little bit longer at his lips; seeing that they are flushed pink like they always have. Oh my god, did we? We did! To my surprise, I find him pulling my body closer towards him before he continues to snuggle; leaving me staying still, afraid if I might wake him up. My heart starts to beat really fast even though we''ve done more than just snuggling or hugging but afterst night, things aren''t exactly the same anymore. I slowly raise his hand before changing into a different underwear with a tank top and shorts. Then, I head out to watch the morning view of the Aegean sea which is undeniably beautiful. My lips curve up into a smile as the wind blows. When I turn around, I see Emery leaning against the door with his arms crossed; eyeing directly at my face Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Emery I run my hand on the bed, feeling the side empty; making me open my eyes¡ªtrying to look for Emma. It takes me awhile to realise that she''s no longer in bed so I sit up straight, closing my eyes again for a few seconds beforepletely getting off the bed. My eyes wander down at the floor, seeing that our clothes are scattered all around¡ªmaking me smile All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. to myself at the memories ofst night. I immediately pick up my boxers on the floor as I make my way towards the terrace, seeing her standing there. I lean the side of my body against the wall after crossing my arms, eyeing her from behind; how she has her butt pushed up as she bends over to the front, enjoying the view. My eyes can''t seem to look away from her breathtaking body¡ªindeed. All of a sudden, she turns to look at me. Her eyes wide as her cheeks flush pink, making me smile; knowing that what happenedst night might be ying in her head right now. The way she tries her best to avoid looking at my eyes tells it. ''''Good morning,'''' She says. ''''Morning,'''' I take a few steps towards her but not close enough to cause any difort. After our little intimacyst night, we can''t just jump forward because both of us are still trying to pace through. Within seconds, I find myself eyeing her body again; down to her legs¡ªseeing that her shorts are very short, defining her long legs perfectly and that her tank top is actually making it harder for me to be here without wanting to bring her back to bed. ''''How did you sleep?'''' I ask, smiling. Her dark brown eyes look directly into mine as she bites onto her lower lip, without her realising but for some reason, I realise and I notice every single movement that she makes. It''s quite surprising. ''''I slept well, you?'''' She smiles back. I nod my head as an answer, continuing to smile at her; realising that she''s actually ying with her fingers at her back¡ªtrying to make it less awkward for her. Yes, I do feel different around her now but it''s not something that I can''t handle. We continue to look at each other without uttering a single word but as I keep on closing the distance between us; I start to see that she''s actually pressing her lips into a thin line¡ªI wonder why? Once I''m close enough, I tuck strands of hair behind her ear so that it''ll be easier for me to look at her. She looks up into my eyes; not really pushing me away or anything, ''''Remember what I said yesterday?'''' I ask. She frowns, ''''Which one?'''' My lips curve up into a smirk, remembering that I''ve said a whole lot other things to herst night but that is not what I meant¡ªfar from what I meant, honestly. I ce both of my hands on her hips as I look down at her, ''''Which one do you remember?'''' I yfully tease. She starts to shift but she stays still, trying to think of something to say¡ªwanting to make it seem like it''s less sexual but then again, it''s not even sexual. What I have in mind is far from what she has in mind. Yes, I did say thingsst night. But those kind of things are sexually in bed. ''''Actually, just tell me. I remember,'''' She answers. ''''When I said I like you. I meant it,'''' I say, making her rx a little bit¡ªher eyes focusing more into mine, ''''It''s quite soon for me to fall for you but I have and I don''t mind how fast it is we''re going because I like it,'''' I continue, caressing the side of her face with thumb. ''''Well, I like you and I meant it too.'''' She says. ''''Good to know,'''' I smile down at her, kissing onto her forehead. Long and somehow showing how I''m very serious about her in any way possible; hoping that she would be able to trust me when I say it. I find myself kissing her lips and she responds back immediately without any signs of pushing away so I grab onto her butt, making her groan¡ªbefore picking her up by the waist, wrapping her legs around my torso to take her straight into the bathroom. She starts tough as I yfully kiss her neck. Another love making won''t hurt. Once we''re done showering, I wrap a towel around her body before kissing onto her shoulder; stepping out of the bathroom with her¡ªtaking my phone on the bed to see if there''s any urgent calls or messages. When I nce up to look at Emma, she has already put on her underwear¡ªher back facing me. My eyes can''t seem to look away from her body; leaving me staring at her for a few more minutes until she starts to turn around, looking directly at me. She smiles seductively at me. Holy shit. ''''Don''t. You''re doing it on purpose,'''' I say, not really epting the fact that she''s making her way towards me but as soon as she reaches me, she starts to push me aside¡ªheading towards the closet behind me. I let out a breath of relief. She puts on her sleeveless lose blouse and her skinny jeans; which I can''t help find it attracting me. Then, she makes her way out of the bedroom after smirking¡ªleaving me to calm myself down. Holy fuck, I thought. As soon as I''m done dressing up, I take a look in the mirror to fix my hair and let it dry naturally; before making my way down the stairs, seeing that Emma is lounging at the sofa while ying with her phone. I make my way towards her, touching the side of her face slightly¡ªmaking her look up at me, eyes wide. ''''What do you want to do, today?'''' I ask her. ''''I thought you have everything nned in your head? I don''t really know what I want to do,'''' She replies. My hand won''t stop touching the side of her face and she doesn''t stop me anyway so I keep on going. ''''All I want to do is stay in bed with you,'''' I lean in. My lips curve up into a smile as soon as she chuckles, both of her hands are on my chest; our bodies close to each other in an embrace. The way she looks up into my eyes just awes me in some way. I''ve never noticed it before but after seeing her at our engagement party¡ªthe way her dress defines the shape of her body perfectly, there''s no denying that she is an absolute beauty. I know that. ''''I''m pretty sure that''s what you want to do,'''' ''''That''s all I want to do. Look and memorise every single detail of your face, touch and remember how your skin feels against mine¡ª'''' She cuts me off by kissing me on the lips, slowly yet passionately sweet. Both of her hands are cupping onto my face; slightly making me lean in to deepen it. And that''s how it all begin. We start to touch each other frequently without having second thoughts because we both know that we''re okay with it but apparently, our love making session does not happen every night here in Santorini. The days are spent together with talking, getting to know each other better¡ªremembering each other''s important stories. It feels like we''re already a regr couple even though we''re only trying to get there. I can''t get enough of her. At all. Our days here in Greece are spent nicely and well, better than how we spent our days in New York. Well, we weren''t as close as we are now when we were in New York so it exins everything. Each day, I find myself wanting her even more. Is that normal? Sheys her head back in the jacuzzi, closing her eyes while I continue to eye her¡ªloving how the night sky just brings my focus onto her. The stars above can''t evenpete with the sight I see now. Slowly, I start to make my way towards her; stopping in front of her. Both of my hands are on her hips, causing her to open her eyes and look straight at me. The way she smiles as she wraps her arms around my neck just soothes me in a way that I''ve never felt before. I find her turning us around so she would be on top before kissing onto my neck; making me stay still and enjoy her every kiss. My hands won''t leave her waist as I keep on pulling her closer towards my body. She teases me by brushing her lips against mine¡ªpulling back whenever I try to lean in and kiss her. All of a sudden, I find myself picking her up and cing her onto the bed; causing her tough as I join her. Within seconds, I am already kissing her again. Even though our bodies are still wet, it doesn''t concern us at the moment. I continue to trail kisses down her neck and up to her earlobe; that''s one of her weakness, making her breathe out and grab onto me. Emma pushes to sit up straight before sitting on top of me, our eyes piercing into each other''s soul¡ª making us realise and admit that we no longer like each other. We love Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Emma ''''I just think that it''s not okay,'''' I mutter. ''''What''s not okay about learning ethics and ways of royalties? You''re included,'''' He replies, looking at himself in the mirror as he fixes his hair; wanting to look presentably good for today. Our honeymoon ended sooner than we thought it would be. Well, if a week of being in Greece is considered short¡ªthen, I don''t know how long I deserve to consider it long enough. We spent the whole week being in each other''s arms, moulding and suffocating ourselves with embraces. It''s just too difficult for us to stay away because we''re new to all of this; the whole I want you thing. As for today, he will be attending an event. Which he highly and much likely disagree. He wants to stay home, not ever leaving for the next few days because he wants to spend time with me. That''s what he said but unfortunately, he has to obey Genevieve. ''''I don''t know,'''' I breathe out. As Iy my back onto the bed, I start to let myself set free by staring onto the ceiling¡ªeasing my own mind. There''s just a lot going on right now; in different ways and it''s not easy for me either. For instance, the thing with Emery and I, we''re slowly yet fast moving. From our sudden marriage to our honeymoon, we end up falling for each other very hard and fast. It''s like we are not pushing the thought of being in love with one another, it''s as if we want this. The both of us. To my surprise, I find Emery hovering on top of me, both of his hands pressing onto the bed; supporting his own weight. Our eyes meet in an instant, leaving us stare deeply into one another''s soul. I manage to take my time by eyeing him from up to toe without hiding it away from him because he seems to be enjoying my stare. All of a sudden, I find his lips curving up into a smile; swooning me mentally. ''''Why does it bother you so much?'''' ''''I''m not fit for royalty, Emery. You and I both know how I enjoy the freedom I once had. I can''t just go and learn your ways because it doesn''t feel right,'''' I say. He frowns, ''''Why do you think of it that way? You are and always be fitted for royalty, Emma. Trust me, you don''t need to be born into royalty or be rted to any royalties in the world¡ªyou are already royalty,'''' ''''Marrying you has it perks,'''' I chuckle. ''''Exactly,'''' He kisses onto my cheek. ''''So, don''t bring yourself down. Go to the sses that my mother has arranged for you, learn those damn lessons and get it over with. It''s not hard,'''' He mutters as he uses his left hand to caress the side of my face. ''''Easy for you to say, sweetheart. You learned them when you were a kid and you''ve mastered it now,'''' I reply before pushing him slowly, causing him to move down from the bed and stand near the edge. I stand up, inches apart from him. ''''Believe me. I spent most of my time skipping those sses and it took me longer to learn,'''' He chuckles, ''''I hate them¡ªthey bore me to death.'''' Then, he cups onto my face; looking down and directly into my eyes. We stay quiet for a few seconds with us only staring into each other''s eyes; finding it very soothing. It''s kind of a normal thing for us to just stare into one another''s eyes because it bring us something. ''''You used to hate them. I hate them now,'''' I pout. He smiles, ''''Don''t give me that look¡ªyou''re making me give in to what you''re asking for.'''' The way his thumbs are rubbing onto my cheeks are calming me down the slightest; deep down begging him to stay. ''''That''s good. I should do it more often,'''' I wink. Before he can lean in, someone interrupts us. We both turn to look at the door, surprised. ''''I apologise, Your Highnesses. The queen would want you to proceed to your ss,'''' One of the servants say, looking at my face before bowing and exiting. Emery turns to look back at me; his lips curving up into a small smile¡ªcaressing the side of my face. I, on the other hand, continue to pout in disagreement. ''''Come on, stop procrastinating. Okay?'''' He asks. Groaning, I begin to make my way out. All of a sudden, I feel him pping my ass which causes me to turn around¡ªseeing that he has a smirk on his beautiful face; leaving me rolling my eyes. ''''I bet you learned that too,'''' I mutter as he chuckles. Once I''ve exited the hallway, I walk straight ahead towards the assigned room. Just seconds before I enter, I let out a deep sigh; wanting to make sure that I''ll make it out alive and that it will be alright. I push the door open, seeing an unknown woman. Standing next to Evelyn, who is on her phone. ''''Your Highness,'''' She starts to speak as I make my way in¡ªslowly eyeing the whole room before meeting her eyes; somehow, she seems strict. Rip self. The chandelier hangs proudly onto the ceiling, almost taking my breath away at the appearance of the room The chandelier hangs proudly onto the ceiling, almost taking my breath away at the appearance of the room. Yet, I can''t really tell; the whole ce is huge and just nicely decorated¡ªespecially this room. The paintings on the wall, they are fascinating. ''''I''m sorry for beingte,'''' I smile. The woman nods her head, understanding as she eyes my features. I furrow my eyebrows in confusion when she starts to circle around me¡ªeyeing every inch of my body. ''''There are certain rules that has been set when you''re attending my sses. First of all, punctuality.'''' She continues, ''''When you''rete, instead of saying I''m sorry, you should apologies properly.'''' She stops. Apologise properly? Is sorry not proper enough? ''''Sorry seems a little bit casual for a royalty. The next thing that you should know, I''m allowed to not bow or treat you as a royalty¡ªduring my sses,'''' She clears her throat, stopping right in front of me. ''''Understood, Your Highness?'''' She fakes a smile. ''''Princess?'''' She asks, once she finds me standing still at my spot without uttering a single word for the past few seconds¡ªwaking me up from my shocking trance. ''''Uh, yes. Of course,'''' I nod my head. ''''Good, let''s begin.'''' She gestures for me to follow. Hours and hours have passed¡ªthe only thing that I''ve managed to get right is none. Too slow, she said. Too fast, she said. Too formal, she said. Toomon, she said. Too materialistic, she said. Then, how? ''''It has been hours and you''ve got nothing right!'''' She sighs deeply before turning to look at Evelyn who is currently massaging her temples; not uttering a single word as she sits quietly for the past hour. ''''It''s just that¡ª'''' I speak but she cuts me to it. ''''As a princess, you should know better to not speak when you''re at fault. No interrupting. When will you understand that this is not the same as how you used to act? This is not amoner lesson,'''' She mutters. ''''I wasn''t interrupting¡ª'''' She cuts me again. ''''Talking back is not allowed!'''' She says, frustratedly. Evelyn stands up, looking at both of us while my eyes widen at her sudden raise of voice but I keep quiet; realising that I''ve been toofortable that I''ve almost forgotten who I used to be¡ªamoner. ''''I think it''s enough for today,'''' Evelyn speaks. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Without uttering a single word, I immediately make my way out of the room; mming the door purposely before sighing deeply¡ªa little bit shocked to fail at almost everything she taught me. What is it? What is it that I''ve not gotten right? Everything. I ignore the nces from the servants as I make my way back to my bedroom¡ªopening the door roughly, surprising Emery who is currently sitting on one of the armchair, looking down at hisptop. After ncing up at him, I m the door shut. Then, I make my way towards the bathroom; locking it as I sit onto the floor¡ªslightly stressed out. Within seconds, I find someone knocking onto the door. ''''Emma, you okay?'''' Emery asks from the other side. ''''No,'''' I mutter under my breath. With another sigh, I stand up to open the door¡ªseeing that he is still standing there; looking down at my face, trying to read me in order to find out what''s wrong. Without uttering a single word, he pulls me for a hug. The way his arms are around my body; wrapping me tightly that it soothes me down slightly. It makes me calm down just by feeling the warmth of his body. Minutes passed but we just stay still. ''''Want to tell me what happened?'''' He whispers. I pull away but both of his hands are never leaving my body, only moving down to my waist. ''''You see, I''m probably the most horrible person that she has ever taught¡ªI did nothing right!'''' I furrow my eyebrows. ''''A¡ªand she kept on pressuring me,'''' I add. ''''Emma, look at me.'''' He pulls my chin up slowly. Our eyes meet; making me see the warmness of his brown eyes¡ªmissed the way they appeared when we were in Greece. He was too beautiful but then again, he is always beautiful. No matter where or how. ''''You''re the princess of Ennd. Yes, you were not born royalty but you married into royalty; meaning that you still have the right as any other princesses. She treated you wrong? Then, show her who''s boss. You are, not her or anyone else. You''re the future queen of Ennd¡ªyou''re a powerful woman,'''' He smiles as he caresses the side of my face. ''''But her rules¡ª'''' I groan but he cuts me. ''''Fuck her rules. Where''s my Emma? She''s not like this. The Emma I knew would not give in because she is a strong and independent young woman.'''' He adds, making me smile up at him; liking his My Emma. Am I really his Emma? ''''Your Emma, huh?'''' I look straight into his eyes. He starts to roll his eyes, ''''That''s the only part that you got? Out of it all, you got that part?'''' Then, we both start to chuckle¡ªfor no reason. 1 ''''So, for your next ss, you''re going to break the rules. You''re your own queen and she''s not going to take that way from you. Fuck it, you know?'''' He says. ''''Royalties shouldn''t swear,'''' I mutter as I close the distance between us; realising that he does not move at all¡ªonly letting mee closer. ''''Like I said, fuck it.'''' He leans in. My lips curve up into a smile as soon as he kisses me on the lips, picking me up by the waist; leaving meughing at the ticklish feeling. He continues to kiss me passionately yful, making me wanting more. ''''Been waiting all day for you, love.'''' ''''Yeah?'''' I purposely lean back, unbuttoning his shirt as he eyes my every action; smiling seductively. ''''Mm, been thinking about your lips. Your beautiful lips on mine¡ªmy hands all over your sexy body while you are beneath me,'''' He runs his hands on my butt, ''''The way you would moan my name, god.'''' He groans as I immediately pull him by the neck, realising that we''ve been heading towards our bed. We both fall onto the bed with him hovering. Within seconds, we''re already proceeding to our love making session¡ªwithout a single care in the world. Our bodies against one another, the emotions and satisfaction continuously exploding and raging. It''s like being the firework; it''s always like that with him. So, what are we waiting for? Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Emma ''''Wait, no. I got this,'''' I say, practising the way I walk; more like practising to walk properly. Well, Marie Anne told me to walk more like a royalty especially when I''m out in public¡ªuh, for sure. ''''You''ve been saying that for the past hour,'''' I look up at her, trying to find wrongness but truth be told; she''s correct so far. As I held my chin high, my shoulders back and my posture straight¡ªI try onest time to make sure that it''s perfect. ''''Slowly,'''' Evelyn mutters under her breath. I have to agree with her on that. With books on my head; it''s quite hard to walk without thinking of the books falling down onto the ground¡ªhonestly, they''ve been in my head for the past hour than literally on my head. How funny. All of a sudden, the door swings open, revealing Emery; who has both of his eyes onto Marie Anne before falling onto me¡ªfrowning for a few seconds. Just like that, the books begin to fall. What. The. Fucking. Hell. I''m going to stab him. ''''Oh, sorry. Wrong room,'''' He chuckles, ncing at my direction before entering the room. Just as my blood begins to boil in disagreement, he winks. Shit. ''''Your Highness, we''re just having a lesson.'''' Marie Anne says, pointing at the books that has fell onto the ground before smiling up at the prince himself. ''''I can see that,'''' He nces back at me. ''''Actually, I just wanted to see how things are going in here. Don''t really want her to feel pressured,'''' He adds. Marie Anne''s eyes widen, ''''Absolutely not.'''' Evelyn smirks from behind, eyeing the three of us. Then, she stands up; walking towards Emery and I. ''''You don''t need to worry, little brother. Emma will be fine under my care¡ªso, mind your own business.'''' That may sounded a little bit harsh but no. Not at all. ''''Just so you know, she''s my business.'''' He replies. Mentally jumping up and down with a grin. My head begins to y the images of how I would be reacting if I end up following my heart. The way my cheeks are heating up due to the amount of happiness; it''s almost making me go insane. My eyes won''t look away from his face and it''s not a surprise either. Evelyn smiles before turning to look at my tutor, ''''Marie Anne, I think that''s enough for today. My little brother is a little bit anxious today¡ªhe probably just misses his wife. Newlyweds,'''' She jokes. ''''Of course,'''' Marie Anne nods and bows in respect. Then, just like that, she exits the room. Evelyn follows behind her¡ªonly leaving Emery and I all by ourselves once she''s done looking at us with a meaning. ''''Why are you here?'''' I ask, looking up at him. ''''Because I miss you,'''' He replies, casually. Does he even know how much it affects me? The words that he uses¡ªthey just seem to go deeply into my soul where I''ve never felt this way in a long time. My whole body would tremble just by seeing him looking back at me, imagine how my body reacts when he touches me. ''''You do?'''' I cross my arms, trying to test him. Both of his eyes pierce deep into mine, ''''Yes,'''' Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ''''I miss you a lot more than you think. I don''t know why and I don''t need a reason but I just want you by my side¡ªyou make me react this way, Emma.'''' He whispers near my ear before slowly looking at me. My lips curve up into a smile as I stand still. ''''Actually, Emma.'''' He stops for awhile, looking up at the ceiling before looking back at me; slightly making me worried about what he''s going to say¡ªyes. ''''I have this thing to settle back in Melbourne about my, uh, education and I''ll be gone for about two weeks.'''' ''''Two weeks?'''' I frown, immediately. ''''I know it''s long and I should''ve settled it before I got back here but I don''t know, I didn''t expect things between us would go this great,'''' He mutters. I look straight into his eyes, thinking of something or at least anything but I can''t. I know the fact that two weeks is not really long; but it''s just that something in me doesn''t want him to leave. Maybe because I''ll miss him. I''m not so sure myself. It''s so confusing. ''''Okay. When are you leaving?'''' I ask, wanting to know that if we have at least a few more hours to spend with each other or if this is the only hour we have left. He looks down at his wrist watch, ''''Now. Actually,'''' The way he replied, he was hesitating but I know how it would make me hesitant too. Within seconds, I find myself wrapping my arms around his body; slowly sharing my warmth with hisforting. Emery pulls me closer towards him, kissing me long on the side of my temple¡ªmaking me snuggle closer. It feels like a second but a few minutes have passed and neither of us wants to move away even if we have to so eventually, we let go. My eyes immediately look up at his¡ªloving how he''s looking back at me too. Just like that, he starts to kiss me on the lips. Both of his hands are cupping onto my face, the kiss goes on very passionately slow. The way our lips are giving and receiving the emotions that we feel; it''s making me go insane. He makes me go insane. From the one I don''t want to marry to the one I need. All of a sudden, I find him holding onto both sides of my waist¡ªpulling me closer towards him without stopping the kiss at all. I know he wants to stay. I feel it. Well, maybe. We break the kiss to only look deeply into each other''s eyes as he caresses the side of my face slowly. Then, he starts to take a few steps away from me before heading towards the door and exit after ncing onest time towards my direction. I make my way out of the room, heading down the hall as I try to find him. I quickly walk down the stairs, wanting to make sure that I at least see a glimpse of him before he leaves for two weeks. My legse to a halt as I see him from behind. Deep down, I know that we can still contact each other through calls, texts or even video calls but for some reason, I don''t feel like saying that to him. One, I want to make sure that my feelings are real. Two, I want to know if I will miss him or not. If we continue to contact each other for the uing two weeks, then I might not understand my feelings. I look up to see him entering a ck Mercedes. Just like that, the car begins to drive away. When I turn around, I see Genevieve standing there as her eyes stay still at the spot where hest stood. Then, she turns to look at me with a small smile on her face before walking towards me. ''''Did he say goodbye?'''' She asks, slowly. ''''Yes, he did.'''' I reply. ''''Then, what''s bothering you, dear? You look a little bit troubled¡ªit concerns me,'''' She frowns for awhile before grabbing onto my hand, ''''You can always call him if you miss him. Besides, it will only be for two weeks; don''t worry yourself,'''' She adds. ''''Nothing, actually. It feels weird being away from him after all these weeks of being together,'''' I say. Genevieve smiles, ''''He''ll miss you too.'' Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Emery My eyes wander around to find Daniel, my friend since I started studying here in Melbourne. As soon as I see him heading towards me with a smile on his face; I begin to smile back at him. ''''Man, it''s been awhile. How are you?'''' He asks. Before I can answer, he continues to speak, ''''Wait. Don''t tell me. You''re the prince of Ennd who left Australia in order to get married with the current princess, Emma. What a surprise,'''' He adds. Well, the truth is, I''ve never told anyone about my title or about anything that goes on in my country. It''s because I don''t want them to know; I want to live the normal life where I''m able to blend in without them treating me differently just because of my title. ''''I''m sorry I didn''t tell you,'''' I reply. ''''We were shocked at first. Hannah was shocked. You didn''t tell us shit. We found out that the prince of Ennd was getting married so yeah, of course everyone would change the channel and watch.'''' He chuckles for a bit while I just smile at him. ''''Guess what? We found you saying your vows. Imagine our faces. Holy crap,'''' He adds. ''''I don''t find things like this were necessary, honestly. It''s just that¡ªI came here in order to live a normal life so I didn''t bother bringing my background with me,'''' I say, trying to make him understand. ''''No worries but you should''ve told Hannah,'''' ''''Why should I?'''' I ask, frowning in confusion. Daniel looks back at me with a frown. ''''I thought you and Hannah were dating? The times you two spent together. There must''ve been something going on,'''' He states, somehow saying the obvious. Hannah and I have been hitting it off for the past few months before I left but I have never thought of her more than just a friend¡ªyes, we spent countless nights together that people would assume us dating but both of us know better. I don''t have feelings for her nor was I serious about our thing that we had. It was for fun. She agreed too. ''''We weren''t dating. She knows that too,'''' I reply before adding, ''''We''ve been spending a lot of nights together, yeah, that''s true but there''s nothing more than just being friends with benefits. I don''t even have feelings for her that way,'''' I try to clear out any misunderstandings so that it''ll be fine. ''''I''m guessing she feels more than you think,'''' He says. ''''Then, she should stop. I''m married. We''re not going anywhere and whatever fling I had with her, I left it all behind when I left here. Just tell her that,'''' I say, looking down at my wrist watch for a few seconds. Daniel chuckles, ''''Okay, man. You hungry?'''' We start to walk side by side as we head towards one of the restaurants here in the airport. As we eat, we talk about what has been happening in life especially for him¡ªwhat has been going on ever since graduation because life has been great for me. Once we''re done eating, he drives me towards my apartment¡ªwhere I used to stay when I was here. ''''We''re hanging out tonight. You shoulde. I''m pretty sure they all missed you too,'''' He says, turning to look at me¡ªwanting to know if I''ll be there or not. ''''Sure, see you tonight.'''' I answer, stepping out of the car after picking up my backpack and enter my apartment; seeing that the things here haven''t changed, obviously. Why would it change? I look down at the floor as soon as I enter. Letters. Letters scattered on the floor. As I close the door behind me, I crouch to pick up the letter before cing them all on the kitchen ind; sighing. With another sigh, I drop my bag onto the couch before slowly heading towards my bedroom; dropping myself onto my bed¡ªimmediately closing my eyes in tiredness. The amount of fatigue I feel is just insane. As I look up at the ceiling, I am reminded of the memories when I was here in Melbourne. Memories with my friends, they were all good times but I have left some of it behind; in order to start fresh. I turn my body to the other side, staring at the painting on the wall before closing my eyes again; images of Emmae into my head immediately. Truth be told, she''s perfect. Beautifully perfect. Right now, I miss her more than anything. If only I could bring her with me here but I couldn''t. Yes, I have to settle about my education here at the university but I also have to settle things nicely with my friends and I don''t want her to get in between. I want to get back home with everything settled. Then, I wouldn''t be bothered by my past life here. Without me realising, I have already fallen asleep just by thinking about her; mixing with the amount of fatigue that I feel due to my flight from London and straight to Melbourne¡ªone hell of a flight. My eyes open wide as I hear the doorbell ring. Within seconds, I find myself grabbing onto my phone near my head and see that it''s already six in the evening; I''ve fallen asleep for three hours. Just like that, I sit up straight before heading towards the door; wanting to see who''s at the door right now. I pull the door open to find Hannah, smiling at me. ''''Hey. Daniel told us that you''re back,'''' She says. It takes me a few seconds to respond but I smile back at her slightly, knowing that she''s my friend. ''''Yeah. You didn''t have toe here though because I''ll be there tonight to meet you guys,'''' I reply. She nods her head before ncing at my fingers. It doesn''t take me long to realise that she''s looking at my wedding band¡ªwhich is obvious but I don''t bother to pull my hand away from the door, just letting her see the ring so that it''ll clear things out. ''''I just wanted toe and pick you up,'''' She says. I stay still only looking into her eyes before pulling the door open a little, enough for her to walk in I stay still only looking into her eyes before pulling the door open a little, enough for her to walk in. Her lips are curving up into a smile as she stands in the middle of the living room as I close the door behind me. ''''I''ll just get ready,'''' I say, entering my bedroom. After taking washing my face and fixing my hair so that I''ll at least look presentable, I head towards my walk-in closet to change into a shirt and a leather jacket before changing into a different pair of jeans. Once I''m done, I step out of the bedroom with my phone in my hand as she just sits on the couch; waiting for me to get ready¡ªthen, she smiles. We both look at each other before I break the gaze, ''''Right. Let''s go,'''' I say before heading towards the front door and waiting for her to exit which doesn''t really take me long¡ªthen, I close the door. We enter the car and she starts to drive down the road after ncing at my direction for a few seconds. My eyes are only focusing down the road; not really bothered to turn and look at her. Yes, we''re friends but I can''t let her think that we''re still the same. We''re friends and nothing more now. Just friends. ''''You know, you left without telling anyone. Then, one day we found out that you''re actually a royalty; who is now married. You should''ve told us,'''' She breaks the silence between us as she continues to drive. ''''There was nothing to tell, Hannah.'''' I look at her. ''''Nothing? There was something to tell! I mean, yeah, great timing because you left after graduation but you couldn''t just leave us like we were never your friends in the very beginning. Especially me,'''' She mutters. ''''Especially you?'''' I raise an eyebrow at her before turning to look at her so that I''ll get a better view, ''''Hannah. We''re still friends and I know that we''ve been treating each other differently before I left and I know how I must''ve been leading you on but I didn''t and don''t have feelings for you. Not more than just a friend because I didn''t want a serious rtionship,'''' ''''Yeah. Sure. Now you''re married,'''' She looks away. ''''That''s my choice,'''' I reply after sighing deeply. ''''What we used to have, I want you to forget about it. We didn''t have any special rtionships and I want you to keep that in mind¡ªI don''t want to lose you as my friend and the only reason I came back here is to settle things about my degree and settle things with you guys so that we can still stay the same,'''' I add. She presses onto the brakes and I turn to see that we are already here which makes me step out of the car immediately; not liking the tension between us. As soon as I enter the bar, I start to see my group of friends; friends that I used to have a lot of fun with. The type of friends that would really risk something in order to achieve another¡ªthat''s who they are. ''''Yo, Emery!'''' I smile widely as they call out for me. ''''It''s been awhile. d you''re back,'''' They say once I''m close enough while I just respond to their handshakes and wave at them; we''re not like a small group of friends but actually a big one. ''''Emery, can we talk for awhile?'''' Cole, Hannah''s brother grabs me onto my arm and I nod in respond; knowing that he has something to say. We walk towards the nearest corner where they''re no one here so it''s a little private. I turn to look at him, seeing that he''s currently eyeing our friends. Cole and I have been quite close since we first met in our first semester¡ªever since then, we hang out a lot. ''''Look, I''m d you''re back and all but would you help me out a little bit? It''s my sister,'''' He frowns. ''''I don''t know how many times I''m supposed to say this, Cole but your sister and I had nothing even before I left. Yeah, we had a few things going on. People would assume that we''re a couple but there clearly was nothing going on,'''' I reply, answering truthfully so that he can understand even more. ''''She has feelings for you,'''' He interrupts. ''''I didn''t know that. Look, before things between us started to get a little bit steamy or sexual, I told her that we would never have a serious rtionship other than being friends. She was okay with it, how can you me me on this?'''' I let out a deep sigh. ''''I don''t me you, man. I know how girls are with this kind of things¡ªmy sister is no different,'''' He says before turning to look at the doors. Within seconds, I am already following his gaze; seeing Hannah. She heads straight towards our group of friends as they all smile widely before pulling her in for a hug. ''''Whatever it is, just tell her and make her understand because I don''t want her to think of us differently. I''m married and I''m happy, that''s all you need to know.'''' I say before heading back towards Daniel and the other guys where they are busy enjoying their drinks. Hannah turns to look at me while I look away. ''''How are you, Your Highness?'''' Finn, a close friend of Cole and I begin to joke around while the others ''''I''m fine and don''t call me that,'''' Iugh. ''''Our friend, Emery, here is already two steps ahead of us. He got himself a degree, hopped his ass back to London and got married to a beautiful woman. He''s already winning in life,'''' Daniel says and the others agree on his statement¡ªI agree on the part that I married a beautiful woman, that''s not a lie. I turn to look at Hannah who has been ncing. ''''Let''s just enjoy our night!'''' Winston shouts and each one of us begin to cheer loudly; which earns almost everyone''s attention here in the bar. The night goes on smoothly with me enjoying my drink, something, light but enough to make me less sober yet I don''t tend to drink anything heavy. I run my fingers through my hair before looking up at Hannah who has kept herself busy by talking to the girls but I can''t help but notice her looking at me. She would be talking to them but her eyes are on me. ''''Your sister needs to stop looking,'''' I say before taking a sip of my beer; not really beingfortable. ''''Just ignore her. She''ll get it over with,'''' Cole replies, drinking his own beforeughing to some stupid jokes that Finn makes with Daniel. For some reason, I feel like I''m too old for this. Well, old doesn''t really fit the category but I feel like I don''t have time to enjoy myself in a bar with my group of friends because my mind is constantly reminded of home. Of Emma and of everything about her. I used to love hanging out with them and just waste our time by having endless shots or being drunk almost every time after our hardcore tests end but now, I feel like this is not getting me anywhere. Right now, the four of us are ying snooker while the others are still busy enjoying their drinks. I look at the balls¡ªfrowning afterwards, ''''How are you guys?'''' I ask after realising that I haven''t asked about them. Finn looks at me, ''''You okay, man?'''' ''''Yeah, it''s just that I want to know what you guys are doing since we''ve graduated. I want to know where you guys are heading,'''' I shrug, looking at them. ''''Finn''s going to Boston,'''' Daniel answers. ''''Really? That''s great. When?'''' I ask. ''''In three weeks. I''m going to work with my cousin, he owns apany there. Besides, I''ve always wanted to go to Boston so it''s an opportunity,'''' He replies. ''''Well, I''m going to continue my studies. Going to get a second degree¡ªit''s what I feel like doing,'''' Cole answers before drinking his beer. ''''What about you, man? Got anything?'''' I refer to Daniel who immediatelyughs at my question which I don''t find funny; not even a little bit. ''''I''m staying here and going to apply for an interview at Joe''s, always wanted to work in an office.'''' He says as he runs his fingers through his hair¡ªsighing afterwards before ncing back at me. My lips are curving up into a smile at them. ''''We pretty much know you''re going to rule your country but what else do you have in mind?'''' ''''I have a country to take care of and apany to handle. It''s only a matter of time,'''' I reply and just seconds before they can say anything, my phone starts to ring which makes me turn to look at the screen. Evelyn. Why would she call me out of the blue? I slide to answer the call before heading towards the other side where they won''t be able to hear anything. ''''Hey, younded in Melbourne? Just wanted to call and make sure that you stay out of All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. trouble,'''' She says through the other line which makes meugh. ''''Of course, doing your job as a big sister.'''' I reply. She chuckles before staying quiet for a few seconds, ''''Uh, what is Emma doing? Is she doing alright?'''' ''''You''ve been gone for twenty-four hours so she''s still functioning well. We don''t know if she starts to miss you more in the next hours,'''' She replies. Before I can answer, Cole calls out for my name. ''''Let me guess. You''re out getting drunk and having fun just like how you used to be,'''' She mutters in which I just deny with a groan; of course not. ''''I''m just meeting my friends. I got to go, I''ll call you when I''m free. Take care of Emma,'''' With that, I end the call before heading towards them¡ªseeing that they are having endless shots before cheering. Things are going to get a little wild tonight. Hours have passed and most of them are already drunk enough to not remember their own name. To my surprise, Hannah begins to sit next to me, both of her eyes are looking straight into mine¡ª realising that she''s also drunk. I let out a deep sigh, trying to slowly push her hands away from being all over me. ''''Don''t do this. Just don''t,'''' I say, standing up. ''''Emery, wait!'''' Then, all of a sudden, I hear her stumble onto the ground which causes me to let out another sigh before ncing at her brother who is currently making out with his girlfriend. Just this once. Never going to happen again. ''''Come on, I''ll take you home.'''' I say, picking her up bridal style before heading towards her car and seeing that she''s busy eyeing my whole feature as I ce her in the back seat¡ªnot bothered to pay more attention. Before I can enter the car, she begins to step out and pull me by the arm which causes me to frown at her in disagreement, ''''What is wrong with you?'''' I ask. Without me expecting, she immediately cups me on the face before kissing me on the lips; passionately slow and almost rough enough to show her true feelings in order for me to see but I don''t. I push her away a bit too harsh but it doesn''t matter right now¡ªshe needs to know her limits and she have to understand how things are no longer the same. ''''Hannah, what the hell are you thinking? Stop trying to make a fool out of you! You need to stop trying to earn my attention because you''re not getting any,'''' I say out of anger while I look into her eyes. They are a little bit teary but I have to say the truth. ''''I''m married. Get that in your head. I''m sorry if I''m only hurting you more but you need to know that I am no longer there for you. We are no longer the same. I don''t have feelings for you because I love someone else. I love my wife. Please respect that,'''' I add. Tears are streaming down her cheeks, endlessly. Just like that, I begin to walk down the road; leaving her there outside of the bar because I''m only doing this for myself¡ªI don''t want her to think that I''m still letting her act like that because I don''t. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Emery ''''Tell your sister to stop,'''' I grab Cole onto the arm, making him turn to look at me before frowning in confusion as he stops talking to Finn who is currently taking a few bites from his burger. ''''Wow, okay, what happened?'''' He asks, concern. ''''I''ve been avoiding her since I came here. She won''t stop texting me¡ªI don''t even know how the hell she got my number and I don''t like it,'''' I tell him the truth because something like this can cause issues in the future if not stopped now; I know better, hopefully. ''''Man, she''s been crying this whole week.'''' He replies, ncing at Finn who keeps on eating his food without a single care in the world, ''''Just¡ªjust keep on doing what you''re doing. Ugh, I don''t know,'''' He sighs. ''''Keep on doing what I''m doing? I''m only hurting her and that''s far from what I have in mind,'''' I furrow my eyebrows in disagreement, ''''Look, Cole, she kissed me the night I came here and I''ve never felt as guilty as I''ve been feeling this whole week,'''' I add, hesitating. ''''She kissed you? What the¡ª'''' Finn coughs. Cole looks at me in surprise, ''''I didn''t know she went that far. S¡ªshe won''t eat, she won''t talk,'''' He says. ''''I''m leaving tomorrow. Just help me on this one. I''ll be leaving the country before you know it,'''' I turn to look around at my surroundings, seeing that most of the students here are busy preparing for their tests. ''''I thought you''re staying for two weeks?'''' Finn asks. ''''I changed my mind. Besides, I miss home.'''' I mutter. Cole nods his head in understanding before patting onto my shoulder, ''''Consider it done. I''ll make sure that kiss was the only trouble she caused you,'''' He assures me and I smile at him; thankful to have him as a friend who would help me through something. Just like that, I start to make my way out of campus. Hannah has been acting different; especially now. She used to be understanding and she has never reacted this way before¡ªbut now she''s just stressing me out. I''m only trying to protect what the media sees about me because if they get one bad side of me, that''ll be the end of it. The end of what people think. The end of what Emma might think. She might misunderstood and things would get a little rough for us¡ªwe''re only trying to make us a better couple; so that we can proceed what we have now. I don''t need the media or Hannah to ruin that for me. This whole week I would consider myself safe. Why? Well, it''s because the media found out that I''m in Australia yesterday¡ªso, they didn''t know earlier. Besides, the kiss was never known to the public which is good; safe for me and safe for Emma. God, why can''t I stop thinking about her? ''''Mr. Van An,'''' I turn around to see one of my old professors called out for me, making me stop my steps and wait for him to get near me. The smile on his face shows how he''s surprised, ''''You''re back on campus?'''' I smile back at him, ''''Just sorting a few things out with my degree¡ªhow are you, Professor?'''' I ask him. ''''All well. I saw you on television and clearly I wasn''t expecting you,'''' He chuckles in which I jointer on. It surprises me a little that no one has found out that I''m actually the prince of Ennd; not until I got married a few weeks ago. The day of my wedding was like the revtion of my true identity. ''''There''s a lot of unexpected things,'''' I joke. Heughs for a while, ''''Okay, then. I''m heading to the library. Will I be seeing you again anytime soon?'''' He used to help me quite a lot in my projects; overall, he''s by far the best professor I''ve ever had. ''''I''m leaving tomorrow but of course, we might end up seeing each other in the future. Hope that everything goes on well with you and your new students,'''' I reply before smiling again at him¡ª remembering the times when he first entered my ss, it was different. ''''You''re the best student I''ve ever had, Emery.'''' He starts to walk down the sidewalk, ''''Remember that,'''' Then he chuckles before continuing to leave me standing here all by myself¡ªstill smiling. Best student, huh. That tops it all. Without further ado, I head home immediately, feel like taking a long nap today; clearing my head from everything that has been bothering me ever since I got here¡ªmostly includes, Hannah. Once I''ve entered my apartment, Iy onto the couch before taking my phone out of my pocket and check my notifications. I let out a deep sigh once I realise that there''s not a single notification from her. She has been on my mind from the day I left, I wonder if I''m on her mind too. At least once. I look at her name in my contacts, hesitating whether I should press call or just let it be. Should I call her or should I just surprise her tomorrow? The same damn question has been ying in my head. As I ce my phone onto my chest, I begin to close my eyes¡ªnot realising that I''ve managed to fall asleep without a single care in the world other than thinking of Emma, obviously, she should be on my Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. mind 24/7. All the time. Every single moment. The sound of the doorbell ringing interrupts me from my slumber which causes me to grab onto my phone that has fallen onto the ground, looking at the time. My eyebrows furrow before sighing deeply. I make my way towards the door, opening it to see thest person that I want to see¡ªHannah. Without me realising, I am already clenching my jaw; wanting to just close the door and let her be but that''s inhumane. ''''What do you want, Hannah?'''' I ask. ''''I came to say sorry. You won''t pick up my calls,'''' My eyes remain focus onto hers, wanting to seek for lies but then again, I''m terrible at reading people so let''s just stop right there. I lean closer towards the door as a sign that I''m probably not going to let her in especially not after what she did that night. ''''Yeah, you done?'''' I clear my throat, seeing that she is looking at me in disappointment but that''s no longer my concern¡ªnever was but she was once. ''''Look, I''m really sorry for acting like that. I should''ve controlled myself better¡ªit''s just that, I thought that you might still want me somehow but I see it now. You''re married and you''re right, I should respect you and your wife; forgive me?'''' Then, to my surprise, she starts to hand me a box of choctes. I look down at the box, seeing that it''s my favourite. ''''Since you''re leaving tomorrow, I brought you this. You know, you might not be able to get them back home¡ªso yeah, take them.'''' She assures me to take the box. Slowly, I take it from her after nodding. Before I can utter a word, my phone starts to ring which causes me to turn around¡ªseeing that Daniel is calling me. I nce back at Hannah, she''s just looking back at me with a small smile on her face. ''''Come on in,'''' I say, opening the door wider. ''''You sure?'''' She raises an eyebrow. I nod before closing the door once she''s inside and picking up the call, ''''Yeah, what is it?'''' I ask, ncing back at Hannah who is currently sitting on the couch. ''''You''re leaving tomorrow? That''s quick,'''' He says. ''''Yeah, things are settled here. Besides, I have a lot of things to do back home¡ªthere''s not much left for me here in Melbourne other than you guys,'''' I reply, my eyes continuing to look at her; seeing that she''s just eyeing the view outside through the ss window. ''''Let''s meet up tonight, then? You up for it?'''' It takes me awhile to answer but I agree, ''''Why not.'''' Just like that, I end up the call before turning to look at her again¡ªin which she responds by looking back at me. The reason why we spent a lot of times together before was because we were sexually attracted to each other; why wouldn''t I? She''s attractive. I used to like her green eyes and the way her cheeks just flush pink whenever she smiles. So, it would be quite insane of me to not fall for someone like her. Actually, fall for her is kind of a little bit too advanced because like I said, I was sexually attracted towards her¡ªnot emotionally. No strings attached. ''''You want something to drink?'''' I ask. The least I can do is treat her like a friend. ''''Yeah, just water.'''' She answers, smiling. Just like that, I make my way towards the kitchen to grab two sses of water before adding cold water. Then, I make my way back towards the living room. ''''Here,'''' I mutter, sitting down the opposite from her. She takes a sip of her drink as she nces up at me. All of a sudden, my phone starts to ring again, in which I respond with a sigh but apparently, it''s not Daniel¡ªit''s Evelyn. With a sigh, I stand up and leave the room to answer the call somewhere private. ''''Your big sister wants to know what her little brother is doing all alone in Melbourne. If he''s even alone to begin with,'''' She says through the other line which I respond back with a chuckle. ''''If you''d consider a ss of water aspany then, yeah, sure I''m not actually alone.'''' I reply; not really wanting to tell her that Hannah is here with me. She would not be pleased¡ªshe''ll start babbling. ''''When are youing home, Emery? Someone is already missing you. So, hurry up will you?'''' I can imagine her rolling her eyes in annoyance before crossing her arms; something that she does. My lips curve up into a smile, ''''Tomorrow,'''' ''''She must be¡ª'''' I cut her off immediately. ''''No, don''t tell Emma yet. I don''t want her to know because I''ll be surprising her. You don''t get to spoil this surprise for me, okay? Be a good girl and keep your mouth shut,'''' I say before she can interrupt. ''''My lips are sealed!'''' She chuckles, agreeing. ''''Good. See you when I see you,'''' I mutter. ''''Ciao, little bro.'''' Then, she ends up the call. I ce my phone on my bed before heading back towards the living room, seeing that Hannah is currently drinking her water. I sit on my previous spot, taking a sip of my own¡ªafter clearing my throat, ''''You''re not mad at me, right? I hope we''re fine,'''' She asks, looking directly into my brown eyes. ''''We''re fine. Don''t worry,'''' I reply. We stay quiet for a few seconds without uttering a single word while I drink my water, ''''Thanks. By the way, I should get going.'''' She starts to stand up before heading towards the door, making me follow from behind; slowly and opening the door. She turns to look at me, ''''Don''t forget me,'''' Then, I end up chuckling at her, ''''I might as welle visit you sometime. I''m pretty sure London is a great ce?'''' She continues to speak while I furrow my brows once I realise that my vision is blurring. The more I try to focus, the more it blurs. Hannah frowns, ''''You okay, Emery?'''' All of a sudden, I find myself dealing with an unbearable headache before seeing that everything around me is spinning in different directions. Then, before I can even move away or try to grip onto something in order to stabilise my body, I begin to fall onto the ground¡ªseeing the darkness. The only thing I remember is, none. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Emery I wake up to the sudden brightness hitting my skin, making me blink a few times before opening my eyespletely; confusion surrounds me fully. My head aches immediately as soon as I sit up straight, not knowing the whole cause of it. As I look around, I realise that I don''t remember how I end up being in my bedroom when I was clearly in the living room with Hannah¡ªwhich makes me realise. She''s the cause of it. She''s the main cause. I turn to look at the note near me: Last night was great! Bet your wife wouldn''t be so happy about it but don''t worry it''ll be our little secret. Xoxo, Hannah My jaw clenches in anger as I keep on reading the note over and over again¡ªnotpletely believing that she framed me into this. There''s no prove of what happenedst night due to the fact that I can''t even the slightest remember a thing. She might be lying. She might''ve said the truth. I crumple the note with the amount of anger within my body, not really understanding how the hell it all happened in a short amount of time. My life is slowly killing me inside, just by this stupid mistake. Hannah will probably use this against me. She might want to destroy me, that''s a possibility. My eyebrows remain furrow at the sudden sound on the ground which causes me to look down, seeing that my rm has been ringing for the past two minutes of me thinking of my current issue. ''''Shit, I''m going to bete.'''' I mutter to myself. Just like that, I immediately push the covers away from my body¡ªsomehow, feeling disgusted if what she said was true. As I pack my things, I can''t help but continue to think of what might''ve happened. How did I end up unconscious? ''''Hey,'''' I pick up the call before closing the door behind me, locking it afterwards. I head straight towards the cab that I''ve called fifteen minutes ago, bringing my backpack at the backseat with me. ''''What happenedst night? I called but you didn''t answer. We went to your apartment¡ª'''' I cut Daniel off, knowing that I don''t really want to talk about this or anything that was nnedst night. ''''I was tired. Sorry that I couldn''t make it,'''' I reply. He stays quiet for a few seconds, ''''No big deal. When''s your flight? Want me toe and meet you up at the airport with Cole? You know, you might not be back here in Australia when you''re too busy with your own country,'''' He says, chuckling at the end. ''''Sure. Meet me there as soon as possible,'''' Just like that, I end up the call. I am immediately drifted away with my own thoughts, making me want to just recall the memories from As I think of a better solution, I move forward. My fingers type quickly onto my phone: Evelyn, something happenedst night. I need to be honest with you. Will you be able to just at least understand me? ¡ª Sent Within a couple of minutes, I receive a reply. Sounds serious. What happened? Please, don''t tell me that you got yourself in jail. ¡ª Evelyn It''s much more worst than that. ¡ª Sent I can''t stop thinking about it. Evelyn is the only one that I can trust at the moment; I will tell Emma as soon as Ind in London, as soon as I meet her. That will have to wait for now¡ªEvelyn''s the one I got. Wow, I don''t like where this is heading. So, tell me. What happened? ¡ª Evelyn I hesitate at first, almost wanting to drop this text message and just change the subject but I know that I can''t keep it to myself any longer. What if she tries to use it against me and do something far from what I expect? Then, Evelyn and Emma might not believe me at all; that''s also a possibility. So, I should tell. Remember when you calledst night? Well, I wasn''t actually alone. Hannah was there with me, she came to apologise and I let her in. Yes, that was fucking stupid of me. I know but my stupidity is not the issue right now. I don''t know how I''m supposed to say this! ¡ª Sent Wait. Don''t tell me. I know. ¡ª Evelyn What? ¡ª Sent You slept with her, didn''t you? ¡ª Evelyn Evelyn took the words out of my mouth or fingers; fitting my current position. I feel my whole body goes cold¡ªalmost seeing the end of my life. I don''t know. ¡ª Sent What do you mean you don''t know?! Emery, this is not a fucking joke. You''re married, for fuck''s sake. You were supposed to control and not take marriage lightly. What would Emma say when she hears this? ¡ª Evelyn No! You don''t understand. She drugged me, Evelyn. I didn''t remember what happenedst night other than the fact that she came over. That''s why I turn to you for help. You''re the only one who knows me better. ¡ª Sent Look, don''t tell anyone about this. Now that they know who YOU are, they might be using this against you. Trust me, you can''t just trust anyone because they might be liars. Just, get on your flight andnd safely. We''ll talk about this as soon as you arrive home. ¡ª Evelyn Trust me, I''ll help you sort this out. ¡ª Evelyn I stay quiet for a few seconds, only staring at my phone before letting out a deep sigh; knowing that I have to stay calm in order to help myself in this. Thanks, love you. ¡ª Sent I love you too. Stay safe. ¡ª Evelyn Just like that, I begin to lock my phone and put it in my jeans'' pocket¡ªgiving the cab driver the amount that has to be paid before stepping out of the car. Since Evelyn told me that I can''t tell anyone about this, then, I''m not able to tell Cole even if it''s about his sister because Evelyn''s right¡ªtrust no one. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. I enter the airport to head straight towards my gate. ''''Emery!'''' I turn to see Cole calling out my name, which results in me sighing. Then, I cover it up with a smile as soon as he gets near; my mind is trouble at the moment and I can''t deal with two Johanssons. ''''Can''t believe you''re actually leaving,'''' He adds. I smirk, ''''Duty calls. Besides, it''s not like we won''t be able to contact at all. We''ll talk,'''' I assure them while I''m not quite sure myself especially not now. It feels like I can''t trust anyone¡ªI forgave Hannah, now I just don''t think I''ll be able to forgive. She did this to me; causing chaos in my soul just for her own satisfaction yet I don''t even remember a thing. ''''Have a safe flight, man.'''' Daniel says, ncing. My eyes remain focus onto his for awhile. We used to be close friends and we would always share things that we find in need of sharing but now, no. ''''Right. Good luck in life. Both of you,'''' I mutter. Then, after a second nce, I continue to walk towards the assigned gate without looking back. Images of Emma are ying in my head; making me feel all giddy in getting home, hoping it''ll be soon. Yet, it''s a long journey home. That''s for sure. The flight back to London was a pain in the ass. Well, one of the reasons is because my head is in pain and I can''t stop thinking about the current issue. I quickly enter the pce, running before being pulled by someone else in the dark corners. My eyes widen immediately at the sudden pull but to only see Evelyn locking the two doors; asking me keep quiet. ''''Now. Exin,'''' She says, gesturing for me to sit. ''''I think this is all a trap. She wants to get something out of me or she''s just trying to make me feel troubled but whatever it is, I don''t think things are going to get any better¡ªI''m stressing out,'''' I breathe. Evelyn furrows her eyebrows as she sighs deeply. ''''Do you want to tell Emma about this?'''' She asks. Tell Emma. That has been going on my mind for the past hours¡ªI want to tell her, that''s the only way for me to get rid of any misunderstandings. If things get a little bit out of control in the future, at least, just at least she has known the truth. ''''Yes. She deserves to know the truth,'''' I reply. ''''You don''t even know the truth,'''' She says before turning around and sitting on one of the chairs. The way she is just staring down at the ground, she''s also overthinking about this¡ªnot just me. ''''That''s the fucking point,'''' I clench my jaw. All of a sudden, we hear someone knocking onto the doors; making us turn to look. Then, Evelyn begins to walk towards the doors, opening it slightly. My eyes remain focus to see someone standing. ''''Oh, Emma. I thought you were asleep,'''' She says, making me feel all nervous for some reason before seeing her entering the room. Then, she looks at me. ''''I''ll leave you two alone,'''' She adds, smiling as she leaves the room¡ªafter, ncing at my direction. She wants me to decide whether I should tell Emma or not because either way, I''m going to face it. Emma and I continue to look at each other. Her brown eyes are the only eyes I miss most, ever since I''vee to know her better. Her face is the only face that I''ve evere to love. She''s utterly and beautifully perfect in so many ways. It''s magic. Just seconds before she can say anything, I head towards her immediately; kissing her on the lips. Right now, I''m only focusing onto the softness of her lips while she kisses me back just the same. Through this kiss, I''m not only showing how much I miss her but I''m expressing my apology¡ªsincerely. ''''I miss you,'''' I say through kisses. My lips curve up into a smile as soon as I feel her smiling at me¡ªjust like that, we continue to kiss each other and expressing our emotions. I know just by the way she kisses me back, she misses me too. ''''I have something to tell you,'''' I breathe as we break the kiss, resting my forehead onto hers. Emma looks up into my eyes, ''''Can I go first?'''' The way she looks at me¡ªshe has something to say to me too that might be much more important than what I have to say to her; it''s almostplicating. Deep down, I want to tell her as soon as possible so that I''ll be able to end this torture in me. The amount of guilt. Pressure. Anger. ''''If it''s important¡ª'''' She cuts me to it. ''''It''s important. I promise,'''' She says, instead. My mind goes insanely nk as I stare at her face. This is what I''ve been thinking about ever since I''ve The longer I stare deeply into her eyes, the more I feel like I should just run away with her but that''s not the solution to everything. Maybe I''m just overthinking or maybe I''m just too worried about what happened but I can''t seem to find peace at the moment. What is going on with me? What is wrong? Clearly. Everything including Hannah is wrong. I raise my hand to caress the side of her face as I smile down at her, seeing how her eyes are glowing. Just by seeing her reacting his way¡ªit brings me life. I know I''ve never said I love her straight forwardly. But, I do. I love Emma Faye Parker, I love her. ''''Then, tell me.'''' I whisper, inches apart from her. ''''I know this might surprise you and it mighte as something too quick. I don''t know how you might react to this and I don''t know how I should react either but Emery¡ªwait, are you ready?'''' She asks. My smile grows wider, ''''Surprise me,'''' I answer. She exhales deeply, ''''I''m pregnant.'' Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Emery My mind goes nk instantly, not really believing the fact that I''m bing a dad but that''s really, really happening¡ªeverything about Hannah begins to fade away without leaving glimpses behind. Judging by the look on Emma''s face, she''s thrilled. I immediately stare into her eyes, wanting to read her out in order for me to utter words but there''s nothing going on my mind¡ªI''m supposed to tell her about Hannah but now, that slipped away. How can I tell her about Hannah? When I''ve just heard about her pregnancy. This is a new step for both of us and I know that Hannah does not matter right now or ever. My wife and my family is what matters most; in anything. The incident that happened with Hannah, that can wait at least for the next few days or weeks. Besides, what could possibly go wrong? Things are getting better just by this shocking news, it''s insane. All of a sudden, she starts to frown. ''''A¡ªare you not happy about this? If so, we¡ª'''' I cut her off with a kiss on the lips; wanting to make her stop talking nonsense. My lips curve up into a smile as we kiss¡ªwith me trying to push away her thoughts of not wanting our baby. That''s just no. We break the kiss, ''''I''m more than happy. We''re having a baby together and that''s more than I could ever ask you for¡ªthank you,'''' I mutter, slowly. Tears are appearing in her eyes, imitating me. ''''I love you, Emma.'''' I breathe out. It surprises me as she pulls me close for a bone crushing hug which causes me to wrap my arms around her body; feeling her warmth mixing with mine, ''''I love you, too.'''' She whispers, near me. #1 life goalpleted. We both stay in each other''s arms for a few more minutes before actually releasing. This is all new to us and we''re still trying to ovee our insecurities which is almost impossible yet we''re trying. From an arranged marriage, it turns out sincere. ''''When did you find out?'''' I ask, once we''re actually face to face to have a conversation. ''''Well, when you were away. I found out a couple of days after you left¡ªjust, didn''t want to tell anyone about it because I want you to be the first to know,'''' She replies, smiling up at me as I hold onto her hand; entwining our fingers together. All of a sudden, I turn to see my mother. Her eyes wide and her face shows how she''s more than just surprised¡ªshe''s excited. The way she looks directly at both Emma and I, it''s clear to see the tears appearing in her eyes. The tears of excitement. ''''Oh my god, did I hear it right?'''' She smiles. My lips curve up into a wider smile as she takes a few steps towards us¡ªboth of her eyes never looking away from Emma nor I, ''''Sorry if I was eavesdropping but, I can''t help it and you''ve been keeping it a secret for the past few days,'''' Mother holds onto Emma''s hand. ''''I just wanted to surprise Emery,'''' She replies. ''''You surprised him, alright.'''' They both chuckle while I just nod my head and smile. Today is our day as a married couple, heading towards parenthood. I know, being young and having a lot of responsibilities is just hard but now is a better time than anytime. ''''I''m happy for you two!'''' Evelyn exims. The four of us smile widely as mother and Evelyn pulls Emma and I into a group hug¡ªalmost suffocating my poor soul but we just respond back with augh; knowing that this brings more than just happiness for the both of us but for them. It doesn''t take long for the whole pce to find out about it either¡ªan hour and two, they all know. I can''t help but imagine myself holding our little baby even though I know that it''s going to be a long journey first; a lot of pain, a lot of challenges. I can''t stop thinking about her and our baby. ''''You didn''t tell her, did you?'''' I look up to find Evelyn entering the room as she crosses her arms. Both of my eyes immediately stare deep into her eyes, wanting to see what she''s actually feeling. The thing about Hannah, it was almost forgotten. I stand up, heading towards the ss window before shoving both of my hands into my jeans'' pocket as I enjoy the view outside; I''ve missed this, recently. ''''Emery, I''m talking to you. You can''t just stand there and ignore me¡ªyou know I won''t stop asking,'''' She adds once she notices how I''m not replying. It''s just that I''m trying to think whether I''m making the right decision or not; where will it lead me? ''''No. I didn''t tell her,'''' I reply, turning to face her. She looks up into my eyes due to our heights before slightly smirking and rolling his eyes in annoyance. Then, she starts to let out a deep sigh, making her way towards the middle of the room, ''''Why?'''' She asks. ''''Why? You''re asking me why?'''' I frown. ''''Yes, little brother. Why? Why didn''t you?'''' ''''It''s because I couldn''t! Not when we''re happy and expecting a baby, not when she just told me about our child and not when we''re both still excited. So, no. I''m not going to tell her¡ªI can''t hurt her. Not now,'''' ''''That''s the point, Emery! You have to tell her in order for her not to get hurt. Do you want her to find out from someone else? Does that work so much better for you because you wouldn''t be the one to tell her? I know that you probably didn''t sleep with Hannah and that you were unconscious but tell her. She has to know, she deserves to know, she needs to know,'''' The way she''s saying those words to me; it''s really making me think of what might happen if I tell. We both look at each other; just thinking. ''''What if she doesn''t understand? What if she thinks that I''m wrong and this is just a way for me to cover it all up so that it will all be okay?'''' I question, knowing that a lot of things can happen; she might use me even though I know she won''t¡ªI trust her. ''''She is your wife! I repeat, Emery, your wife! You might have been married for a few weeks but she is Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. because she will try to understand,'''' She replies. ''''She will understand. No matter what. She won''t try to think that you''re wrong because you''re not. You''re my brother and you''re her husband. As a husband, you should be responsible of what happened back there in Australia, the only way is to tell her,'''' She adds; almost making me sit back down and just let her leave because this is all too much for me. I immediately frown, disying the amount of stress. ''''I don''t know, Evelyn. This is just too much,'''' ''''Think about it. Think about your future with your wife and your unborn child,'''' She breathes before exiting the room¡ªleaving me all by myself to think and decide yet it''s still hard for me. Think. Think, think, think. What should I do? ''''Evelyn, I don''t want to talk about it.'''' I say once I hear the door creak open which causes me to turn around but to only find myself looking at Emma. She closes the door behind her, slightly smiling. ''''Hey, my mother finally set you free?'''' I ask, trying to change the topic¡ªpointing out to the part that my mother has been talking to her for the past hour about pregnancies and babies; especially about hers. Emma chuckles, ''''She did.'''' Once we''re close enough, she begins to look at me. ''''What is it that you don''t want to talk about with Evelyn? You were slightly tensed,'''' She pokes me on the arm, making me look down and smile at the fact that she''s being yful¡ªteasing me. My eyes focus deep into hers, hesitating whether I should tell her about Hannah or not. This is the right time to tell her because she would probably try to understand better but I''m just overthinking. ''''If you don''t mind me asking?'''' She adds. ''''Of course I don''t mind,'''' I clear my throat, ''''You have to know everything and that''s why¡ª'''' I stop for awhile before looking back at her; seeing her also looking at me without any signs of looking away. ''''¡ªI have to tell you what happened,'''' I continue. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Emma My eyebrows furrow in confusion; realising that by the look on his face¡ªit shows well enough to see hesitation deep within. Then again, he seems like he''s debating with himself whether he should be telling me or not, yet the chances are he will tell. ''''What is it? Tell me,'''' I mutter. ''''Promise me first. Promise me that you will listen till the end without misunderstanding, you will let me try to exin things to you so that it''ll be clear and for the love of god¡ªdon''t walk out of this room before I finish. Promise me,'''' He replies, too serious. I know that this is something a little bit too serious due to the fact that he asked me to listen till the end; without leaving the room. He wants me to understandpletely before making assumptions. I hold onto his hand, ''''I promise.'''' His brown eyes begin to soften a little¡ªsoothing me slightly. My brain goes nk at this sight of him; all of a sudden, he has something to tell me. Deep down inside, I want it to be something good. At least good enough to lift up a smile on my face yet I know that it''s far from good but bad. Bad may be a little overrated. ''''Years ago before I met you, there was this person named Hannah¡ªshe and I, we had something in the past due to the fact that we were sexually attracted towards one another but nothing more. No strings attached, at all. At least, that was for me,'''' He stops for a few seconds, making me think of his next words. ''''What happened, then?'''' I ask, slowly. ''''W¡ªwe, well, we had a few nights together ever since. None of us wereining either. It was strictly friends with benefits and I didn''t feel anything more towards her but when I met her again¡ª'''' ''''You met herst week?'''' I cut him off. Emery sighs deeply before nodding his head. ''''Get to it, then. It''s making me anxious,'''' I add. ''''She kissed me. Daniel started saying how she has feelings for me and that I had left Australia without telling her. They thought we were a couple,'''' He says, ''''Well, until he found out that I''m a prince and I end up on television on my wedding day,'''' He adds. ''''Wait, let me just get this straight for a second. This person, Hannah, she likes you? She likes you after multiple times of nights spent together with you?'''' I ask, wanting to make things much more clear. He stares deeply into my eyes, ''''I don''t know,'''' ''''But it doesn''t matter, Emma. That was before I met you and that was before I have fallen in love with you because now¡ªyou''re all that matters to me. You can at least trust me on that one. I haven''t and never will have feelings for her. Believe me,'''' He adds, more. ''''She clearly thinks the opposite,'''' I mutter. ''''It doesn''t matter what she thinks. I don''t give a damn about what she thinks. You see, when she kissed me, I pushed her away. I''m not the person who cheats, Emma.'''' He says before slowly trying to get closer towards me, cupping my face. ''''Okay, then, what happened?'''' ''''I ended up ignoring her the whole week, she texted me and called me but I didn''t reply nor pick up. That''s why she went to my apartment and I let her in,'''' He mutters before stopping, regret showing all over his face and it doesn''t take me long to realise. Something had happened. Something indeed. My husband ended up sleeping with the woman he once had spent nights with¡ªthe same woman who currently has feelings for him, the woman that knows about his marriage but still proceed. ''''You slept with her, didn''t you?'''' I breathe out. Within seconds, I notice him clenching his jaw. ''''Truth be told, Emma, I don''t know because I can''t remember what happened. I''m sorry,'''' He breathes out, looking away before looking back at me. Both of his eyes held regret¡ªbreaking my anger. ''''Why can''t you remember?'''' I ask him, slowly. ''''I don''t know but I swear I''ll find out about it. For now, I want you to trust me. Believe me that I would never do anything to hurt you,'''' He replies, leaning in closer towards me before caressing the side of my face and trying to soothe away my anger and anxiety. I close my eyes at his touch before thinking about what had happened to him a week ago, even though we can''t be so sure of what happened yet it might still be clear that they slept together; probably not. All I can do right now, is trust my own husband. Trust. It seems like a strong word because it is indeed strong¡ªit can''t be bought or received. Trust has to be earned; it''s the only way possible to actually trust someone without hesitating. If hesitant is clear, then there wouldn''t be trust. Believe. Believe is all I can do. Believe his innocence. ''''I trust you,'''' I mutter before hugging him in which he responds back by pulling me closer towards him; not showing signs of letting go and breaking our embrace. It has been a week of us not seeing each other and we should not let things like this get in our way. ''''Thank you,'''' He pecks onto my temple. The first five years are going to be hard especially for us. Our marriage was forced upon us even though we''ve finally found our ways to each other but it will never be the same¡ªmy point is, we end up knowing one another after marriage, it''s slightly different. ''''Now, how''s our baby?'''' Emery looks straight into my eyes as he cups onto my face before smiling. My lips curve up into a smile as I let out aughter, ''''Our baby is fine¡ªhow''s the baby daddy?'''' I ask. All of a sudden, I find him gripping onto my butt as I yelp in surprise; not expecting him to react this way but then again, I''m notining. We end up looking into each other''s eyes with emotions shielding for some reason¡ªour slowly growing love. ''''He''ll be fine if he gets a kiss,'''' He whispers. Then, he starts to lean in towards my neck, tickling me with his kisses as Iugh which causes him to graze on my neck with his teeth before meeting my lips with his¡ªletting us pour our feelings. ''''Sneaky,'''' I breathe out as he picks up me up bridal style; still earningughters from me but he doesn''t seem to care¡ªonly staring down at my face. The next morning, I find myself being embraced lovingly in his arms; making me raise an eyebrow at the sudden tightness around my waist due to him. I snuggle even closer towards him as he moves slightly to adjust his body to afortable position. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. It takes me awhile to realise that I''m staring. The way his eyes are closed shut and his pink lips slightly puckered to the front¡ªit makes me smile just by the natural beauty that he has. Not a lot of people will see his beauty the way I do; yes, he is indeed a very beautiful man and there''s no point denying. Yet, the way I see him is different. Slightly. Why? Other people see him as attractive as he can be that they want to end up in his arms but I see him as someone who has a bright future ahead of him with hidden ambitions. Not everyone can see that. This is all happening too fast, very fast. I took Jace''s advice and went to Ennd before meeting the prince. The same prince that ends up being my husband¡ªwillingly or not, we begin to ept our fate with one another. Like I said, there''s no point in denying, either. The more we deny, the more we try to find ourselves but for us, we''re here. What if I ran away? What if I left all of this behind? The possibilities: he will ruin himself by being with almost anyone he wants as hismitment slowly drifts away, he will lose almost everything just by my exact option, he will end up with nothing. No love. No wife. No heir. But I stayed, I''m staying, which results in a better life for both of us¡ªhe managed to make me fall for him just by a single nce, it''s not worth questioning why or how we ended up falling for one another. Emery. Truly and beautifully something. Everything that he does; he is fully sincere, for instance, like the way he talks to me or the way he listens. It shows how he ismitted to something or someone. The more I try to see what''s hidden in him, the more I can try to make usst. An evesting marriage or love may be rare but it''s not impossible. With every passing day, we will try. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Emery My eyebrows furrow at the sound of my phone ringing, making me let out a deep sigh before ncing back at Emma¡ªwho has fallen asleep for the past couple of hours while I''ve been busy going through next week''s activities with the duke. ''''Hello?'''' I answer. All of a sudden, I start to hear cursesing from Cole; which surprises me. It has been a week since I''ve left Australia and I haven''t heard from them since then, why would he call me out of the blue and begin cursing at me? What have I possibly done wrong? ''''You son of a bitch! Do you think you''re all mighty now, just because you''re a fucking prince?'''' He says, loudly in anger as I try to process what''s currently happening. ''''Wait. Cole, what''s going on?'''' I breathe. ''''The fuck, man! I trusted you,'''' He replies. I quickly stand up straight before exiting the room; not wanting to wake Emma. If Cole is pissed at me about something then we can talk about it¡ªprobably settle things through but I''m not going to involve my wife in this situation, she doesn''t have to know. ''''What the hell are you talking about?'''' I try to control my tone, not wanting to wake anyone up at this side of the wing; deep down, I just feel like screaming back at him for doing the same but I need to be able to control my anger¡ªthings doesn''t always have to end up with fighting. ''''You''re a fucking liar,'''' He says. ''''The fuck did I do?'''' I pinch the bridge of my nose. ''''Since when are you fucking oblivious? Don''t act like you''ve done nothing wrong when you slept with my sister before you left! Not just that, you''re a married man who apparently cheated on his wife,'''' He replies, making me clench my jaw in anger; trying my best to control the amount of it from escaping. 1 ''''Look, Cole. You don''t have the right to call me in the middle of the night and start shouting at me because you have no fucking clue what she did,'''' I mutter. He scoffs, ''''Now, you''re ming her?'''' ''''I''m ming no one! You clearly heard her side but what about mine? You''re my friend,'''' I reply. The two of us end up quiet for the next few seconds; he probably realises that he did attack me out of nowhere in the middle of the night without hearing what I have to say about this, about Hannah. Hannah must''ve said it to his brother and probably me it all on me¡ªuse me of taking advantage of her when she was the one who nned it all. She wanted it to look like I cheated with her. Without further ado, I begin to make my way down the hall before walking down the stairs; wanting to head straight towards the garden. If I stay there for the rest of this conversation, no one will hear. It''s too risky talking here in the pce. ''''I don''t know, man.'''' He sighs, deeply. Once I''ve arrived at the garden, I stand near the fountain as I look up at the dark sky¡ªseeing the stars up above. Just like that, I start to sigh again. ''''Tell me. What did she tell you?'''' I ask, nicely. ''''She told me about that night you two slept together. Look, Emery, I was okay with the fact that you have been sleeping with my sister before you were even married but that''s the fucking point. It was before you were married but now you''re a married man. You have a wife, you have more responsibilities and I just thought that you''re a better man now,'''' He replies. ''''The thing is, Cole, I''m not even sure if anything happened that night¡ªwant to know why?'''' I speak. He breathes out, ''''What do you mean, Emery?'''' ''''I let her in that night because she came over to apologise so I thought that she would just leave me alone after¡ªbesides, I was leaving Australia the next morning; which she clearly knew.'''' I mutter under my breath but loud enough for him to hear. Cole keeps quiet, only listening to my exnation. ''''But, I couldn''t remember what happened afterwards because all I knew was that I fell unconscious. The next morning, I woke up with a note¡ªit was her handwriting. She told me thatst night was great and that it would be our little secret. Does that even make any sense to you? I am a better man, Cole. I don''t have feelings for your sister because I love my wife and no one will be able to change that,'''' I add. My words were clear and precise. I, am and will fullymit myself to Emma. ''''What the hell is going on?'''' He breathes out before muttering curses which is not clear enough for me. All of a sudden, it hits me with realisation. ''''Wait. Y¡ªyou wouldn''t just call me because of this. You wouldn''t just be mad at me for sleeping with your sister; if we slept together. There must be more,'''' I say, wanting him to speak the truth. He stays quiet for a few seconds, hesitating. ''''There''s nothing more. Believe me,'''' He replies. ''''That''s the thing. I don''t,'''' I mutter. To my surprise, he starts to chuckle before speaking, ''''Whatever I have in mind, it''s no longer your concern and besides, I heard about you and your wife in the news. I''m more than happy to congratte,'''' He says but I can hear his tone changing, slowly. ''''Cole, tell me. Did Hannah say something else?'''' The silence apanying us, no interruptions. That''s the thing with Cole; he hesitates but his hesitant is clear and is easily detected. He''s not a good liar. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ''''She''s pregnant, Emery.'''' He says, silencing me. 1 My mind goes nk at the words he said, knowing that there''s a possibility that her pregnancy may be fake¡ªshe could be lying about this in order to ruin my almost perfect life; she wants to see me suffer. Then again, she could be saying the truth. A painful one. ''''N¡ªno. She''s not,'''' I feel my legs weakening. ''''I went to the ultrasound with her. I don''t know what other things she has nned but she is pregnant,'''' He replies, ''''But, Emery, just forget about this.'''' If, the pregnancy is real, how can it be real?! We didn''t sleep together, that''s positive but then again, we might''ve slept together and it was just me who didn''t remember a single thing. My whole life is going to fall apart if this is the truth because for one, this will all crumble¡ªmy marriage, my family. ''''You can''t possibly believe her,'''' I groan, ''''She could be lying to your face about her pregnancy because she maybe just want something out of it. Probably power or money but whatever it is, she''s not pregnant.'''' Cole sighs, ''''I don''t know if she''s going for your money or power or title or anything that has to do with you but for what I''m sure is that she is not lying. She is pregnant¡ªthat''s the reason why I called but now I don''t have the heart to ruin your marriage for the sake of my idiotic sister,'''' He continues to speak. I close my eyes at the sudden burden that''s hitting. ''''Man, you have got to help me. Emma and I are expecting a baby; Hannah can''t¡ªno offence but she can''t be the one to ruin it all for me. Besides, I''m not even sure if we slept together that night! How can that night be any different than the other nights we''ve spent together? None. You have to help,'''' I say. I immediately turn to see Emma heading towards my direction, causing me to quickly turn around before hearing Cole through the other line. My whole body trembles in fear at the sudden oue; what if, just what if Cole''s telling the truth. The painful truth that can change my entire path, my future. ''''You can trust me. I''ll make sure to tell everything when I get to the bottom of this¡ªwe''ll see if the baby is yours or not because I''m your friend. We''ve been close to each other and I want to help. You deserve the truth for your happiness. Trust me,'''' I smile at his words because I know that he''ll be there for me. ''''Thank you, Cole. I got to go,'''' I end the call after hearing him muttering ''okay'' before turning to see Emma already nearing me; with a slight smile on her face yet I know she''s worried or concern. Both of her eyes look deeply into mine; piercing. ''''Is everything okay? Who were you talking to?'''' She asks, ncing down at my phone before looking back up at me¡ªtrying to seek for answers in my eyes but luckily, I''m good at hiding certain things. If I tell her that Cole called; Hannah''s brother, she would start asking questions. Questions that might lead me to telling her the painful truth but then again, I am never too sure of the truth. Not just yet. ''''If I tell you that it''s no one, would you let it slip?'''' I answer, looking back into her eyes. I, can never lie to her face without knowing that I''ll be hurting her more because, yes, the truth may be painful and it may also be a lie so right now, lying is the best option. Just for now, only for tonight. Never again. She will never hear a lie from me again. Hopefully. The way she looks at me; she''s hesitating. I know that she wants to know everything about the phone call and that she wants to see if I''m being truthful. The fact that I''m not, it''s kind of killing her. Even though she doesn''t know what I''m hiding, she better not. ''''If you go to bed with me then yes,'''' She replies. My lips curve up into a smile in which she responds back with a smile of her own. Then, I make my way towards her; wrapping my arm around her waist as we walk back towards the pce. Once we''re inside, my lipsnded on the side of her cheek, wanting to show how I''m sorry. Not with words. Deep down, I''m mentally dying. The fact that she trusts me, hurts. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Emery My mind drifts away to my conversation with Colest night¡ªinstantly making me zone out. It has been on my mind and I can''t stop thinking about it at all even when I''m here with Emma. ''''It''s too early, mother.'''' She chuckles as she turns. They are currently standing in front of the mirror as they watch her small bump; the baby is not clearly showing up yet due to the fact that she''s two weeks pregnant. The two of them seem very happy that they did not even notice how I''m barely here. ''''Emery,'''' I look up at Emma; seeing that she has been calling my name for the past few seconds. She looks at me with a raised eyebrow, probably worried about my sudden change. I couldn''t me her, really. ''''Yeah? What''s wrong?'''' I ask, smiling slightly. My mother; Genevieve doesn''t seem to notice much as she continues to go through our closet¡ª looking for Emma''s clothes, probably wanting to add more maternity clothes for the future when the baby bump is already showing. She must be excited for her first grandchild and obviously she would act this way. ''''Are you okay?'''' She asks, sitting next to me on our bed, looking into my eyes. ''''You''ve been zoning out I find myself let out a breathy chuckle before ncing at her direction, ''''I haven''t even notice myself zoning outtely but I''m fine, Emma. Trust me,'''' I reply. To my surprise, she leans in to kiss me on the lips in which I respond back with the same rhythm. The way our lips move against each other in a passionate yet slow sync¡ªI''m practically showing her the truth but I don''t have the courage to say it out loud. She slows down the kiss, smiling at me. All of a sudden, someonees opening the door in a hurry before running in; making both Emma and I to turn and look at the figure¡ªEvelyn, seeing her with a wide smile on her face. Then, she starts to push me a little in order for her to sit next to Emma. ''''Oh my god, have you seen our guest?'''' She exims with happiness glistering in her eyes; making me look at her in confusion. Yes, the guest that arrived at our pce is one of the former royalties from France but what does the guests have to do with this. ''''You mean, guests. Why are you overreacting?'''' I roll my eyes in annoyance at her behaviour. She has never been the one to act all excited over guests thate over¡ªshe would even barely be here. In fact, she would not be here at all if it weren''t for father''s sake. Evelyn smiles widely, her eyes are showing something that I can''tprehend. The way she looks out at the ss window, it shows a little bit more of her true self and surprisingly, I''m not fond of it. ''''Shut up, Emery. You wouldn''t even understand. Emma and I need to have this conversation but if you''re going to make fun of me, just walk away.'''' ''''I¡ªI''m not making fun of you.'''' I stutter. She narrow her eyes at me before continuing to speak, ''''Whatever. There''s this guy, his name is Andrea and he''s just¡ªbreathtaking. He has the lightest blue eyes that I''ve ever seen; but then, that would be a lie. That is not the point right now,'''' She frowns, ''''Emma, he''s a charmingd. You should see him,'''' ''''Why should Emma see him?'''' I quickly cut her off. ''''Because I like him, isn''t that obvious?'''' She sighs. Emmaughs at me as she pulls Evelyn in for a hug, ''''Finally, you''ll have someone to drool over. Tell me more about him¡ªwhat happened down there?'''' She asks, paying full attention to the story. ''''Come on,'''' Evelyn exims as she pulls her up, and they both end up chuckling on their way out. I turn to look at my mother; seeing that she''s exiting from the walk-in closet, looking for Emma. ''''Oh, I was babbling to myself.'''' She chuckles. I smile at her as I make my way down the hall, getting to the stairs before heading straight towards the west wing; where the guests are currently having their lunch¡ªtheying here are weed. From behind, I see Emma gesturing Evelyn to go and start a conversation with ''Andrea'' who is currently enjoying his lunch. I cross my arms as my lips curve up into a smile at my sister and my wife ¡ªthey look like teenage girls wanting to confess. ''''You sure?'''' Evelyn asks, hesitating. ''''Yes! Go or you''ll regret it,'''' Emma replies. Evelyn let out a deep sigh as she makes her way towards Andrea who immediately look up at her with a smile on his face¡ªweing Evelyn''s presence near him. He begins to stand up, smiling at her and looking at her in a way that I don''t understand. As they make their way towards the garden, Ie to apany Emma¡ªreceiving a smile from her. ''''She likes him so why not,'''' She mutters near me. ''''So, you''re the matchmaker now?'''' I turn to face her as she smiles down at the ground; mesmerising me at the sight of it. She''s a beauty that is cherished. ''''Well, not really. Besides, what she said is true. He''s indeed a beauty¡ªmatches her. They''re both beautiful so I don''t see anything wrong with it,'''' She says. ''''But I''m beautifuler,'''' I roll my eyes. She fakes a cough, ''''Yup. Whatever you say,'''' I peck onto the side of her temple before wrapping my arm around her shoulder, ''''What do you say, Your Highness, care for a stroll?'''' I caress the side of her face with my index finger; making her smile. ''''Why, it''s an honour, my prince.'''' She replies. We walk side by side before entwining our fingers together¡ªenjoying this moment. Honestly, nothing can go wrong. Especially not now because I, for one notice how things are going very well. My life has never felt perfect. We''re a young married couple who''s going to have a baby together, slowly building a life to where we will face bigger obstacles but the obstacles we face will only make us stronger. Yes, I was too naive to ept her before but now all I see is her¡ªshe''s my one and only. It''s not hard to give in when two hearts are one. As I look down at her, I pull her closer towards me so that she''s near enough for me to feel her warmth. We are and always will try to understand one another and yes, I do notice how she wants to ask me questions. Questions that I preferably want to avoid. ''''I love you,'''' I say, out of the blue. She turns to look at me, ''''I love you too,'''' We stop walking as we eye each other; confusion in her eyes yet she doesn''t utter a single word¡ªI know that she senses something is clearly wrong with me but she doesn''t want to make it a big deal. ''''I really love you, Emma. I don''t know how much but what I''m sure is that I love you more than you think. You and our baby will always be my first priority,'''' I say, for no reason at all. It''s just that I want her to know my feelings for her are true; genuine. Emma cups onto my face, caressing slowly. ''''And I, love you.'''' She breathes out. ''''You can tell me anything. Anything that is bothering you because I''ll be here to understand¡ªI''ll try to feel what you feel so that maybe we can ovee it together; you would want that, wouldn''t you?'''' She asks, surprised to find me pulling her by the waist. ''''I''d want everything with you,'''' I mutter. ''''And everything we shall have,'''' She replies. Emma and I both look up to find Evelynughing loudly at Andrea in which he responds back with the sameughter¡ªmaking us smile at their happiness. They seem happy and I don''t see why I should be thinking over something that is never too sure. I look at the woman in front of me; Emma. I''m more than lucky to have her as my wife and it''s such a grateful gift. She''s an absolute beauty but other than her beauty, she''s perfect. Her personalities, her appearances, her charms; they''re rare. Everything that we share, I wouldn''t want to ruin. We are and will keep on staying strong. ''''Your Highnesses!'''' Emma and I turn to look at one of the royal guards running towards us, ''''T¡ªthe king, he has stopped breathing,'''' He says, panting. I turn to look at Emma, seeing her eyes widening as soon as our minds realise what the guard has said. Without further ado, I immediately make my way back into the pce¡ªheading towards father''s wing before reaching his bedroom; pushing the door open to see the doctor attending him. ''''Check his heart rate,'''' He says, in a hurry. I am only left looking at my father having the struggle to breathe as his heart starts to beat again but his condition is not stable¡ªmaking me close the distance between us; due to the fact that I want to see him closely so that he would be able to see me too. ''''Your Highness, forgive me but I''m going to ask you to leave us. Please,'''' The doctor sounds like he is almost begging as I look into his eyes; slowly, yet understandingly walking towards the door. Emma ces her hand on her t stomach as she watch me head back towards her before grabbing onto her hand as we walk out of his chamber. My mind won''t think of anyone or anything else other than my own father; the father that has raised me. ''''Emery! H¡ªhow is he?'''' Motheres rushing with Evelyn on her side, luckily there''s no sight of Andrea because that would be a little bit too invading. ''''The doctor asked us to stay out for awhile,'''' I reply. My mother starts to frown as tears are streaming down her cheeks; showing the amount of sadness that she has been building up inside of her. The way she cries for my father¡ªher husband¡ªit shows, how her love for him is genuine, real. ''''His heart stopped,'''' I mutter under my breath. ''''What? Let me in to see your father,'''' She says. ''''No, mother. The doctor asked us to wait here and he will call for us when he''s done. We don''t want him to feel pressured¡ªthat''s never good. Thirty-minutes have passed and all of a sudden, the doctores out of the chamber¡ªlooking at me. I lean forward from the wall before turning to look around me; seeing that I''m the only one left waiting for him while they have went back to wash up. ''''He wishes to see you,'''' He says and I quickly make my way inside but before I can, the doctor stops me by the chest, ''''I must tell you, Your Highness. You will be thest person he''ll see,'''' He adds, silencing me. ''''What? What does that¡ª'''' I stop talking. I turn to look at my father, his breathing slowing down so I quickly step inside; closing the door behind me in order to have a little privacy. As soon as he hears the door closing, he nces up at my direction while I make my way towards him. ''''My son.'''' He chuckles before coughing in which I immediately walk towards him, trying to soothe the hardness in his chest, ''''How are things?'''' He asks. My lips curve up into a smile, ''''Good,'''' He smiles back at me, coughing more afterwards and this time; he coughs out blood¡ªmaking me worry but before I can run out to call for the doctor, he begins to pull my hand, stopping me. The way he looks into my eyes, it shows how he wants to say something. ''''Emery, I have to tell you. Your mother and I were supposed to tell you eight years ago but you left to Australia before we could find the chance. Now, I want to tell you and I want you to understand,'''' He breathes out, gripping onto my hand; tightly. My whole body starts to tremble at the nervousness but I nod; gesturing for him to keep on speaking. Yes, he might have something important to say and I will let him be the one to speak. I want to know. ''''When you step out of here, head straight towards my office and unlock the third drawer. You''ll find a file with your name on top¡ªthen, you shall find the truth. Do you trust me, son?'''' He grips harder. His dark blue eyes are barely filled with light. They''ve always been happy and full of light. ''''Yes, I trust you.'''' I breathe out, nodding my head and just like that¡ªhe smiles at me before slowly closing his eyes, coughing more blood. I begin to panic as the doctor runs inside; checking his heart rate but as I feel his grip loosening, I know it''s toote. What the doctor said was true. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ''''I love you, son.'''' He cries out as he breathes. The machine beeps, signalling his death. ''''Father. Father! No, don''t leave me,'''' I say as tears are appearing in my eyes before continuing to slip. My eyebrows furrow at the amount of pain; letting me grip onto the sheets. I''ve never had the chance to prove him that I am and will be a better son¡ªinstead of leaving him behind in order to go after my freedom. He didn''t disagree or stop me because he wanted what was best. My legs fail me as they drop down onto the ground before letting me grip onto his hands¡ªnot wanting to let him go, not yet. I heard footsteps nearing me and it doesn''t take me long to realise that Emma is already by my side; her arms around me. ''''No! Please,'''' My mother cries out, her pain. I look up with teary eyes at my sister; Evelyn, her eyes are reddening due to the amount of sadness and due to the amount of tears escaping her eyes. She begins to cover her mouth¡ªnot wanting any sound to escape and appear hopeless. Yes, she may have known father shorter than me because she was adopted at an older age but Evelyn and I are his favourites. ''''Shh, you''re okay. You''re okay,'''' Emma whispers. I blink away the tears, letting myself weak. She won''t stop wrapping her arms around me; slowlyforting me which soothes me slightly. I breathe out the amount of sadness overwhelming me before holding onto her hand¡ªfinding strength. Within seconds, I am left seeing my family crumble in pain and sadness at the lost of our king. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Emery ''''It has been ten days, Your Highness. You haven''t touched your food. Shall I get you something else to eat? The queen worries about your wellbeing,'''' I keep on looking at the ss window; not sparing a second nce at one of the servants. I''m don''t feel like I need to consume anything and it has not bothered me. I stay quiet for a few seconds before sighing. ''''No. I need to be alone,'''' I answer which causes him to bow in respect before exiting the room¡ªleaving me all by myself; what I really want at the moment or for the past ten days, I''ve been avoiding people. Easy to say, I have been locking myself in this room. Actually, this is his office. Being in here just makes me feel like he''s still here with me; his presence. My mind has been nked for the past few days because I''ve forgotten of what he asked me to do. I find myself sitting in his armchair before throwing my head back with a deep sigh¡ªnot quite believing that I''ve lost my father. His death does not only bring sadness in our family but it brings sadness to the people here in Ennd. He was a true king and his priority was his family and his people. Barely himself. Ever since I was a kid, he would always say ''care for your family, care for your people and care for your loved ones.'' That has been stuck in my mind; he reminded me. Within seconds, I have realised the missing piece of my memory¡ªmaking me look at the drawers near my side before making my way towards it. I immediately try to pull it open but my action is being pulled back due to the fact that the drawer is indeed locked. ''''Oh, bloody hell. Where''s the key?'''' I mutter. I begin to lose my mind but as soon as I find certain keys in one of the drawers near his Mahogany desk, I quickly try them one by one; which is testing my patience and making sure my sanity is attach. It took me at least fifteen minutes to finally pull the drawer open; earning myself a sigh of relief. I look down into the drawer and find a file with my name on top¡ªthe only thing avable in here is the file. Without further ado, I pick up the file and go through the papers inside¡ªshocked to find myself reading these confidential papers. As I keep on reading them one by one, I stop once I see the truth. My whole body shakes in disbelief as my hands go cold; this can''t be true, this must be a silly joke! I hear the door open but I don''t bother turning. My mind is upied with something more. ''''Emery?'''' The familiar sweet voice calls out my name, but due to the papers that I''m holding and the truth that I''ve found. Anger raises inside of me for all the lies and the secrets that they''ve kept from me. Instead of throwing it all onto the ground and explode, I find myself holding an endless amount of tears at the picture; a certain picture. I am currently holding tightly onto the papers, wanting to just drop onto the ground and seek for answers but I know that won''t do me any good unless I ask someone. ''''Hey, you alright? Look at me,'''' She adds. Emmaes closer towards me but I refuse. Before she can touch me by the arm, I am already exiting the room¡ªleaving her call out my name multiple times but for some reason; for this reason, I am actually ignoring her. The only thing that I have not done ever since we''ve been together. ''''What is wrong with you, Emery?'''' She asks, louder. I start to feel my cheeks heating up in anger and in betrayal¡ªnot liking the fact that I amck of control over my own emotions. Emma, on the other hand, is following behind me even though I''m silently wanting her to stop and just walk away for now. Yet, she''s still following me; until I reach the north wing. Just like that, I push the door open; too harsh. My mother turns to look at me with wide eyes as she stops talking with the guests¡ªAndrea''s family. They are currently staying a little bit longer once they''ve heard the king has passed away. I can''t help but look at my mother with tears shielding my eyes. ''''My apologies but please excuse us,'''' She says. It doesn''t take them long to exit the room, leaving my mother, Emma and I in this room. I clench my hands into fists as I control my breathing¡ªtrying to calm down but it''s barely working. Barely. ''''Emma, leave the room.'''' I say without looking at her but even so, I can imagine the look on her face; filled with hurt and confusion. I''ve never raised my voice or talked to her like this¡ªwhat''s wrong with me?! ''''Wh¡ªwhat are you saying? Emery¡ª'''' I cut her off. ''''Emma, please, leave the room! Why can''t you just listen to me, for once?'''' I say, a little bit too loud and harsh before ncing back at her. My jaw is clenched in regret as I see her looking back at me with hurt in her eyes yet she stays still¡ªignoring my request. ''''I''m not going anywhere. You''re not going to force me to leave this room because I''ll be in here; listening to your conversation with your mother,'''' She replies, ''''Whatever it is that you have to say to her, I have the right to be here and hear it too.'''' Determined. I turn around to look at my mother. ''''I did not raise my son to speak like that to his wife. What has gotten into you, Emery? Barging into this room like that while I am attending to our guests? I did not raise you to be disrespectful,'''' She says, her voice raising a little bit but I don''t me her. Yes, she did not raise me to be disrespectful. She did not raise me to speak like that to my wife because for all I know¡ªI should be respecting her even when I''m being controlled by anger but I can''t help it. ''''That''s not why I''m here. You lied to me,'''' ''''Lied to you? About what?'''' She frowns, confusingly. ''''About everything! Who am I, mother? Or should I even be calling you that? Am I even your son? More importantly, am I even a royalty?'''' I ask, trying hard not to let my tears fall due to the picture that I''ve seen; probably a picture of my biological father. My mother stays still, not expecting me to find out about this¡ªespecially not now. Her eyes begin to soften as she tries to close the distance between us but I keep the distance unupied, not letting her ''''You are Emery France Arthur Van An, my son, my one and only son. I''m your mother,'''' She replies, her voice almost inaudible but due to being in a quiet space¡ªher voice is loud enough. ''''Then, exin this. Who is he?'''' I raise up the paper where there is a picture of a man¡ªwho looks a lot like me. The picture seemed old and untouched, probably because of being too long in that damn drawer. She walks closer towards me, cupping onto my face. ''''Your father,'''' She breathes out, hesitating. Then, it all came crushing down. Now, what is it all about? My mother had an affair with someone while she was married to the kingte king, resulted in me so they both had to care for the burden she caused? Is that the main cause or is it something else? ''''Your biological father. H¡ªhe was killed in a car ident while I was two weeks pregnant of you, he did not have the chance to know that he was going to be a father. I am sorry for keeping this a secret,'''' She adds as she continues to speak, ''''Your father¡ªthete king, was unable to have children. He was infertile and he knew that he will lose everything just because he was incapable of having an heir. That was when he found me; the damsel in distress,'''' She mutters. I, keep quiet. Only listening to her exnation. ''''He saw me as a gift because I was pregnant. Our father were great friends and it wasn''t long until he asked for my hand in marriage¡ªmy father, your grandfather was ashamed of me having a child out of wedlock so he epted. Then, we got married,'''' She smiles up at me, her fingers caressing the side of my face, ''''He has never treated you differently, Emery. He has always thought of you as his own son and he loved you just like you''re his,'''' She breathes. ''''I don''t understand. I don''t,'''' I frown as I look down. ''''Like I said, he was infertile. We wanted another child and that''s why we thought of adoption¡ªEvelyn. She was two years older than you and you were only a toddler, probably three years old. I didn''t want to tell you but I wish I''ve told you sooner because no one else knew; your grandparents buried this secret with them and so did your father,'''' She says. ''''So, you lied to everyone about you.'''' I mutter. ''''I did. For the sake of my husband,'''' ''''I told them that I was not capable of having anymore children due to my uterus but actually, it was your father who was unable. He would cry to me at night because he felt lost, like he had nothing but he did realise that he had you and Evelyn,'''' She stops for awhile before continuing, ''''And he couldn''t ask for more. You two were everything to him,'''' The three of us remain quiet; shocked at this. My mother was pregnant but my father¡ªbiological father had died before he could even know. My father, thete king epted my mother as he saw her as a gift because he was infertile. He wanted to keep his throne so he needed an heir. She was his hope. ''''Did he love you?'''' I ask, out of nowhere. Yes, they were married before they even had the chance to fall in love with each other so I want to know if they did have the chance once they''ve known more about one another¡ªepted one another. My mother smiles, ''''We loved each other,'''' ''''I''m not truthfully a royalty,'''' I mutter under my breath before realising something. The agreement does not apply to me as the agreement was through my father''s bloodline; not my mother''s. I turn to look at Emma, seeing her frown. ''''No, you are a royalty. You are their future king and soon¡ªwhen I step down the throne, you and Emma will have that title; king and queen.'''' She says. ''''But ording to thew¡ª'''' She cuts me off. ''''Thew states your name,'''' She replies, determined. ''''I know what''s in your head; it''s about the bloody agreement, isn''t it? Yes, the agreement does not apply to you as you are not the truthful heir to thete king but to everyone, you are the truthful heir. ording to the royalw too because no one knew,'''' ''''Yet, the agreement does not matter now?'''' My eyes wander to meet Emma''s before ncing down at her t stomach¡ªthe stomach that will be showing in a few more weeks. She''s three weeks pregnant and almost four; it won''t be long until we Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. notice some more changes with her body. I look at her and I realise, she''s my everything. She is my wife and she is carrying my child¡ªyes, the damn agreement mattered before but not anymore. My love for her is strong and it shall not be broken. Things are working out between us and there wouldn''t be any reason to end this. No reason at all. ''''No, it doesn''t matter.'''' I answer, honestly. I walk towards Emma, closing the distance between us before cupping onto her face and kissing onto the side of her cheek¡ªproving and showing how I''m awfully sorry. I didn''t mean to raise my voice at her or to make her feel like she''s not important because she is and always will be important. ''''I''m sorry, sweetheart. Forgive me,'''' I whisper. She smiles at me before wrapping her arms around my neck and pulling me close¡ªcalming both of us down at our own warmths mixed together. ''''I love you,'''' I repeat a few more times near her ear, only loud enough for her to hear without pulling away as I continuously kiss her cheek. Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Emery ''''I''m going to Australia,'''' Evelyn pushes the door open; instantly catching my attention before looking up at her¡ªleaning back on my seat. ''''Why would you go to Australia?'''' I ask. ''''Investigate your group of friends,'''' She replies. My eyebrows furrow for a few seconds as I drop my pen onto the desk; sighing deeply. We''ve not talked about this for the past month. It stresses me out when she''s bringing this up, just now. ''''I thought we''re over this. Besides, no one has been bothering me for almost two months now. Emma and the baby are healthy¡ªeverything is perfectly fine,'''' I shrug; not wanting to ruin my life. Evelyn may have thought about this for the past weeks but I think that she should just let it go. Everything is fine. ''''I have a bad feeling about this, Emery. They''ve been too quiet and I know that you worry about Emma and the baby¡ªthat''s why I want to help.'''' She continues to speak; stubbornly. Evelyn doesn''t know about Hannah''s pregnancy; then again, no one knows about it except me. The was it. Even if she''s truly pregnant, the baby is not mine. Yet, I''m not too sure. Great, now I''m worrying about this over again. ''''There''s nothing to help,'''' I mutter, slowly as I put back my earphones in¡ªnot bothered to hear her speak because I know she won''t stop talking about this; she wants to find out the truth. All of a sudden, she starts to pull them roughly which causes me to look up into her eyes due to me sitting in my seat and her standing in front of me with the table separating us¡ªher eyes show nothing but anger. ''''You, listen to me. You''re my baby brother and I''m your big sister; I know what''s best for you. Mother has been busy dealing with the new system ever since father passed away and I think that this is the right time for me to slip away. She won''t notice,'''' She says before adding, ''''I''ll make it quick,'''' ''''Evelyn, cut it off, okay? Why are we still talking about this? I don''t want anything to do with Hannah and I think that this is just a sick joke,'''' I reply, slightly raising my voice; unable to control my temper. I''ve been dealing with pressure recently. ''''Oh, stop being irresponsible.'''' She looks straight into my eyes, ''''You''re hiding something from me,'''' ''''What would that be?'''' I lean forward, challenging. To our surprise, someone knocks onto the door which catches our attention; before entering and bowing, ''''Forgive me for interrupting, Your Highnesses but there''s someone here to see you¡ªshe has been calling out for you, threatening the guards. She ims to have something that belongs to you,'''' He says. ''''How could you let her in? Who is she?'''' I ask. Then, I stand up, heading towards the door. He avoids making any eye contact so I head down the hall before walking down the stairs with Evelyn trailing behind me¡ªcrossing her arms as soon as we reach downstairs. All of a sudden, I find myself staring at a familiar blonde hair; Hannah. As soon as she turns around, I am left speechless. Evelyn, on the other hand, stands beside me as she eyes the woman in front of us. Both of her eyes are eyeing at her before turning to look at me; waiting for me to speak up yet nothinges out my mouth. ''''Excuse us. Please,'''' Evelyn says and the guards leave the room¡ªthe three of us upying in here. It''s not her that bothers me but her stomach. They are showing; leaving me thinking. My mind goes nk at the sight of her and the sight of her stomach, what if the baby belongs to me? Now that she''s here, it''s proof that she''s indeed pregnant. ''''Emery,'''' Hannah speaks, ''''Remember me?'''' My sister continues to look at me with her arms crossed; she is just as confused as me but she manages to hide it very well. She keeps on paying attention to Hannah, trying to find out who she is. ''''What are you doing here, Hannah?'''' I ask. Just like that, Evelyn frowns at me before her eyes widening in disbelief¡ªher face changes immediately as she sees the growing stomach of Hannah. Yet, I stay still at my spot only looking at Hannah without ncing at my sister, knowing she will ask. ''''Can we talk, alone?'''' She hesitates, slightly. ''''No. Whatever it is that you have to say, my sister is allowed to be in here too.'''' I reply. Hannah nces up at Evelyn who is currently sighing deeply beside me, knowing that this is not going on well. She knows better than me and she knows when things are wrong¡ªespecially now. ''''Alright. I came all the way to Australia to meet you because I don''t want my child to grow up fatherless. Knowing you, you''re a good guy, Emery. This is your child that I''m bearing,'''' She continues Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. to speak. ''''I refuse to believe that,'''' I mutter. ''''Why? Because your wife is pregnant, too?'''' She asks which is clearly the truth. It''s true¡ªthat child may or may not be mine but if it''s mine, I have to take full responsibilities which would ruin my own marriage and my own future with Emma. Not just that, people would assume otherwise. ''''You framed me, Hannah. Whatever you gave me that night, I know it was one of your games so how am I supposed to believe the baby you''re carrying is mine? I don''t even know if we had sex that night,'''' I say the truth, wanting her to know that I don''t believe. ''''So, this is the Hannah. How dare you walk inside our home and expect us to believe your lie?'''' My sister, begins to speak once the surroundings is left quiet¡ªtrue, she lied so why should we believe? ''''I''m sorry for what I did that night. I did not expect to be pregnant from what happened¡ªbelieve me, I would not lie to you. I haven''t been with any other guys ever since you left, Emery.'''' She takes a few steps closer towards Evelyn and I, tears are appearing in her eyes; leaving me with hesitation. What if the baby is mine? What if it''s not mine? ''''I can''t seem to believe you,'''' I look into her eyes; trying to seek the truth but I see nothing. Maybe because we barely know each other anymore. I know the old Hannah¡ªshe was different and better. ''''How could you? This is your baby,'''' She breathes. ''''Cut the drama, sister.'''' Evelyn cuts her off. All of a sudden, the three of us turn to look at Emma and my mother entering the hall as theirughter fill the quiet space. She looks up at me immediately, herughter stops as soon as she sees Hannah. Then, she looks back up at me¡ªstopping her steps. Evelyn sighs before turning back to Hannah. ''''Emery, who''s this?'''' My mother, asks. Her lips curve up into a smile¡ªlike any other queens, she treats other people with care even if sometimes, her smile is not as genuine. She thinks that Hannah may be one of my old friends; that''s why. Well, she used to be. ''''Nobody. She''s leaving,'''' Evelyn replies. I''m d she did because I am still looking at Emma as she keeps on looking at me¡ªdeep down, I know she thinks of something because anyone would think of it like that; especially right now. ''''No! Emery, you have to be responsible,'''' She says. ''''Of what? I''m not following,'''' My mother takes a few steps towards us¡ªleaving Emma standing on her own while I look down at the ground; knowing that I must have lost her trust now. She must hate me. Yes, I did tell her about what happened with Hannah before I left Australia but if she believes the baby belongs to me¡ªshe will be devastated. Our lives will be ruined; our lives with our own child. ''''The baby,'''' Hannah replies as she nces at her. ''''Excuse me? What?'''' My mother asks, disbelief. Just like that, Emma immediately walks into the hall before walking up the stairs¡ªleaving me to catch up onto her, leaving Evelyn, my mother and Hannah to talk about it; my wife is much more important. I can''t lose her to an uncertain truth. ''''Emma, please stop. You have to listen to me,'''' I say as she keeps on walking before reaching our room. She turns to look at me as she ces her hand on her stomach¡ªher used to be t stomach is now a little bit bigger, showing the baby bump. ''''Listen to you?! What was that, Emery?'''' She asks. ''''So, that''s the pathetic woman! The woman that you thought you didn''t sleep with but she ends up having your child? How could you lied? How could you even do this to me? I''m your wife,'''' She starts to cry out an endless amount of tears; breaking me. ''''I didn''t lie to you. I love you,'''' I walk towards her. ''''No, stop. Don''te near me,'''' She breathes. We both stay quiet for the next few seconds as she keeps on rubbing onto her stomach; leaving me with the urge to kiss the pain away and kiss her baby bump but I''m left standing here¡ªming myself. ''''You don''t believe me?'''' I ask, slowly. ''''No. Not after what I saw and heard! You''re a father to two kids and the second one was from an affair,'''' She sighs, deeply as she wipes away her fallen tears. Yes, she has the right to be mad at me because what if that is truly my child? Everything will be ruined. ''''Affair? No. We didn''t have anything!'''' I deny. ''''Then, what about the baby? What about the baby?! Who''s baby is that? The baby won''t just appear out of nowhere, Emery. You said so yourself that you might have slept with her so what if that''s true?'''' She starts to question me with all these questions that I don''t have any answers to. God, help me. ''''I don''t know. Please don''t do this to me,'''' I beg. Without me realising, I am already crying out the tears that I''ve been holding back; which is already too ''''I don''t know what or who to believe,'''' She breathes out before saying, ''''I''m sorry but leave me alone. I don''t want you in here with me,'''' She looks away. As I try to reach out for her by the waist, she begins to pull away¡ªnot letting mee any closer. It''s a pain for me to see us like this; we''re going through something that may permanently be too painful. ''''Emma,'''' I call out her name. ''''Leave!'''' She pushes my hand before entering the walk-in closet, leaving me standing here all by myself and recalling back my own mistake. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Emery ''''I don''t need your lecture,'''' I say without turning around to look at my mother¡ªwho''s probably going to start asking me about Hannah and the baby. Then, she''s going to ask me about Emma. ''''In fact, I don''t need anything.'''' I add, in anger. My mother closes the door behind her a little bit too forceful¡ªthen, she begins to walk towards me with a frown in between her brows. Her face shows it all; she wants to be mad at me, probably scream and shout but she knows that I''m no longer a kid. ''''What happened back in Australia? What happened to my son? I can''t believe what I heard from her and that''s why I want to hear it from you,'''' She looks up at me¡ªstraight into my eyes. ''''Look, mother. I don''t want to be disrespectful but I need to be alone and you out of anyone would truly understand that,'''' I say, walking out of the room to leave her standing there by herself as she sighs. My heart aches to speak like that¡ªbut it hurts me more how I''m slowly losing everything. Before I can continue to walk down the hall, I immediately stop my steps as I see Hannah appearing from the stairs, her eyes meeting mine in an instant. ''''Fucking hell,'''' I mutter to myself. I roll my eyes in annoyance as I make my way towards the other direction, ignoring her calling out my name because I don''t need her here right now. I don''t need her at all¡ªshe can just leave for all I care. ''''Emery!'''' She calls out, louder. Just as I''m about to walk upstairs, I see Emma. Both of her eyes are looking at me after ncing at someone behind me¡ªHannah. I don''t waste a single second to look at Hannah because I just want to look at my wife; even though I see pain in her. She''s probably going to hate me forever and I intend to change that; just so that I can make her see and feel my sincerity in our marriage, our rtionship. Emma and I are going tost until ourst breaths, no one is going to stop me or us from achieving that. Without further ado, I head straight towards Emma and pull her by the hand¡ªleading the way without ncing back at Hannah. She needs to learn her boundaries and she needs to respect me and my marriage. Hering here is a big mistake. I close the bedroom door behind us as we enter. ''''Let me guess. You want to talk?'''' Emma asks. I turn to look at her; both eyes never leaving hers before ncing down at her stomach¡ªthe small bump showing which causes me to sigh deeply. ''''Yes. I want to talk,'''' I reply as I reduce the distance between us, ''''Because there''s a lot of things we need to talk about¡ªwe need to understand each other better and if we keep on running away, that''s not going to solve anything.'''' I add, slowly. ''''What is she doing here, Emery?'''' She asks again. I frown, ''''The baby. She wants me to think that the baby is mine when it''s not; I''m sure of it,'''' I reply. ''''How can you be so sure? She needs to get the paternity test done then we can be sure,'''' She says, looking directly into my eyes and I nod; agreeing with her because I know that she''s right. That''s the only way for me, for us, to know whether the baby is mine or not¡ªshe can''t fool me. I lift my hand up to caress the side of her face, slowly making her close her eyes; showing how she''s missing my touch and missing me being close to her. We don''t want to keep on fighting about this¡ªwe need to solve it properly, not with arguing. ''''I''m sorry, sweetheart.'''' I mutter, softly. All of a sudden, she begins to pull me in for a hug as she wraps her arms around my neck. I give in by cing both of my hands on her waist before slowly wrapping my arms around her body. ''''I''m sorry, too.'''' She replies, snuggling closer. ''''It''s not even your fault,'''' I breathe out. Emma pulls away, frowning as she avoids meeting my eyes before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ''''What if the baby is yours?'''' She asks, a simple yetplicated question that I don''t have the answer myself but yes, what if. ''''I don''t want to think about that, Emma.'''' I reply. ''''No. There''s a possibility that the unborn child could be yours and you can''t run away from that if the baby is yours¡ªyou can''t just look away and not think of your own child even if you don''t love Hannah,'''' She continues to speak, making my head ache in pain. My eyes remain focus in hers; thinking of Hannah and thinking of her at the same time. Emma is carrying my child¡ªthat''s a confirmation but Hannah, she might or might not carry my child. This might all be a stupid set up. She did that to me once. ''''I''m okay with that, Emery.'''' She breathes out. ''''What?'''' I ask,pletely speechless. My heart begins to hurt as she ces both of her hands on the small baby bump¡ªmaking me catch the tears that has fallen from her eyes. I can''t help but see images of us with our child, capturing her or his first steps and first words; the beautiful face just like her or his mother. Our future, the one I hope for most. ''''I want you to know that if the baby is yours, I''m okay with that¡ªas painful as it is admitting this, but no child deserves to grow up without a father.'''' She says, not looking at me in the eye at all. I walk towards her before quickly pulling her into an embrace; why? Because I agree with her. If the baby is mine, I can''t just leave and act like I''m not the father but then again¡ªwhat about my life with Emma? What about our own baby? I''ve vowed, to only one woman for the rest of my life but how can things be different? Complicated even. She sobs louder as she snuggles closer. ''''Shh. I''m right here,'''' I whisper in her ear. ''''I''m not going anywhere. I promise,'''' I add, slowly. We stay like that for the next few minutes, not moving away because for some reason, we both know it''s breaking us both. Our situation is truly breaking us, the kind of problem that we didn''t think we could ever face but look at us now, we''re facing it. I look up at the door, seeing Evelyn entering. Just like that, Emma starts to pull away and begin exiting the room¡ªleaving Evelyn and I. I watch until she disappears from my sight; every single amount of emotions are clouding my capability to think. ''''You okay?'''' Evelyn asks, concern. My eyes remain on hers, seeing that she''s slowly heading towards me. I sit down on the bed; confused. ''''That''s the nicest thing you''ve ever said ever since this whole shit starts to happen,'''' I answer, earning myself a chuckle from her as she crosses her arms. ''''I''m worried about you, Emery. Yes, this could be your fault but you''re still my little brother. You can''t face all of this by yourself. What if you''ve reached your edge and start to do unthinkable things?'''' She states, making me realise that it''s true. ''''I''m fine,'''' I mutter under my breath. Fine is definitely out of topic. I feel like screaming my soul out and just destroy everything; that''s what I feel. None of this bullshit makes any sense and my heart, my soul, my mind is hurting. It''s almost too hard to even think properly nowadays. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Emma is my only point of being strong. Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Emma ''''We''re going to Australia,'''' I say, deadly serious. Evelyn''s eyes widen in surprise as she turns to look at me, both of her eyes are trying to seek for answers. No one would just say that they''re going to a foreign country and be all casual about it but when ites to finding out about my husband''s truth, then yes. ''''We are?'''' She raises an eyebrow, looking at Andrea as he shrugs; only smiling afterwards. Then, the both of them wait for me to continue while I hesitate. ''''Yes and we''re leaving tonight,'''' I answer. Both Andrea and Evelyn''s eyes widen in surprise before causing Evelyn to stand up¡ªtrying to make sure that I''m thinking straight. She must think that I''ve lost my mind but who cares? I''ll go to Australia all by myself if I have to but due to my state, I''m not so sure. As selfish as I may be, my babyes first. ''''You''re not serious, are you?'''' She stares directly into my eyes which causes me to groan in frustration, ''''It''s just that¡ªEmma, does Emery know about this?'''' I look at Andrea, seeing him nodding his head; waiting for me to answer Evelyn''s question. Well, if I''m taking her to Australia, there''s no point in lying anyway so she might as well know the truth. ''''What if I say no?'''' I slowly reply, frowning. ''''Then, we''re going. Tonight,'''' She exims. I confusingly look at Evelyn but when I turn to look at Andrea, I see him agreeing. The way he smiles widely at her; it shows how he''ll follow her to the end of the world if he has to. They''re utterly adorable. ''''Thank you, Evelyn.'''' Within seconds, I am already pulling her into a hug; making her hug me back immediately. Me, being the only child, I''ve never felt or understood what it is to have a sibling. Someone who would be there for me, other than my parents, who would know me better¡ªwish I could. ''''Anything for you, baby sis.'''' She chuckles. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ''''I''ming with you,'''' Andrea says, earning our attention before receiving a kiss on the cheek from Evelyn¡ªfollow with her nodding and smiling widely at him. He turns to look at me, ''''I''m helping you solve this, Your Highness. If you let me,'''' He adds. With my lips curved up, ''''Of course and just call me Emma. I don''t do formalities very well,'''' Heughs, smiling. Just like that, I finally see a slight hope in finding the truth. I''m going to leave London and head straight to Australia with these two; we''ll find the truth¡ªwe''ll investigate before heading back home. That''s the only way for me to peacefully live my life because right now, I''m far from peace. ''''We better start packing. How long are we staying?'''' Evelyn asks, which takes me a moment to think. We are probably going to stay longer than we intend if we don''t find what we''re looking for but deep down, I just want to get this over with so it can be fine again. ''''Just pack what you need for a couple of days. If we couldn''t find answers, we will stay longer.'''' I say. ''''Emery wouldn''t be too happy about this,'''' She says. ''''He wouldn''t be happy at all,'''' I mutter. Evelyn smiles mischievously, knowing that I''m taking this as an adventure. I couldn''t go on this trip all by myself because I would be clueless and probably a little bit hopeless so I need someone; but instead of someone, I got myself two. Wonderful! ''''We''re not taking the private jet,'''' I mutter, causing them to turn and look at me, ''''Precautions,'''' I add. ''''Right. Taking the private jet would''ve been too obvious because we don''t want anyone to find out that we''ll be heading to Australia. Not the reporters and especially not Emery,'''' She responds, running her fingers through her brown hair. ''''So, are we going undercover?'''' Andrea asks, ''''I mean, if we don''t want people to find out, might as well go through it till the end. It''ll be better,'''' He breathes. Evelyn and I both agree in excitement; undercover is not a bad idea. We just need the right clothes, the right transformation so that we''ll y it. Just like that, we start to smile widely as we overthink. Let''s not forget our true reason, hopefully. ''''Okay. Do I look normal?'''' I nce towards Evelyn, seeing her putting on a pair of shades. My eyes won''t stop eyeing her whole outfit¡ªwith her loose shirt and torn skinny jeans, she looks normal and stylish. ''''Beautiful,'''' Andrea answers before I can. ''''Oh, babe. This is how I always dress before I headed home back to London. I''m much more confident andfortable this way,'''' She chuckles as they kiss. I clear my throat at their sudden intimacy. It''s just that, a sudden wave of jealousy overwhelming me. Emery and I have been going through something that might cause destruction in our rtionship, in which I truly fear most. Next to our unborn child. ''''Sorry, Emma. I didn''t mean to make you feel ufortable,'''' He breathes, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly but I just smile¡ªfully understand that they are attracted to each other. We head towards our gate; this is it. A few more steps and I''ll be on my way to Melbourne, without anyone knowing including my own husband. This is for the sake of us and our baby. I''m going to solve this and I''m going to seek the truth. If the truth is painful, unbearable and uneptable, that''s another topic worth talking about when I get back but if the truth stabilises our marriage, then we''ll be alright. ''''You good, Emma?'''' Evelyn asks from beside. ''''Absolutely,'''' I answer, when I''m not. My mind won''t stop thinking about Emery; about what he might be doing or what he will be doing when he finds out about this. About my disappearance. He will then probably look for Evelyn, his sister before jumping into conclusions¡ªassuming things. Whenever I see Hannah, she gets to me, somehow. I try my best to not show any disrespectful gestures but her presence just makes me want to do unpredictable things such as pulling her hair out, punching her in the face and probably starve her to death. Yes, I may sound too cruel but what should I even think about when I find out that my husband had sex with someone else and she ended up being pregnant? Yes again, the baby may not be his but there''s quite a possibility¡ªthings like this happen in life. Me, being pregnant, not really helpful either. My eyes wander to look at Andrea and Evelyn; seeing him has fallen asleep while she''s busy going through pictures of them together in her phone. They''re very adorable¡ªever since their first encounter, I''ve never seen him looking at her disrespectfully or wrongly because he has been a true gentleman. ''''Evelyn,'''' I call out for her and earn her attention, ''''You and Andrea are pretty much together? I don''t mean to pry but I can''t help asking,'''' I mutter. She smiles, ''''It''s fine, Emma. You''re like my baby sister and sisters share everything. Well, apparently he has feelings for me too. It''s not one-sided,'''' The smile on her face shows how she has fallen for him; there''s almost no way to escape his charm. I chuckle, memories of Emery and I overflowing my mind¡ªour first encounter, first nce and first kiss. Being an adult, it sounds silly to be daydreaming or overthinking about someone but when ites to him, I can''t help it; he has stolen my heart. ''''We''ve just met and we''re taking things slow but it''s better to have something than just trying to get to know each other while we both know we feel attracted towards one another. Right?'''' She continues, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear; making me gaze at the earring pierced. The shine slightly blinding me. ''''He gave you that?'''' I ask, leaning closer. ''''Yeah, he''s a sweetheart.'''' She blushes, shyly. If Evelyn has found her happiness, then, I''m more than happy to agree. She has been busy travelling the world; met different people with different cultures and races, yet the right one will be the one to find her instead. Andrea is truly a sweetheart, anyone can see just by the way he gazes into her eyes when they talk. It''s almost fooling others to think they''re a couple. ''''Emma, whatever you''re going through right now; I know it''s hard and it seems impossible but trust me, this is real life¡ªnothing will always be beautiful. You''re dealing with your marriage but it''s not going to fall apart, it''s going to grow stronger,'''' She mutters. ''''Sometimes, I feel like we''re moving too fast.'''' I say. ''''Too fast? You''re married, Emma. There''s no such thing as moving too fast because you have a lifetime to get to know each other and understand one another because that''s not an easy process. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of patience,'''' She replies, grabbing onto my hand; giving me a little squeeze. ''''Mother and father didn''t love each other when they got married but they believed in one another. He epted her just as much as she epted him and their love has always been strong even after all those insecurities. It doesn''t always begin with something sure because sometimes, it''s different,'''' She says, ncing at Andrea and seeing that he has moved slightly but both of his eyes are still tightly shut. I remember Genevieve telling Emery the truth. The truth about his biological father and it hasn''t bothered me since but now that we''re back on this topic, I might as well take my chance to ask more. ''''Tell me more about them. If you don''t mind,'''' Evelyn nces at my direction before nodding. Then, she begins to speak, ''''I know that you''ve found out the truth about Emery and yeah, he''s not truly royalty. His father and mother weremoners, they weren''t married and illegitimate children were not epted before¡ªmother was much more devastated when he passed away, leaving her without a choice but to get an abortion.'''' She stops for awhile, eyeing me. ''''Father found mother crying in the streets, that was their first encounter and they started to know each other a little. The next day, he asked for her hand in marriage¡ªwith a promise to love her and her unborn child even though that child was never his to begin with but he wasn''t able to have one,'''' She breathes. ''''You know, if you had the chance to know him better, he''s such a great person,'''' She smiles, slightly. ''''And then, there''s me. I was adopted and I''ve been considered lucky because I brought into the royal family; it''s like a fairytale but I''ve always longed to travel and discover new things. Father has never said no because he understood me best,'''' I listen to her story, more about her family. Even though my parents are divorced but I know, they were once madly, deeply and truly in love with one another. It''s almost impossible for me to see it now, they are living separately with different people but somehow; they''ve always been happy. That was how I''ve always seen them when I was a kid. At least a peck on the lips, every single day. Yet, there was always more. I''ve never understood where they went wrong but I''m guessing that they just didn''t see themselves loving one another. 1 I want to be able to love one man, marry one man, have kids with one man, cherish one man, trust one man, spend the rest of my life with one man. That has always been my goal; yet, it''s impossible to find that sort of happiness unless the love is strong. Emery France Arthur Van An; that one man. I''m left hoping that he sees me as the only one woman to love, cherish and spend the rest of his life with. Yes, divorces are not epted in the Van An family but I don''t want to pretend to love my own husband in front of everyone while hating him at the same time. What kind of marriage is that? A misery. Happiness. Joy. Excitement. That''s what I want. With Emery. No one else. ''''Goodnight,'''' I mutter to myself as I stare at my wedding ring; wondering what he might be doing right now¡ªprobably spending his night thinking. As I nce out the ne''s window, I am left staring at the clouds; the darkness. It has been a couple of hours since we''ve departed and I can''t wait to seek the truth about my husband. Finding his justice. I look down at my phone, seeing the screen lit up. Got you the details: Former roommate. Born on 21st January 1991. A close friend¡ªHannah''s brother. Currently unemployed. 89 Church St, Richmond VIC 3121, Australia. ¡ªPrivate number Without further ado, I click onto the lock button, the screen immediately turning ck. My whole mind is currently fully upied; Hannah''s brother, nameless but he''s not hard to find. He''ll be my first visit. It takes me a moment to realise that Emery has been calling me for the past hour and as painful as it is to decline his calls, I can''t answer it either. I believe that he will understand when all of this is over. My phone lights up again, showing iing texts. Where are you? ¡ª I''m worried sick, Emma. Please answer my calls and please reply my messages. ¡ª Evelyn is with you, isn''t she? ¡ª Where are you two?! Answer me. ¡ª I just need a little time. He''ll understand. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Emma The three of us are standing at the front door as I try to look for anything in particr. My eyes won''t stop ncing back and forth onto my phone; wanting to make sure that this is the right address and that we are not lost. That would be trouble for us. ''''So, should we knock or something?'''' Evelyn asks. ''''There''s the doorbell,'''' Andrea answers from behind which causes me to nce at both of them; seeing that they are busy controlling theirughters which I find confusing for no reason at all. They are acting like kids and yes, it surely is cute, somehow. ''''Right. I see that,'''' I mutter under my breath. Within seconds, I am already walking up the stairs before standing near the door; counting to ten before pressing the doorbell but my action is interrupted by the door opening, revealing an unknown man. My eyebrows furrow in confusion at the figure. Yet, he looks at me as if he has seen me before. ''''I''m sorry,'''' I mutter, politely as I stand to the side; letting him pass through but both of his eyes won''t stop looking at me¡ªmaking me look back at him, raising an eyebrow as I nce at my sister-inw. The man in front of me continues to stare at me as he eyes my outfit; making me clear my throat but I take my time to eye him too. His light green eyes and dirty blonde hair reminds me of someone, familiar. ''''I know you,'''' He breathes out, slowly. ''''You do?'''' I ask, trying to recall any images of him. He chuckles, revealing his perfectly straight teeth as he keeps on looking at me. Then, he nces at Andrea and Evelyn before looking back at me. He shoves both of his hands into his jeans'' pocket, casually. ''''You''re the current princess of Cambridge, Emma Faye. Clearly, you''re Emery''s wife,'''' He says, stating the obvious in which I can''t help but agree. For the past hour, we''ve been wandering in this city but no one has seemed to notice us at all. Well, especially now because we''re in disguise but he notices. ''''You''re Cole?'''' I ask, wanting to know if he is. ''''That''s me,'''' He mutters, both of his eyes focusing. ''''May wee in?'''' I change the topic, wanting to find a different ce to talk so that this conversation can be longer. In fact, if we''re talking about his sister, it should be done privately¡ªfamily matter. ''''Absolutely. Come on in,'''' He replies, smiling. I step inside after ncing at Evelyn and Andrea as they quickly follow behind me. As soon as we step inside, we are greeted with a perfectly arranged and designed living room. This room has been organised modernly; leaving traces of a young bachelor. ''''Nice ce,'''' Andreapliments. ''''Thanks,'''' He smiles at the three of us, ''''I don''t mean to be rude or anything but may I ask why the three of you are here? You guys aren''t just anybody. Emery''s sister and wife are here; it''s worth questioning,'''' Evelyn and I nce at each other but she shoves it off by smiling at Cole; making her way towards him. Her eyes are piercing deeply into his¡ªleaving him almost bewitched by her gaze, ''''We came here to talk,'''' She says, stating the truth as she sits down. Cole confusingly stares at Evelyn and I before ncing at Andrea who has done nothing but stand beside me; protectively. As I make my way towards the sofa, he follows behind me before standing in the middle of Evelyn and I¡ªshowing dominance. ''''About what, exactly?'''' He frowns, slightly. ''''Your sister,'''' Andrea answers before I can. ''''We came to talk about your sister, Hannah. She''s not here in Australia, isn''t she?'''' He looks directly at him, making me shiver slightly at the hardness of his gaze. I''ve been dealing with the sweet side of him. The kind of sweetheart that Evelyn has been describing and all of a sudden, he changes into someone who could be investigating or interrogating about something and is feared by everyone. It''s like a different character. 1 ''''What do you mean? She came to see mest week and she seemed perfectly fine,'''' He answers, raising his voice a little. Of course, he would be defending his sister because that''s the right thing to do. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ''''She''s in London. Pregnant,'''' Evelyn states. ''''Excuse me?'''' His eyes widen in surprise, showing how he has no idea that any of this is happening. I can''t help but eye his every movement, his every gesture because I want to find the truth. If he doesn''t know about his sister''s condition and if he''s telling the truth then we can trust him but if he''s telling another lie, we don''t have a choice but to back away. Then, all of a sudden, he stops moving. His eyes are widening a little more before frowning and muttering curses under his breath as he nces up to look at me to look at my growing stomach. He stays still for a awhile, probably thinking about something. ''''She is pregnant,'''' He breathes out, ''''She told me and she also said that the father is Emery. I told him but he didn''t want to believe it,'''' He adds, slowly. ''''I wouldn''t want to believe it either,'''' I reply. ''''In fact, I don''t believe it, now. You see, Cole, I''m pregnant and this unborn baby is Emery''s. This is the exact truth. The child that she is carrying does not belong to Emery¡ªI came here to seek the truth about that uncertainty. You must know,'''' I continue. Both of his eyes are looking at me, deep down, I see sympathy and it soothes me slightly. He seems like a different version of Hannah; yes, her sister may have her own schemes but looking at Cole, he seems to be innocent. No matter how hard I seek for lies. ''''I can''t help you. I''m sorry,'''' He mutters. ''''Why? Why can''t you help?'''' I question, again. Cole continues to look at us and I know that he''s still thinking about this. He''s probably hesitating whether he should just help us or let her sister ruin my marriage¡ªthere''s a slight chance that he''ll help. He leans forward, ''''What if he''s the father? I wouldn''t be doing any good to anyone because I''ll end up ming myself. She''s my sister and I love her; if she''s right, then, she has the right to confront him,'''' ''''How can you be so sure that he''s the father?'''' ''''I''m not,'''' He says after a few seconds of silence. ''''But I''m not going to let you walk out of the door without finding answers. I want to find the truth and by that, I need to help you find the truth too,'''' He adds. Evelyn nces at my direction, realising that we''re actually heading towards something. ''''So, you''ll help us? That''s what you''re trying to say?'''' She asks. He smiles slightly, ''''Yes. I''ll help you,'''' Without me realising, I''ve already grabbed onto his hand to show my gratitude. He looks down at our hands before smiling up at me; making me smile back as I stare deeply into his pair of green eyes. ''''Thank you. I appreciate it,'''' I mutter, slowly. It seems that Cole really loves his sister. Just by the amount of photographs he has of them, it shows it very clearly¡ªHannah is a very beautiful woman. She has this sort of charm that could attract anyone. It''s not a surprise that Emery did spend some quality time with her when he was still in Melbourne. I stop walking once I see a photograph of Emery, Cole, Hannah and two other different people. They seemed happy, close even. I begin to realise that Emery had his arm around her waist; showing how they were indeed pretty close together. Any woman would fall for him, any. ''''That was a year ago. We were at a music festival,'''' Cole says from behind; surprising me slight as I turn to look at him¡ªseeing him nearing me. ''''Everything was actually normal that day. We were really happy and nothing seemed to be getting in our way,'''' ''''I can see that. You looked happy too,'''' I reply. He chuckles, ''''Yeah, things were different. Maybe we were just young¡ªnow, we''ve graduated and we''re both heading towards different paths,'''' He says. We both look at the photographs, our minds are wandering somece else¡ªoverthinking of the possibilities that things can definitely change. ''''I''m sorry for what happened to you and I hope that you''ll be strong about it. You''ll ovee this as soon as you''ve found out the truth,'''' He continues to speak, making me smile and nod my head. There''s nothing wrong about that because he''s right. ''''Don''t worry about me. I''ll be fine,'''' I mutter. Our reflections are clear on the frames, showing that he''s currently looking at me; in sympathy, concern and confusion. It''s funny how my life used to be just the same and not asplicated but now, I''m trying to save my own marriage. The same marriage that I tried to escape from¡ªand escape him. Evelyn appears shortly, ''''Are we all set?'''' She asks. I turn around, ''''Yeah. Let''s go,'''' I answer. Evelyn, Andrea and I begin to follow Cole as we head down the road; he didn''t say where we''ll be going but he said we''ll start there to find out whether it''s true or not. The city of Melbourne is a beautiful ce, surrounded by beautiful people¡ªit''s a little bit like New York, not going to lie but of course, every country has their own differences and specialities. We step inside an unknown building and it takes me awhile to realise the amount of people wearing suits. Once we''re inside, we waste no time by immediately going to the receptionist but before we can take another step forward, Cole stops us. ''''I''ll go and speak to the receptionist. Wait here,'''' He says, ncing at us before walking towards the receptionist; showing off his perfectly straight teeth as he speaks while the three of us wait as asked. ''''I wonder who we''re meeting,'''' Evelyn breathes. ''''Let''s just wait and see,'''' I reply, slowly. Within seconds, Cole is already walking towards us but he stops once he hears someone calling out for him. I furrow my brows in confusion but as soon as I realise that I''ve seen him before, I begin to think. He was in the previous photograph I saw in Cole''s apartment¡ªhe was there with the rest of them. ''''Come on. I want you to meet someone,'''' Cole says. Then, they''re already closing the distance between us. As soon as the familiar man reaches us with Cole, his eyes are immediately focused on me¡ªbrows furrowed but he covers his gesture by smiling and introducing himself, politely in which I respond back. ''''Daniel,'''' He speaks, ncing at us. ''''Emma,'''' I reply with a smile before introducing the rest, ''''Evelyn and Andrea. It''s a pleasure to meet you,'''' Both of his eyes won''t look away from and I must admit that it''s a little bit ufortable but I try my best to not lose myposure. I take my time to study Daniel¡ªCole must''ve brought us to see him for a reason and that reason must be worthy enough. He wouldn''t just introduce us to someone who does not have anything involved. ''''It''s a pleasure to meet you too,'''' He replies. Cole stands beside Daniel with a slight smile on his face before patting onto his back, ''''It''s probably best if we go and grab dinner, right? I''m pretty sure we''re all hungry and besides, I know this great restaurant,'''' ''''That''d be nice,'''' Andrea agrees as he looks at him. The five of us just stand awkwardly still as we keep on looking at one another but it doesn''t take Cole long to break the silence and make us start walking out of the building and head back down the road. As soon as we''ve arrived at the restaurant, we are nicely greeted with the smell of newly-cooked food overwhelming our senses. I had not thought of being hungry; not until seeing myself staring at the food that has been served to almost all of the customers. Seeing them chat as they patiently wait for their food to be served reminds me of my own restaurant. The peopleing in even though they know that the restaurant will always be packed with people during lunch and dinner hours but they never seem to bother looking for a different ce to have lunch or dine. These kind of people are determined to get a taste of their favourite dish and they won''t be satisfied, not until they''ve tasted what they''ve been craving. Food does bring happiness to almost everyone and it cheers people up¡ªpushes away sadness too. Yet, it all depends on the taste and the texture. ''''Table for five, please.'''' Cole smiles at the waitress, seeing her nodding her head and gesturing us to follow her in towards the table in the middle. Once we''re seated, she ces five menus; enough for us to look and see what we want to order before she starts to disappear towards the back. I can''t stop looking at Daniel, as if, he has something to hide. The rest are busy looking at the menu and I know that my heart wants to be looking at the menu too before deciding what I''d want for dinner but my mind keeps on repeating that I should not look away from Daniel because he''s a bit, questionable. ''''Emma, what would you like to order?'''' Evelyn asks, interrupting me from my own thoughts as I look up at the waitress and smile; then, I start to clear my throat. The sudden awkwardness could not get any worse. ''''Whatever you''re having,'''' I simply reply. The waitress smiles down at me before walking towards the back¡ªwith our orders. I, on the other hand, looks up at Daniel who has been staring at me for the past few seconds. Then, we just smile awkwardly at each other; wanting to get rid of the sudden feeling surrounding us. ''''Uh, I''ll be back,'''' He says, standing up. Daniel walks out of the restaurant and it doesn''t take me long to follow him¡ªleaving them behind. As I push the door open, I see him walking down the road which causes me to catch onto him; luckily, he walks slow enough for me to be able to keep up. I stop in front of him, making him look up at me. ''''Emma, what are you doing?'''' He asks, frowning. I stare deeply into his eyes, wanting to seek for the truth or something; the reason why he feels anxious or ufortable as soon as he saw me. Yet, he does a great job at hiding it¡ªalmost fooling me, slightly. We''re standing in the middle of the road with other people passing us; but I don''t bother moving away or let him pass because if I do, I might lose my one and only chance to this uncertainty. It''s bothering me. ''''You''re the father, aren''t you?'''' I ask, hesitating. Just like that, he begins to clench his jaw. Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Emma We stay still for the next few seconds, somehow, I feel like this is the truth that I''ve been looking for. The way he clenches his jaw in defeat; it shows it all. ''''I''m sorry. I think you''ve mistaken,'''' He replies. Just as he''s about to walk away, I stop him by cing my hand on his chest¡ªlooking straight into his eyes. Due to our heights, it''s quite easy for him to just look away without piercing into my eyes. He can hide the truth by just denying everything and walk away. ''''Is it true? You and Hannah?'''' I ask, slowly. He clenches his jaw again before sighing deeply. My heart hopes for it to be true; so that, I can return home and this will all be over. As long as Daniel admits the truth then this will all be fine. If only, he could look into my eyes with the same amount of sympathy that Cole has been showing. That would really make a difference, somehow, probably. ''''Is it true?'''' I ask again, this time louder. It doesn''t take him long to run his fingers through his hair, almost pulling them out before sighing deeply and turning to look directly at me. He seems a little bit confused; something must''ve happened. ''''We hooked up a few times after he left. We didn''t expect him toe back and I didn''t expect her to get pregnant¡ªit''s all just unexpected. She was somehow, heartbroken, and I was helping her soothe the pain. She likes him, Emma. When Emery came back, she took it as her chance to get him back,'''' He says. ''''But he''s married,'''' I mutter under my breath. ''''It didn''t stop her, did it?'''' He responds back. ''''So, you knew about this all along?'''' I ask, wanting to know if he has been helping her with this. There''s not really another reason for me to stay here any longer if I''ve found out the truth because I miss him. I want to see him and just tell that we''re going to be okay. ''''She left after she told me,'''' He replies. Without further ado, I head back towards the restaurant with the dizziness in my head. Daniel calling me from behind but I waste no time ncing or even turning back to look at him. My mind is just somehow filled with confusions and anxiousness. I enter the restaurant, revealing a worried Evelyn. ''''Emma, where did you go?'''' She asks, showing the amount of concern all over her face before she begins to nce at someone behind me; Daniel. Both of my hands are shaking in disbelief but I stand strong. ''''We need to get back home,'''' I breathe as I smile. Andrea and Evelyn are looking at me in confusion but she smiles back while he just nods his head. They seem to know that I''ve probably found out something and they''ll just agree with me. I look down at Cole and see him looking at Daniel; yet, I pay no attention. We booked the quickest flight home because we don''t bother wasting another second here; my mind has been fully upied of Emery¡ªof how he might react when he sees me. He might be mad at first but he''ll understand how this is all worth it. I turn my phone on, seeing iing texts: Pleasee home. ¡ª?? Why are you doing this to me? You won''t reply my messages or even pick up my calls. Where are you, Emma? What were you thinking of leaving me here? ¡ª?? Are you mad at me? I''m sorry. ¡ª?? Baby, please juste home. ¡ª?? Don''t do this to me. I miss you. I miss our baby. Come back, I''m begging you. ¡ª?? But I don''t bother replying. Just a little bit longer and I''ll be home in his arms; then, he''ll understand. He has to wait a little bit longer¡ªI''ll be there. After turning off my phone, the three of us head towards our assigned gate; and it takes me awhile to realise that Cole has been staring at us for the past few seconds but I just turn to look at him and smile in which he responds with a smile, too. ''''You ready, Emma?'''' Evelyn asks, from behind. ''''Ready,'''' I mutter under my breath before following them and leaving Cole staring at us. For some reason, this is the exact moment that I''ve been waiting for. Toe home to Emery and tell him. I stare at my wedding ring before closing my eyes. Once we''vended in London, we waste no second to deal with our jetgs and just find a taxi. Evelyn has her hand on mine¡ªmaking me smile at her. She smiles back before looking out at the window. We''re going to be okay, I keep on chanting. Then, I gently caress onto my baby bump. Without us realising, we''ve already reached home. Andrea pays the taxi driver as Evelyn and I step out of the car, heading straight inside after pulling off our wigs once the taxi driver has driven away. The guards in charge are staring at us in disbelief. ''''Tell the prince!'''' One of them say as they let us pass through, making me fasten my steps. Evelyn and Andrea gestures for me to immediately head inside so that I can tell the happy news so I did. I walk up the stairs before going straight to our side of the pce; and with every step I take, my heart keeps on beating fast¡ªhis face appearing repeatedly. ''''Your Highness!'''' One of the workers greet me in surprise but I just smile before pushing the door to his office but I''m left disappointed at the figure I see. Hannah is standing near the mahogany table before turning to look at me¡ªher lips curving up into a smile as I close the door behind me. The way she''s looking at me shows that somehow she has found out the truth too about me knowing. It''s confusing. ''''You''re back, your highness.'''' She keeps on smiling. ''''Where''s Emery?'''' I ask, looking around. ''''Oh, he''s not in here. It''s just me,'''' She replies. ''''But I''m sure he''ll be happy to see you,'''' She adds, slowly. ''''I''d like to talk about a few things that concerns me and I hope that''s okay with you? Since you''ve just got back and all from Australia,'''' Then, she looks up at me before slightly closing the distance between us. ''''Australia?'''' I pretend to frown as I ask. ''''You see, Emma. I was okay with you stealing him away from me because at the end of the day, I''ll be there to get what''s mine. What bothers me is that, you went to Melbourne just to seek the truth about this little baby that I''m carrying,'''' She continues to talk, ''''You''re just jealous that the baby is his,'''' ''''The fact that the baby isn''t his; cheers me.'''' I say. Hannah tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, showing how she''s unsatisfied about this. If she''s trying to provoke me then she''s highly mistaken. ''''You can nevere into our home and ruin our marriage because if that''s your n from the very beginning, then, you should leave. I''ve found out about your baby and the father, don''t pretend that you''re not scared. You lied to Emery but you''re not going to get away with it this time,'''' I say. Deep down, I only want to see Emery but she has to know her boundaries; she can''t just expect me to let her get away with it and besides, I''m not scared. ''''Whatever fling you had with Emery when you were both in college, it''s over. He doesn''t like you and I''m pretty sure he told you that but you''re too scared of admitting the truth. How long do you think you can get away with this? Clearly not for long,'''' I add. Without me realising, she has already grabbed onto my wrist before staring directly into my eyes. The way she looks at me in anger, despair and dissatisfaction shows how she''s capable of doing anything. ''''I will get what I want and you''re not going to stand in the way because trust me, Emma, I''ll put an end to your happiness. You''ll be gasping for help once you''ve realised that you''ve been messing with the wrong person and I would be d to see you hurt,'''' She says with arge amount of hatred; meaning her every word but I try my best to stay calm. 1 ''''You wouldn''t dare of hurting me,'''' I mutter. ''''Watch me,'''' She smiles before pushing me against the door which causes the door to open roughly then, without me realising, she has already pushed me too far enough; causing me to trip down the stairs. My mind goes nk as I keep on staring at her. I try to grab onto something so that I wouldn''t fall down the stairs but it was a little toote. Pain has already overwhelming my senses and making me flinch at all of the sudden contact especially on my lower abdomen yet I can''t even let out a scream. The pain seems like it wouldn''t even end. All I can think of is my baby''s safety. Unfortunately, it''s a bit toote. Once I''ve reached thest flight of stairs, I am left staring at the ceiling while feeling pain in between my legs. I couldn''t move or even breathe properly as my mind keeps on reying images of Hannah and the way she smiled as she pushed me without a single regret. ''''Emma! Emma! Oh my god,'''' Blurry images of Evelyn as she tries to check on my condition but once she realises how I''m barely conscious, she starts to panic even more. ''''Andrea,e in here!'''' She calls. Andrea appears with wide eyes before crouching and turning to look at Evelyn in shock. Within seconds, he has already made his way towards the back; probably going to find help but the pain is too All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. much. I couldn''t even stay awake any longer as I blink slowly. ''''Emma, stay with me,'''' Evelyn whispers. ''''Call the ambnce, now!'''' Someone shouts as I feel myself closing my eyes; letting me hear voices and shouts while Iy motionless. ''''She''s losing a lot of blood,'''' I hear them say. ''''The baby,'''' Evelyn says, seconds before I''vepletely drifted away. I couldn''t hear my surroundings anymore and I couldn''t even feel the amount of pain that I felt minutes ago. For once, I barely even care about myself as long as my baby; our baby will be safe. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Emery I instantly run down the empty hallway, ignoring the guards that has been guarding this floor; just incase someone barges in to sabotage us. Things are slightly different now, us, royalties aren''t able to be in public for too long because we worry about our safety. My legse to a halt as I see Evelyn and my mother wiping away their fallen tears while Andrea tries his best to soothe her¡ªthen, I''m noticed by them. I make my way towards them, realising that I''mte. ''''Let me see her,'''' I say, trying to get inside. But, Evelyn stopped me before I could. ''''The doctors are in with her; she''s going through surgery and it''ll be quite long,'''' She mutters from behind, making me look at her in confusion. Then, realisation hits me once more; our baby. ''''No. This can''t be,'''' I breathe out in disbelief. ''''What did the doctors say, Evelyn? What did they say about her? What about the baby? What the hell is going on? God, I can''t¡ª'''' I am left gasping for air; my heart has never felt this much of a pain or suffer. ''''Emery, I''m so sorry,'''' She hesitates to say. ''''It''s all my fault,'''' I mutter under my breath; loud enough for me to hear. This is all my fault, indeed because if I was there, we wouldn''t be here. With no hope or opportunity, I fall onto the ground before leaning my head against the wall. My mind can only think of Emma and our baby; the baby that we were going to raise, a child of our own. That was the beginning of our happiness¡ªa miracle. I close my eyes, hoping this is just a nightmare. ''''We should get a puppy,'''' She says, her lips curving up into a smile as she stares deeply into my eyes. As for me, I can''t help but agree; the way her beauty just melts me in every way possible. It''s crazy. ''''A puppy, huh?'''' I question, caressing her cheek. ''''I''ve always wanted a Siberian Husky. They''re alert, outgoing, gentle, friendly and even intelligent. It''ll be great to have morepany around,'''' She mutters. Without me realising, she has already pulled me to sit up straight so that she can sit on myp. Her brown eyes are staring directly into mine. I lean forward to kiss her on the lips, feeling the warmth and the softness of it. She responds back by kissing me gently; following the rhythm. Both of her hands are on my neck, pulling me closer. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ''''Daddy!'''' We are interrupted by our little girl, running and heading towards us with a flower in her hand as she giggles¡ªcatching our attention. My heart warms at the sight of her as she sits beside me before letting me pull her so that she''ll be able to sit on myp after Emma has moved away. Her light brown eyes and light brown hair are radiant due to the sun shining brightly above her head. ''''I want a puppy too,'''' She giggles, smiling. ''''Mummy must''ve talked to you to persuade me, huh? Now, both of you wants a puppy,'''' I raise an eyebrow at my wife, seeing that she''s currently chuckling at my behaviour. As for our daughter, she won''t stop poking my face and smiling widely. She''s known for that; beautiful smile. ''''Please, daddy. Can we get a puppy?'''' Her big round eyes are always tempting me to give in. She would know what to do or how to do when she wants something; she always achieve it. I can never say no to a beautiful little girl like her¡ªit''s crazy how having a daughter or even a child, changes everything. ''''Of course we can. In fact, we''ll get one today,'''' I reply and she starts to jump up and down after tucking the flower behind my ear; making me look like one of her dolls. Emma won''t stopughing once she sees me looking like this but hey, I like it. My baby girl starts to hug me around the neck, making me pat onto her back before pulling her close. Then, ''''I love you, daddy.'''' She whispers. I look up at my wife, seeing her eyes tearing up but her smile never fading away. Once I''ve reached for her hand, I begin squeezing it, ''''I love you more,'''' I answer; stating the truth, loud and clear. ''''Let''s go get a puppy!'''' She exims, happily. Emma and Iugh at her behaviour, realising how she''s much more like her mother. The way her eyes are always attracting people and how her small little nose just makes her look cute; she''s adorable. My daughter is an adorable, beautiful, girl. And I''m more than thankful to have two beautiful girls in my life¡ªmy wife and my daughter. ''''Your Highness?'''' I am awaken by the sound of someone calling out which causes me to look around and see that mother has left; leaving Evelyn and I. I immediately stand up straight, gesturing for the doctor to continue on speaking. Evelyn smiles at me before patting onto my back, ''''I''ll be back in a couple of hours, okay?'''' She says, pecking onto my cheek as she walks away down the hall; leaving me. ''''How''s my wife? Is she okay? Our baby?'''' I ask. The doctor clears his throat as he looks down at the ground before looking back up at me, ''''I''m sorry, Your Highness, but we weren''t able to save your baby. Your wife was bleeding badly and it affected the baby,'''' He replies, sympathy showing in his eyes. ''''But your wife is inside, waiting for you. She is stable and healing,'''' He continues before walking down the hall and leaving me thinking of the dream I had minutes ago and the reality that I''m facing. Without further ado, I head inside, seeing that I''m greeted with a beeping sound; making me turn to see Emmaying on the bed with her eyes closed. My lips curving up into a smile at the sight of her but sadness consumes me when I realise that it''s just her. Emma opens her teary eyes, slowly. ''''Hey,'''' I mutter under my breath, loud enough. She smiles back, slightly. ''''Hi,'''' Her voice low and sounded like she was in pain. The way her face is pale; no colouring from it¡ªalmost kills me. I''ve never seen her like this and it scares of losing her. Once I''m close enough, I grab onto her hand after sitting on the seat near the bed; seeing that she''s just staring at me¡ªsomething showing in her eyes. We''re both thinking of something and it''s too painful. ''''I''m d you''re okay,'''' I kiss onto her forehead, long and full of meanings. I''m more than d that she''s okay because I don''t know what I''d do if I lose her. All of a sudden, she starts to tear up. Both of her eyes are teary before the tears are actually streaming down her cheeks; making me wipe away with my thumb as I stand, trying tofort her. Trying to soothe her pain because it''s hurting me, too. We''re hurting. ''''This is all my fault,'''' She says, voice breaking. I frown, ''''No. Don''t say that, please,'''' I reply. Without me realising, tears have streamed down my cheeks but I immediately wipe them away; wanting to show how I''m strong enough to face this when I''m not so that she can face it too Without me realising, tears have streamed down my cheeks but I immediately wipe them away; wanting to show how I''m strong enough to face this when I''m not so that she can face it too. We''ll face it. It''s very impossible for us to move on but we''ll try. Minutes have passed of her cries breaking the silence yet I show no signs of stopping her. She can cry it all out because her sadness is mine, too. Tears keep on falling down my cheeks and I don''t bother wiping them away¡ªthis is just too much to bare. Days before all of this disaster started to happen, we were very excited for our baby even though we knew that it''d be a long journey. We didn''t mind. My heart clenches at the memory, weeks ago: ''''We don''t even know the gender, yet.'''' I say, looking at the clothes that mother has picked out. She has been truly excited about her uing grandchild that she went to shop for newborn clothing. ''''That''s why I''ve bought white in almost everything so that when the two of you find out about the baby''s gender, it''ll be fine. White fits a baby boy or a baby girl,'''' She replies as she smiles widely at Emma. ''''Right. Thank you,'''' Emma mutters as she snuggles closer towards me; while I ce my hand on her baby bump¡ªour child is growing in there and I can''t wait to see the beauty that she or he will be. ''''I love you,'''' She whispers as she snuggles. ''''I love you, more.'''' I say back, smiling. We wouldn''t be far from sixteen weeks pregnant but I guess the counting has stopped. Both of my arms are wrapping soothingly around her body, trying my best to calm her down so that she''ll be okay. Even, if she''s still hurting, at least she''ll be okay. ''''I want our baby, Emery.'''' She breathes, her cries are slowing down as she tries to control her breathing. My heart breaks at the sight of her wet cheeks and her swollen red eyes because it feels like I''m not capable of doing anything; I feel hopeless, somehow. ''''Me too,'''' I mutter as she snuggles closer. ''''I''m not strong,'''' She cries out. Neither am I, sweetheart. Neither of us. I''ve never realised that I would be facing this kind of pain especially not now¡ªwhen we were both happy about our first child. Things arepletely different from what we expected and it''s slowly, killing us deeply inside that it''s impossible for us to breathe properly. Where should I turn? How? Losing my child is an unbearable pain but seeing my wife, crying her soul out and breaking apart feels like being stabbed multiple times; I''ve vowed to be there for her, care and love her but why does it feel like I''m only bringing us misery? We''ll make it through this pain. Probably not tomorrow or next week and even next year but we''ll make it through¡ªthis will be a part of our memory, a memory that we shall always remember because it makes us strong. We''ll be able to face other. ''''We''ll be okay,'''' I whisper, soothingly. ''''We''re going to be okay,'''' I repeat. If only I''m capable of showing the amount of sadness, I''d be falling onto the ground with nothing holding me back but I have to be strong for her. She has to see that I''ll do anything for and only her. I close my eyes and continue to let the tears stream down my cheeks, making me try hard to hold back the sobs and the aching pain in my chest but it''s hard. Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Emery ''''I know what you did,'''' I say, closing the door behind me before seeing her actions freeze. Yes, we''re far enough from one another and that''s great, distance is all that I need; there''s no point of closing it. ''''What did I do?'''' She asks, obliviously. ''''You don''t have to lie, Hannah. Tell me the truth,'''' I mutter; wanting to hear the truth from her because that''s what I deserve after all her wrongdoings. She has caused destruction with my marriage and it has broken Emma¡ªhurting me more, actually. Hannah turns to look at me, her eyes focusing into mine which causes me to look back at her; challenging her to lie at my face. Either way, she''ll be dragged out of here and will be sentenced in court. ''''She used me,'''' She says, standing up. ''''She told the truth. Yet, you pushed her and it could have caused her own death¡ªyou attempted murder. Unfortunately, I lost my baby but I''m more than thankful that my wife survived,'''' I calmly, speak to her. ''''You may have rights as you are an Australian but you''re in London and you''ve almost killed the future queen. The only punishment is death,'''' I add. To my surprise, she starts to chuckle, ''''Death?'''' I clench my jaw, not liking the fact that she thinks this is all a damn joke, ''''Does it humour you?'''' I ask, trying to look for fear, regret but I see none. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ''''What does your kingdom say about killing a pregnant woman?'''' Both of her eyes are staring directly into my soul, somehow. Then again, she was the one who caused this whole chaos to happen; everyone knew about her action, she tried to harm their future queen and that is more than legal. It''s against thew¡ªanyw. ''''That was what you attempt,'''' I reply, slowly. She stays quiet for the next few seconds which causes me to continue on; the woman in front of me, she used to soothe my pain¡ªwell, we were close but all of a sudden, I don''t think I know her anymore. ''''Hannah, you''ve changed. I don''t know what has gotten into you but you''re not the same Hannah I met years ago. You''re not you,'''' I say, trying to make her realise that I still feel sorry for what has happened but there''s no going back; she caused this. ''''What if this is me?'''' She questions. ''''Then, I''ve never known you,'''' I mutter. Seconds before I can push the door open and leave the room, her words stopped me. Even if I want her to hurt more than Emma did, I can''t deny that she used to be the one that I poured my sorrow, my pain. ''''How can you not feel anything for me? How can you say that you don''t want to deal withmitment but you end up marrying someone? I know, I''m not good enough for you and you''re a prince,'''' She says, but I stay still; facing the door¡ªnot bothered to turn. We''ve spent a lot of times together in the past and I can''t lie saying that it didn''t mean something to me because it sure did but not enough. She knew the main deal, she knew that I didn''t want to have any serious rtionships because at the end of the damn day, I''ll be hurting her heart. She knew that. ''''I''ll see you in court,'''' I say before exiting. Security that has been waiting outside begin to barge in as I leave; not sparing a second nce. I''m more than d to have made that decision, to not have a serious rtionship with anyone because if I did, I wouldn''t have fallen for Emma. I look up to find Evelyn staring at me. ''''Come on, Emma wants to see you,'''' She says. Just like that, I make my way towards her before pulling her by the shoulder and walk side by side; Evelyn and I have always been close but things changed when we started going on different paths. She started travelling and I went to further my studies, but here we are close as ever. ''''Are you okay?'''' She mutters under her breath. ''''I''m alright. Don''t worry,'''' I smile at her. We enter the car that has been waiting for us before the chauffeur drives away towards the hospital. Ever since what happened, Emma has been down and a little bit hopeless but I know that she''ll heal. It will take a lot of time but she will be fine. Mother is with her right now, apanying. ''''I''m worried about her, Evelyn.'''' I sigh, deeply. Her blue eyes meet mine instantly, sadness, in her eyes but her lips are curved into a smile. She is trying to be strong for me when I''m almost falling apart. Emma and I have been married for less than six months but we''re already facing problems like this. ''''You said so yourself, she''ll get better. Losing a child is very painful, Emery; especially now.'''' She looks out at the window as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, ''''Believe me when I say this, but everything happens for a reason,'''' She adds, slowly. ''''Including the miscarriage?'''' I ask, feeling the sadness overwhelming me and slowly making me remember back what happened yesterday¡ªthe way her eyes just cried out pain, it was killing me too. She grabs onto my hand, ''''Emery, it''s not¡ª'''' I cut her off, ''''No. I understand, Evelyn. God is testing me and I know that He won''t test me unless He knows that I''ll be able to ovee it but why does it feel like the pain is too much to bear?'''' I breathe out. ''''You''re right. The pain is too much to bear; not just for you but for anyone else. I can''t say that I know what it feels like because I don''t. Just, trust me,'''' She pulls me closer,forting me, ''''You''ll be fine,'''' Maybe because I''m still emotional about this, the same exact pain that Emma is still feeling. She''s going through much worse than me. The pain that affects me is almost killing me, I don''t know about her trying to cooperate with it because I can''t. ''''Be strong for her. She needs you most,'''' She says. As soon as we arrived at the hospital, I peek through the door to find herughing with my mother. The sound of herughter soothes my current pain, joying me at the slightest¡ªknowing that she''s better. ''''That would be silly,'''' My mother chuckles. I push the door open, making both of them turn to look at me; then, within seconds, mother has already made her way towards me with a small smile on her face as she exits the room. I am left, looking at my own wife¡ªher lips curved up into a smile. I close the door behind me, ''''Hey,'''' I breathe. ''''Hi,'''' She replies, slowly. Without me realising, I am already grabbing onto her hand; caressing the back of it. She squeezes my hand, leaving me smiling at the action. My heart softens and my eyes are getting teary as I try to be strong. ''''You alright?'''' She asks, interrupting my thoughts. I find myself scoffing and chuckling at her question, then, I begin to answer. ''''I should be asking you that,'''' I say, looking directly into her brown eyes; missed how we used to just stare deeply, not bothered to think of anything else but now, we can''t help it. Every time I look at her, I am constantly reminded of the pain we''ve been through¡ªthe kind of pain that I vowed to not let her through but I failed. My vow, this marriage is for us to find each other and to finally ept the truth; yet, we went through chaos. ''''Come here,'''' She mutters under her breath. Just like that, I start to lean in towards her. My lips are brushing against hers; making me feel the softness of her lips, moving in sync with mine. The way she would always close the distance between us whenever we kiss, it''s a huge turn on. She has never pulled or hesitate in trying to reveal her true feelings. I can kiss her all day, all night, I don''t mind. I break the kiss, ''''I''ve missed you,'''' Before continuing to kiss her back, this time, pressing my lips a little bit deeper on hers. She smiles as she kisses me back, with the same rhythm¡ªbuilding back our rtionship. ''''Missed you more,'''' She kisses on my cheek. As I cup onto her face, I can''t help but keep on smiling as she stares into my eyes. ''''When can we go home? I really hate it here,'''' She says, chuckling slightly. ''''The doctor said that you''ll be able to discharge tomorrow morning and because of that, I''ll be spending the night here with you,'''' I reply. ''''You''ve been spending the night here for the past couple of days. You deserve to rest at home,'''' She furrows her eyebrows, sighing deeply afterwards. Her concerning about my wellbeing is just too darn cute but my wellbeing is not really the whole point here. As long as she is doing fine, getting all better, I''ll be fine too. So, she needs to make sure she stays healthy. ''''I love you, Emma. I''ll be doing anything to make sure that you''re happy, even if it''ll be only you that''s happy but I don''t mind¡ªyou''re very important to me. I don''t need to rest at home just because I''m tired because I want to be here with you,'''' I say. Surprisingly, she starts to wrap her arms around my neck¡ªpulling me closer towards her. Both of my hands are slowly ced onto her waist before wrapping around her body; mixing our warmths. We can stay like this, forever. I''d like that. Hours have passed but it''s only nine thirty. I nce down at my wrist watch before turning to look at Emma, seeing that she has fallen asleep; her face facing me. Then, I begin to stare back at myptop, mind mostly corrupted and unfocused¡ªI''ve been doing this for the past hour. All of a sudden, my phone beeps: You alright, man? ¡ª Cole I nce up at Emma again for a few seconds, wanting to make sure that she''s in a deep sleep. The way she is snuggled close andfortably, I''m sure she''s sleeping well. Yeah, what about you? ¡ª Sent I''m okay. Just a bit going on in my head about my sister. I''m sorry for what had happened to Emma and I''m sorry for what Hannah tried to do. ¡ª Cole It''s fine, Cole. I don''t really me anyone about this. Seriously, man, are you okay? Tell me anything. ¡ª Sent 1 Of course not, Emery. My sister''s in jail and she''ll be sentenced in court. How can I be okay? But it''s all her fault and I know that. I know about the consequences too. ¡ª Cole Consequences? ¡ª Sent Death. ¡ª Cole It takes me awhile to respond, knowing that it''s true. No one should be dealing with the death of others that is close to them¡ªeven if they''ve done a lot of wrong things. We don''t know about that yet. ¡ª Sent Don''t lie to me, man. She attempted to kill your wife and that''s a huge deal, especially since she''s the future queen. Your people will want her dead. ¡ª Cole Let''s not talk about this now, okay? I have things to do and Emma''s awake. We''ll talk about this but just not now. Don''t worry too much about it, Cole. ¡ª Sent I look up at Emma, seeing that she''s not even showing signs that she''s waking up soon. I had to lie to Cole, it must not be easy for him to know that her sister will be facing death once she is being questioned in court for her actions¡ªhe will be there, too. What have we be? We were fine before. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Emery ''''I must say that she''s healing quite well,'''' The doctor says, referring to the papers in his hands. Those papers are the reports ording to Emma''s recovering after her miscarriage and trauma¡ªit was bad, before. ''''Thank god,'''' I mutter under my breath. He looks up at me before smiling, ''''This is an impressive recovery, Your Highness. Within the past couple of days, she has not been zoning out much and she has been talking,ughing, so far she''s doing very well,'''' He adds, making me nod my head at his statement. It''s true. Emma has been healing quite well, just like he said. She has been a little too chatty but I assume that''s normal for her since she''s trying hard to recover. It''s a part of how she''s trying to get through the pain and I understand that; I understand it, too well. ''''Although, I really rmend her to rest more. Take her to ces that can let her create new memories than just staying home. That can trigger back the pain,'''' He continues, ''''Since the incident happened there,'''' The incident happened back home, it can definitely trigger back the pain. She might seem like she''s going back to her normal self, recovering well and epting but deep down, it will never be forgotten. ''''I''ll see what I can do. Thank you, doctor.'''' I say before standing up, then, walking out of his office. Just as I walk back towards Emma''s assigned room, I stop once I see her holding onto a familiar notebook as she stares onto the cover; her fingers feeling the material. That exact notebook was the same notebook that we wrote names of our baby. Whether the baby was going to be a girl or a boy¡ªwe had different names, beautiful ones and even silly ones. I remember spending the night just thinking of names, together. We were excited. If our baby was a girl, we would''ve named her Alice or Edith or Frances; named after my middle name, France. Those names were discussed with mother because we wanted the perfect name for our bundle of joy. Then again, if our baby was a boy, it would''ve been Ernest, funny, I know. Probably Thomas, Nichs and even Eugene¡ªthe list goes on, actually. I knock onto the door, making her turn towards me. ''''Hey,'''' I say, smiling at her in which she responds back with the same smile that I''ve fallen in love with every single day, every single time. ''''Hi,'''' She replies, putting the notebook down. It doesn''t take me awhile to respond because I know that she would understand it too. No matter how painful or how hard it could be; the baby was ours. ''''We should keep that,'''' I refer to the notebook, ''''That''s a part of her or his memory, we wouldn''t want to waste it. In fact, I think I''m going to frame it,'''' I joke at the end which causes her tough as she touches it. ''''You think so?'''' She asks, her voice almost inaudible. If I can just look deeply into her eyes, I would be able to see the amount of sadness but then again, she''s good at not showing them to me. She''s strong enough. ''''I know so,'''' I walk towards her before grabbing onto her hand and giving it a squeeze. Emma has to know that I''ll be there for her through thick and thin. It does not matter if the pain is too unbearable, I''ll be there. ''''I think Edith and Ernest were alright,'''' She breathes, making me smile; knowing that she''s referring to the names we''ve picked from the inte. Then again, it''s kind of odd if all of the names have to begin with the letter E but it would''ve been great. ''''Yeah? Frances was good too,'''' I wink at her. ''''Just because your name is France,'''' She replies. ''''Well, she has to be like her daddy.'''' I respond, helping her by tying her hair into a messy bun. Then, I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, leaving her smiling. ''''If our baby was a girl,'''' She mutters. ''''If our baby was a girl, she would''ve been the most beautiful baby that I''ve everid eyes on. You want to know why? Because she would have her mother''s beautiful pair of brown eyes, cute little nose and perky pink lips. She would''ve been perfect,'''' I wrap my arms around her waist from behind, pecking onto the side of her neck before resting my chin on her shoulder. ''''She would''ve been too beautiful,'''' She says. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ''''Exactly,'''' I agree as I pull her closer. I find her turning to look at me but both of my hands are still attached onto her waist, wanting to make sure that we''re still close enough. All of a sudden, I find her eyes wet with tears, ''''Will we be okay?'''' She asks. ''''Why wouldn''t we be? We''ll be fine, Emma. I promise you that we will be alright,'''' I mutter as I lean my forehead against hers, missing the intimacy that we used to have before all of the chaos began, ''''I love you, so I''ll make sure that we will be alright. No matter what,'''' ''''It''s just that¡ª'''' I cut her off. ''''No, there''s nothing wrong with us. Don''t,'''' I say. All she needs is a little bit of strength, hope and love. Then, she''ll be on her own feet, living for the best. She doesn''t need anyone to support her because she can support herself but she needs someone to value, encourage and even be there for her; that''s Emma. 1 Strong, yet weak at the same time. We''ll be fine. That''s what I''ve been saying in my head, over and over again so that I would be able to ept the fact that this life is not perfect. It never will be perfect. Some people wille and ruin things for us, we just have to be strong, we just have to face this. There''s no ''I quit'' button in life because that quit button leads to a permanent solution, death. If death urs, then, there was no point of living in the first ce because we had given up on it from the very beginning before it all started to fall and crumble. Maybe both of us just needed to fall once, we needed to cry and show our weakness before we can actually stand up stronger than ever. We just need that. Then, we will probably be fine. No more crying, pain. This is just the beginning of our lives. Some people are going through much worst than us; so, we should at least be a little thankful. A little. As soon as we''ve arrived home, we are greeted by Evelyn, mother, Andrea and the rest of the people here. Mostly the workers but they''re like a family to me; most of them have been working before I was even born. So, they''ve fully gained my family''s trust. ''''I''m d you''re all better,'''' Mother hugs her, tightly. Emma smiles, returning the hug as she looks at the amount of people surrounding her. She has been the talk of the pce ever since what happened; people here knows about her personality and how she''s actually a very good person, a very good future queen. They stand with her. We all stand with her. It''s better to be one, as a team. Andrea has his arm around Evelyn''s waist before pecking onto her temple, which makes me realise that I''ve nevere to notice their intimacy before. They seem utterlyfortable around one another even though I barely see them locking lips yet I''m sure they''ve passed that phase already, by the looks of it now. ''''Since Emma''s all healthy and home, we shall have a magnificent dinner,'''' Mother interrupts, ''''All of us,'''' Magnificent dinner, huh? Haven''t heard of that in awhile because father was the one who would usually say something like that¡ªbesides, he loves food. Just like any of us, obviously. Magnificent lunch, dinner, name it. ''''I''d love that,'''' Emma replies, nodding. ''''Of course. It''s all set. Let''s go,'''' Mother says. I grab Emma by the waist as she snuggles closer towards me, smiling up as she does so. We walk side by side with the others, making our way towards the dining hall. It''s quite hard trying to get used to seeing her t stomach again; since I was used to seeing her stomach grow for the past few weeks, it''ll take some time. For now, I wouldn''t want to get into that subject because I know that it''s a little too sensitive. ''''I kind of miss this,'''' I say as I look up at my mother, seeing her smiling at me before grabbing onto my hand ''''I kind of miss this,'''' I say as I look up at my mother, seeing her smiling at me before grabbing onto my hand. Her warm hand eases the coldness of my own. Emma and I sit beside each other and as she tries to scoop her own dishes, one of the maidse to help her out but Emma will always be the same Emma, she denies gracefully as she wants to do it herself. Then again, I might as well do it for her. It surprises her at my sudden action, seeing myself taking a few slices of chicken before putting it onto her te and slowly pouring some barbecue sauce. It may seem like a simple gesture but most of the time, I don''t get to take food for others. My action surprises Evelyn and mother, as well. Yet, they just smile. Knowing that I''ve changed. ''''Here''s your favourite,'''' I mutter under my breath as I take a big spoonful of nicely-servedsagna. The chickensagna has always been her fav; as she once told me. She swore by to never mind eating it for the rest of her life, that showed how much she loves it. ''''I can take it myself, you know,'''' She breathes. ''''Of course. I know that. I just want to do it for you,'''' I respond with a smile, eyeing her facial expression. She smiles back, only letting me help her. Once I''m done, I pick up her spoon before trying to feed her. Her eyes widen, gesturing for me to stop but I tend to just ignore her and continue to slowly move the spoon forward towards her mouth. She rolls her eyes but she ends up eating it anyway; leaving me chuckle. ''''You deserve being treated like a princess, once in awhile, don''t you think?'''' I ask, picking up the fork to feed her the sliced chicken. She continues to chew as she shrugs, but she doesn''t seem to deny it. ''''There ya go,'''' I grin at the cuteness of her smile. ''''Let me do the same for you,'''' She replies. My eyebrows furrow but before I can question, she has already picked up my spoon to feed me. I turn to look at my mother and my sister who quickly look away as soon as they saw me ncing. Without further ado, I just open my mouth to let Emma feed me. We may seem like cheesy couples but hey, why not. ''''There''s a little smudge here,'''' She looks down at my lips before wiping the side with her thumb. I continue to stare deeply into her eyes; knowing that, a slight movement of hers can make me fall into a trance. We''ve done this before, in New York. That was our little gesture but it was something. ''''Remember New York?'''' I ask. She pulls back a little, ''''How can I forget? You liked the food in my restaurant judging by your facial expressions so yes, of course I remember,'''' She replies, joking. ''''We should go there sometimes,'''' I mutter. ''''Really?'''' She raises an eyebrow, hope filling in her eyes because I know just how much she misses her home. She misses the city she grew up in, she misses the noises of taxi drives honking as they drove. It''s all clear. ''''Really,'''' I run my thumb on the side of her cheek. ''''That''d be great. I''d like that,'''' She chuckles. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Emery Today is the day. The day where she''ll be judged. I, stand still as I watch the crowd, mostly citizens as they join us on this day. The day where we''ll say the truth and leave everything to the judge where he shall be the one to state Hannah''s punishment. ''''There are a lot of people here,'''' Evelyn says. ''''You''re right. The whole country knows about this. I''m pretty sure they''ve chosen our side yet some rebellions might be supporting her,'''' I mutter under my breath as I keep on eyeing the crowd as Emma stands still beside me, her fingers entwined with mine. ''''We don''t need to know that now,'''' She replies. ''''It''s starting,'''' Evelyn gestures for us to sit. Our royalwyer has been dealing issues in this family for years, he is one of our trustworthy man. We all sit at the assigned seats, facing the judge and within seconds, I am already turning to look at Hannah, seeing her staring straight at the judge as she caresses her stomach. All of a sudden, we are interrupted by the sound of the door opening before we can even start. Evelyn and I turn to look at the door, seeing Cole and Daniel entering as their eyes wander around the room. Without me realising, Cole has already looked my way as he walks towards his side¡ªwith Hannah. Daniel follows behind him, his eyes won''t leave Hannah''s figure. I can''t believe that this is what we''ve We wereughing, enjoying and even cherishing the moment of our lives. That seemed like only a few months ago but now things have changed. We''ve became adults before we get to realise it. ''''All rise. Honourable judge is preceding into the court room,'''' An officer says, as a sign for us to stand up; before turning to look at the judge, entering. ''''Please be seated,'''' He says, as we sit. ''''Shall we begin?'''' I hear someone ask but everything seems like a blur; my whole mind can''t even The judge begins by reading the case number and stating who is present in the court room other than the gallery and observers, ''''This is the case number 84C01-0703-JD-00569, in the matter of Hannah Johansson. Present in the courtroom are the defendant and her attorney, the deputy prosecutor and the probation officer.'''' I nce one more time at her, seeing her eyes are red and slightly swollen; as if she has been crying. Both of her hands are shaking but she hides it very well, not seen if I don''t pay close attention. As for herself, she looks tired, hopeless and just, miserable. It pains me to see her this way but it''s her fault. 1 This wouldn''t have happened if she didn''t attempt. ''''This is going to be long,'''' Evelyn mutters beside me, making me turn to look at her; seeing that she''s not looking at Hannah at all. Both of her eyes show no sympathy¡ªmaybe because she haven''t spent as much time as I''ve spent with her. ''''All are innocent until proven guilty. You have the option to plead not guilty, guilty or no contest. No contest means the trial will continue without your supporting evidence which can still find you guilty. I advise you not to plead no contest. You also have the right to obtain counsel,'''' The judge says, while the rest of us are quietly in our spot; not uttering anything. I look at Emma, seeing that she is currently looking down at her hands as she stays still next to our is. ''''In the matter of Maria Higgins and Hannah Johansson, pleasee forward,'''' He starts, looking up at Maria¡ªone of our maids who saw the whole incident. She was walking through the halls until she heard raising voices; luckily, she stayed long enough to see Hannah push Emma down the stairs which she ims to be a witness. Both of Hannah and Maria walk towards their stands, causing everyone to look at them. The judge looks down at the paper, ''''Maria Higgins, please raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?'''' He asks, eyeing Maria; so does the rest of the people here. An officer ces Maria''s hand on the bible, ''''I do.'''' ''''This is absurd,'''' Evelyn whispers beside me, ''''Why do we need to take this into the courtroom? It''s enough evident that the future queen could have been killed but Hannah still managed to make a case in order to defend herself? How does this even work?'''' She frowns. ''''There are certain unexined things,'''' I reply. ''''Oh, like the baby she''s carrying.'''' She crosses her arms, leaning back onto the seat before keeping quiet for a few seconds, ''''We''ve got the test result and the father,'''' She continues, making me look at her; listening. ''''I know about that, Evelyn,'''' I sigh, deeply. ''''The court doesn''t. They can make it all up,'''' She says. ''''So, I did us a favour. You and Emma can get away from all this pathetic mess when this is all over,'''' She adds. ''''You may begin,'''' The judge says to Maria. ''''It was on the tenth of June, Her Highness had arrived from Melbourne, Australia where she went with Princess Evelyn and Sir Andrea. From all I heard in the pce when they were gone, they went to investigate about the current child that Ms. Johansson is carrying as she imed Prince Emery to be the father,'''' She says, looking at our direction; whatever she will say, as long as she states the truth¡ª there will be no me. ''''I saw them. I heard voices but it sounded more like an argument yet I didn''t bother to intervene. All I could say is that, I saw Hannah pushed Princess Emma out of the room but she had pushed too far which caused her to fall down the stairs, resulting the miscarriage,'''' She continues to say and I take a few seconds to nce at Emma; trying to see how she''s cooping. ''''Thank you, Ms. Higgins. You may step down,'''' The judge says and Maria slowly steps down from the stand, walking back towards her seat. ''''Hannah Nicole Johansson, please raise your right hand. Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth and nothing but the truth?'''' The judge asks, the same as Maria. Within seconds, the officer has already made his way towards Hannah, cing her hand on the bible. I eye her every movement and all I can see is her eyes looking back at me; probably showing pain. ''''I do,'''' She replies; her voice almost inaudible. Everyone starts to whisper but their whispers are far from my range of hearing. They seem to talk about the incident that happened; making me look back at her, seeing that she''s currently looking at her brother. Cole''s eyes show arge amount of sympathy. He loves his sister so much that it''s a huge pain to see her in this state; for a small cause and a n, she ended up in jail. Maybe, all she attempted was to hurt Emma, just to make her see that she is capable of doing things. But, she ended up causing the miscarriage. ''''ording to Maria Higgins, you imed that His Highness, Prince Emery is the father to your child. In fact, there are also other witnesses agreed to your im as they heard and was present including Princess Evelyn and the queen herself,'''' Ourwyer, Mr. James Gilbert starts to speak, as he looks directly into her eyes. ''''Your honour, Hannah Johansson has spread nothing but lies as soon as shended in London. Other than iming the prince to be the father of her child, she ended up hurting the princess, our future queen, in order for her to prove herself right,'''' He continues. ''''He is the father to my child!'''' Hannah speaks. ''''On what proof? You have solemnly sworn on the bible that you shall tell the truth and nothing but the truth so I advise you to do as told,'''' He points at her, making her look down at the ground as she inhales. ''''In fact, the true father of the child is in here with us. I''ve asked him toe here all the way from Melbourne to justify and to state the truth. Remember Daniel, Ms. Johansson?'''' He asks, turning to look at Daniel, who is currently sitting on the other side with Cole. Everyone starts to mutter words as they look at him. ''''This is not just an empty talk. I have proof, Your Honour.'''' Mr. Gilbert makes his way towards Emma, opening his suitcase on the desk before taking out an unknown file and within seconds, Evelyn''s lips are already curving into a smile; making me realise what''s the content. ''''This is the paternity test. The doctor is also present if this file does not contain enough proof to state that the prince of Cambridge is definitely innocent,'''' He says, proudly as he nces towards Hannah; showing that he is already winning the case without a doubt. ''''Objection, Your Honour!'''' Her attorney stands. Everyone turns to look at the attorney, seeing that he is currently looking at Hannah and back at Emma. The main problem is that this case is being held, ording to thew which means that if there are certain proof that may show her innocent, it shall be that way. ''''Ms. Hannah Johansson and Prince Emery used to be together when they were in college. It''s no doubt that they could''ve spent more time together when he went to Australia in order to settle his degree,'''' He states, leaving me sighing deeply; knowing where this will lead. ''''Evidence, Your Honour.'''' He adds, cing a file. Within seconds, everyone begin to gasp at the pictures shown above. A picture of Hannah and I, with my hands on her waist as she sits on top of me while Iy on my back on the bed; the picture is clearly shown that it was taken by someone, outside of the apartment. Actually, a picture does not describe it enough. There are, in fact, five different pictures. Through the pictures, it is shown that Hannah and I were intimate. I look at Emma, seeing her turning to look at me, her eyes widen in surprise as she points at the pictures above. As for Evelyn, she starts to mutter curses. ''''That could''ve been taken months before the prince was married to Her Highness, Princess Emma. Yes, there''s no objection in stating that the prince and the offender were indeed close but they ended it all before he left Australia, as he was engaged to Princess Emma,'''' James Gilbert speaks up, ''''Forgive me, Your Honour but I shall show you more proof that may justify his innocence.'''' Within seconds, he is already holding a familiar ss. My eyebrows furrow as I remember the exact ss that I served to Hannah when she came. Then, I left her in the living room as I was answering Evelyn''s call. This is alling into pieces¡ªshe indeed drugged me. Then, she made it seem like we slept together. In order for her to cover up her pregnancy, stating that the father to the child that she is carrying is me when it''s not. She wanted me to take the me, the guilt. How did James Gilbert ended up with the same ss? Of course. I left Melbourne in a hurry that I did not bother cleaning all the mess up; he must''ve went to my apartment in order to look for more evidence. ''''I went there with him,'''' Evelyn whispers, ''''I know that her attorney will do anything to make sure that she seems innocent so I had nned it all with ourwyer,'''' She says, smiling as she continues to look up front. ''''This is the same ss that was used on the night that Hannah Johansson came to see Prince Emery in his apartment in Melbourne. ording to the examinations of this ss, it seemed that there was his DNA and few prints of drugs, enough to make him unconscious,'''' He continues, this time, the crowd grows louder. ''''Silence!'''' The judge says, frowning as he listens. ''''And this is the other ss that was used by Ms. Johansson herself. His Highness had served water and he was absent in the living room, answering a call from his sister, Princess Evelyn,'''' He says, as he ces another file with a different content; content of drugs in the ss from weeks ago. ''''But, it was weeks ago, how?'''' I ask, slowly as I face Evelyn, making sure that she hears my question very well. It seems almost impossible for her to track. ''''I''m not stupid, Emery. I went to Melbourne before Emma even asked me toe with her. When things were rough for you, I had no other choice,'''' She replies. Both of her eyes are looking directly into mine; as she states the truth¡ªshowing my innocence. ''''Any more objections?'''' The judge asks. Her attorney turns to look at James before shaking his head and turning back to his seat. It''s hard and Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. very impossible to win a case when the person is at fault. Yet, a lot of people have won cases that they don''t deserve but they just need a really goodwyer. ''''Thank you, Your Honour.'''' James bow slightly, ''''May I continue to the case where it involves the princess and the miscarriage? The attempted murder,'''' He asks. Hannah''s eyes are bewildered with worry, showing how she will be judged and will be proven wrong. Even though this is all unnecessary as we''ve given enough evidence but this is just a procedure, equality. ''''Ms. Higgins saw what happened and Her Highness was badly injured, causing the miscarriage of her eighteen weeks pregnancy, this may seem like a small ident but it''s not. In fact, it''s not an ident at all. As stated by Ms. Higgins, it seemed like they were arguing¡ªeven if they were, it''s because Ms. Johansson wanted to make sure that she gets what she wants,'''' He clears his throat, everyone listening to him, ''''Hannah Johansson was proven to be entering Prince Emery''s office when he was absent. For what reason?'''' ''''She''s at fault. Trespassing,'''' He states, clearly. ''''Objection, Your Honour!'''' The judge raises his hand, not letting her attorney to speak as he gestures for James to continue. ''''Other than that, she was disrespecting the princess. We follow thew and we all know how we respect and obey the royals so why would anyone, an Australian, even, being able to break thew? Attempting murder is no different,'''' ''''Proof that she attempted murder,'''' He says. Then, he ces an USB on the desk. ''''Security camera. Oh, sounds included,'''' He smiles, gesturing for the clip to be yed. I keep on looking at Emma; wanting to make sure that this is not too much for her because this may be too painful. Within seconds, the clip is being yed. Everyone''s eyes widen in shock but they keep quiet, only listening to the clip; making me feel my heartbeat raising. I haven''t seen the clip myself nor how she fell down the stairs, so how can I even see it now? I can never. ''''This is the clip in Prince Emery''s office,'''' ''''Whatever fling you had with Emery when you were both in college, it''s over. He doesn''t like you and I''m pretty sure he told you that but you''re too scared of admitting the truth. How long do you think you can get away with this? Clearly not for long,'''' Emma said. Just like that, Hannah was already grabbing onto Emma''s wrist before staring directly into her eyes. The way she looked at her in anger, despair and full amount of dissatisfaction showed how she was capable of doing anything. From that simple gesture, it was proven. ''''I will get what I want and you''re not going to stand in the way because trust me, Emma, I''ll put an end to your happiness. You''ll be gasping for help once you''ve realised that you''ve been messing with the wrong person and I would be d to see you hurt,'''' Hannah replied. ''''You wouldn''t dare of hurting me,'''' Emma muttered as she tried to take a few steps away from her but it was all too damnte. She was hesitating, overthinking. ''''Watch me,'''' Hannah smiled before pushing her against the door which caused the door to open roughly then, without Emma realising, she had already pushed her too far; causing her to trip down the stairs. Then, the clip ended with Emma disappearing out of sight as Hannah stared at the same spot. Everyone starts to mutter under their breaths, saying how this is all wrong and that she should be punished. She should be sentenced to death but the baby isn''t involved. The courtroom ended up quiet, not a single sound. ''''Thank you, Your Honour.'''' Mr. Gilbert says, walking back towards his seat beside Emma; seeing that she is currently breathing rapidly from behind but she tries to calm herself down by controlling it. All of a sudden, the crowd starts to shout in anger. ''''She deserves to die!'''' Someone shouts and the whole crowd agrees with him. From the sudden silence, it all turns to chaos¡ªpeople are standing up and pointing fingers at Hannah, showing how they despise her. ''''Let her rot in jail!'''' Another person shouts, loudly. ''''Silence! Silence!'''' The judge says, which causes everyone to calm down and sit back in their seats. Within seconds, the courtroom is left quiet again. My mind can''t seem to process the whole scene that is currently happening in front of me, yes, Hannah have been proven guilty; she will be receiving her punishment but she does not deserve to be treated this way. She is an Australian citizen, she has her own rights in her country which applies anywhere else. The embassy will not be pleased to hear what she did but nor will they be pleased to hear how she is being treated. ''''Hannah Nicole Johansson, proven guilty is sentenced to death within nine months after the birth of her child,'''' The judge says, determining the punishment and everyone starts to shout loudly once more but as soon as Evelyn and I stand up, the whole crowd stops. I take my time to look at Cole and Daniel who is doing the same before giving them a sign to meet me back at the pce; as ordered to the drivers, they will take them because there is just a lot to talk about. Things. Within seconds, I am already holding onto Emma''s hand as we walk out of the courtroom with Evelyn following behind. Just by holding onto her hand, I can feel her shake in fear and I know that she''s getting it back. The shbacks, theye with pain. She will always get the shbacks again because she can never fully heal from all the misery that she faced; maybe soon, but for now, there''s no such thing as miracle but hope. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Emery ''''I''m sorry, Cole. I really am,'''' I say, patting onto his shoulder; wanting to make sure that I show my sincere sympathy¡ªI have never wanted any of us to turn out this way because I''ve always wanted the best. He smiles, ''''It''s fine. Don''t worry about me,'''' ''''I should be the one apologising to you. She''s my sister and I should''ve known better. This is just too fucked up, man and I think I''m going to go insane,'''' He mutters, slowly but clearly. Of course, anyone would go insane if any of this happens, we''d be ape crazy. Cole turns to look at Daniel, who''s currently standing all by himself near the entrance of the pce. He seems to be spending time on his own and zone out, he would just do that. He has been doing that for the past hour. ''''Talk to him. He needs it,'''' He says, about Daniel. I make my way towards Daniel, seeing that he has been zoning outtely kind of worries me. Once I''m standing beside him, I can''t help but follow his gaze; seeing him eyeing Evelyn and Andrea which confuses me. ''''So, you have a thing for my sister?'''' I ask, jokingly. To my surprise, he starts tough, shaking his head. ''''Isn''t that against the bro code?'''' He raises an eyebrow, ''''But no, man. I wish I had a thing for your sister so I can just take her out of this ce¡ªI mean, London''s great but being royal? I don''t think that''s her forte.'''' He adds, smiling as he looks down at the ground. ''''Eh, I guess the Van Ans are born to spread our wings because you''ve described me perfectly.'''' I reply, making him chuckle in respond, ''''What''s in your head?'''' I ask. Daniel keeps quiet for a few seconds before responding but I know that he''s just trying to tell me that he''s fine. Yet, I can tell that he''s bad at lying; he''s always bad at doing bad things¡ªtrust me, I know. ''''It''s just that, I can''t stop thinking about Hannah,'''' He replies, ''''You know that the child is mine and I feel so hopeless that I''m actually letting her face death,'''' The way he speaks, I know that he likes her or probably more because he wants what''s best for his child. ''''You love her? Do you love Hannah?'''' I ask, slowly. He furrows his eyebrows, ''''I can''t help but admit I do. She just doesn''t let herself see how much I''ve been there for her especially when you weren''t around, no offence. Hannah''s just fucked up now because she''s never like this, believe me, man. You know that too,'''' He says. ''''None taken,'''' I reply, clearing my throat. He begins to sigh deeply; somehow, letting all of his sorrows and worries away just by that single breath. The judge has sentenced her death after giving birth to her child and I know that it''s not even going to be long. ''''When is her due?'''' I ask, wanting to know. ''''Probably in eight months. She might have a whole month left to spend with our child¡ªbut that''s just like a possibility. I can''t believe it,'''' He answers, frowning. ''''You''re bing a father. Congrattions,'''' I smile; trying to cheer him up slightly, making sure that he would still feel himself full of hope. Even if Hannah won''t be there for him or their child, at least he''ll be there to support and care for their own. ''''I''m sorry about what happened to Emma,'''' ''''No worries. She''s healing and I''m trying to ept the whole thing. It''s just a slow process,'''' I mutter under my breath but loud enough for him to hear me properly. I''m sure that what happened with Emma and I, there has got to be a reason why. Maybe we weren''t ready to be parents; maybe, maybe. ''''You can always try again. You''re both still young; I mean, have a child when you''re ready to have a child. Don''t just spend your life for a child, try to spend it with your wife; that kind of married life,'''' He states, a little bit surprising me by his words because well, Daniel has never given me an advice that''s worthy. I smile, agreeing with him as there are no words. Within seconds, I am already turning around to see Emma walking down the stairs as her eyes wander to find me¡ªonce her eyes meet mine, my lips instantly curve up into a smile; leaving her smiling back. ''''All I can say is that you''re a damn lucky man,'''' He mutters from beside me, pointing towards Emma with his words as I keep on staring at my wife. The way her lips are curved up into a smile that would instantly make me swoon endlessly, for sure, I am lucky. ''''You guys make yourselves at home, okay?'''' I say as I make my way towards her but before I can reach her, she has already exited down the hall; out of my sight. There has got to be something in her mind that she would want to say because well, I just guess. Once I''ve walked down the hall, I enter the room that has both of the doors open; revealing Emma, standing in the middle before turning to look at me, gesturing for me to close the door behind me. I do as asked. ''''What''s wrong? Are you hurting?'''' I ask, gently. She smiles, ''''No. Of course not. There''s just something that I want to say and ask. It''s something that has been bothering me since yesterday but I couldn''t find the right time to say it,'''' She says, her eyes focusing deeply into mine¡ªmaking me look back at her. ''''Tell me. Anything just let me know,'''' I touch the side of her face before caressing her cheek with my thumb. The way her skin feels utterly smooth; it''s almost insane. She makes me want to be close to her, every single day. ''''I''ve been thinking that maybe we''ve been going on too fast; this marriage, this rtionship, it has been one hell of a ride, hasn''t it? So, I thought, we could at least slow it down a little bit. Take things slow and just go on with the flow¡ªnot rushing anything,'''' She starts to talk, ''''Like, Emery, I don''t even know your favourite food and it''s just crazy how we''ve been together this far, almost having a child of our own that we barely know ourselves. Do you think I''m acting strange? Do tell,'''' From the sound of her voice and the way that she speaks, it shows how she''s determined to make me ept her suggestion. Truthfully, she made a good point about out marriage, rtionship. We''ve been too far, almost having a child of our own but we barely know one another, so, yes, it''s insane. Both of her brown eyes are just staring at me. ''''Don''t get me wrong. I love you and I really do. I swear to god, you''re the only man I''ve evere to love this much other than my father; of course but,'''' She stops for awhile, leaving me chuckle at her point, ''''I want to get to know you better, Emery. I want to be the wife that knows everything about her husband, his favourite food, his favourite colour, his favourite tie and¡ª'''' I cut her off by pressing my index finger on her lips. ''''I understand, Emma. You don''t need to exin,'''' ''''I definitely get your point. You love me and I love you more than you can ever think of. Whatever it is, your idea or n to make our rtionship stronger then yes, I''d be d to agree. It''s not just you that doesn''t know anything about me because I barely know anything about you too¡ªit''s almost crazy to think of,'''' I add. ''''I''d like to get to know my own wife,'''' I smile. ''''Really?'''' She raises an eyebrow, her eyes widening as she tries to control her smile; not wanting to make her seem like she''s overjoy with happiness. I try to lean in, being able to kiss her lips but before I can even brush my lips against hers, she has already pulled away which causes me to look into her eyes; questioning why, as she has never denied All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. before. ''''There are certain rules that I think we should work on. I mean, in order for us to get to know each other better, we should probably start as strangers. Like, we pretend that we don''t know each other and ¡ª'''' I cut her off. ''''You mean, we go through the stages that we didn''t got the chance to go through? From strangers, to friends, lovers, partners, to husband and wife?'''' It would make a lot of sense; due to the fact that, she wants us to go through each stage, ''''And let me guess, we''re strangers now which means I can''t kiss you,'''' I mutter. To my surprise, she starts to chuckle, ''''Well, you don''t really just end up kissing strangers on the street,'''' She replies, causing both of us to smile at each other. ''''Unless, I''m too drunk to remember,'''' I joke. ''''Of course, I''d find you on the streets, kissing strangers to your heart''s content because you''re just a sick loner.'''' She smirks, showing how she enjoys this little joke. We stare at each other for the next few seconds, only taking in the reality. We need this, maybe because this is the reason why; we just have to realise. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 42: Chapter Forty-one Emery I barge into Evelyn''s library, resulting in me to see her kissing Andrea; with both of her hands cupping onto his face before turning to look at me in surprise. ''''Emery! W¡ªwhat are you doing?'''' She stutters. My eyes wander to look at Andrea, hearing him clear his throat¡ªawkwardly. I try my best to ignore the sudden awkwardness as I head in, closing the distance between us so that I can talk to her; the main reason why I came here, I wouldn''t just barge without purpose. ''''Evelyn, I need your help. Really need your help,'''' I say, pressing both of my hands on the desk. Evelyn looks at me in the eyes; trying to understand what I''m asking for because I rarely ask her for anything. ''''What kind of help?'''' She raises an eyebrow. ''''I need to court Emma,'''' I reply; quickly. 1 Both, Andrea and Evelyn, look at me in confusion. Courting my own wife¡ªthat sounds bizarre. It means getting to know someone with the intention of marrying that someone; how am I supposed to court her when she''s already mine to begin with? Well, we just have to go through the stages of courting. ''''What do you mean court Emma?'''' She asks, ''''You two are already married. Okay, tell me, what''s going on with you two? Why do you need to court her?'''' I run my fingers through my brown hair; realising that it''s actually overgrowing for the past couple of weeks but I paid no attention. Truth be told, makes it easier for me to just run my fingers through it and style it naturally¡ªI don''t think I need a haircut, now. ''''This may sound like a waste of time but Emma thinks that it''d be better for us to get to know each other. After the miscarriage, she just thought that we''ve been going on too fast; this whole marriage. She wants us to take it slow, go through the process, one by one,'''' I exin to her, slowly trying to make her understand. ''''So, why do you need my help?'''' She frowns. ''''I''ve been thinking about what I should do to try and make our process memorable and worthwhile but all that came through my mind were just cliches,'''' I shrug, sighing deeply before leaning back on the seat. I continue, ''''I came here to ask you a favour. You''re a woman and I''m sure you know a lot of things than any men would know; even if he''s an expert. Like, what are the things that you like? More forward, what do women like in men? What do they want?'''' I specifically add. ''''Emery, let me just say one thing. You want to court Emma because she said that she wanted to take things slow and she felt like she barely knew anything about you in which I think you feel the same? So, hear me out on this one, I can see your effort on getting to know her and yes, women likes that. Believe me, they do. Just, go ahead and follow your instinct. She''s your wife, your girl so you only have to trust yourself. If you think that she''ll like it if you surprise her with the cheesiest things then go ahead, no one is stopping you. Do it,'''' Andrea says, leaving me speechless at his words. He has never been the type to advise me; well, we haven''t been talking much which exins quite a lot. Evelyn ends up ncing at my direction, her eyes widening in surprise as her brows furrow in confusion. The way she looks at me and back again at Andrea, it shows how he does not expect him that way. I keep quiet for a few seconds, ''''You''re actually right. So, yeah, thanks,'''' I say, quickly before running out of the library¡ªwanting to make sure that I''ll be able to n it all out so that it can at least be a little bit perfect. I can''t help but think about something simple. An outdoor pic, perhaps; not really taking her out on a fancy first date because that seems too much. We''re trying to get to know each other and not just impressing one another so of course, simplicity is better. Emma''s not the type to demand either, she''s a total sweetheart¡ªno one can be able to rece her and that''s a true fact. I really hope that she feels the same about me because even if we''ve said we love each other, where does that love stands? I want to know. All of a sudden, I find myself staring at Emma from behind as she stands near mother''s garden. The way her brown hair falls loosely down her back; it attracts me. Her beauty will never fail to fascinate me even if she shows all of her ws because god, damn. ''''I know that you''re staring,'''' She says before turning to look at me; her lips curving up into a small smile. ''''You caught me,'''' I reply before walking towards her. Emma continues to smile, ''''Easily,'''' She mutters. ''''I came here to ask you out on a date,'''' I begin, seeing that her facial expressions are changing, ''''Maybe, if you''re interested to go on a pic?'''' I add, slowly. ''''I''d like that,'''' She replies, her smile never fading. Yes, a first date is a great step. We''ll be able to talk, about the things that we weren''t able to talk about before. We''ve been too caught up in our own romance that we''ve forgotten that we should know ourselves. ''''Actually, how about now?'''' I ask, instantly making herugh at me as I pull onto her hand; running down the hall without thinking of anything else. She won''t stopughing and I can''t help but smile at her chuckles. We push the door open through the backyard, without us realising that we''re actually causing a lot of noise. I, quickly pull her as we continue to run; the gardeners are staring at us in surprise before smiling at our childish behaviour yet we pay no attention. I turn to look at Emma and to my surprise, I find her actually looking very happy. It has been awhile since I''ve seen her this way; which cheers me up. The way her lips are curving widely into a smile, she''s just genuinely happy about this¡ªit''s all proven. Just like that, I begin to stop walking once I''ve caught the sight of the well arranged pic date. Since it''s pretty much sunny outside and a little bit of windy, it''s a perfect day for a pic. I turn to look at her, seeing that she''s eyeing the red and white checkered tablecloth on the grass before looking up at me. ''''Come on,'''' I mutter as I pull her slowly, heading there. Once we''re close enough, we start to sit down and it doesn''t take me long to look up at her; seeing that the sunlight is nicely hitting her face which reveals light freckles on her cheeks that has been almost invisible most of the time. She doesn''t seem to realise. Realise that I''m captivated. Then, all of a sudden, she smiles at me. ''''Why are you looking at me like that?'''' She asks, raising an eyebrow before tilting her head to the side, slightly ''''Why are you looking at me like that?'''' She asks, raising an eyebrow before tilting her head to the side, slightly. I, on the other hand, is left speechless due to the fact that she caught me staring at her. Twice, today. ''''Like what?'''' I end up asking her back. ''''Like that,'''' She points at my face, quickly chuckling afterwards beforeying t on the ground; with a biscuit in her hand as she stares up at the blue sky. With her loosely buttoned grey shirt and jeans, it doesn''t really matter what she wears because at the end of the day, I''ll still find her attractive. She has always been attractive, especially when I walked in the room, when we first met. Even from behind, she''s perfect. I end upying beside her, only looking up at the sky. We''re both enjoying the sun as the wind blows onto our skin, making her close her eyes which causes me to turn and look at her¡ªseeing that she''s still smiling. Without me realising, I''m already smiling, too. The way she''s just enjoying this is quite cute. At least, I''ve found something that would make her this happy. ''''How''d you know that I like pics?'''' She asks. ''''I didn''t. I just thought of it,'''' I reply, continuing to look at her even though she still has her eyes closed. ''''You sure?'''' She peeks before turning her head to face me, our eyes are pierced into one another. I feel so close to her even though I know that we''re still trying; just differently, this time, ''''What''s your favourite colour?'''' ''''That''s bloody random,'''' I chuckle. ''''Well, we''re random. So, tell me. Is it brown? Green? Blue? Purple? No, wait, ck?'''' She leans closer, trying to tease me and pressuring me to answer. I keep quiet for a few seconds, only thinking of the colour I fond most; which is pretty hard. I''ve been fine with almost any colour and now her question is just making me think of the only colour I like. ''''Pink,'''' I mutter under my breath, almost inaudible. To my surprise, she starts tough. Herugh grows louder within each second which I can''t help but ''''Does it look like I''m making a joke?'''' I frown. ''''No, it''s just that¡ªyou don''t look like someone who likes the colour pink. I mean,'''' She chuckles again. ''''Enlighten me, then. How do people who likes pink look like?'''' Without both of us realising, we''re already close enough to each other; but, we don''t bother. ''''I don''t know, girly?'''' She raises an eyebrow before continuing tough again in which I am left, blushing in embarrassment yet honestly, it doesn''t bother me much. The way she justughs loudly without a single care in the world, that''s something new. ''''Are you blushing? Oh my lord,'''' Sheughs. ''''No, I''m not!'''' I end up trying to cover her mouth but when I do so, she just keeps on teasing me. ''''What''s your favourite colour, then?'''' I ask, trying to know about her favourite colour, too. It can probably be much worse than mine¡ªin which I can tease her back but I''m pretty sure I can''t even do that. She ends up leaning closer before whispering, ''''Pink,'''' Then, she continues tough again; making me roll my eyes in annoyance but truth be told, it''s adorable. This kind of behaviour in this situation shows how we''re close enough to be making silly jokes,ughing without a single care in the world, just teasing one another. This is the kind of rtionship that I''d want us to have. ''''It''s not pink, is it?'''' I ask, my voice low. She turns to face me with a smile, ''''It''s brown,'''' ''''Like poop brown?'''' I end upughing in which she joins me, realising that both of our favourite colours are just in shitty. It has been awhile since the two of us haveughed this much, I missed it. ''''You''re such a teaser,'''' She pokes onto my arm. ''''Eh, you''re not so bad yourself,'''' I smile at her; eyeing her from the side. Within seconds, she is already turning to look at me¡ªour eyes are deeply gazing. Then, that''s when it hits me. Having the most beautiful woman in the world as my wife, I''m more than lucky. This is all like winning a lottery¡ªdamn, I don''t even know if that''s even the right way to describe it. 2 All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. She describes it perfectly; the way that she is, it''s my kind of girl. The kind that I''ve always longed to have. Yes, it took me awhile to realise but now that I have, it''s all too much to process. I''m speechless. Just like that, I find my lips meeting hers, in which she responds back without rejecting. It''s a slow kiss, the kind of kiss that happens for the first time. The kind of kiss that shows the true feelings instead of trying to impress someone by giving them the best kiss of their lives. The kind of kiss that doesn''t include lust. We end up breaking the kiss whichsted shortly. I open my eyes to see that she still has both of hers closed. The way that she is and always be mine sounds impossible but here we are¡ªI''ve fallen deeply in love with the woman from across the world, the woman that I had no intention of marrying in the first ce. This woman. ''''I think we''ve skipped the two stages,'''' I breathe. She chuckles before sitting up straight. Then, all of a sudden, we start to realise that it''s starting to rain¡ªheavily, even. Emma and I run back towards the garden, wanting to find a roof that''ll be able to avoid ourselves from getting bloody wet. As for Emma, she finds all of this interesting as she pulls onto my hand;ughing as she does so. To my surprise, the sprinklers are turned on without us realising; leaving her yelp in surprise before entering the pce again¡ªseeing a surprised, Evelyn. ''''Oh, better wash up. Together, I mean. Saves up time and water,'''' She teases before leaving the room. Emma and I end up looking at each other, onlyughing as we do so, then, she starts to walk up the stairs; leaving me all by myself with my clothes dripping with water, thinking of what had happened. I''ve just fallen in love all over again Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Emery ''''Wake up! Rise and shine,'''' I open my eyes in a hurry as soon as I hear my mother''s voice, instantly making me feel the amount of headache that hasn''t been bothering me for so long ever since college was over. Her voice sounds like an rm, serious though. I furrow my eyebrows in annoyance before turning to look at my side, seeing that Emma is nowhere to be found¡ªrealising that we haven''t been sleeping in the same bed ever since we made that agreement. ''''It''s ten in the morning, for god''s sake, mother. Why are you waking me up so early in the morning?'''' I ask,ying back on the bed as I snuggle closer with the pillows. My whole body feels drained and dehydrated so, she has got to let me sleep for at least another couple of hours. ''''No, wake up. You have an event tonight with Emma so you two have to bloody be there. Excuse my lord,'''' She starts to mumble and make a lot of noises in the room but I don''t bother waking up because she''ll leave me aler. To my surprise, I find myself soaking wet due to the amount of cold water being poured all over me. I sit up straight in a hurry, shouting in pain before seeing Evelyn looking at me with a smirk on her face, enjoying. ''''For fuck''s sake, oh my god,'''' I try to breathe. ''''It''s not ten in the morning, it''s three in the afternoon. So, wake your ass up or I''ll pour some more,'''' She says, pointing at the bucket that she''s currently holding. My head shakes in disagreement, another pour of that cold water and I''ll be dead. I''m pretty sure. ''''When did you even walk in?!'''' I ask in frustration, not feeling satisfied by her; she has always been the one to bully me and I''m more than lucky to not be under the same roof as her for the past eight years. ''''I''m everywhere, Emery. Remember that,'''' She says. ''''Get up, get up. Apparently, I forgot to mention that you and Emma have an event to attend. No worries, just dress up your part and be at the event,'''' Mother says, as she walks out from the walk-in closet, with a pair of tux. She''s the one to prepare my clothing instead of the any of the maids because she said that she knows me better. Of course, she''s my mother. She knows me. ''''What kind of event?'''' I ask, pushing myself up. ''''Just some event,'''' She replies, smiling. ''''Wow, that''s very helpful,'''' I joke and Evelyn joins me as she chuckles, agreeing. Mother is very secretive about certain informations and it annoys me sometimes. ''''Get up, now.'''' Evelyn adds, rolling her eyes. I,zily step down from the bed before heading towards the bathroom; wanting to take a shower so that I''ll be able to feel fresh andfortable. Once I''m done doing what''s necessary, I head out of the bathroom to find myself staring at Evelyn, holding a tuxedo up. As I sigh deeply, she leaves me to dress up and get myself ready for the event. An event that I don''t even know the asion; probably, a charity event or just an event where I''ll dine and leave. Typical. I stare at myself in the mirror; seeing that it has been awhile since I''ve gotten myself this nice. The way my tuxedo just fits nicely onto my body and my hair neatlybed to the back; couple of strands showing off a simple andy back look, making me smile. All of a sudden, Evelyn and mother walk into the room, eyeing my outfit before smiling to themselves All of a sudden, Evelyn and mother walk into the room, eyeing my outfit before smiling to themselves. I just keep on looking at myself as I try to make myself look better, neater. I stare a little bit longer at the wedding band on my finger, reminded of Emma. ''''Looks like you''re all set,'''' Mother mutters. ''''Now, will you tell me what this is all for?'''' I frown. ''''Just attend the event. Enjoy yourself and it''ll be over before you know it¡ªtrust me,'''' Evelyn replies, eyeing up at the clock, ''''Oh! Look at the time,'''' She adds. Then, she quickly make her way out of the room, making me realise that she was all dressed up in her dark red dress; something that she would only wear if there''s a special asion, probably like tonight. ''''Where''s Emma?'''' I ask, putting on my wrist watch. ''''You''ll be going with Andrea. Don''t worry, you''ll meet her there at the event¡ªhave fun, my dear,'''' Mother smiles before kissing onto my cheek, leaving me wonder why she won''t just let Emma go with me. ''''Alright. Goodnight, mother.'''' I smile at her, pecking onto the side of her cheek; leaving the room with the sight of her smile, the main happiness. I walk down the stairs to find Andrea waiting for me, he is also wearing a tuxedo which matches mine. He looks up at me, pointing at his wrist watch, ''''I swear Evelyn dresses up quicker than you,'''' He says, chuckling. ''''That would be a lie,'''' I breathe, smiling. Then, I look down at my wrist watch to find that it''s already six in the evening¡ªmaking me realise that it took me about two hours to get ready. Taking a shower was not included in the amount of time I''ve spent. ''''Come on. We don''t want to bete,'''' He says. We walk side by side out of the pce, into the back of a limousine, with two other cars following us for a better security¡ªit has always been like this. Sometimes, it''s far worst, it''d be better if they just leave us alone. I nce up at Andrea, seeing that he''s busy typing on his phone, probably texting Evelyn. They have been going on about each other and I''m pretty sure, it''s something serious¡ªserious enough to marry her. Sometimes, just sometimes, I wish that I was able to get to know Emma first before actually marrying her. We would be enjoying things differently and I would actually have the effort to marry her, make her my wife instead of having to marry her without effort. She will and always be the love of my life. It''s just that, I wish our situation was different¡ªI''d still want to end up with her but I just want us to experience the kind of things that a couple should go through, stages. The stages where we meet, show interest and try. 1 Might be too much to ask but I''m very thankful. Then again, we might not even meet if it wasn''t for the damn agreement¡ªwe would never cross paths. We might end up with different people but if we have always meant to be together, it''ll be the same. We''d be destined and we''d been very in love; that, I promise. Emma. Who would''ve known? She has be the woman that I''ll always love, cherish and protect; no matter what the situation. I love her. ''''We''re here,'''' I am interrupted by Andrea''s words, making me look at the tinted windows, seeing that we''re indeed here. The amount of reporters filling the way, letting them take pictures as we walk down the red carpet; into the hall, where the event is held. As soon as both of us step out of the car, cameras are shing and almost blinding my sight; making me smile, something that''s a must for us royals. We walk down the red carpet, only trying to get away Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. from the cameras as fast as possible¡ªdisliking the attention. When we step inside, we''re greeted with elegance. The lights are shining and brightening the whole hall, showing the amount of people, all dressed nicely and fitted to be in here The lights are shining and brightening the whole hall, showing the amount of people, all dressed nicely and fitted to be in here. I, on the other hand, is too busy to be amazed by the beauty of the hall as I am truly bewitched by the beauty of my wife. My eyes remain focused on her, seeing that she is currently smiling as she continues on the conversation. She doesn''t seem to notice that I''m standing in the middle of the entrance, only looking at her. At the beauty that she holds, the perfection. It takes me awhile to realise that I''m smiling. For some reason, it feels like it''s just the two of us. The other people here doesn''t matter, no matter how long they keep on staring at me; probably wondering why I''m acting this way. Then, they can just look away. God, she''s beautiful. I thought to myself. I can stare at her for as long as I stand, I swear. Then, all of a sudden, her eyes meet mine. She seems surprised at first but her lips immediately curve up into a smile¡ªwhich I reply back, due to the fact that I caught her eyeing down my body for a second. I slowly walk down the stairs, eyes are still focused onto her, not bothered to look at anyone else; even if other women are staring at me and whispering words, they don''t matter¡ªmy wife matters, most. It feels surreal, everything. I''ve always known that she is beautiful but tonight, right now, she''s passed that. For the first time, I''m seeing her to be this elegant. The way that her dress reveals the appropriate amount of skin, showing off her corbones and cleavage The way that her dress reveals the appropriate amount of skin, showing off her corbones and cleavage. I''vepletely, utterly, deeply fallen in love with her; not just by her beauty but by the way she stands tall, full of confidence. She''s the only one glowing. We''re the centre of attention, people''s talk. Once I''m close enough, a couple of women who has been talking to her bow slightly in respect, but for some bloody reason, I can''t seem to look away from Emma. The way that she continues to smile, the way that she knows she has fully caught my attention, god. ''''You''re very beautiful,'''' I mutter, earning another smile from her as she looks at the crowd¡ªas they all end up keeping quiet, only looking at us. ''''You''re very handsome, yourself,'''' She replies. I may look like a fool for staring at her this long and this much but that doesn''t bother me right now. I''m the luckiest man alive, to have her as my wife. Truth be told, I think I''m more fortunate for her existence. Just like that, the music begins to y, as a sign for us and others to dance¡ªin which I respond by giving her my hand, ''''Can I have this dance?'''' I ask, slowly. She nods, smiling before taking my hand. Her warmth soothes the coldness of my fingers as we walk towards the middle of the hall before cing my hand at the back of her waist as she ces one hand on my shoulder, leaving me staring directly into her eyes. It''s quite a surprise that I''m the one mesmerised. I find ourselves dancing with the music as others begin to join, yet it doesn''t bother me. As I twirl her around, she is brought closer towards me¡ªmaking me nce down at her lips before looking back up at her eyes. ''''Does this count as a second date?'''' I ask, my voice low and almost inaudible, only loud enough for her to hear. My mind, my body, my soul is fullymitted to her without a single interruption. ''''I suppose,'''' She replies, smiling. ''''Where do we stand now?'''' I question, wanting to know her answer due to the fact that I can''t hold it any longer. I want to be able to kiss her all the time, hold her in my arms and just be in each other''s embrace, not far away from one another because it''s paining me. To my surprise, I find her leaning in but due to our heights, it''s quite a trouble for her so I lean in too, leaving our lips to meet in a slow, passionate kiss. Her hands are around my neck, pulling me closer and deepening the kiss; leaving me kissing her back. It has been awhile since we''ve shared a kiss so passionate, so full of meaning and mixed with lust. I, on the other hand, pulls her by the waist; wanting to make sure that she''s all mine. Let those eyes that stare at her know that she belongs to me and I belong to her. No one else can praise the beauty she holds, other than me because that''s my job; to appreciate her. What kind of event is this? I don''t even know. She breaks the kiss, making me clench onto my jaw before sighing deeply; realising that I was too caught away in the kiss that I''vepletely forgotten where we are¡ªin public, where people are staring. My eyes open to meet hers, seeing that she''s busy eyeing my face as she caresses the side of my face; letting me stay still, only feeling her touch. Her warmth. ''''How can you be so beautiful?'''' I whisper, smiling as she chuckles, shaking her head in disagreement. Yet, she just holds onto my hand, letting me wonder myself. ''''Well, look at you. You''re beautiful,'''' She winks. ''''There''s no objection for me but you, you''vepletely mesmerised me, love. You''ve won my heart and my soul for the years toe until myst breath,'''' I mutter, looking into her eyes as I said those words; wanting to show how I mean every single word. Sincerely. ''''I''m still the same New Yorker that you were arranged to marry, the same one you proposed at the airport and the same one you fell for, I''m still yours. Till death do us apart,'''' She replies, her words sinking deep into my heart¡ªknowing that it''s her way of confessing. ''''Will you promise to always love me?'''' I ask. ''''I promise to always love you. No matter what,'''' Then, she adds, ''''What about you? Will you devote your life, yourself and your love to me?'''' She smiles. ''''I''m hopelessly devoted to you,'''' I smile back. ''''Believe me. You''re the only one I see, the only one I want to be with for the rest of my life. I can''t and won''t imagine myself with anyone else except for you; you are the woman that I''ve fallen deeply in love and it''s very impossible for me to step back. Trust me, sweetheart. No matter what we go through, I''m yours,'''' I add. Emma chuckles, her cheeks are reddening and yet, I find her adorable. The way she tries to cover up her cheeks as she continues to nervouslyugh, she''s just herself. It''s insane how I''ve managed to fall so deeply in love with someone when it was only months that I kept on saying I won''t be in a serious rtionship with anyone, look at me now, almost going crazy for my other half. To our surprise, we are interrupted by the prime minister, causing me to slowly let go of Emma and turn to look at him¡ªin which he starts to greet us. Emma, excuses herself as she leaves me to talk. Even as I talk with other people, I can''t help but keep on looking back at her; as she was talking, to hurt. I can barely focus on anything else. ''''You''re madly in love,'''' Andrea says from beside. ''''I can assure you that I am,'''' I reply as I take a sip of my drink, only eyeing the crowd¡ªas other women are busy ncing at my direction in which I pay no attention. Evelyn is currently talking with Emma, they are busyughing and just enjoying their night; not bothered to look or think of anything else, they are just there. ''''I want to tell you something and I want you to know that I''m very serious about it,'''' He continues to speak, making me turn to look at him; waiting for him to go on because hell yes, he sounds serious, ''''I''m in love with Evelyn and I want to marry her. I''ve been courting her for the past months and I''m sure of my feelings,'''' My eyes widen, slightly; but, I keep calm. ''''So soon? You two have just met,'''' I frown, ''''I mean, yes, that was months ago but are you sure? Are you very sure that you''d be able to love her? She''s my sister and I want to make sure that you love her truly,'''' I reply. He looks at me for a few seconds, probably thinking of something before turning to look at Evelyn; the woman that he ims to be in love, my sister. The woman that has been busy travelling the world, meeting different people and having a lot of experiences. ''''Were you so sure when you married Emma?'''' He asks, ''''You weren''t in love with her and things were different but look at you two now, crazy for one another. About Evelyn and I, it''s different¡ªI love her and I want to be able to love her, for as long as I live. I want to prove to you that I''m good enough for her,'''' He says, letting me think and turn to look at Evelyn, seeing that she has been happytely, more happy, actually. ''''Then, prove it. Marry her,'''' I mutter. Andrea''s eyes widen in surprise before patting onto my shoulder, smiling widely as he continues to look at her. Then, all of a sudden, he has already make his way towards her¡ªtaking her hand as soon as he''s close. He goes on one knee, surprising everyone. I find myself smiling as soon as she starts tearing up, nodding her head and epting his proposal, letting him put the ring on her finger¡ªearning an apuse from everyone else, including myself. She smiles widely at him as she wipes away her tears. As he, keeps on kissing onto her cheek. Somehow, I am reminded of myself with Emma when I proposed to her¡ªit was the worst proposal ever yet I have no single regret. It was an honest one, it was just something even though it had no meaning. I smile as I am suddenly recalling back the memories: ''''Do you choose me?'''' I ask. ''''I don''t know,'''' She replies, confused. To her surprise, I start to go on one knee, earning almost everyone''s attention. I keep on looking at her face and trying to think of ways to propose when I know nothing about her, absolute nothing. ''''I don''t really have a ring with me but, uh, either way I''m still kneeling. You can walk away and leave or you can ept me and we''ll get this over with. So, Emma, I barely know anything about you because we met yesterday and it''s really unrealistic for me to be proposing to a woman that I barely know but when I firstid eyes on you, I saw a very beautiful woman¡ªnot the prettiest but you are very beautiful. I don''t know what else I''m supposed to say and this is probably the most horrible proposal but Emma Faye Parker, will you or will you not marry me?'''' I say, staring deeply into her eyes with hope that she might be epting my proposal. ''''Well, I feel sorry for you to die alone so yes, Emery France Van An, I will marry you,'''' She replies. God, that was bloody horrible. It was the worst. ''''What were you thinking?'''' She asks, causing me to turn and look at my wife; seeing that she''s smiling up at me. Both of her hands are on her side before grabbing onto my arm¡ªmaking me chuckle. ''''It was just something,'''' I mutter, loud enough. She points at the hors d''oeuvres, asking me if I want any but I just shake my head and gesture for her to take some if she wants; in which she denies. Hours have passed and we''re already back at the pce, making me sigh deeply before entering my office; I have left my phone in here since yesterday, leaving me a little but anxious, I thought I''ve lost it. As I look at my desk, I find my phone there. All of a sudden, I look up to find Emma entering the room, leaving me furrowing my eyebrows in confusion as she looks down at my hand, seeing what I''m holding. ''''You''re not going to bed?'''' I ask, raising an eyebrow. She stands in front of me, ''''Not tonight,'''' My mind stays confused until I realise what she meant, leaving me staring at her face. Her dress has revealed a little bit more than before, her cleavage which causes me to realise that it''s heating me up, slightly. Both of our eyes are deeply staring into one another. Then, she lifts her hands up to untie my bowtie. I am left smiling at her action, only letting her drop the bowtie onto the ground; eyeing at my face I am left smiling at her action, only letting her drop the bowtie onto the ground; eyeing at my face. Once I find her hand slowly going down my abs, I quickly wrap my arms around her waist before picking her up and cing her on the desk¡ªface inches apart. Just like that, I begin to lean in; kissing her deeply. Both of my hands are on her thighs, slowly opening her leg so that I can stand in between without breaking the kiss before cing my hands on the sides of his waist. She leans forward to deepen the kiss, slowly. I tilt my head to the side, trying to make it easier for us to share this lustful, passionate kiss. My whole body starts to warm up as I slowly unzip the back of her dress; letting the dress loosening around her body. After pulling onto the pins in her hair, they begin to fall down her shoulders, making me pull her closer by the waist¡ªmissing the way we used to kiss and love. We were freely loving one another and it has been awhile. I want to cherish each moment, every time. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Emery ''''Thank you,'''' I say before making my way out; bumping into Evelyn who has a cheeky smile on her face. The way she smiles, shows that she knows something. ''''Came to delete the footage fromst night?'''' She grins. My eyes meet her blue ones¡ªrolling my eyes in annoyance as soon as I understand what she meant. Yet, she continues to tease me about it;ughing and poking onto the side of my waist, immediately making me push her hands away due to being ticklish. ''''Hello to you too, sister.'''' I walk away, purposely bumping onto her shoulder, earning myself another teasing aboutst night¡ªno regrets, though. ''''At least you had funst night, even after the event but hey, no worries. Your dirty secrets are safe with me,'''' She continues to chuckle, slightly making my cheeks heat up in embarrassment as a few servants pass us. ''''There are no dirty secrets, okay?'''' I stop walking. Evelyn flips her hair to the back, ''''I told you, Emery. You should''ve talked about this with mother¡ª getting your own ce with Emma. Mother will understand that you need a little privacy with your wife, eh?'''' She winks. I use my index finger to push her head to the back, so that she''ll actually leave me alone but no. She''s still here, following me like a lost puppy. I don''t even know how she found out aboutst night because we were being careful, but then again, she''s everywhere. She might''ve passed down the hallway and heard everything but I don''t care, honestly. Yet, she''s got a point. ''''You''re in my way, Evelyn.'''' I sigh, deeply. ''''You need your own ce. Period,'''' She shrugs. My eyes continue to look deeply into hers; wanting to seek for answers, ''''Why are you so eager about me finding a ce of my own? I have one in Melbourne and are you nning to take everything in my office? My stuff?'''' I ask her, purposely saying it casually. She scoffs, ''''For your information, I''m moving out too. Yes, you have a ce of your own in Melbourne but I don''t think that counts,'''' She replies, sighing again. My eyebrows furrow, not understanding why she''ll be moving out; there''s nothing wrong at the pce. Why would she want to move out? What would mother think of it and how would mother react? ''''Why are you moving out?'''' I ask, eyebrows furrowed. She crosses her arms, ''''Once I get married, I''ll be living with Andrea. Of course, I''ll visit frequently,'''' She replies, stating the obvious. She can''t stay here once she has gotten married to Andrea; she''ll have her own duties as a wife, probably as a duchess as well. Then, that''s when it hit me. Evelyn''s right; privacy is all I need with Emma, since we''re slowly together ¡ªwe''ll be able to actually act freely, when it''s only the two of us. We don''t have to worry about anyone else and that''s what we both need. So, I have to thank Evelyn. ''''You''re kind of right. I''m going to ask mother about that, in fact, I''m going to ask her about that now,'''' I grin at her which causes Evelyn to join me, following me as we both walk towards mother''s office¡ª knowing that she has a meeting at the moment but, eh. Once I''ve reached her office, I push the door open, surprising the amount of people inside but I pay no attention as I smile widely, ''''Mother, there''s something that I have to ask and I hope that you can spare me a couple minutes?'''' I ask, waiting for her respond. She looks around, at the people surrounding her. ''''Um, of course. Fire away,'''' She smiles, back slightly. ''''I''d like to ask if it''s alright for Emma and I to go on our honeymoon? Actually, we''re going on our honeymoon right now and if you''d allow me to do so, I''ll go upstairs and pack our stuff,'''' I speak, quite fast as Evelyn''s mouth open wide beside¡ªnot really expecting me to ask about going on a honeymoon, she expected a house. Everyone in the room keeps quiet, only turning to look at my mother; waiting for her to answer. The look on their faces show how they''re asking for her to agree so that the meeting can go on while I leave for the trip. ''''Where do you n on going, Emery?'''' She asks. ''''Bali,'''' I answer without hesitation, making her frown. After a few seconds, she starts to clear her throat before answering my question¡ªafter fixing her sses on the bridge of her nose, ''''Alright, you may go.'''' She says. Just like that, everyone in the room starts to agree; letting out breaths of relief. I excuse myself after smirking at my sister, making my way out of the room and up the stairs¡ªwanting to tell Emma. Without further ado, I push the door open, startling the maids and Emma, herself as she looks at me in confusion and wanting to know what''s gotten me this excited. She raises an eyebrow, ''''Is everything alright?'''' She asks. ''''Yeah. Pack your bags because we''re going to Bali,'''' The maids stare at with wide eyes before quickly entering the walk-in closet, taking out Emma''s luggage. I, on the other hand, continues to look at her; seeing that she''s chuckling, her cheeks heating up, somehow. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ''''Why the sudden surprise?'''' She asks, slowly. ''''I want to spend time with you, alone,'''' I answer. All of a sudden, she has her arms wrapped around my neck as I ce both of mine on her waist; smiling down at her as she does the same. The way her eyes are bright with happiness, it''s making me happy. ''''You have quite a lot on your mind,'''' She smirks. Emma head straight into the walk-in closet, helping the maids to choose her outfit; since, we''re going to Bali, she will need a lot of appropriate outfits on the ind. Packing is easy but when ites to unpacking, it''s hard. I''ve never asked the maids to pack or unpack for me because I feel like, doing it myself. It''s something that I''m capable of doing so¡ªI''d rather do it myself. ''''Arrange a flight to Bali tonight,'''' I say to one of my mother''s assistant, he would always arrange these kind of things; just like how he arranged one when Emma and I went to Greece, so far, he nned it well. ''''As you say, Your Highness.'''' He nods, walking down. ''''Right. Now to pack my bags,'''' I mutter to myself before choosing different clothes, from different colours and brand but mostly casual clothes¡ªeasy enough for me to change. We''ll be going on our honeymoon, it''ll be better simple especially when we''re going to Bali, Indonesia. Once I''m done packing, I have my luggages being brought downstairs by my mother''s assistant as I take my passport, my wallet and my phone¡ªnot wanting to leave anything important or it''ll ruin this trip. I want it to be almost perfect so that it''ll be memorable enough for both of us. I''ve booked a one-bedroom vi at the Al Vis. Uluwatu, Bali. That''s our destination. I turn to see Emma walking down the stairs in her pair of skinny jeans and loose blouse; she looks Bali. It''s a long flight, almost like going to the other side of the world, which is true. ''''You ready, love?'''' I ask, smiling and she nods. Evelyn and mother are busy kissing us goodbye, saying for us to have lots of fun there and a safe trip. We''ll be able to have fun, alright. That''s a confirmation. I want this trip to be for the two of us, since we''re sure about our feelings, there''s no need in holding back from love. We are free to act as lovers because we''ve confessed. There''s no turning back or saying no to one another because we love each other¡ªthis honeymoon, our second honeymoon, in Bali, is about trying to experience it all. No more holding back or trying to ept. We''vee to ept so it''s time for us to be free. We might not have the privacy like others but we''ll be able to make one; a private life or our own. No securities or cameras or even reporters getting in our way because this whole week is our week, we want it to be cherished. I love my wife more than I love myself and that''s not just crap saying because that''s a true fact. I''ve nevere to actually realise that I''ve finally loved someone more than I could ever expect because I''ve never wanted anything too serious in my life yet now I want it to stay and always be mine, she will always be mine. Bali, Bali, here wee. And we''re here. Couples tend to go on vacations or honeymoons here. They say that they bond well; in a ce like this. Where they''re far from anyone else and just close to one another. ''''Wee to Bali,'''' The receptionist says as she wees Emma and I, the others immediately help with our bags as we enter the vi¡ªwe''re both mesmerised by the beauty of the vi and by the view, it''s absolutely beautiful. ''''This is the vi that you''ve requested,'''' She says. ''''It''s beautiful,'''' I reply, thanking her and she smiles. ''''Enjoy your stay!'''' She says before exiting the room, leaving Emma and I all by ourselves to watch the view, the beauty. I continue to look at her as I put down the bags that I have been carrying, seeing that she''s on her way to the ss windows¡ªmesmerised by the exact view. She lets out a breath of relief at the sunset. I, lean the side of my body against the wall as I look up at the sky¡ªwanting to see the worth of Bali. We will spend a whole week here and I don''t want to miss a single thing. I''d want to remember everything and go through it all. ''''I''m d we''re here,'''' She mutters under her breath, ''''I''ve never thought that I''d be here in Bali with anyone, really. Not even with myself,'''' She chuckles, slightly. My lips curve up into a smile, ''''Howe?'''' ''''No reason.'''' She replies before staying quiet. Just like that, I peck onto the side of her cheek before entering the bedroom; taking my clothes off, getting into the bathroom to take a shower. After an extremely long flight, it''d be best to take a nice hot shower. It''d be better if I''d take a bath but I just want a quick sensation. I look at myself in the mirror once I''m done, seeing that my cheeks are a little bit red due to the warmth. As I step out of the bathroom, I head straight towards where Emma was standing before I took a shower to find that she''s no longer there nor is she in the bedroom. I turn to see that she''s at the private cabana, sitting in her pair of bikini¡ªwatching the night sky. There arenterns surrounding the cabana which naturally makes her look beautiful without her even realising. Without further ado, I immediately change into a pair of shorts and shirt before heading outside, straight towards her Without further ado, I immediately change into a pair of shorts and shirt before heading outside, straight towards her. She turns to look at me with a smile on her face; instantly leaving me smiling back at her. Her eyes are looking straight into mine as I sit near her, face to face, so that it''ll be easier for us to actually just talk and have a proper conversation because I don''t know how long I''llst only talking if I sit next to her. ''''Feel better?'''' She raises an eyebrow, ying with the tips of her fingers as she continues to look at me. I smile, ''''A lot better honestly,'''' ''''I can tell just by the look on your face,'''' She replies, ''''I took a swim earlier while you were showering but then I realised that I could just sit here for hours without feeling bored,'''' She mutters under her breath, her voice sounded sincere as she looks at the sky¡ªshowing how she meant it. Then, she looks down at me, ''''Thank you, Emery.'''' My eyebrows furrow, ''''For what, love?'''' ''''For bringing me here. I''m d that it crossed your mind. I needed to be somewhere else¡ªto escape the pain. Maybe, just a few days off of reality and being happy, I''d be able to recover. So, thank you,'''' She smiles, her eyes shining. I''d take her anywhere in the world if she wants me to. It doesn''t matter if it''s in Southeast Asia or even the Middle East because I''ll take her there¡ªas long as she''ll be happy, sincerely happy, then I''d do it all for her. ''''Anything for you,'''' I mutter with a smile. We keep quiet for a few seconds before she begins to break the silence by clearing her throat and starting another conversation, ''''Since we''re here, just by ourselves, I think it''s best if we get to know each other more. We can count this as a date; where we are on a vacation,'''' She says. ''''Of course.'''' I nod, in agreement. She continues to look at me; more like staring. ''''When was your first time?'''' She asks, making me furrow my eyebrows in confusion; not really understanding her question. Yes, there are a lot of first times that I have experienced so, she has to be more specific. ''''My first time what?'''' I raise an eyebrow at her. She smirks, ''''Okay, I''ll just be straightforward with you. When did you lose your virginity?'''' She asks. This time, I am left chuckling. Not by the way that she is extremelyfortable about this but by the fact that she wants to know when I lost my virginity. Not really a fun story to tell my grandkids but sure, maybe one day. ''''Wow, where to start?'''' I joke which causes both of us tough, it seems that we''re finding this as funny, ''''Well, it''s not really an interesting story, let me be honest with you. When I lost my virginity, I wasn''t young nor was I old but I''d lost it when I was eighteen, in Australia,'''' I mutter. Her eyes widen, ''''In Australia?'''' I nod, ''''Well, during my teenage years, I was mostly with a bodyguard, almost all of the time. So, there wasn''t really a chance for me to sneak around and have sex,'''' I smirk and I see that she''s enjoying about this, ''''But, hey, it was okay,'''' ''''You lost your virginity to a foreigner?'''' She chuckles. ''''She was a girl I met on campus,'''' I shrug, smiling. ''''So, she knew that you were a virgin? Was she older?'''' Emma continues to ask. Actually, I don''t really mind telling her this because she''s my wife and we have to know almost everything about each other; wait, there''s no almost. It has to be everything, we''ll be spending our lives together. I try to recall back the memory, ''''Yes. She knew that I was a virgin and yes, she was older than me. She taught me things that I never thought I''d knew and you should really thank her because if it wasn''t for her, I''d beme,'''' I joke. ''''Ohe on, what about your friends?'''' She asks. ''''Eh, they talk about sex all the time. I guess that''s when I had realise that I was actually only looking to sleep with someone because I didn''t want a serious rtionship. That was when I met Hannah and the rest is history,'''' I shrug, not really wanting to continue the topic about Hannah. Emma nods, only looking down at her hands. ''''What about you? When did you lose yours?'''' I ask. ''''When I was in high school. I was probably seventeen. Remember when I told you that I had a boyfriend? Well, he was my first. I wasn''t his first, obviously but hey, he was kind of a good guy, he was alright,'''' She replies, ''''Since we were dating, it became like a normal thing for us,'''' ''''Yeah, lucky him then,'''' I roll my eyes in annoyance. Actually, just pretending to be annoyed. Whatever happened and whatever that we had gone through when we were younger, before we met, it''s all history. I know that. Yes, we had slept and been with different people, but that was before we met, before our marriage. All of a sudden, I find her nearing me as she sits on myp, her arms around my waist before looking deeply into my eyes¡ªher lips are seductively curving up. ''''What matters most is that I''m all yours now,'''' She says. My lips immediately curve up into a smile as I ce both of my hands on her waist¡ªfeeling her skin due to her wearing a bikini, exposable enough. ''''And I''m all yours, too,'''' I breathe out. She leans in to kiss my lips, softly and passionately. Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Emery I continue to run after her down the beach,ughing as we keep on running as fast as we can; which I have to admit, she is a fast runner. I''d run after her till the end of the world if I have to¡ªI''d do it, for her and myself. ''''Slow down,'''' I say, trying to catch my breath. ''''Why are you so slow?'''' Sheughs, taking a few steps towards me; watching as I press both of my hands on my knees, wanting to breathe properly. Yes, I said that I would run till the end of the world for her but god damn, that shit is hard as fuck, it''s almost making me hesitate. ''''Why are you so fast?'''' I raise an eyebrow, sighing. Emma finds this all as a bloody joke as she keeps onughing before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, shaking her head in disagree¡ªturning to look at the water. Both of her eyes are lightening due to the sunlight shining brightly into her eyes, showing a more of a lighter brown. Then, all of a sudden, I am left to find her sitting onto the sand as she continues to watch the waves. It''s quite cute to watch her be so mesmerised by the waves and the wind, I can''t help but smile to myself, watching her. ''''Is it so easy to be that mesmerised by something?'''' I ask. She turns to look at me, her cheeks heating up by the sun. ''''It depends on how much you love that something. If it''s your passion or meaningful to you then, yes, it''s that easy.'''' She replies, staring deeply into my eyes without a single blink interrupting our gaze; it''s sincerity. ''''You know, I used to be terrified of beaches because I had a terrible experience when I was a kid,'''' She smiles, ''''I swear I could''ve died¡ªit was awful,'''' She adds, chuckling. ''''What happened?'''' I ask, gesturing for her to go on. ''''I drowned and they had to take me to the hospital. That was also the first time I saw dad crying his eyes out, it was pretty funny but hey, he thought he''d lost me,'''' She exins, making both of us smile at the story. Maybe Emma''s right, we should spend some time just sitting and talk about our past, our lives and what we went through. Maybe, that is the only way for us to feel close. ''''I''d be living the rest of my life all by myself if you didn''t survive so, I''m more than d that you did,'''' I joke, which causes her to roll her eyes as she tries to push me away. ''''Eh, so tell me more about you. These past months have been all about me and now it''s time for me to know about you. About your past, anything,'''' I add, stating the truth. It''d be great to actually feel like I know her better than anyone else because then, I''d feel hers. ''''Where to begin?'''' She smirks, raising an eyebrow. ''''Anywhere. Tell me everything,'''' My grin widens. ''''Well, as you know, my parents are divorced. They kind of kept it a secret and tried to fix their rtionship because I was pretty young¡ªthey wanted me to know that I still have both parents and that my life wasplete but they didn''t know that I''d stayed up at night just to hear them argue,'''' She starts to speak, her eyes are focusing onto the sand as she ys with them at the tips of her fingers. ''''It was probably two years after that they admitted. They couldn''t take it any longer; their marriage was going nowhere and it was probably a waste of time to try,'''' She stops for awhile, ''''I don''t know what happened or how it happened but they just lost it, you know? The spark, the joy and the moment, they lost it all,'''' She adds, slowly. ''''The interest?'''' I ask, staring directly at her. She nods, ''''Exactly. Actually, I find that they have a better rtionship being friends than being partners. Like now, they''re just friends, they feel like that''s the best choice. I''m d that mum found a man to make her feel alive again even though that man is not my dad,'''' Her lips twitching up into a smile, ''''They used to be goals,'''' ''''They were high school sweethearts,'''' She adds. ''''Let me guess, mum was a cheerleader and dad was the captain of the football team? American football,'''' I add, american football, leaving her chuckling as she pokes me by the arm¡ªmaking me roll my eyes, jokingly. ''''No matter how clich¨¦ that sounds but no. You got the captain of the football team right but mum was just like any other normal teenager, she was like me, no cheerleader or nerd, like they say in the movies,'''' She says. ''''They met on his game night, then, that was when it all started. Dad asked her out and they started to get to know each other, that was when they knew they had fallen in love,'''' My lips curve up into a smile; knowing that she would want her parents tost forever. Everyone would want that. Just by the way she speaks about them, it shows how she loves both of them just as much¡ª wanting what''s best. ''''They went through college years together, long distance really did work before, crazy, right?'''' She raises an eyebrow and I can''t help but agree, due to the fact that, now those kind of rtionships rarely ''''He proposed on her graduation day,'''' She breathes out. I can''t help but imagine¡ªthe way she would imagine. Her parents went through years and years together, tried their best to make their rtionship better, until marriage. Even though it all ended with a divorce, the memories are still fresh; probably in both of their minds. There can never be a second true love. I admit. ''''They had a pretty good story. I''m more than thankful to say that I can''t thank them enough to have you as their daughter because if it weren''t for them, I wouldn''t have met you¡ªlife would have been different,'''' I mutter. ''''So, they''ve brought some sort of miracle to life?'''' Her smile cheers me up in a way that I can''t exin. There is just something about her that makes me want to keep on ranting and just be proud of but I can''t, I don''t know what or how so it''s only making me keep it all to myself. ''''You''re the miracle that they''ve brought into my life,'''' N?velDrama.Org content. ''''Eh, you''re a sweet talker, aren''t you?'''' She smiles. ''''I''ve learned from the best,'''' I joke before clearing my throat, ''''There''s not much to tell about me. You''ve heard it all, from my parents, my biological father, my past. It''s just making me feel awful due to the fact that I don''t deserve to be here at all and have this title,'''' I furrow my brows. ''''Your father has given it all to you, he treated you like his own son. I know how it sounds bizarre but you deserve it, Emery. I swear you do,'''' Emma tries her best to convince me that I deserve it more but it makes me wonder, if only I was able to meet my biological father, I''d like that. ''''I''d want to meet him,'''' I mutter under my breath. ''''The fact that he doesn''t even know that mother was pregnant, it kills me. He died in a car crash, with no intention of leaving her or me¡ªhe loved her,'''' I add. Almost all of the time, I would think about it. ''''He would''ve been there for you and mother. Both. He would never leave you two for any reason at all because like you said, he loved her. He would''ve loved you too if only he knew that she was carrying his child,'''' She mutters. ''''And that''s a true fact,'''' I breathe out, properly. ''''Now, all that matters is the present. Our future. The family that you have now, is all that matters now. Your father, both of them, would want you to live a happy life instead of just thinking about them, I''m sure,'''' She caresses the side of my face, soothingly trying to calm me down. ''''I love you,'''' I peck onto her lips; teasing her, slightly. ''''I love you more,'''' She smiles, gazing down at my lips. Then, without me realising, I already have my arm wrapped around her shoulder; pulling her close. Just like that, a topic came into my mind¡ªour future, our life. ''''I don''t want to talk about this but it''s something that we must discuss. Like you said, it''s our future,'''' I say, slowly, almost sounding like I''m whispering; a little bit afraid if I might''ve said something sensitive. This topic is still new, still fresh in our minds. ''''I know what you''re going to ask me. Is it about having a baby?'''' She raises an eyebrow, ''''If you want to ask me about that, go ahead, it''s our future and we can''t just avoid about it forever,'''' Her voice sounded sincere, making me nod. ''''If it''s still new for you, I''ll stop¡ª'''' She cuts me off, ''''No. Fire away,'''' I keep quiet for a few seconds before continuing, ''''I just want to know how many kids you''d like in the future,'''' ''''What if I say that I want four?'''' She smirks. ''''Then, we''ll have five,'''' I joke, causing her tough as she snuggles closer towards meying her hand on my chest, hearing my heartbeat, the rhythm. ''''Is that supposed to be a trick?'''' She rolls her eyes. ''''Not really. Just add the amount you want and I''ll add one more to how much you''d like. Sounds fun?'''' I grin, only to let her yfully p onto my face¡ªleaving me chuckling at the sight of her trying to kick me if she could. ''''Then, we''ll have three,'''' She teases, flipping her hair. ''''Four then,'''' I whisper near her ear; causing her to look at me in confusion in whether we''ll have three or four or five. It''s a topic we shall discuss again in the future but for now, we''ll just have a baby whenever we''re both ready to be parents¡ªa responsible one, the best. That''s where we''ll head to with our future. Chapter 45: Epilogue Chapter 45: Epilogue Emma The happiness. The joy. The sensation. It''s all pure and unexpected, something so rare. ''''Can I open my eyes now?'''' I ask, trying to peek through his fingers as he keeps my eyes closed; not N?velDrama.Org content. wanting me to look at the surprise he has for me. Then again, I can guess that it is something pretty special, due to the smell of candles. Must I add that it''s my favourite scented candles? ''''Wait, watch your step,'''' One of his hand goes down to my waist, slowly stopping me. My lips curve up into a smile, waiting for him to show me, I want to be fully surprised so I''m notining about the fact that it''s taking forever for him to let me open my eyes. ''''You can open your eyes,'''' He whispers, slowly.My eyes widen as soon as I open them, surprised. ''''For you,'''' He adds, as I keep on eyeing the room ''''For you,'''' He adds, as I keep on eyeing the room. The apartment is decorated nicely, beautifully. It shows the appropriate amount of casualness and even luxury. My lips continue to curve up into a smile as I am insanely happy by the fact that he had gotten us a new home.Where we could escape from our duties, our title. I turn to look at Emery, seeing that he is currently eyeing me too; showing how he''s sincere and happy about this. There''s so much more that he has done for us, for me that I can never be more than thankful, he''s an angel. From giving us a chance to this, love. ''''You don''t like it?'''' He asks, crossing his arms before making his way towards me; pulling me by closer by the waist but we''re kind of out of reach due to the growing baby bump, making both of us chuckle. ''''I love it,'''' I look straight into his eyes, smiling widely. Emery caresses the side of my face before leaning in to kiss me by the lips, both of his hands are cupping onto my face, letting me kiss him back with the same rhythm. He, then, tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, slowly.All of a sudden, I feel our baby kicking which causes me to immediately ce his hand on the baby bump. My eyes are staring into his with hope, wanting him to feel it too. I''ve felt the baby kicking for quite some time but due to the fact that he has been away, outstation and mostly busy with his duties, including thepany, this is the first for him. His eyebrows furrow in confusion but his expression soon softens as soon as he feels the baby kicking again. To my surprise, I find his eyes tearing up in which I soon follow. He keeps on cing his hand on my stomach before cing both of his hands, happiness showing. ''''That''s our baby girl,'''' I whisper, stating the gender. His eyes widen once more, this time, he seems utterly and very surprised, not really believing. He looks down at my stomach again, ''''We''re having a girl?'''' He asks, blinking away the fallen tears, making me nod and chuckle. ''''Happy birthday, love.'''' I pull him closer, pecking onto his cheek which causes him to wrap his arms around my body, his eyes staring deeply into mine with full of hope and love. It shows clearly, not even hiding it away from me. We''ve gone through quite a lot, the challenges of being a married couple, the circumstances. Yes, we''ve only been married for two years but we''ve gone through more. ''''I love you,'''' He breathes out, making me close my eyes. Evelyn had gotten marriedst year, the wedding was held cheerfully with her friendsing over, including his which made the ceremony filled withughters. It was a simple yet elegant wedding, nothing too fancy yet it sticked to tradition. The wedding vows were long, just like Emery and mine. They didn''t botherining either. Now, they''re still on their honeymoon! Their fifth honeymoon, must I add; they want to travel the world together because before this, she has been travelling alone so with Andrea around, they will experience it together. As for Hannah, she was sentenced to death; as told. She had gotten the chance to spend a full month with her son. Daniel spent the time with her too, knowing that it''s their son, even though through She apologised, in which Emery and I both epted. Now, Daniel and their son, Danish are living in Melbourne. He''s taking care of him all by himself and from all the pictures he had posted on Instagram, showed how he has found his soulmate, a beautiful Arabian woman. The three of them are happy, as shown online. Everyone seemed to have gotten their happy ending. Cole, he epted it all. He didn''t me anyone. He''s still furthering his studies, wanting to get something out of his mind so that he wouldn''t be spending time thinking about his sister, no matter how much he misses her. ''''I''m sorry I couldn''t get you a birthday present,'''' I mutter, frowning as he shakes his head, understanding. Mother had forbidden me from leaving the pce unless I''m out with Emery, she has been worried ever since she found out about the pregnancy and up till now. ''''This is the best birthday present, sweetheart.'''' He smiles. ''''You and our baby, will always be the best that I''ve ever had. You don''t need to give me anything because you two, am and will be my first priority,'''' He ys with my hair, ''''Believe me when I say this, Emma. I''ve never been this happy in my life, no matter how free or fun my life was before you, I don''t want to repeat those moments,'''' ''''Because you''ve had enough of it?'''' I joke. He chuckles, ''''No. It''s because I want to live in this moment where you are always there for me as I am always there for you; I''m sorry if I''m not capable of giving you so much more but I promise you, I will try,'''' He breathes. ''''You''ve given me everything you can, Emery. There''s nothing left for me to want because I only want you,'''' I tell him the truth, stating the fact. Yes, we may not be as free as we used to be before we met each other but I can assure him that I''m more happier and more alive. ''''I will always love you,'''' He kisses me by the neck. Our love may have based on marriage but it will always feel and be genuine. No matter how much we try to keep falling and struggling with the problems we face, we will always have each other; that''s a promise we both made. Emery, I will never think of losing him because I can''t. And, I want to spend my life with him. Forever Chapter 46: Epilogue Chapter 46: Epilogue Emma The happiness. The joy. The sensation. It''s all pure and unexpected, something so rare. ''''Can I open my eyes now?'''' I ask, trying to peek through his fingers as he keeps my eyes closed; not wanting me to look at the surprise he has for me. Then again, I can guess that it is something pretty special, due to the smell of candles. Must I add that it''s my favourite scented candles? ''''Wait, watch your step,'''' One of his hand goes down to my waist, slowly stopping me. My lips curve up into a smile, waiting for him to show me, I want to be fully surprised so I''m notining about the fact that it''s taking forever for him to let me open my eyes. ''''You can open your eyes,'''' He whispers, slowly. My eyes widen as soon as I open them, surprised. ''''For you,'''' He adds, as I keep on eyeing the room. The apartment is decorated nicely, beautifully. It shows the appropriate amount of casualness and even luxury. My lips continue to curve up into a smile as I am insanely happy by the fact that he had gotten us a new home. Where we could escape from our duties, our title. I turn to look at Emery, seeing that he is currently eyeing me too; showing how he''s sincere and happy about this. There''s so much more that he has done for us, for me that I can never be more than thankful, he''s an angel. He has done a lot for someone like me. From giving us a chance to this, love. ''''You don''t like it?'''' He asks, crossing his arms before making his way towards me; pulling me by closer by the waist but we''re kind of out of reach due to the growing baby bump, making both of us chuckle. ''''I love it,'''' I look straight into his eyes, smiling widely. Emery caresses the side of my face before leaning in to kiss me by the lips, both of his hands are cupping onto my face, letting me kiss him back with the same rhythm. He, then, tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, slowly. All of a sudden, I feel our baby kicking which causes me to immediately ce his hand on the baby bump. My eyes are staring into his with hope, wanting him to feel it too. I''ve felt the baby kicking for Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. quite some time but due to the fact that he has been away, outstation and mostly busy with his duties, including thepany, this is the first for him. His eyebrows furrow in confusion but his expression soon softens as soon as he feels the baby kicking again. To my surprise, I find his eyes tearing up in which I soon follow. He keeps on cing his hand on my stomach before cing both of his hands, happiness showing. ''''That''s our baby girl,'''' I whisper, stating the gender. His eyes widen once more, this time, he seems utterly and very surprised, not really believing. He looks down at my stomach again, ''''We''re having a girl?'''' He asks, blinking away the fallen tears, making me nod and chuckle. ''''Happy birthday, love.'''' I pull him closer, pecking onto his cheek which causes him to wrap his arms around my body, his eyes staring deeply into mine with full of hope and love. It shows clearly, not even hiding it away from me. We''ve gone through quite a lot, the challenges of being a married couple, the circumstances. Yes, we''ve only been married for two years but we''ve gone through more. ''''I love you,'''' He breathes out, making me close my eyes. Evelyn had gotten marriedst year, the wedding was held cheerfully with her friendsing over, including his which made the ceremony filled withughters. It was a simple yet elegant wedding, nothing too fancy yet it sticked to tradition. The wedding vows were long, just like Emery and mine. They didn''t botherining either. Now, they''re still on their honeymoon! Their fifth honeymoon, must I add; they want to travel the world together because before this, she has been travelling alone so with Andrea around, they will experience it together. As for Hannah, she was sentenced to death; as told. She had gotten the chance to spend a full month with her son. Daniel spent the time with her too, knowing that it''s their son, even though through She apologised, in which Emery and I both epted. Now, Daniel and their son, Danish are living in Melbourne. He''s taking care of him all by himself and from all the pictures he had posted on Instagram, showed how he has found his soulmate, a beautiful Arabian woman. The three of them are happy, as shown online. Everyone seemed to have gotten their happy ending. Cole, he epted it all. He didn''t me anyone. He''s still furthering his studies, wanting to get something out of his mind so that he wouldn''t be spending time thinking about his sister, no matter how much he misses her. ''''I''m sorry I couldn''t get you a birthday present,'''' I mutter, frowning as he shakes his head, understanding. Mother had forbidden me from leaving the pce unless I''m out with Emery, she has been worried ever since she found out about the pregnancy and up till now. ''''This is the best birthday present, sweetheart.'''' He smiles. ''''You and our baby, will always be the best that I''ve ever had. You don''t need to give me anything because you two, am and will be my first priority,'''' He ys with my hair, ''''Believe me when I say this, Emma. I''ve never been this happy in my life, no matter how free or fun my life was before you, I don''t want to repeat those moments,'''' ''''Because you''ve had enough of it?'''' I joke. He chuckles, ''''No. It''s because I want to live in this moment where you are always there for me as I am always there for you; I''m sorry if I''m not capable of giving you so much more but I promise you, I will try,'''' He breathes. ''''You''ve given me everything you can, Emery. There''s nothing left for me to want because I only want you,'''' I tell him the truth, stating the fact. Yes, we may not be as free as we used to be before we met each other but I can assure him that I''m more happier and more alive. ''''I will always love you,'''' He kisses me by the neck. Our love may have based on marriage but it will always feel and be genuine. No matter how much we try to keep falling and struggling with the problems we face, we will always have each other; that''s a promise we both made. Emery, I will never think of losing him because I can''t. And, I want to spend my life with him. Forever. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!