XXXV

XXXV

My world froze like days during winter. I could not feel my heart anymore, it might lose its control by this time and already left my ribs. I felt my knees weakened, but Prince Alexander held me immediately so my arse would not meet the ground.

He just proposed to me, right? Or, I just misheard him? I wanted to go in marriage, however, not a lightning fast. We barely knew each other. I did not know what his favourite color or who is his favourite actor. I loved him, but I need time to synchronize myself and be his wife.

He was not just an ordinary person. He was a prince of a powerful land. Being his wife was not a joke. On the other hand, I was not simply a commoner. I had a family depending on me, and having a marriage right this moment was my least priority.

"Pardon," the first word came out from my mouth after an eternity.

He suddenly got down on one knee. He took out a box from his pocket, and opened it in front of me. A necklace laid inside, shone like stars in the night. Its pendant was a ring, which the exterior was filled with small diamonds. I covered my mouth, not only for the reason that I was surprised, but also for the shock I was suffering. It worth thousands of Pounds, I was certain with that.

"Shirley Woodman, you are worthy of every piece of diamond in the world," he held my hand, and kissed the back of my palm, "For letting me enter your life, and giving me the love I don't deserve. I was nothing before you came. If only I know that you're breathing in Chicago, I might not have done those things. If only I could change the past, I might not go in every bed of different women, instead, I would prepare myself for you."

I took a deep breathe. It was hard for me to absorb his each statement. I could feel how sincere he was, but deep inside, something was pulling me.

"Shirley Woodman, my beloved, will you marry me?" now, he did not order, he asked.

I removed my hand on his grasp. My feet automatically moved two steps backward. I looked at his face, I admired him first before I recognized the melancholy in his eyes. I loved him that I wanted to touch him and answered 'yes' instantly.

"Your Highness, marrying you is the dream I always have every night. You can have more beautiful and richer woman, but you still select me," I turned my back to him and embraced myself, "I can't answer you this time. I don't want to make this relationship this fast. We have all the time on this earth and I have a family I need to support."

Tears suddenly showed in my face again. How many times did I cry only for this night? How much tears I would spend before this night ended?

"I want my family to have a better house, a better life. I want Elena to be free from her heart disease. Hana and Chance need to have a better education. My parents should be resting and enjoying the rest of their lives," I closed my eyes, thinking my family. I really missed them.

I felt Prince Alexander's presence behind me. Before I could talk again, he hugged me on the back. He hushed and said, "I'm sorry. I didn't consider your family. I'm sorry."

"Of course, you did not. You grew up with so much wealth, no worries on meal you'll eat every time you'll feel hungry," I faced him, his arms still rested around me,  "I'm saying this because I don't want to be dependent on you. I want to establish first my own, before I'll marry you. Your Highness, being your wife is a pressure," I did not know when I decided to say it, "especially for a nobody like me."

He held my cheek. "You're not nobody Shirley. If my proposal is a pressure to you, I won't force you to answer." He kissed my tears away, "I can wait, but not that long," he murmured, "If we get married, you'll be a princess. Your family will be given a house nearby. Also, your sisters and brother will be given an education in good schools."

I glared at him. I protested, "I told you, I don't want to be dependent on you. And, don't speak about marriage as if it is a business matter. Your Highness, we're speaking here a lifetime relationship."

He chuckled, "Yeah, I know, don't act as an old lady, Shirley."

"This kind of topic is sensitive for me, you know," I looked over his shoulder, and all of a sudden, I saw a pair of blue eyes watching us over the window. I did not recognize the features because of the darkness outside.

It might be a paparazzi. Without hesitation, I tried to go to that window, but strong arms stopped and enveloped me. Those eyes were watching us like a rock. Whoever it was, he was not moving or at least blinking. Prince Alexander turned me to make my face got near to his.

"Your High..."

"Don't walk away, Shirley, I apologize that I take everything easy. I thought you'll like a marriage proposal, but I don't consider the things you're facing. Overwhelming you is not in my plan, so if you're not ready for a wedding, I can wait. But, promise me, Shirley, that you won't leave me," his soft lips found mine. A tender kiss lasted for only a few seconds, but my heart would not last for long.

I forgot everything. Even the eyes I saw just two minutes ago. "I promise," I responded.

He smiled and showed me again the necklace, "You should wear this as a sign of my love, so no one will bother to ask you if you're still available," he held the circular object, "You'll put this on your ring finger once you're prepared to marry me, so we will hear the wedding bells right away."

"Your Highness once I gave my family all they need, I'm going to wear this ring immediately. You have no idea how much I want you," blood crept on my cheeks. I did not realize I said that, before I heard myself.

"Where?" playful grin shaped in his face. However, Prince Alexander assumed another meaning.

I raised my eyebrow, "What 'where'?"

His laughter filled the entire restaurant, "I can wait for the wedding, but I can't wait for the honeymoon so I could remove that naïveté of yours."

I smacked his chest, "You're real?"

"I'm real," he was still laughing, but invaded my mouth right after he answered me.

-----

The accountant saw her. She was thinking of running away, but her feet stacked on the ground where she was eavesdropping since thirty minutes ago. She saw all the romance and drama, but she knew how he made it to trap her. To make her suffer for all she had done to him during their days.

Before that woman worked as his personal accountant, she knew that he was still in love with her and he could not move on to the ending of their relationship. She remained in love with him even though she was already married to someone.

He used women to forget her for at least a few hours.

She thought that the accountant would get near her and discover who she was, but Prince Alexander did not allow that. He turned the back of the accountant to her, and hugged his employee tightly. His relationship with his personal accountant was secret because of their jobs, but the prince did not mind at all if she would learn about them. He just wanted to show her how in love he was with his new woman.

She saw how his green eyes met her stares. A grin formed on his mouth like saying, 'you were no match for my new one'.

He texted her two hours ago to meet him at the Bel Canto restaurant at exactly eleven P.M. She did not falter to come because they were doing night meet-ups several times before, and they ended up in a hotel bed. That was before she got married. To be specific, that was before she chose her husband over Prince Alexander.

The car stopped in front of the Bel Canto, when she saw a cab also stopped in front of it and a familiar woman ran all the way to the door. She recognized the woman as Alexander's personal accountant. She knew right that moment that the prince wanted her to see how this lady became the bridge for his new life. A life after the long sufferings of their separation.

She knew that she was his first love. He was also her first love and first in everything that was the reason he was special for her. She was thinking of having a divorce with her husband, and come back to her Prince Alexander. But, she did not do that because she was afraid to all the accused she would suffer if that big scandal happened.

His relationship with his personal accountant was the greatest nightmare she had after their break up. She always saw them together in the palace. Alexander's smile was real and his eyes sparkled like those days when he was with her. It was only hers, not until that accountant went to the palace.

She suddenly realized how much she had lost when she let him free.

The cold night embraced the sadness bubbling on her. She believed that her love for him had already lessened. But now she saw him with another woman, the love hiding behind her heart finally went out. She loved him more than she loved anyone, even her husband.

She strode faster toward the car waiting for her. She fought back the tears. She would cry, not because of his newly found love, but because he offered a marriage to his woman. He never asked her about a marriage, nor did they never talk about it.

She envied the accountant for the reason that the man she really loved would stay in those arms forever.

Once she seated in the back seat of the car, she said to the driver, "Let's go back."

The driver answered, "Yes, Your Highness."

(A/N: Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I hope you like it. By the way, the video at the side is the OST of Her Life with the Prince. State of Grace by Taylor Swift. The lyrics match with our story. You can listen to it. Sorry if this is a short update. I have a lot of things to do in school because finals is only around the corner. I might update again after my examinations next week. By the way, I'm going to watch Insurgent tomorrow! Who is going to watch? Raise your feet! Lol. Thank you!)