XXXIX

XXXIX

I opened my eyes. Even though it was hard for me to do it, I still succeed to leave the dream world. Prince Alexander's handsome face was the first view of my reality. He was sitting on the edge of the bed while watching me.

"You're finally awake, sleeping beauty," he teased while grasping my hand.

"You kissed me," I muttered while yawning, "I want more sleep, please."

"No. We have to go," he said while playing the circular object on my ring finger. I wore the ring he gave to me before I fell asleep earlier. I was not that ready to give him an answer until I finally wore the thing.

"Where are we going?" I asked, slowly sat up like an elderly because I was too lazy to do it.

"You put this on," pertaining to the ring, "What's the essence to wait for another day if we can do the wedding now?"

"What?" my sluggishness turned into surprised, "Yes, I want to marry you, but we can still wait, you know." He just gave me an are-you-serious-stare, as if we were dealing with an ordinary circumstance. I explained, "Actually, I wore this ring for you to trust me. I mean, I want to be your wife as soon as possible, but I can't be if you're not trusting me. How will our relationship work if we're hiding some things from each other?"

He looked away. His hold in my hand suddenly untightened but I immediately grabbed him. I did not know why he was hiding these things from me. He put ten miles distance between us once I talked again about it. All I wanted was him telling me what was going on. I had no freaking idea what those transactions were for him.

I needed to know, not only because I was his accountant, but also because I wanted everything between us to be clear.

"Alexander, please trust me. Please tell me what's bothering you. I'm here to help. I'm your sky, remember?" I was proud of myself that I was not easily crying anymore. I could control my emotions now, especially when it came to the man I loved.

He sharply sighed. "Promise me that you won't run away and you'll come with me wherever I go."

Where will he go? "I promise," I replied without hesitation.

"I was related to AMFA," he emphasized the word 'was'. It only meant that he was a member of it in the past, but not in the present.

I knew he was related so I was not stunned anymore. "Why did you join them? What have you done with them?" I lowered my voice, as if someone could hear us.

"I didn't join them. They became my associate. Supposedly, our plans started two months ago, but you suddenly entered in my dark world," he stared directly at my eyes. "And became my sky."

"What do you mean by 'associate'?" I carefully asked, uncertain of the things around me.

"I funded them for the last three years," he did not hesitate to tell me, "I gave them money to help them grow until we have enough force to...to..." he stopped speaking and closed his eyes.

Hence, the miscellaneous expense account that looked like suspicious was the fund used to supply the needs of those rebels.

"To what?" He did not respond to my question. His eyes were on the floor. I held his jaw and forced him to look at me. I could not help but freaked out, "Alexander, why did you do that? Why were you funding them? They're the rebels of the monarchy you live in."

"Shirley if only I knew that you're existing, I have never done that," for the very first time, I saw he wept. His shoulder shook, and tears streamed down from his eyes. "I made the greatest mistake that can destroy us, but I'll do everything to stop it from happening."

I hugged him, while my hands went up and down on his back. I hushed him and said, "That's in the past, okay? If ever someone will learn about it, they won't put you in jail because your plans did not happen. Don't be scared."

We became quiet for a while. Listening to each other's breathing. I was confused between my emotions. I was stunned by this revelation, but relief at the same time. At least, he opened himself to me. However, it was bothering me.

The things I had said was only to comfort him. But, being an ally of the rebels of his government was a very serious mistake. He might be dethroned if his parents or the powerful people around him discovered it. I did not want him to suffer this disgrace, yet I did not know what to do.

All I could do was to be on his side whatever happened.

"Shirley?" he whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Will you leave me because of the real me?" his embrace became tighter.

"No," I answered. "Whatever your reason, I know you did it because you thought it is the right thing to do." I faced him and held both his cheeks, "But now you're starting to walk in the right way, don't go back in the dark. I'm here to help you."

He pulled me on his lap and held my face, "Shirley Woodman, let's get married...now."

I smirked. "Okay, Your Highness."

--

Leilanie Jayei was sitting on the couch inside the office of the most influenced lady in the world, Queen Beatrice. Her legs crossed elegantly like a real princess of the palace, while she was busy imagining her big event later this evening.

Since she met Prince Alexander, she only dreamt of marrying him. Not because he was handsome, but she wanted the power and popularity of him. She wanted to have that. No, scratch that. She needed to have that.

She grew up in a depressed area in South Africa. When she reached the age of fourteen, an old businessman adopted her. Then, her life turned one hundred eighty degrees. Her foster parents sent her to a university in England to have a business degree. There, she met her obsession. Prince Alexander.

He was still with his first love when they met. She hated that woman. She only got a chance to have him when that whore chose the closest person to Prince Alexander. She took advantage of the broken-hearted young man.

They had a wild on-off relationship for three years and sometimes in a relationship the next years. She used her body to have him, but she knew that he never gave his heart to her. He still loved that woman, and good thing, she did not want love.

Her only fantasy was to get married to him, then became a queen. Perks of being a member of the biggest rebels against the monarchy: the Anti-Monarchy Federation Assembly or AMFA. If Prince Alexander would marry her, she would be a princess and AMFA would do the rest so she would sit on the throne of the queen.

What was more exciting? Prince Alexander worked with AMFA. This was her ace. The last but the top card in a game. She knew the reason why he joined the rebels. She knew every detail of it. If he desired to get there before he decide to marry her, she had no second thought in spilling everything to the public.

Three knocks interrupted her daydreaming. An African-American woman entered the office when Queen Beatrice allowed her. She was the queen's secretary. The woman entered and stood directly in front of the Her Majesty.

Sasha said, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry to tell you that Clarissa Williams just called and told me that Prince Alexander can't come to the event this evening. His Highness has an urgent meeting with his charity directors in New York City, so he went there immediately."

Queen Beatrice's green eyes went dark with anger, "Is that the reason my son made?"

"My apology, Your Majesty," Sasha sincerely said, "I haven't asked Miss Williams if she was saying the truth. I should ask her so we could rely on that reason."

"It's alright, you may go now," the queen's elegant voice was like a lullaby to her secretary and Leilanie. She could still speak beautifully even though she was facing a dilemma.

When Sasha exited the office, Leilanie started to talk, "Alex surely go somewhere with his accountant. What a pathetic move."

Queen Beatrice looked at her, "The engagement won't happen if he is not here."

"We should go to our next plan," Leilanie's brown eyes went distant. Her mind traveled into different evil plots she fantasized. "Alexander and I must get married as soon as possible before that Shirley Woodman got pregnant."

The queen chuckled, "You're seriously looking at that commoner as a threat."

"Of course, he loves her more than anyone," Leilanie gritted her teeth in frustration. She wanted that Shirley Woodman to just disappear.

"I don't want my son to be with her either," the queen stood from her swivel chair and said, "We have no choice but to go to our next move."

(A/N: I want to see all your violent reactions or comments or suggestions to our update today or to our entire story. You can use your social medias like Facebook, Twitter or Instagram so I can see it regularly. Just use the hashtag #HLWTPrinceWattpad . I'm going to retweet, favorite, like or share your posts or tweets. So, what are you waiting for? I'll follow randomly those who will use this hashtag! There will be more in our next update. See you! #HLWTPrinceWattpad )