Your Majesty?!

"Pardon?"

It was not every day that I would be able to witness a person gaining a victory and loss at the same time. In fact, never have I ever lost face to anyone besides my own brothers. However, it seems today would be a first for me.

Never had I ever been more embarrassed in my whole life than I was now.

"I've come to break off our engagement," my fiance, the young duke Wesley Wylde, repeated with a slightly flustered yet stern expression on his face.

Before I could reply clearly, I finally noticed the lady behind him. It was Lady Matilda, the daughter of Baron Newdegate. She was nicknamed by high society as the epitome of the perfect noble lady with her meek and humble look and demeanor.

The complete opposite of me.

"Ah, I see where this is going," I muttered with a bitter smile growing on my lips. I stood up tall and proud, and that seemed to irk both Wesley and Lady Matilda since they flinched. "What a pity."

That's right. Be irked. Be aware of the danger of crossing me, Anastasia Eleanor Castillon. You will not be the first noble name I will have tarnished. Betraying me like this, how dare you even attempt to? I will never let you off this unscathed.

But, when I looked at Wesley, all those thoughts disappeared.

Unbeknownst to most, our engagement was never purely political. Since we were little, Wesley and I had been quite close and, by the time we reached young adulthood, we slowly fell in love with each other. Thus, when he knelt down on one knee and asked for my hand in marriage, I couldn't possibly refuse. We had been engaged for five months now and our wedding was scheduled a month later from now.

However, it seemed that wouldn't be happening anymore.

Because of my upbringing, I could not bring myself to admit defeat. My pride as a daughter of Duke Castillon hung on the line, and I was sure Wesley knew that, too. So I did what I thought was best for me.

"My, it seems you beat me to it, dear," I sarcastically spat out the endearment while giving him a bitter smile. I saw the faint way his eyes looked sorry and it only served to fuel my anger. "I had been waiting for the right time to do it myself, but it seems you were in a hurry." I glanced at Lady Matilda who was fuming red in indignation.

"Anastasia--"

"Don't you think you're being quite rude, Lady Anastasia?" Lady Matilda spoke up in indignation.

I smiled at how naive and cute she was. "My, I hadn't noticed you there, Lady Matilda. You seemed so insignificant that I didn't even notice how and when you snatched my fiance."

"Anastasia!"

"I am not the rude one here, Wesley," I snapped at him, and he must have seen the anger in my eyes because he shut his mouth. "I am hurt, too," I whispered under my breath. However, beside him, Lady Matilda turned pink in embarrassment, tears quickly pricking at the corner of her eyes.

I inwardly rolled my eyes. Those tears could be her main weapon. I knew exactly what strategy women like her used. Unfortunately for her, I knew how to counter it myself.

Purposefully turning away, I brought my hand to the corner of my eye and wiped a stray yet forced tear. I made sure the majority of the cafe's customers saw my little act and, sure enough, judging from their sympathetic looks, I won this little pity contest.

"I didn't want to do this but you've left me with no choice," I sniffed as I turned to face both of them again. I noticed the irritated look on Lady Matilda's face and the tired look on Wesley's. I knew he just wanted to get this over with, knowing me.

But I wouldn't give him that. I would never give him the easy way out after what he'd done to me.

Reaching for my left hand, I slowly pulled my engagement ring out and gently dropped it on his coat's front pocket. I intentionally placed my hand over it and looked as pitiable as ever.

"Despite knowing our relationship was breaking apart," I started with a tearful look on my face. "I still loved you as my comrade and stayed loyal to you. I believed our shared feelings and memories could be honored that way. But, alas, it seems only I thought so."

When his face finally scrunched up in realization of what I was trying to do, he pushed my hand away in disgust. "How dare you--"

"I loved you as a friend, Wesley," I stated coldly. "That is why I remained faithful despite our failing engagement, and yet you..." I laughed bitterly while wiping away at the corner of my eyes again.

No, I will not let you live this down peacefully.

As I thought this, my heart slowly broke apart. I knew that, when I reached home later, I would be bawling my eyes out.

But not now. Not when you have already embarrassed me this far. Not when she is there beside you as if you have been hers for a while now.

Not when I am Lady Anastasia Eleanor Castillon.

"You liar!" Wesley finally snapped, pointing an accusing finger at me. "You deceitful wench! How dare you try to ruin my reputation like this?!"

This time, I let the lone tear fall, both for final effect and a representation of my real feelings.

"Let's break our engagement, Wesley," I ignored his comments and looked as pitiable and stern at the same time. "If I spend another minute with you, I might turn into a flighty woman myself."

Two birds, one stone. While I exposed his unfaithfulness and dishonor as a duke, I also somewhat managed to patch up the rumor that I was a frivolous woman.

Ignoring the rest of his protests, I turned to walk away tall and proud. "Come, Aliesha. We must head home to prepare for tomorrow's ball."

"Yes, m'lady."

"Wait--"

But, just as I was about to leave, I felt a tight grip on my upper arm and felt a strong force turn me around. It was so sudden that I tripped on the hem of my dress and started to fall backwards. I couldn't react as I saw the ceiling come into view. It was then I suddenly felt a pair of strong, warm hands hold me up by the shoulders.

I looked back to see a red, disheveled Wesley and a frantic-looking Lady Matilda. But what shocked me the most was the handsome man holding me up, his scarlet eyes looking down on me. For some reason, the look he was giving me sent chills down my body and it was not the pleasant kind. Despite this, he gently helped me stand straight again. I couldn't protest when he naturally put his hand on the small of my back.

Before I could speak, his smooth and cool voice spoke up.

"Is that how a duke is supposed to act like?" he asked boldly, turning his now cold scarlet eyes to Wesley. "Brashly pulling on a lady's arm is really out of place and very disgraceful, don't you think?"

Losing his composure, like I knew him to be when he felt cornered, Wesley spoke up indignantly when he really shouldn't have. "And who do you think you are? I don't think I've seen you around the noble circle before. Do you even know who you're talking to?"

The man simply smiled and was about to speak when another man suddenly entered the store with a frantic and exasperated look on his face. With his chestnut-colored hair disheveled, the man was sweating and panting as if he was running until just now. He looked around the cafe until his eyes lit up in recognition when he spotted the mysterious man beside me.

"Your Majesty, I've been looking everywhere for--" he paused when realization dawned on his face. He then frantically bowed deeply. "Oh, oh my. I deeply apologize. I did not notice the, er, people in the..."

With a deep sigh, the man beside me looked at the disheveled man with a disappointed look. "Now you've really done it, Smith."

Everyone in the cafe then burst out in shock.

Including me.

"Your... Majesty?!"