chapter 35

" ...sigh.. "

With his sorrowful face, Adam bends his head in wonder in his deep thoughts and clenches his teeth in annoyance. Even though his eyes gaze on the paper in front of him while trying to get his focus back, his lips keep on let go a deep sigh in disappointment.

" My Lord, you seem to be bothered by something. " suddenly greets his master with a big frown, Edith places the document in his embrace on Adam's desk while slowly glanced at him in hesitation.

I shouldn't be discouraged by his menacing aura. Aren't I already familiar with his habits since I've served him much longer in the past?. While trying to maintain his smile in front of Adam, Edith keeps on motivated his mind to keep his compositions from getting swayed by Adam's menaces.

" ..how long have you been served the lady, Edith? " suddenly a question came out from his mouth make Edith flinch then stiffened in stunned.

How long?? she's being my temporary master just a week ago and now my actual master asked me how long I've served her since the lady gave me this position with her influence when the master's absence! how do I suppose to answer these..!

" ..um. Mu-much longer than you can imagine? I-I've served the lady since she was extremely young.. though... well.. " in his hesitation, Edith's face turned pale while trying to lie the creepy person before of him right now.

" Then you might know what the lady likes, right? " suddenly his voice begins to get excited, Adam faces brighten up when he looks at his savior to make up with Claire again. Edith should know since he knows the lady from she's extremely young!

" ..pardon..? "

" Claire. What does she like to have as her present? "

" ..present..? " dumbfounded with his unfamiliar attitude, Edith looks at Adam who was looking at him desperately to know what does Claire likes. He has never acted like these even when he was with that foolish girl in the past... the look in his eyes was different back then compared to now, he kind of.. lively..?

" um. Don't girls always like jewelry or something expensive as their presents? They said it could show our affection towards them depend on how expensive that gift could be. "

" ...hm. jewelry..? I see.. " tapping his fingertips in his deep thoughts, understand Edith's statement about a girl makes him more confident to face Claire now. Slowly he looks through his office window and catches a glimpse of Claire, who was walking in the garden with a big grin as always.

" Called the head of the most popular jewelry stores to my mansion immediately. "

" yes? Ah, as your command, my Lord. " in hesitation, Edith head out from the office in a big frown, puzzled with his master complicated thoughts, he halts his feet in front of the carriage in doubt.

" Why the head of the stores though? "

****

Ah.. tulips are definitely pretty too today. It's a good thing I told them to plant it here although I need to leave the mansion sooner since I've gained what I wanted from the villain now.

Publicity. The most important part since I need to climb society on my own after annulled my engagement with Noelle. I think about using Adam to get the throne, but I've changed my mind. He's dangerous to get near. I think I should use Maria's trick that she used when she was trying to get herself away from Adam in the past. Since I've gained the attention the same as when Maria becomes a saint, I shouldn't stay here any longer than this.

" My lady. We can leave the mansion after the banquet. Please be prepared. " Daisy slowly whisper in my ear when we walked through the garden this evening. slowly I glanced at her and pretended to smile gently.

" Yes. The tulips are very pretty today too, Daisy. "

" ah! I think so too! it was very pretty but still can't be compared to your gorgeous face, my lady. " begin to act just like me, Daisy quickly chuckles with her compliment while following my step from behind to make sure no one would suspect their actions.

Then, it's all settled.

" Princess. "

Quickly turned her face to look at a knight that suddenly greeting her from beside, Claire gently with an innocent face, smile towards the knight.

" Yes? what's the matter, sir Randy? "

" The lord has summoned your presence at his carriage this instant, your highness." bowed politely towards me, the knight called Randy to send the words to me with a straight face as he was commanded to.

" Pardon? the Lord... hi-his grace had called for me?? " halt my feet in stunned, my body stiffened in disbelief with Randy words and quickly my eyes glanced on Daisy in anxiety.

" ..... "

" Yes. I get it. you may dismiss now, sir Randy. " held my head that suddenly aches in annoyance, I courage up myself to walk towards the main door of the mansion which the carriage was set at.

" My lady, is this alright? should I come with you? " worried by my calms expression, Daisy follows my step in hurriedly while beginning to drenches in a cold sweat.

" I'm alright. you don't have to come. This way I could talk to him privately. "

" Ah. yes, I understand, my lady. "

" ..... "

" Greeting the bloomed flare of the Allard, Claire Stella Romanoff at your service. " bowed towards the person who was standing beside the carriage, waiting for me patiently, Adam suddenly began to show his rare smile when I'm getting near him in silence and suddenly his hand lightly touches my hand while he bends his head a little to look at my face closer.

" No need for the greeting, my fiance. I wanted to escort you somewhere, please get in." with a big smile, he helped me get into the carriage like a gentleman and thus we depart from the mansion in hurried.

" Where are we going in such a hurry, your grace? "

" ..... "

" .... " he just silent while maintaining his attitude, crossed his armed and look at the outside in his deep thoughts. Look at that, he always let my question alone since he tired of answering someone's question towards him. You have always acted arrogantly like that whenever you got tired with your works but why did you even bother yourself to escort me to the place where even the gods know where?

" ..sigh. Whatever. " get annoyed with his silence from earlier, I face the window in frustration. I prefer his beast form than his original, at least I don't get frustrated even if he didn't answer my questions because I know he couldn't talk.

" I've been trying to ask from earlier.. " suddenly his lips that I thought has been the seal of something begin to talk eventually after an awkward atmosphere when we were just silent for a while.

" ..... "

" ..go ahead. " still sulking with his attitude, only my gaze was currently looking at him even though my face was facing the window arrogantly. Do you think only you can act cold like that? don't try me, Adam.

" Why did you keep calling me 'your grace'? we're an engaged couple, don't we? " begin to lean his body forward to get closer to me more, his face change with a big smirk while looking at me intensely.

" Ha. Then do you aspect us to be all lovey-dovey like those normal couples even though this was just a fake engagement, your grace? " keep on looking at the window in annoyance, my face begins to frown in frustration with his play. He is the one that asked me to call him in formalities, now he's trying to question it, huh. He once said this engagement is fake too so why do I need to scared of him?

" ....."

" ....huh. "

' Claire. Why did she keep on looking at the outside when she talked to me? is there something more worthy to look at more than my face? ' with his ominous thoughts, Adam turned his face to look in the same direction as Claire does and like the timing was right, the carriage has stopped due to the parade that was blocked the way to the place Adam wanted to go to. At that time, there was a big festival being held to celebrate the crown princess even though they didn't know who is it.

Adam stares in the same direction as Claire closely and eventually he saw a bar that was filled with so many men. It was popular due to the rumors said that many pretty girls that work there and serve their customers privately. That's why it was filled with so many perverts guys.

" Tsk. I should get rid of that place before she falls for one of those trashy men beside me." mumbled in annoyance, Adam clenches his teeth in anger and quickly bend his head in frustration.

" ...? "

" What did you just say, your grace? " in confusion when she didn't hear what Adam said in a low voice earlier, Claire turns her face as to clearly look at Adam that bends his head in silence so suddenly.

" ..claire.. "

" ....! "

" Only look at me, will you? " his intense red eyes glared at me like he was trying to swallow me up when our eyes met each other. While my body freezes up in shock to his sudden change of behavior, I look at him in a state of loss of word.

" ....!! "

With his big hand, Adam suddenly touch both my cheeks and pulled my face to him to make my current view will be only him. My eyes gradually get shaken in fear by his ominous eyes, quickly shut in a shudder. While my lips sealed in stiffened. My body began to tremble when I think what does he want to do to me so suddenly. Is he mad because I rude at him just now? but it was because I'm angry that you didn't answer my question!

" ..uh.. " in frightened, my face stiffened in fear when I can sense that he suddenly begins to get his body near to me and slowly my forehead gradually felt a little warm.

" ...? " fear to open my eyes, slowly I take a peek at him when he suddenly silent after a while.

" ....!?! "

' ughh!! ' he places his forehead on mine! now our face closer like the last time we-we kis-kissed...!! what does he want actually..???

" your grace..?? " while maintaining to be cold towards his sudden attitude, my face flushed in embarrassment when Adam suddenly shows his desperate expression with his stunning cold stoic face.

" Call me 'Adam' like you used to do to my beast form, Claire."

" ...!! "

How does he know?! He's supposed to forget all of those moments. Even a piece of it, he can not remember about it at all!

" You-your grace. I-I've committed such a grav.. "

" Young master, princess, we've arrived. " suddenly the horseman broke the atmosphere between us, and without waiting any longer, my hand quickly pushed his body away from myself and burst out from the carriage in a hurry to get away from him as soon as possible.

" Greeting the lady of Allardis, I am the head of the Sophia jewelry stores, Julie Hastry. pleased to make your acquaintance. " suddenly a graceful woman, bowed in front of me when I'm desperately trying to get away from the carriage in flushed.

" Ah.. ye-yes.. "

Sophia jewelry stores? The most famous jewelry stores that the empire ever had in history? the most famous within the woman of the capital since it's an accessory that always been used by the queen for generations? Julie Hastry? Hastry families, that have always been the genius aristocrat for their strategy on every business they tangled with. that famous one? why though such a person from a wealthy family like her meet me without notice like this?

" Ah. does the preparation ready yet? " suddenly came from behind me, Adam lightly embraces my shoulder with his right arm and slowly he smiled when my face looked at him dumbfounded with his actions. He acted like he knew the woman in front of us right now just like one of his acquaintances...

" yes, as your command, my Lord. my lady, please sign these documents first. "

" what? for what? " looked at the documents that piled up in her embrace, doubtful with the situation that happened. my face frown in dumbfounded.

" Oh my, the lord didn't mention it just yet to the lady? your fiance here has paid for all the jewelry from our whole store, my lady. From the most popular jewelry that has been used by the queen for generations until the rare and only one in the whole world, 'Mermaid tears' set jewelry also has been bought by your fiance. "

" .....??!! "

" WHAT??? "

My eyes reflexes to look at him in disbelief with what that woman just said.

" Do you like it, my fiance? " he stands beside me. His usual cold stoic face begins to carve a smile on his cynical lips. I can see how proud he is of himself right now that my head began to ache in frustration. I think I wanted to cry right now just by wondering how much this crazy bastard has used his money only to buy that whole jewelry for me. Even my father wouldn't ever dare to waste this whole amount of money for his only daughter!

" .... " In a state of loss of words, my whole body trembled by the culture shock I just felt right now.

" ...uh. "

It's no doubt now. He truly is lunatic, insane, and the craziest man I've ever met in my whole life! how can I run away now if he gives me something so crazy like these!! did he want me to indebted to him for my whole life??

" Ha.. "

How did I end up with this man at first..? I think I should prepare to become his servant instead of run away from him.. ugh.