chapter 43

The air between us right now was the most suffocating of all the time I've been with him. I wear the most beautiful dress I had just for today to impress him yet he doesn't even glance at me ever since we get into these big and mighty carriage that have an Allardis crest on both sides of the carriage. I look at him who was sitting still on his couch in front of me in silence.

" ....hmm. " Adam's blonde hair was perfectly brushed to the back make his bare forehead exposed sexily and this is my first time to see he had this kind of hairstyle which makes him look freaking cool and stunning like a prince charming out of the fairy tale. When I think about it again now, his attire was quite attractive tonight too. A dark-colored red shirt that suits my red dress with a black color mantle hung around his broad shoulders with an Allard crest crave on it as a symbol of him as the next heir. He rarely uses that family mantle but since this is his first time attending such a grand banquet after he has recovered from his curse a month ago, he was forced to wear it because Lenny keeps on insisted him to before we departed from the Allardis palace.

I slowly fixed my gaze back on him after suddenly realize my impudent stare at him quite make him uncomfortable with me but I couldn't help it, okay? Gosh! it was all because he's so crazily stunning tonight. Really. He really dresses up just for accompanying me to the crown prince's banquet only for me! can I misunderstand his actions? but I really wanted to misunderstand now...

" Ehem. what is it? " clear his throat shyly, Adam finally gaze his eyes on me after he couldn't bear my intense stare at him any longer. His pupils directly looking at me were shaking finely. Adam looks embarrassed.

" Oh. I just.. um. You look pretty tonight. No. Ah. handsome, I mean. ugh. " my stuttering voices as a result of my anxiety finally bring ashamed out of me. As I couldn't saying anything to defend myself, in the state of lost words, immediately I cover my red face with my hand in frustration. why did I mess up like this! ugh! I'm ashamed of myself.

"..pft. " eventually chuckles a little because of my actions, Adam suddenly leans on his couch comfortably and look at me while tilting his head in a little smirk. His cheeks were slightly red when his eyes were completely directed towards me who was looking at him with puzzled eyes.

" Why did you laugh? "

" Because it's funny. "

" What's funny? " frown in upset when Adam makes fun out of me, I glare at him in annoyance. I complimented you, so aren't you should be grateful right now?

" Well, Lady Claire was insanely stunning tonight too. You're pretty. "

" ..! wha-aa! " Oh my! instantly my face burns in shyness when he bluntly compliments me like that without getting any shy at all. what's wrong with this sweet talker! uh.

" I-I know that myself! Eve-even if you didn't remind me, I know that I was the prettiest girl in the whole continent! " shamelessly proud of my beautiful self, I lift my chin arrogantly while lean on the couch with a red face.

" Haha. Is that so? " smirk in a little chuckle, Adam glance at me for a while before he stares at the outside of the carriage in silence and thus the air between us becomes awkward once again.

" um.. "

" Lady Claire... " He called for my name slightly after a while of silence. Glance on him a little, my eyes stay on his face as his eyes were looking at me solemnly so suddenly. Looking forward to seeing me eye to eye. his hand suddenly reaches my wrist to make me draw my attention to him. I felt as my blood flow was concentrate on my face again. At this rate, I might end up had a nosebleed because of him.

" wh-what? "

" Can you reconsider your decision to break up with me? "

Frown in anxiety as he uses his puppy eyes to look at me with his charming face, my face stiffened in stunned when he suddenly pats my wrist lightly. every time the end of his warm hand passed, my heart began to beat like mad. it's stimulating. even though his fingertips touched it, I couldn't take my eyes off of Adam's face that looking at me desperately.

" I-I can't.. "

As my mouth said those, Adam face immediately turned pale as he is in despair, Adam bend his head and slowly place his forehead on my hand in frustration.

" Is it because of what I did to you back then? "

" What do you mean? " is it back then when he was drunk?? Is he finally able to remember that shameless actions of us in his chamber??! Oh my god!

" If it was because of that, I'm sorry. I promise you I will not touch you ever again. I'll keep a distance between us if that what you want. But please... Don't leave me. That was an accident. I promise you that I will not touch you without your permission. so please.. "

" ..!? " he remembers!

" Your grace. I know that is not your fault.."

" Then, why? why did you ask me to break up? "

" I-I.. that's because.. "

Knock. Knock.

Turn my head to look at the door of the carriage in startled, I can only silent when Adam slowly gets up from his seat after the horseman tell us that we have arrived at the palace of the imperial for a while now.

" Come here. " Reach his hand towards me when I'm standing in front of the door of the carriage in hesitation, I can only hold his big palm obediently while Adam's face has turned expressionless back as before we ride the carriage together.

We both walk towards the ballroom together side by side in a suffocating air as Adam was just walking by my side with his cold stoic face as always in deep silence.

" The young master of grand duke Allard, Adam Rochester Evans Allard and his fiancée, the princess of Romanoff, Claire Stella Romanoff, has arrived! " wholeheartedly the knight that was guarding the door of the hall, announced our arrival to the whole guest with a shout.

" Oh my. He's here just like the rumors said! "

" Why did they used his full name just now? aren't we are banned to announce the members of Allard's name to the people? "

" You stupid, that's because the princess has lifted his curse. Now, we should call him Lord Adam instead of Lord Evans. "

" My, my. The princess's beauty was so stunning again today. they made such a great couple together side by side like that. They look so good like a match made in heaven! "

" It's noisy. " in a low voice, Adam bends his body a little towards me to complain about all the annoying murmur around the banquet hall right now. well, we couldn't help it since the people in high society were so excited to talk about my engagement with Adam after we were silent for two months now.

" Oh my goodness. Are they even true humans!? what an angelic face her highness had and what a god statue like the Lord's face is! Truly amazing! "

" They made such a picturesque couple throughout the whole continent! "

" Oh my. How can both of them so stunning together? "

" ...ugh. Haha. that's right. It's noisy.. " awkwardly faking a smile, I glance at the people around us in embarrassment. Why did you guys compliment us like it never ends! just stop! you're embarrassing me! ugh.

" You-your grace! should I grab some food for us? " while trying to pull him to head towards the balcony where people wasn't standing there, my arm quickly lingering around his tough arm while I lift my head to look at his face directly because of our high difference make me must to looked up only just to meet his eyes.

" Adam. "

"?? hm? pardon me? " blinked my eyes in dumbfounded, I glance at him in startled when Adam suddenly twisted his body completely towards me with a slight smile on his beautiful lips. "?? "

" You're my fiancée, Claire. you don't want them to know we are just faking it, remember? so you need to call me by my name. "

Frown in anxiety, I look at him with a bitter smile. So this is how are you gonna play, huh? Alright then.

" Whatever. It's not like those people can hear us talking though, so why should I? We're just gonna faking it until today so let's don't drop our formalities with each other, alright? " pat his shoulder slightly, I glare at him in annoyance before I turn my body away from him and leave Adam standing alone at the balcony with a serious face.

" Wait! "

Clack. Clack.

I glance through the ballroom with amazing eyes as I walk through the people to get to the table of the feast on the right side of the hall.

The gilded dazzling ceiling, the twinkling lights shone through the ballroom. Woman and nobles dancing beneath them with a beautiful smile. The palace hall of the Castella main palace would never fail to make me amazed by its magnificent ballroom every time I come here every year, even in the past it's still amazed me with how fabulous it is. As I walk, I can see it was full of people who were dressed fashionably.

" The crown prince of Castella, crown prince Noelle Muller Clovis de Castella, and his accompany, the young lady of Duke Almera, Lady Maria Stiffany Almera, has arrived! "

When the voice of the same knight that announced my arrival earlier came to my ear, my heart seems like it has stopped beating with the news of his arrival.

" ...!! "

As I look at them gracefully walk together side by side from the main door of the ballroom with a big smile. I can't help but remember the same scene when he first introduced the same girl back in the past when it was my crowning day. it's was the same scenario.

I stood there speechless as he announced the empress of the empire on the parade together. The people cheered for their happiness while I'm in deep grief when the throne that was supposed to be mine was taken away from me before I could sit on it. That same girl, that same face, that same smile! all of it makes me wanted to scream in anger. Why it is she again that come in with Noelle?! she's supposed to be dying right now but what is she's doing right here? she should have died!

" ugh. "

" Oh my. Isn't this the princess? Greetings to the princess of Romanoff. I am Maria Stiffany Almera. I think this is our first time meeting, right? "

" .... "

" ..well, nice to meet you, princess. I hope we can be friends since I'll be the crown prince Noelle's fiancée soon. "

With a bright smile, she comes to me, standing before me with her innocent face once again, and shamelessly introduce herself towards me like in the past while I could only gaze at her fragile figure in a freeze.