Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
I couldn’t get drawn in by Kalon, even if he was far more charming than I’d ever believed he could be.
That was the problem.
He was charming.
For a moment in my office today, I’d felt like me. Not the Lady Alicia Vermillion version of me, but Allie. As we’d gone back and forth with our light banter, I’d almost forgotten that he was royalty, and I was nobility.
I’d just felt… comfortable.
It was a tremendously dangerous feeling. If my death was linked to marrying Kalon, then the last thing I needed was to feel any kind of comfort in being around him.
However, I still had to survive to the autumn ball for Lillia’s debut. I’d been determined not to attend, but I needed to see for myself if he would fall in love with her at first sight.
If he did, I would continue with my original plan. In that case, getting along with him well would only be beneficial to me, and hadn’t I planned that anyway? To delay the wedding while becoming his friend?
But what if he didn’t fall in love with her?
I buried myself under the covers and tucked them up under my chin.
Indeed—what if he didn’t fall for Lillia at first sight? Then what?
I yanked the sheets over my head so I was cocooned in them. I couldn’t guarantee that Kalon would fall for Lillia, not now so many things had changed from what I knew. Was it okay for me to think that it was a possibility?
Could I act on the assumption that he’d fall for her and prepare for that outcome, but still hold onto the idea that he may not?
After all, I liked it here. I hadn’t been outside the castle yet, but inside the walls, I was… I didn’t know if happy was the right word to use, but I didn’t hate it. I didn’t really want to run away from here.
The food was good, and the kitchen maids always snuck me an extra snack when one of the maids brought me afternoon tea. The household staff were kind and thoughtful, and I was slowly learning more about my new home every time we spoke. Despite the rocky start, the knights had warmed to me, and I enjoyed working with Sir Hayes on laying the foundations for the monster attack relief fund. Even Bella and Annie had settled in well, and Annie looked like all the stress she’d carried around in the capital had lifted.
Was it foolish of me to hope that perhaps I could stay here?
Yes. It was.
It was a dangerous way of thinking. Wanting to stay here was what had led Original Alicia to her downfall, after all, but I wasn’t a mean person. Even if by some miracle I fell in love with Kalon, I was the kind of person who would give up on my happiness for the people I cared about.
If I fell for him and he fell for Lillia, I’d let him go.
It was easy to say, I know, but the alternative was to die.
Besides, love wasn’t the only way to obtain happiness. My goal in this life was to find happiness as Alicia Vermillion, and happiness always came with a little heartbreak.
I sighed and popped my head back out of the covers.
Maybe I would just have to wing it.
Chapter Nineteen – Kalon
All About Alicia
“Are you busy?”
Alicia looked up from her desk, hitting me with her bright green eyes. “Good morning to you, too.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“You’re an intelligent man. Do I look busy?”
That mouth of hers was going to get her in trouble one day.
Even if I couldn’t deny that I liked the fact that she spoke to me like this.
“Not particularly,” I said, walking into the office and looking at the maid waiting there—was her name Lydia? “Leave us.”
She curtseyed. “Yes, Your Highness.”
I watched her leave, then turned back to Alicia. “The hunting competition is only two weeks away.”
“Unfortunately,” she replied, sighing heavily. “Please excuse me if I come down with a chronic headache the day we have to leave and can’t accompany you.”
“That won’t do.” I sat in the chair opposite her. “This will be our first appearance as an engaged couple, and my father will be expecting us to announce the wedding.”
Her shoulders stiffened. “But we haven’t discussed it yet.”
“It’s only been a few days since I returned. Either way, we must figure something out.” I eyed her suspiciously. “As well as coordinate our outfits for the ball.”
“We’re coordinating?”
“Yes. We’re engaged, Alicia. We should look the part of a couple, don’t you think?” I raised my eyebrows. “There’s also the fact that my father believes I fell in love with you at first sight.”
She coughed, dropping her pen. “He what?”
I shrugged. “How else do you think I got you off the Crown Princess shortlist? You were the first choice for both the Emperor and the Empress, and I think my brother was equally as taken with you at the ball.”