Inside Amelia's luxurious apartment, the two girls were taking their time with all the preparation. Rose was quite overwhelmed with all the things Amelia was doing to her, but she didn't dare to say a word or even complain. She just left her to do her thing, after all, she asked for her help, so it would be unfair to stop her.
It was already noon when they heard a ding on the door, they suddenly received a package and the recipient was Rose, but there was no name on the box to say who sent the package. The only detail on it was an address, and they both were shocked to see it was the address of the most luxurious designer store in the city. Rose became even more overwhelmed.
They finally opened the box, and when they lifted the cover, Rose and Amelia could not help but gasp at the sight of the beauty that they laid their eyes on. Inside the big box lay an exquisite dinner gown, glittering from the black and purple sequins that covered it. The off-the-shoulder, u-neck mermaid gown felt so luxurious to the touch that she couldn't help but run her fingers over it.
Not to mention that there were also matching black and purple masquerade masks and high heels!
“Oh my God! This dress is definitely a designer's piece! Rose! And these jewels and shoes, oh gosh! Rose tell me… who is this big fish you actually found? Rose?! I can already tell that this man is far richer than me! Cause what!?”
“R-really?!” Was all Rose could say.
“Rose, I just know that this party you're going to attend is not just the regular one. I mean, these clothes are meant for high-class parties, and with a masquerade mask too! I'm not going to lie to you, I'm pretty worried about you… are you sure you can handle this? Do you want this?” Amelia asked as she held her shoulder softly as she tried to gauge her friend's reaction.
Amelia had a look on her face as though she wanted to demotivate Rose, or even make an attempt to stop her, if she saw a single hint of hesitation in her eyes, even the slightest one.
But to her surprise, Rose's decision was not going to change, and Amelia couldn't see any fear doubt, or hesitation in her friend's eyes at all, so she immediately gave up.
Amelia sighed, she felt like a proud mother. She had never seen such decisiveness in Rose's eyes before. She even looked as though this was a ‘now or never' situation for her. Although it was for Rose.
“Okay then… Rose, let's begin!” Amelia said cheerfully, she felt relaxed and happy to see how Rose was handling herself so well. And finally, she started to create some magic!
It was almost eight in the evening when everything was finished.
“Oh gosh, My beautiful rose! Look at how pretty you are! You are now officially the prettiest lady on earth that I have ever laid my own two eyes on!” Amelia began praising her nonstop, and she kept circling her again and again. But Rose understood her reaction because even she was almost as shocked the moment she looked at herself in the mirror.
“I don't know what to say, thank you so much, Amelia. I really can't thank you enough for this.” Rose said, still in awe of her beauty.
“Don't mention! This is all you and the dress, okay? I didn't even put that much makeup on you. I literally just fixed your hair and styled you up in that pretty dress and that was all it took to unearth your natural beauty. Ugh! I'm so jealous of Mr. Caleb at this point. He's way too lucky, that damn bastard!”
Rose chuckled. “Don't talk like that! I'm so sure you won't be able to say that when you see him.” Rose hinted in certainty.
“Whatever you say… however, I still believe he's such a lucky man no matter how handsome he is!” Amelia immediately protested.
That being said, it was time for her to go.
Amelia accompanied her to the entrance of her apartment. She was honestly so nervous. She didn't want to let this pretty and innocent friend of hers go with someone she had never met, but Rose was a grown-up lady now. Besides she made Rose promise to call her if anything happens and Amelia also promised to immediately come running.
A limited edition, Lamborghini stopped before them, and Rose was once again stunned. She felt a mix of both anxiety and curiosity for what the night holds for her. Part of her felt genuinely happy, anticipating whatever it was she was about to experience. She just felt good about everything.
Amelia was even more stunned, this was the car of her dreams which she couldn't buy because the other, more rich and powerful people got them first. She was insanely struck by everything happening.
A man stepped out and pulled them both from their sea of imaginations, and Amelia's eyes immediately narrowed. When Rose stepped towards him, Amelia suddenly pulled her back.
“W-wait, Rose. Don't tell me that this is Mr. Caleb you are talking about?” She asked with wide eyes, her brows narrowed as she pointed her finger towards Mr. Man in the black jacket.
Rose blinked at her as she shook her head. “No Amelia, he's the one he sent to pick me up. He's Mr. Caleb's friend.”
Amelia looked so shocked. She leaned towards Rose and whispered in her ear. “ Rose.. that man is a.. that man is a prince! And he was sent to pick you up?! Hold on.. just who the hell is your Mr. Caleb to send a prince to pick you up!?” Amelia was obviously shocked, and she didn't look like she was joking at all!”
“Prince? What do you mean by a prince? Prince in a movie or something?” Rose was confused.
“No! So you don't know who he is!? Rose, he's the real deal! That man is a royal! He's a prince!”
Rose got even more confused and was about to ask Amelia for more details when the man called out her name. “Miss Thornwood?”
When Rose nodded, the man spaced out for a moment and she stared at her from up to down.
“Oh… I almost didn't recognize you in this dress.” He said and he smiled softly. “Shall we go now, Miss?”
Rose turned towards the still dumbstruck Amelia. “Amelia, I'm going now. I'll call you, okay?” She waited for a response and when she got now she then walked towards the car when Amelia finally snapped.
“Rose, wait!...” Amelia looked at Mr. Man in the black jacket. “You are prince pien, right ?” She asked, and Mr. Man in the black jacket's eyes wudened in shock. He even looked around immediately to see if someone overheard her. When he confirmed that no one was around, he smiled at Amelia. It was so obvious that he didn't expect to be recognized.
“And you're Miss. Thornwood's friend! You don't have to worry about her, she's in safe hands.” The man warmly assured, and without any response, he entered the car.
Amelia was left standing, completely dumbstruck, just looking at the car till it disappeared into the dark.
A grand and splendid ballroom had been neatly arranged for what seemed to be an immensely significant and upscale occasion. Chandeliers hung gracefully from the ceiling, casting glimmers of light that spanned the room, bestowing an ambiance akin to a luminous, star-studded night sky. Throughout the room, numerous round tables were neatly placed, adorned with an elegant blend of black and purple–colors that represented wealth, prosperity, and good fortune. This masquerade ball was undoubtedly a showcase of luxury, evident in every detail from the gleaming crystal champagne glasses to the resplendent silver and black cutlery. The walls adorned with exquisite paintings and decorations added to the lavishness of the scene. However, it wasn't just these opulent elements that caught one's attention. Inside the ballroom, clusters of good-looking individuals were adorned in clothing, jewelry, and accessories that collectively amounted to millions of dollars. The women's adornments–earrings,
The music faded, marking the conclusion of their dance. Rose wasn't ready to depart the dance floor just yet, not without receiving an answer to her question. However, the man had already left her away. Mr. Caleb then guided her towards a grand staircase, and together, they ascended the steps. Proceeding along the corridor, they continued until they reached a pair of large doors that swung open to reveal an open-air garden. The garden was a beautiful sight to behold. The flowers were in full bloom, an assortment of different types and colors, and the petals seemed to be glowing from the moonlight. But that wasn't all. The view from where they stood was magnificent. The lights of the skyscraper and the lights of the city below were spread out in front of them like a brightly painted canvas. The man walked towards the railing and leaned on it, facing her. She finally realized that the man was wearing a vintage, classic black suit. She had been so focused on his face until then that sh
The bedroom was enormous, decorated in a masculine tone of gray and black. It was dimly lit–mood lighting, she supposed–and Rose found herself standing a few feet away from a large king-sized bed. Rose knew exactly what could happen the instant they entered this suite. She wasn't going to lie to herself. Deep within her, she still wishes that this man would be like the male leads she has read in her favorite romantic novels–a gentleman, sweet, dotting, and respectful, a man who wouldn't do this thing without love for his partner. However, she knew right from the start that he was not that type of man. He clearly showed her, and his actions spoke clearly of how he wasn't the type to love. In short, he might only want a girlfriend for company or sexual needs. Rose didn't mind, she just wanted the experience, to know what it means to have a boyfriend, to fulfill her novel-inspired desires. And here she is willingly following him to the depths of hell, despite the thudding of her puls
I can do it, she declared. Her voice was a little louder as if she was trying to give herself some motivation before she finally moved. She reached her arm out behind her and easily found her zip. There was shyness and hesitation in her movement as if she was a little uncertain of herself. She then pulled the zip slowly downwards, feeling her dress loosen up the moment she did so. She instinctively caught the front of her dress with her other hand and held it up so it wouldn't slip down. Once she finished unzipping her dress, she straightened up and her arms were crossed over her chest, holding the dress in place and preventing it from falling off.She looked up and lifted an eyebrow when he met her eyes as if he was asking a silent question. However, her gaze was steady and she didn't look away from him. It was obvious that her resolve was as solid as a rock. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes before carefully moving her arms away and letting her dress fall gracefully aroun
Mr. Caleb could see that this girl seemed to be seemed to be clueless about all this but he found it so hard to believe it. She was creaking twenty-three years old! He was struck with intense disbelief that she was clueless and ignorant about it. If she told him that she never masturbated or touched any toys, he might be able to believe that, but there was no way she hadn't watched, read, or heard about these things in her twenty-three years of existence! Moreover, she was the one who bravely went through with this! Unless… was she trying to be timid? He had met plenty of girls before who acted all timid like this. However, this little fox was on a whole other level. No one ever made him this speechless before but what was even more unbelievable was that he now truly felt that she wasn't trying to be timid at all, that she was indeed just too pure and innocent. But is she truly? She isn't just one hell of a skilled actress, is she?Suddenly, he moved, drawing her body close to his.
His mind was instantly cleared of his desires. “You… you're a virgin…” he trailed off, shaking his head slowly. When the girl nodded, his eyes narrowed slightly. Breathing deeply, he closed his eyes. And when his lashes fluttered open, he couldn't hide the hint of anger that crossed his features for a fleeting moment. “Tell me… how come you're still untouched?” he licked the inside of his cheek as though he just realized what a stupid question he just ranted. “I've never had a boyfriend before, that's why,” she responded quickly, leaving him with no choice but to continue asking. “Why haven't you had a boyfriend before?” he didn't hesitate to keep asking as the woman sitting in front of him just kept flaunting new colors. “I don't know… I haven't thought about it.” For some reason, he felt like her answer this time was half-baked. Perhaps because her expression was a little flustered as if she was someone who didn't know how to lie. “Wait. Don't tell me you have never been ki
“Rose…” he uttered her name, calmly. His eyes looked at her with a seemingly steely decision–a decision to send this girl away, as far away from himself as possible. Since the night he first laid eyes on her in that forest, he had felt that she was likely a kind-hearted, gentle, and virtuous girl; an aura she appeared to ooze. He discerned it from the way she talked and their interactions – a hint that she might have lived a sheltered life. He would even wager that she had been raised with strong values and he matured into a person of decency and compassion. That's one of the reasons he had initially dubbed her “little fox” - she just emitted an aura of purity akin to freshly fallen snow, a striking contrast to his nature. The girl’s eyes were so clear. Unlike his, her eyes spoke of life, they weren't dead, and it was as if they were unable to hide any secret at all. His first impression of her was that she was like an untouched river, clear and pure but also vigorous. But then sh
“Caleb, I really think we should start heading back now!” a man’s voice echoed in the dimly lit towering trees jolting Roselia and causing her phone and her violin to nearly slip from her grasp. She was sitting on a moss-covered fallen log, humming to the symphony of her violin and enjoying the moonlit sky, as she just turned twenty-two years old, the night of her birthday. “What did you say?” A deep, growling, and husky male voice interjected, its depth sending a shiver down her spine—even though the words weren't directed at her. Maybe it was the sheer force of his voice, or perhaps the way his tone sliced through the air, devoid of all warmth.“I said, I think we should start heading back now” Roselia heard the man’s voice again. “It's too late, let alone dangerous for us to be wandering in another territory, all for a long-dead prophecy?”Roselia held her breath, waiting for the man’s response, but only silence followed. Her curiosity sparked. What prophecy she thought to hersel