Engaged to the Heartless Heartbreaker ✔

Chapter 19 - Princess

Stella? Where was she?

I opened my eyes. "Where's Stella?"

"She's gone home," Nigel answered.

Good for me, then.

"Does she know about our engagement?" I threw him the question that I had been wanting to ask.

He became silent.

I began to fret. Why did I have to ask that question anyway? Afraid that I might have ruined the newly found friendliness he was showing me, I didn't insist anymore on finding the answer. I quieted myself.

"No," he spoke out a few seconds later.

I remained quiet.

"I don't find any reason why I should tell her about the engagement because..." he paused for a while.

I waited for him to continue.

"Because our engagement isn't official. I haven't proposed to you."

Ouch. So, that was it. I was the only one here expecting that the wedding would ever take place.

"I only see you as the girl that my mom is very fond of, nothing more, nothing less, princess," Nigel averred calmly. "As I said, I'll marry the girl I love, not the girl that my mom loves for me."

The piercing pain in my heart made my whole body numb. Here I was again hurting... How could I ruin the wonderful atmosphere between the two of us?

"Why still bring out the engagement, Althea? I thought you're already giving up?" He cast me a sideways glance as he maneuvered the car on the busy city street.

I remembered our heated conversation that took place at the sugar factory.

"I was just... asking if you want me to give up already," I clarified. "Why, do you really want me to give up on us, Nigel?"

It took him a while before answering, "Why? Do you want to give up now?"

"No! never!" I replied in an instant. That was true. I couldn't give up on him.

The guy smirked. "I have a girlfriend, princess," he said as if he was reminding at the same time teasing me.

That hit me again. Oh, that's why I hate you, Stella. I hate you very much.

But, once again, a newly found strength came over me. "Girlfriend? That Stella? Yeah, she may be your girlfriend but I am your princess, am I not?" I clearly enunciated as I smiled at him.

The car suddenly stopped. I wondered why until I saw the red light. Nigel tapped the stirring wheel lightly. He was still smirking. What was with his smirking? Was he amused or peeved? I couldn't exactly read his expression.

"Thought you'd never notice," he piped up, catching a glimpse of me.

The butterflies awakened in my stomach. Did he really mean that?

"Really, you're not contradicting?" I giggled on my seat.

He turned his drop-dead face to me. There was an amused glimmer in his eyes. "I'm not contradicting, my princess."

Whew! Should I pass out again???

A very, very big smile appeared in my lips as the car moved once more. Really? I couldn't believe it! It just felt so surreal! The nickname that he gave me since my thirteenth birthday was given formerly as a form of sarcasm... Now, did he mean it as a term of endearment?

"W-why?" I dreamily asked.

Nigel's eyes were directed to the road and, from my angle, I could apparently see the reddening of his cheek, his ear, and his neck.