"Happy holidays, everyone!" Angela happily greeted her friends as she handed her Christmas presents to each one of them.
"Oh that's so sweet of you, Angela! Thank you! What is this?" Guinevere asked curiously as she received hers.
"Don't open it here." Angela winked at her.
"Why??? What is this?"
"You'll love it. Gusion too! Just open it when you get home." Angela giggled.
It was the last day of classes before Christmas vacation and almost everyone in Moonton is going out of town. Granger and Alucard will both spend their Christmas with Tigreal, Harith and Fanny in Mossenia. Angela, Chou, and Claude will go on a roadtrip while Gusion and Guinevere booked a flight to the Vonetis Islands.
"See you next year, guys! Love you all!" Alucard waved at his friends before he and Granger left.
The rest of them went back to their dormitory to grab their stuff while Gusion walked Guinevere to her flat.
"I should've just brought my stuff earlier so I don't have to go back to the dorm." He told her as they reached her place.
"Hey, it's okay. We still have three hours before our flight. There's no need to rush." Guinevere smiled at him.
"I'll be quick. I'll be back soon." Gusion kissed her on her cheek and then left.
Guinevere's stuff are ready so she just need to rest for a bit and then shower before they leave.
I am so excited! I love the cold weather but going to the beach on a Christmas holiday is also fun. She thought.
She sat on her bed and saw Angela's gift.
Hmm what could this be?
Her jaw dropped when she finally opened it and saw what it was.
YOU NAUGHTY LITTLE WOMAN!!! That's why you said Gusion will love this too.
Guinevere hurriedly took her phone to thank Angela but when she unlocked its screen, Angela already had a message asking if she liked her gift.
She smiled and responded to her text.
I love it. Thanks again! But I'm not wearing this when Gusion is around. 🙄
Angela's gift is a black see-through night gown. She was going to try it on but she hurriedly put it in her closet when she heard knocks on her door.
"You're back already!" She asked as soon as she opened the door.
Guinevere almost fainted in shock and fear when she realized it wasn't Gusion.
It was Gustav. Gusion's eldest brother. The man she was arranged to marry. The man who is the very reason she had to run away and hide. The villain who haunted her in her dreams months ago.
"Hello, my lady. Forgive my unannounced arrival, but I just wanted to greet you personally. Happy holidays!" Gustav grinned at Guinevere.
"Gu-, Gustav." Guinevere stuttered.
All the scenes from her dream suddenly flashed back, how she cried every night watching Gusion die over and over. Her heart was racing but she tried so hard not to panic. Gustav looks exactly how she saw him in her dream.
"I don't think we've ever met, my lady. I'm surprised you recognized me. I don't even look like your boyfriend."
Guinevere stepped back, unsure what to do.
He knew everything. She thought.
"Don't be scared, Guinevere. I come in peace."
"How did you find me?" Guinevere asked. Her voice was trembling.
"Let's say, a friend of mine happens to own the airline you and your boyfriend booked a flight with. But that's not important. Are you not going to ask me what I want? You see, I could have ordered my mages to drag you back to Castle Gorge, but as I said, I come in peace."
"What do you want?" Guinevere was scared but at the same time starting to get impatient.
"I wanted you to be my wife."
"That's never going to happen." Guinevere clenched her fists, ready to attack any moment.
"I know. That's why I said I wanted, and I have a proposal. May I come in?"
Guinevere didn't have a choice but to let him in.
"I see you're all packed and ready for your Vonetis Islands trip."
"Just tell me what you want so we can get this over with." Guinevere almost shouted.
"Just as I expected. Brave woman. Okay, my dearest ex brother will be back soon and I wouldn't want to cause any commotion. So, here's my proposal."
Guinevere was sure that whatever he will propose is not something she will like.
"I want you to break up with Gusion Paxley."
"What made you think I will agree to this stupid proposal?"
"I'm sure you would. Because if you don't, you know exactly what's going to happen to him. I came in peace and wouldn't want to tarnish my name by murdering a worthless banished Paxley. I'm sure you are aware that running away isn't going to be a smart option either. I will find you wherever you go. And oh, I know how much you two will earn when you graduate from this underground academy. Do you want to take that away from someone who no longer have a family? Where will you two go if you don't have anything?"
Guinevere couldn't say a word. She expected worse but she doesn't know if she can do it. She remembered everything that Granger said about his first love.
"I am not asking you to break up with him now, my lady Guinevere. You have until summer to decide. You see, I am very considerate. I want to earn your respect."
"Who on her right mind would respect someone who just blackmailed her?" Guinevere felt angry. She wanted to punch him in the face, she wanted to murder him right then and there. But she was thinking of Gusion. Gustav is still his brother after all and any wrong move can make everything worse.
"I think I deserve at least an appreciation. After what you did to me. Remember, your marriage with me was your father's proposal not ours. I just chose who I wanted as my wife. If it's not you I am marrying, then I am not marrying anyone else. But of course, don't take it personally. I only want you to be my wife for publicity, because you're quite famous in Land of Dawn. My reputation as the future king is the most important to me more than anything. Also, I am tired of competing with Gusion and I am not that desperate to make you love me just to prove that I am better than him. I am the next king and he is too unimportant to be a competition. So I will never force myself to you."
Guinevere was surprised with Gustav has said. She was expecting him to be violent and pure evil.
"If you don't want to compete with him, why do you have to come here to ask me to break up with him?"
"Because every noble family in Land of Dawn already knew about our wedding next year, after your brother's wedding with that Regina princess. But like I said, I won't force you to marry me."
"I don't think I understand."
"I just need you to pretend to marry me. That's all. Fake wedding, fake photos. You don't even have to kiss me, that won't be necessary. Then you are free to go wherever you want to, except near Gusion. You see, I am not anything like the villains you see in movies. I am just a prince who's obsessed with being a king. All I am asking is you stay far away from Gusion because if anyone finds out about our fake wedding, I will look like a leader people shouldn't trust and I don't want that to happen."
Guinevere did not respond. She stared at Gustav for a few seconds.
"Think about it. I better get going. Your boyfriend must be on his way back here now. Happy holidays, my lady."
Guinevere's tears started to fall down as soon as Gustav left.
What should I do? She thought.
She suddenly heard Gusion entered her flat. She wiped her tears.
"You left your door unlocked. Are you ready?" He asked as he saw her sitting on the couch.
She just stared at him.
"What's wrong?" Gusion asked when he noticed something was bothering her.
"Nothing. I just don't feel well. I, uhm, I don't know, I feel like I'm gonna be sick." She lied.
"We can cancel our trip if you don't feel well. Come here." Gusion sat beside her and wrapped his arms around her.
Guinevere's heart was crushed. She hugged him tight and secretly wiped her tears as they started falling down her face. She never wanted to let him go.
"Are you sure there's nothing you want to tell me?" Gusion asked again as he gently stroke her back.
Guinevere shook her head and then let go from Gusion's embrace. She stared into his eyes.
"I love you so much, Gusion."
"I love you more than anything in this world, Guinevere."
He gently kissed her forehead, then her nose, and then paused when their lips are inches apart. He smiled at her before finally pressing his lips against hers.