XIX

XIX

"Come in," I heard Prince Alexander's voice behind his office's door after I knocked. I opened it and saw him sitting on his swivel chair while reading a paper on his hand. He smiled when he recognized I was his guest for this noon.

Actually, I was always his guest every noon for the last five days after we returned to the palace from our trip to Brazil. Only Clarissa knew that the Prince and I went to Brazil together. The rest, they believed in the invented story that the Prince allowed me to visit my family in Chicago as a treat for my good performance in making his financial reports.

The first time my visitation happened, he ordered Clarissa to tell me that we had a meeting after lunch. I thought it was really a meeting about the different transactions for the month of October, and it turned out to be a coffee break.

He said to me that every noon, we should have always a coffee break together. Probably he wanted to learn more about me, which was the same with my reason I agreed with his proposition. However, I was a little scared that his feeling for me might go deeper until he could not escape anymore from it.

I did not tell him yet that I heard his confession on the island. I looked for the right time to discuss those things with him. Not now. Not tomorrow. Maybe in the near future.

We sat on the couch, side by side, while the hot coffees were on the center table. On the first day we started this, it was awkward to sit on this couch where I saw him with his mistress doing some miracles. However, I used to sit here as the days passed because of the things I learned about him every time we talked here.

He looked tired because of the happenings inside and outside the country. As a part of the government, he was one of those who administered it.

"Have you already sleep?" I asked him as I sipped my coffee.

He shook his head. "I've never slept since we came back," he yawned, "I wish we stayed there forever."

I was not sure if he wanted to stay there to escape his work, or, be with me. The latter was incredibly ambitious. Whatever he meant, there was a voice in the back of my mind chanting I also wanted to stay there with him forever. But I didn't give attention to that naughty voice.

I looked at my wristwatch to see the time. "You still have one hour before coming back to work. You can take a nap, you know."

"You're right," he said and lay down on the couch, putting his head on my lap, "Don't leave until I wake up, okay?"

"Wow, I'm not a pillow," I playfully told him.

"You're not, because you're beautiful," he grinned, looking at me and closed his eyes after a few seconds.

"Stop teasing me," I could not help but to smile in his cheesiness.

He wrapped his hand on my wrist and put my palm on his cheek. Unconsciously, I brushed his hair with my free hand until his breathing became even. He looked younger when he was sleeping. His face was peaceful and calm. I thought suddenly about having a future with him. What would it be?

I had no idea how long we were in that position, when someone burst into the office. She yelled, "Honey! Why are you not answering my call? I miss you..." she stopped when our gazes met.

She was a slender tall blonde woman who had the smallest waistline for the record. The dress she wore started from her cleavage and ended to her mid-thigh. Makeup covered her face, almost a clown style. Her stares were daggers and I knew she was already killing me in her mind, because the man she called 'honey' was lying on my lap.

"Who are you, bimbo?" she shouted. Her face was full of disbelief.

I gritted my teeth. All I wanted was removed the hair of this prostitute standing in front of me. How dare she was calling me a bimbo?

Prince Alexander groaned and said in a sleepy voice, "Why are you shouting?"

The prostitute's face enlightened and said, "Honey, it's me, Gracie, I waited for your call after our one night stand three days ago. When I called you yesterday, you didn't bother to answer."

My chest tightened once the words 'three days ago' absorbed by my brain. I thought we were doing fine for the last few days after our island vacation. I thought he had already left his sleeping-with-random-mistresses-habit.

However, I was wrong. Whom was I kidding? Of course, he would not leave those women, who could give pleasure to him, because of me. I was only a very plain girl who only wanted a friendship with him. He wanted a woman who did wild on his bed. That was not me.

His Highness left my lap and sat up. He narrowed his eyes, "So what? We're done, right?"

"Of course not!" she moved to our couch and put her butt on the Prince's lap. "I want a round two," she whispered but I could still hear it. Gracie wrapped her arms on his neck and gave him a passionate kiss.

I took my gaze away, and stood on the ground. "Your Highness, I will leave now," I said and ran in the direction of the door.

His shout reached my ears, but I did not bother to listen anymore. I just wanted to leave that place. I felt betrayed even though I was not. I had no right to feel this hollow in my chest. I should not believe in his words that night. He was still Prince Alexander, the womanizer.

When I came back to the employee's office, Katherine met me in the doorway.

"Hey, are you going to kill someone?" she asked, looking at me as if I were a dangerous animal.

"Ugh," I could not produce a word to say. I had an internal war between my emotions. Yet, anger dominated them all.

"What happened to your meeting with Prince Alexander?" she asked while following me toward my cubicle.

"Nothing," I murmured, and sat down on my swivel chair, rebooting my computer.

"Nothing?" she tilted her head, "Why having a face like that?"

"My red days are near, that's why I have this kind of mood swing," I explained, swallowing all my lies.

"Oh? No harassment happened back there?" she asked, concerned about what Prince Alexander could do to me. If only she knew, we went to the island alone.

I shook my head and gave her an assurance smile. Harassment was not my problem; it was the mistress, who entered that office, and gave me the idea that His Highness was still the scandalized prince. He would never change. Ever.

Something crossed my mind. I should not leave him there with her. They could do their thing without any difficulty. I should bald that girl, instead of walking out.

I tapped my keyboard harder than usual that earned me a doubtful look from Katherine.

"You're stressed, you should relieve that," she said and I looked up at her, "Percy is celebrating his twenty-fifth today, he has a party later. Come with us, have a social life."

"No, she won't come," someone answered for me, "She is busy."

"Your Highness," almost all individuals mumbled and greeted the Prince, who was already standing outside my cubicle. He stood as though he owned all of us, especially me.

"Your Highness," Katherine didn't know if she would smile or frown at Prince Alexander. She looked at me, "Tell me if you'll come, okay?" She returned to her table and started typing.

I avoided his gaze and all my focus stayed on the screen in front of me. I moved the scroll of my mouse to see the data that I was trying so hard to be registered in my mind.

"Why did you leave?" he finally spoke.

"Ask yourself," was my counter.

"If it's about Gracie, we're already done, alright?" he lowered his voice so no one could overhear us.

"That's not what I'm saying," I flew my eyes on him, "You had an affair with her three days ago. I thought you'd already left that sex life after Brazil." I tried to maintain my voice in a whisper. Luckily, we were in the office, if not, for sure I already shouted at his face.

"I never told you that I will stop having a one night stand with other women," he said as if it was the most common activity happened in our time.

"Fine," I responded, "If you can't stop it, leave me alone." I wanted to cry at that very moment. It seemed as if someone punched me on my stomach when I thought about him sleeping with random women every night.

"Please, don't make my sex life as big deal as this," he ran a hand through his hair, infuriated with this conversation. Me either.

"If it's no big deal to you, it is a big deal to me," I sighed, and I could not contain what was running on my mind, "What if I am sleeping with other guys? Is it okay with you?"

"No," he answered immediately with more pressure and intensity.

I rolled my eyes. "See? Do you get what I mean?"

He paused for a nanosecond before saying, "Are you jealous?"

"Of course not," I said louder than I intended, "That is not what I mean."

"It's okay with me if you're jealous, I like that," he grinned, turning the topic on my expense.

"Back off, Your Highness, that will never happen," I swore with crossed fingers behind me. I wished it would never happen.

"Okay, if you're not really jealous, you will see me early morning tomorrow at the back door."

I grimaced. "Although I'm not really jealous, I won't come. You're trying to trick me."

He just shrugged. "Oh man, I don't trick you. Come, you aren't jealous. Otherwise, you are. Don't forget your jacket. See you before breakfast."

He exited his office and I saw in his side view that his grin was near to his ear. That bastard Prince really played me!

(A/N: Just a notice guys, I might update this story at least once a week starting today because classes already start :( I need to be serious in my studies, for the reason that I only have three more terms to take up CPA board exam. I hope you understand, but I'm so excited of everything will happen to our story. By the way, who's watching The Walking Dead here? That's the reason why I updated so late. I marathon it from season 4 to season 5. Sorry guys. Til next update :D)