Or maybe he wanted to taste what it was like to have a woman that the crown prince had discarded.
Whatever the reason, Aaron found it quite uncomfortable to think of handing over his former fiancée to that arrogant fool. His mind was so preoccupied that he had not thought of his current fiancée for days.
As a result, he had not visited Lizzy for a while. The desire to explore between the woman’s legs had completely vanished. Only thoughts of Ariella and Nobert filled his mind.
Even today, when the debutante ball was being held at the Duke of Bedford’s residence, Aaron’s mind was elsewhere.
Standing in front of Lizzy’s door, waiting for her to come out beautifully dressed, his thoughts were consumed with wondering about Ariella’s feelings.
‘Arrie wouldn’t fall for that guy, would she? No way, she can’t be that foolish. She knows how much I despise that jerk.’
“Your Highness.” Someone called out to Aaron. But lost in his thoughts, he did not hear.
‘No, knowing that might make her even more tempted. Trying to provoke my jealousy, perhaps. A mere girl might find the position of a duke’s mistress more appealing than that of an old man’s second marriage.’
Aaron bit his lip in frustration. As he repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fist in unresolved irritation, a sharp voice snapped him back to reality.
“Your Highness!”
He turned to the one who had dared to raise their voice at him, golden eyes glaring.
“What are you thinking so deeply about? I’ve called you several times, but you didn’t hear me.”
Aaron soon found himself scowling at his fiancée, who was looking up at him. She was dressed beautifully for her one and only debutante ball.
Her dark golden hair was elegantly styled, and her lips were painted a notably darker shade than usual, making her previously cute face appear quite mature.
In line with the current fashion, her slim waist was accentuated, and her relatively less voluminous skirt was lavishly adorned with expensive pearls and lace, making her look quite beautiful.
However, the most striking feature was the brilliantly shining ruby necklace. It was placed just at the start of her cleavage, perfectly designed to catch the attention of many men.
Aaron was equally captivated by her stunning appearance. For the first time today, he cleared his mind of thoughts about Ariella and Nobert and focused on his fiancée.
“You look incredibly beautiful, Lizzy.”
“Hehe, thank you. You look amazing today too, Your Highness!”
“Of course. If I have such a beauty as my partner, I must pay attention to my appearance as well, right?”
Aaron raised one corner of his mouth, displaying his characteristic rebellious yet relaxed smile.
His attire was as splendid as Lizzy’s. While it didn’t perfectly match her dress, it suited him well enough to enhance his handsome features.
‘Perfect to have by my side. Living with such pride is annoying, though.’
Lizzy thought this as she habitually showered him with insincere compliments. “You’re handsome, you look great.” Satisfied with her response, Aaron smiled and extended his hand toward her.
“Shall we head to the party now, the star of today’s event?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
With a giggle, she placed her hand on top of his palm.
Finally, it was time for the long-awaited debutante ball to begin.
***
Lizzy and Aaron stepped into Violet Hall amidst more cheers than they had anticipated.
The capital’s nobility, gathered to catch a glimpse of the ‘real princess’ amidst the rampant rumors, applauded the appearance of the perfect couple.
The golden-haired beauty, flowing like honey, and the crown prince, known for his good looks since childhood. Their appearances blended together like a painting crafted with care by a famous artist.
Illuminated by the lights, their hair shone brilliantly, their delicate and beautiful faces, their luxurious and sophisticated attire… Everything drew the eyes of those around them and elicited gasps of admiration.
“Look at that beautiful hair. What kind of oil does she use to make it shine like that?”
“And her skin! It’s so white and flawless. No wonder the crown prince would fall head over heels for her.”
“My goodness, how beautiful! I would believe it if someone said those two just stepped out of a painting.”
Hearing the countless praises directed at her, Lizzy trembled with joy that surged from her toes.
How long had she yearned for this?
In this moment, where those she once viewed as infinitely high above her looked up at her with envy, jealousy, and admiration, she finally felt recognized as the true princess of Bedford and the future empress, a moment she had dreamed of even in her sleep.
For now, she felt like the happiest person in the world.
