16 adorable

Aliyah

I turned to face him, sensing the weight of his sadness. Being a Raige Victorious didn't seem so glamorous after all. He longed for simple things, things that seemed out of reach.

Could he find peace in my company? Had I somehow wormed my way into his heart? Did he see me as more than just a one-night stand?

“I’m sorry, Raige, but you can’t just erase those thoughts. Everyone who knows you would think that. It makes me feel so small, so insignificant. We can’t just tell everyone we’re friends, because we both know that friends don’t… know what they taste like.”

I heard a low chuckle rumble from his chest. He pulled over to the side of the road and drew me closer, wrapping me in a warm embrace.

"I’m glad you didn’t think of me as a friend. You really made my day, Aliyah,” he said, his voice a low murmur against my ear.

I let out a heavy sigh, surprised by the intensity of his admiration. Maybe I was being too cynical. Perhaps I should just enjoy this moment, enjoy having a powerful man who found me attractive. Besides, I still needed him, didn’t I? I hadn’t gotten any information about my sister, and I needed to play this carefully.

“Once the throne passes on to me, I’ll call off the engagement, Aliyah. I promise everything will be okay,” he whispered.

I simply nodded, my heart heavy.

“So, are you going to come to Hilda’s party, my love?” he asked, a hint of something akin to pleading in his voice.

"I haven't decided yet," I said, my voice hesitant. "Hilda already decided for me before I could even answer. But if I were to decide, I wouldn't want to go. But I don't want to upset Hilda. I can see how sorry she is, so maybe I should go. Besides, you'll be there to protect me, right?"

I didn't really want to go, but I saw this as an opportunity to gather information. Those whispers from the previous party wouldn't vanish overnight.

"I believe you'll need a dress for that party, my love," Raige said, his tone laced with amusement.

"I have some," I replied, a glimmer of hope flickering in my eyes. "Aria's gifts for me surely have something that would fit in for that party.”


Raige nodded, his eyes holding a knowing glint. He probably saw through my facade, sensed the lack of enthusiasm simmering beneath the surface. So I decided to play along, to convince him I was eager to attend. After all, I needed him to escort me to the party, and I couldn't afford to let him think I was indifferent.

I blinked, my eyes widening in mock excitement, a smile blooming on my lips. "I'm so excited! It sounds like it will be a fabulous party. Thank you for taking me."

I hoped he wouldn't notice the tremor in my voice, the way my smile felt strained. I had to play this part, even if it meant sacrificing a piece of myself.

"Actually, I've always wanted to go to a party like that," I said, my voice dropping to a softer tone. "It's just that Aria has no interest in them. And if I ever got the chance to attend, I was usually working as a waitress or something like that for the catering service. Like the last time we met."

A sudden heat crawled up my cheeks as I remembered that night, our first encounter. The memory, vivid and intense, brought a flutter to my stomach.

"I should thank my mom for forcing me to come back that night," Raige continued, his voice a little breathless. "If I hadn't, if I'd stayed true to my usual stubborn self, I would never have found you.”

I sighed, a wave of frustration washing over me. Here we go again, back to the subject of his perception of me, the idea that I was somehow a doppelganger for someone else.

“Stop it. I don’t want to talk about it. If you ever mention Sierra again, I promise I won’t speak to you again,” I said, my voice firm.

Raige let out a weary sigh. “Okay, fine. We should eat first before heading to the boutique.”

“I said I don’t need a dress, Raige. I already have some in my closet. Besides, it’s just a welcome party. It’s not formal, maybe I should wear something semi-formal.”

“It’s Hilda’s party. She’ll definitely invite a lot of big names. You have no idea how many affluent people are eager to see me.”

I rolled my eyes. “How arrogant of you, Your Highness. So you’re saying you’re so famous that these rich people will actually attend a college welcome party at our school?”

Raige shrugged, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “Well, I told you I’m the next king of our clan. Maybe a lot of people are curious about me since I don’t usually show myself in public.”

I let out a sigh, the reality of his position settling over me once again.

“Let me rephrase that, you weren’t showing yourself at all. Actually, the first time I knew you was during the first day of school registration. You remember. I didn’t even know your name, and we had already done more than just meet.”

A smirk played on Raige’s lips. “Let me rephrase that. We did more than shake hands on our first night. Actually, I shook the bed, not your hands.”

My cheeks instantly flamed, burning crimson as his teasing words hit their mark. He was back to his old tricks.

“Oh, please, stop. I don’t want to hear that again. It’s too embarrassing,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

“So, are you ashamed of me?” he asked, his tone laced with a hint of amusement.

“Cute. Why are you so cute?” Raige said, chuckling, a hint of mischief in his eyes.

“Love, stop being so adorable, I might end up pulling this car into the nearest hotel,” he said, his voice husky with a playful edge.

My eyes widened, taken aback by his sudden boldness. What had I done to make him aroused? I had no idea what had sparked this change in him.