In the usual empty library, two figures stood in front of a bookshelf, full of different kind of stories from all genres. Roselyn searched for the book she recently finished, The Mystery of the smile, which talked about a guy in his late twenties, looking for the reason everyone was smiling all the time even in sad moments. The concept was unusual but she took the risk and liked it so much. Corey observed Roselyn's actions, cold stoned, making Roselyn nervous.
"Found it!" Roselyn said cheerfully, showing the book to Corey, who found her action a bit childish, which he doesn't see very often. Most girls, in the palace, are taught to be have proper behavior from a very young age, making all the same, robotic with no real reactions. Seeing Roselyn react this way, he felt refreshed, staring at her innocent face, he wondered if Bella was the same, that way he won't hate the marriage that much. "Is something on my face? Or is something stuck in my teeth?" Roselyn opened her mouth wide, trying to find if some sort of food was stuck in, forgetting by that, her position and who is she with. Roselyn forgets, she is Roselyn 49% of the time, she is still not used to all of what have happened.
"No, I just liked your cheerfulness." Corey answered honestly, he wasn't the type to lie or make up excuses.
"Oh, thank you. I get excited when it gets to books." Roselyn said, embarrassed.
"Hmm, what does the book talk about?"
"Smiles, like the title suggests. To understand the topic, read this paragraph here." Roselyn got closer to Corey, shoulders sewed together, face almost attached to each other, as she showed him the said paragraph.
And what better time will Bella have an entrance, none other than, right now.
"What's the meaning of this?" Bella asked, looking at her mother and fiancé intimate scene.
"The meaning of what?" Roselyn asked, moving away from Corey, to see Bella. Roselyn looked back at their position and it hit her, Bella must have thought they were doing inappropriate based on their posture. "I was showing Prince Corey a book, I have read previously."
"You don't need to be so close to show him a book." Bella walked to them and pulled Roselyn away from Carey, staring at him with hateful eyes. "Mother, can go back to her room. I will keep Prince Corey company."
"It's okay, you can go rest, you haven't been feeling well since, yesterday right? That's why you skipped our magic practice together and our dinner and breakfast together, hmm?"
Roselyn knew it was a bit childish to point these things out, but Bella was the one who avoided her for a whole day without saying anything, they didn't even fight.
"No. I....am, I was.... I am not.... It's mother's fault!" Bella got flustered and shouted unconsciously.
"Huh? Why? What did I do wrong? I can't recall doing anything to upset you. Oh, is it because I said red isn't your color while on lunch yesterday? It's the truth, you should accept it. Life is better when you accept it."
"Don't play stupid! You know what you did, don't act like a fool."
"I am not, I do not know what you are talking about."
"It's about yesterday, when you...." Bella stopped because they heard a squeak sound from the corner of the room.
They both glanced at the direction of the sound, seeing Corey sitting.
"Don't mind me, I am just going to read the book, continue." Corey smiled at them then looked back at the book in his hands.
"Let's go out." Bella said but Roselyn refused, saying the prince have no use eavesdropping on their conversation. Bella agreed and they stood a bit far from Corey, as Bella started talking.
"You began talking to me, more warmly because my father told you to, right? Because he promised you money and jewelry, if you did it. Everything we did together, was a way for you to get money."
Even if Roselyn confirmed what she said, she hopes she won't, she doesn't mind anymore. Watching Roselyn interact with Prince Corey, made her feel jealous and want to stop Roselyn from seeing anyone else, she didn't want the mother she longed to be taken away, not because of money, or some stupid boy who happens to be her fiancé, if it is money, she have plenty of it, she can give it to Roselyn, if her fiancé is in the way, she will break off the engagement.
Dark thoughts surrounded Bella's brain, drowning her in, slowly losing a small piece of her sanity.
"No! If course not! I did it on my record, I am not that shallow of a person, I would never do something that horrible. I did it because I want to, because I want to make up for my mistakes, my uncaring past self, I did it because I... love you."
The last words were the string to bring Bella's sanity back, to bring her innocent thoughts back. "I love you too, Mother. I am sorry for not asking you first before accusing you, I believed grandma's words and took them for granted."
"Kaila?"
"Yes, we talked yesterday and she told me that, she was worried about me, maybe she made that up so I won't get hurt."
"Yeah." Roselyn said in a low voice, questioning Kaila's odd behavior.
"Should I start clapping?" Corey asked, because he felt like it's the right thing to do in this situation.
"How about leaving instead?" Bella said irritated, angry he ruined her time with her mother.
"Bella, don't be rude! Prince Corey, I will be taking my leave, you both talks, you are getting married after all."
Roselyn left the room, while Bella and Corey stared at each other, a blank look on their faces.
"What did you come here for, Prince Corey?"
"What do you think?"
"Does it matter what I think? The answer won't change."
"You are really not fun, just like I remember you."
"Happy you remember, don't expect anything from me."
"Glad we can a can agree on that."
They both had a fake smile on their faces, both not liking each other not even one bit.
A woman in her twenties, bowed to her master, in to respect and to not get severely punished.
"What is the news?"
"The father doesn't trust her anymore and the daughter hates her."
"Good, proceed to the next step. Don't let anyone notice, or you will be dead by the next second."
"Yes master."
"What are you still doing here? Scram."
The woman ran out of the dark room, her face shape changing with her hair and face, appearing to have aged several decades.