When Anna woke up again, it was already 12:30 PM.
She checked her phone and saw several messages from her mother and friends overseas. There was also a message from Rachel telling her that she had gone out to grab something to eat and didn't wake Anna up since she was still sleeping.
Anna leaned against the headboard, replying to the messages one by one. She then opened Chase's WhatsApp and sent him a message:
[Send me the video from this morning~]
She wasn't sure if he had truly forgotten or was just waiting for her to message him first.
After sending the message, Anna clicked on his WhatsApp profile. His display picture was of his Alaskan Malamute, with the dog sitting on the hood of his supercar. The car's logo was blocked by the dog's paw, but from the car's body color, it wasn't the Koenigsegg he had driven earlier that morning.
She then checked his Moments, but there were no photos or videos, only the phrase, "Friends can only view posts from the last three days."
Anna exited the page, noticing he hadn't replied yet, probably still sleeping.
She got out of bed, changed into a vacation dress, tidied up her hair and makeup, and grabbed her bag before heading out. She wasn't very hungry, so she didn't plan to have lunch, but decided to take a walk nearby.
It was half an hour later when Chase finally woke up and saw Anna's message. He quickly sent her the video and followed up with:
[Are you back at the villa?]
Anna, sitting at a seaside café, saw his message just as she was enjoying the view of the ocean and sipping on a fragrant cup of coffee. She saved the video he sent before replying:
[No, I'm out.]
She took a photo of the table, deliberately showing the empty seat opposite her and the café's custom napkin with its name.
Chase saw the photo and smiled slightly.
[Does the princess need someone to keep her company for afternoon tea?]
Anna smiled, a playful glint in her eyes as she asked:
[That depends on who the person is.]
Chase, now out of bed, replied while typing:
[I'm available. Is that alright?]
Anna smiled brightly, teasing:
[Well, since you've volunteered, I suppose I have no reason to refuse.]
Chase: [I'll be there in a minute. Wait for me.]
Anna sent him an "ok" emoji and put her phone away. She flagged down the waiter and ordered a dirty.
In less than ten minutes, Chase appeared at the café. As soon as he walked in, his eyes landed on her graceful figure. She was wearing a floral strapless dress with a flowing skirt that highlighted her perfect proportions. The ruffled hem gave off an ethereal vibe.
Chase walked towards her.
Anna noticed someone approaching and turned to see a tall man.
"You got here so quickly?" she asked, surprised.
"I can't keep someone waiting for too long." Chase's voice was low and relaxed, tinged with laziness.
He pulled out a chair and sat down across from her, glancing at his coffee cup. "Is this what you ordered for me?"
"Mhm." Anna tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I just ordered the same as mine."
Chase took a sip of the coffee and nodded. "It's good."
He usually drank American coffee, but this dirty was a nice change.
Anna smiled slightly. "You haven't had lunch, right? Want to order something here?"
Chase didn't answer immediately. Instead, he asked, "Did you eat?"
"This is my lunch." Anna pointed at the lemon tart on the table.
Chase looked at the tiny dessert that was no bigger than his palm. "Just this? Nothing else?"
"Nothing else." Anna pushed the menu towards him. "Feel free to order anything."
Chase scanned the menu and then looked up at her. "I'll order a few more things so you can try them."
Anna nodded. "That works."
After Chase had placed his order, Anna pushed the white dessert plate toward him. "Want to try this?"
"Sure." Chase picked up a fork and took a small piece.
At that moment, Anna noticed a ring on his right middle finger.
She couldn't help but examine the ring closely.
It was a wide black ceramic band with white gold elements, a minimalist yet striking design. The satin texture and clean lines gave it an edgy, contemporary feel. She recognized it from a magazine; it was from a niche brand, but its price was no less than that of mainstream luxury brands. The price tag was six figures.
Anna leaned back in her chair and said thoughtfully, "The ring on your hand is pretty nice."
"Like it?" Chase glanced at the ring on his finger. "It's yours if you want it."
He reached to remove the ring.
Anna quickly grabbed his hand, stopping him. "No, I can't take it."
The moment froze, both of them caught off guard.
Anna casually withdrew her hand, but the warmth from his touch lingered on her fingertips.
Chase stared at his hand, his mind still lingering on the sensation of her soft touch. He placed his hand on his leg, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the spot she had touched.
"Why not take it?" His voice was low, and his gaze turned intense.
Anna casually probed, "What if it was a gift from your girlfriend?"
She had only complimented the ring to lead up to this question. If he did have a girlfriend, she would have to reconsider how to interact with him and set appropriate boundaries.
"Girlfriend?" Chase leaned forward slightly, a playful grin forming on his lips. "I didn't know I had one."
"If I had a girlfriend, I wouldn't leave her behind on vacation, would I?"
Anna's lips curled into a smile. "I see… I misunderstood."
She paused before adding, "But if you did have a girlfriend, would you always take her with you wherever you go?"
"As long as she's willing, I'd take her with me on every trip."
His eyes locked onto hers, his voice dripping with meaning and subtle invitation.
Anna felt a flutter in her chest, as if she might drown in the depth of his gaze.
She took a sip of her coffee, maintaining a calm demeanor, and met his gaze again. "Don't men typically dislike clingy women? Don't you all like having your own space?"
"The princess shouldn't generalize." Chase leaned back, arms crossed lazily. "I'd love it if my girlfriend clung to me."
"If she's distant, I'd start worrying—wondering if she still likes me."
Anna nodded thoughtfully. "I see…"
Chase's tone was light but loaded with meaning. "Would you cling to your boyfriend?"
Anna hesitated for a moment before replying, "That's a tough question…"
She paused before continuing, "Maybe my future boyfriend would have more say in that."
She smiled, a hint of playfulness in her voice.
In her private life, she wasn't the high-and-mighty ballerina the world saw. With family and close friends, she was affectionate and clingy. But in a romantic relationship, her clinginess would have to be balanced with independence. Being too clingy would risk losing her own charm, and she wasn't willing to lose herself in a relationship.
Her words caused a mix of emotions in Chase. "Future boyfriend" sounded sweet to him, signaling that she was still single, but the follow-up—the suggestion that he would have to wait for her future boyfriend to answer—stirred something in him that he couldn't quite explain. It made him uneasy.
The tension in the air thickened as Anna, propping her chin on her hand, asked, "Why aren't you saying anything?"
She already suspected what was bothering him, but she wanted to see how he would react.
Chase slowly responded, "Does the princess already have someone in mind?"
Anna didn't answer directly. Instead, she asked him, "What do you think?"
Chase lightly tapped the armrest of his chair with his fingers. "I don't think so."
Anna smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.