The Proposal

33 - Assurance

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During the Christmas season, Ruby and I would go out on a sister date.

Be it a restaurant, ice cream shop, cinema, or even the supermarket. It was our thing. We always did it on Christmas, and it sort of became our tradition, especially after our parents died.

Although we weren't exactly in our hometown anymore, we still wanted to carry on with our tradition regardless.

So we decided that we would go to any nice place to have lunch and then go to clothes shopping. The shopping part was Nicholas's idea, in an attempt to comfort me since I couldn't do grocery shopping.

We were in the Palace where everything was done by the staff, and even though I was already getting used to it, I still felt weird, especially because Ruby and I also loved preparing our special Christmas recipes on Christmas day. But that wasn't possible now. It was almost like a taboo for the queen to go into the kitchen to cook, especially when she was pregnant.

Nicholas thought I could improvise by going cloth shopping instead. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, but it was good enough, so I accepted.

He had also made sure that a guard was with us at all times. Even though I didn't think it was necessary, he insisted. I understood why he was doing it. He wanted to keep me safe, and that was why I didn't bother arguing with him about it.

I was all dressed up, with my trousers and long-sleeved blouse. I threw on a thick coat over it just because it was very chilly outside. I grabbed my bag and my phone, about to leave when Nicholas stopped me.

"You're forgetting this." He held up his debit card.

"I was going to use mine," I told him.

"No, you are not allowed to do that. Not on my watch." He opened my bag and took out my card, replacing it with his. "You are my wife, and I want you to spend my money," he said, and my heart fluttered at his words. My lips tugged up slowly into a wide smile.

He was so charming.

"Thank you," I said and kissed him.

Ruby and I found a nice restaurant and we had lunch together. We discussed anything and everything, especially girl talk. She told me all about her crush on the Prince, Luke, how he was so charming, and how he always sent her gifts.

We talked at length thereafter before we moved on to a clothing store to do our shopping. The guard was following us everywhere, standing about five feet away from us at all times.

We started picking out clothes and anything we fancied, until Ruby had to go use the bathroom, so she left me briefly.

"We meet again." I heard a voice, and I lifted my head only to meet eyes with Georgia.

What the hell was she doing here? Now that I knew who she was, I refused to believe that this was a coincidence. It wasn't a coincidence that she found me yesterday at the function, and now she was suddenly in the same store as I was.

It's not a freaking coincidence.

"Are you following me?" I asked, really surprised at her appearance again.