Streets of Valencia (#2 in The Billionaire Series)

PROLOGUE

PROLOGUE

"Oh, tis you, mi aquesto príncipe?" little Federica said, standing at the top of a winding staircase, clutching a bouquet of roses she'd grabbed from the nearest vase. Was this real? No. But when you had a mansion, which could count as a castle and a dramatic entrance into the foyer, what's a girl who didn't dare enact her most cherished dream?

"Oh, tis really you," she cried in mock surprise. "I thought you would desert me. Oh, forgive me for my childish foes but what's a maiden in love without doubt to prove her love? Have you come to rescue me from this lugar horrible?"

She waited for an answer. The sound of water rushing out of a tap drifted to her ears, together with the chirping of birds at the garden; but not the sound of her prince. She waited, eyes closed, holding the bouquet closer to her. Still, no sound.

Frustrated, Federica's eyes snapped open and she glared down at her papa, or where he should have been, at the bottom of the grand steps waiting with a faux sword and poems crammed into his head ready to be spewed out in the most heartfelt declaration of his love. Instead, she found him on phone. And she got angry.

"Papa!" she screeched, stomping her foot. Her father mumbled something into his phone and turned to her with a sheepish smile. "You're supposed to say 'yes, princess'. You should never keep your princess waiting or else the chico malo will get her."

"Sorry, princesa," he said. "I was taking care of the bad guys just now. Isn't that how the story goes? The dashing prince swings head on into battle to slay the dragon. And then after he gets to the princess's room, gets on his knees like this, and says, oh, I don't know, fair princess whose beauty rivals the sun, and whose eyes sparkle brighter than any jewel, I ask thee to come out and to my love. I will shelter you with this sword and care for you with this love. Come out, fair princess, for your woes have ended on this day and your dreams will become realities by the aurora's burn."

Federica wanted to hang on to her anger, but once again her papa had thwarted it with another cheesy moment. She loved it. From the way he was smiling she knew he knew she loved it. But she wasn't considered the closest to her papa for no reason: she could be just as stubborn as he was. She wouldn't tell him even if she hadn't.

"Algo por el estilo," she said, crossing her arms as she attempted at acting aloof. Her papa grinned knowing very well he'd pleased his little gem.

Helena watched from the foyer, having heard every word. It had certainly been beautiful. That man would do anything for his daughter. As long as that little girl laughed at least once a day he would give her something akin to the world.

Era absurdo, if you asked her. The child was going to grow up spoiled and rotten if he didn't stop and think about what he was doing. Just the other day he'd had her room redecorated according to her newest fantasies: Mariposa's wonderland. It was barely three weeks ago that she'd requested for another themed room, furniture and all.

And he'd not so much as blinked as he'd given it to her. Already at ten she was already getting diamonds she tossed to the back of her closet. Helena had had to fire one maid already because the girl gave away something as priceless as a diamond wreath.

Why couldn't she be more like Aina? She was as her name suggested: a lady. She was going to grow into a respectable, smart child who favoured reasoning and rationality and had more control of everything around her. That was an ideal woman. It was all because Helena refused for her to be tainted by her husband's coddling hands,

That went for Amada as well; she'd begun siding into her father's hands but Helena had to admit she'd done a good job of straightening her out.

Now, how was she going to get that man to listen and put that girl into a proper boarding school? She had a perfect one in mind: Caxton College - British Day and Boarding School.

Translations:

Mi aquesto príncipe ~ my handsome prince

Lugar horrible ~ horrid place

Chico malo ~ bad guy

Princesa ~ princess

Algo por el estilo ~ something like that

Era absurdo ~ it was absurd