The following days were filled with more and more activities. Grandpa William asked his trusted assistant to call the best wedding vendors to the house. They began to determine the wedding hall, food catering, and dresses for the church as a place of blessing.
Belle and Lionel didn't talk much, they always followed Grandpa William's orders, but Lionel would complain behind the old man's back, complaining without finding a way out.
Today, Grandpa William had deliberately asked Lionel to go with Belle in order to buy the wedding rings they wanted. Though his grandfather could have specified the object, after all, they would not refuse anything given by him, but Grandpa William deliberately did this so that they would interact more behind his back while hoping to open up to each other.
Throughout her life, Belle had never been close to a man in a committed relationship, but suddenly her world was turned upside down when her employer made an offer of marriage to his favorite grandson.
In every corner, every empty moment she could find, the woman would daydream until she complained.
"Are you sure you're still going to marry me, huh? Are you really sure? I don't like you, and it'll probably be that way forever." Lionel would say the same line every time he had the chance, and now he said it again as the car drove away from the house, with just him and Belle.
"I'm honestly tired of answering your questions, Mr. Lionel. I'll record the answers on my cell phone so you can listen to them all day."
"What if I have fun with another woman after marrying you, huh?"
"Go for it." Belle did not want to get dizzy thinking about her future, so she easily spoke carelessly.
"Are you sure? Then, I'll marry them too."
"You can marry anyone, you know? I'll just take care of your grandfather, you understand?" Belle rolled her eyes. She didn't understand why Lionel's character was so naive and chatty. "Do whatever you want, as long as you're happy."
"Your parents must be very happy because they will have a wealthy son-in-law like me."
Belle snorted, and she replied as she looked out the window. "I don't even have parents, I was orphaned a long time ago. Are you sure you don't know this fact, huh?"
Lionel was stunned, he had just remembered his grandfather's sentence that they had the same fate—life without parents.
"Maybe I should visit my parents' graves and tell them all this and speak in front of their gravestones while crying or laughing. What do you think?" In response to Lionel's sudden change in demeanor, which made Belle anxious, she wanted to tease the man using their weakness. "You should also visit your parents' graves, shouldn't you?"
The situation was reversed, Lionel was silent, and Belle spoke a lot.
"Come on! We'll go to each other's graves."
"Be quiet, nanny. I'm focused on driving."
Belle smiled mockingly, her sentence was quite effective in bringing Lionel down.
***
"After Mr. William's assistant called, we immediately prepared some couple rings according to his wishes, so that when you visit, we are ready to show you the best collection from this place." A female staff member at the famous jewelry store Carti** was very friendly to the customers who came in.
Belle's guts almost sank when she learned that Lionel was inviting her to visit a magnificent store filled with jewelry. Belle was sure the price of every single item in there was enough to support the woman's life for months.
"Are you sure we're going to this place? Didn't you park your car wrong?" Belle looked frightened while still standing in front of the glass door.
"What's your problem, huh? Grandpa told me to come here, there's no way I can refuse."
"Oh, really?" Belle's shoulders slumped, her tension eased, and she felt the weight on her back disappear by half, so she became more relaxed. "Alright, I'm coming with you."
"Whatever, nanny. Be nice, don't embarrass me in front of everyone."
"I understand."
Belle was dumbfounded when the staff serving them took out several boxes containing a set of jewelry.
Belle gripped the hem of her shirt, and anxiety returned. She had never faced a situation like this in her entire life.
Meanwhile, Lionel looked quite relaxed, even more like he didn't care about the staff's actions.
"Young master and lady can choose a set of jewelry as requested by Lord William." Staff returned to speaking, and she glanced at Belle for a moment as she smiled warmly, responding to her appearance. "Miss is very beautiful despite her simple appearance."
Lionel merely glanced at his future wife as he rotated his eyeballs, while Belle was getting nervous.
"Pick out a set of jewelry over there, Belle. You can get this done quickly." He pulled Belle's arm so that they were pressed against each other, then whispered something. "Can you hold your piss like that, huh?"
The woman glared, exasperated in response to Lionel's teasing. She immediately chose a set of jewelry carelessly. "I want this box."
"You chose the right box, Miss. Our jewelry designer had explained that the meaning behind his work is happiness that binds forever. You don't want to try it on here?"
Belle immediately shook her head. "No, I'll take care of it at home."
"Alright, we'll pack it up, please wait a moment." The staff put back another set of jewelry that Belle did not choose, then packed the selected jewelry in a totte bag with the Carti** brand logo.
Lionel took out a black card without asking for the price of the jewelry. "This card belonged to my grandfather, you can take care of it."
"Yes, young master. Please wait for us to finish paying while you can wait over there." She pointed to a white sofa in the corner of the room.
Lionel pulled Belle toward the sofa. The man sat down, but Belle remained standing as she folded her arms across her chest.
"Any other problems, huh?"
"I want to go home."
"We'll be home soon, nanny."
Belle clucked, she looked annoyed. "Why do you keep calling me that, huh? You're so rude."
"But, aren't you my grandfather's nanny? You take care of him all day, what did I do wrong"
"Everyone can say that, but not you."
"Wow. It looks like you've got a temper, nanny." Lionel felt provoked in response to Belle's annoyance. "I have the right to say anything, don't I?"
"You—" Belle had pointed at him, but their attention was distracted when the staff returned with Grandpa William's totte bag and black card.
After finishing their business there, the two walked to the car. Belle intended to sit in the passenger seat, but Lionel immediately prevented his future wife's actions.
"I'm not your personal driver, so stay in the front, or do you want to go home by yourself?"
Belle relented, the distance from this place to Grandpa William's house was too far, she didn't have her wallet or card to take public transportation.
Just as they sat down, Lionel's cell phone rang, and he got an incoming call from his grandfather.
"Yes, Grandpa. Our business in this place is over, I'll be back as soon as the wind blows, don't worry." He looked at Belle for a moment. "Your nanny is fine."
"Don't come back too soon."
Lionel was stunned. "What does that mean?"
"You can come back in the evening or even at night. Grandpa is fine, I have plenty of guards, what's there to worry about, huh?"
"But our business has been ...."
"Take Belle shopping, I've never seen her in a dress or gown. She must be even more beautiful when she wears them."
Lionel snorted that if he was standing in a quiet place, he would scream to his heart's content until his vocal cords were damaged. It annoyed him to always have to follow his grandfather's orders.
"I—"
"Okay, don't go back too soon. You could spend all of Grandpa's money there."
"But—" He grumbled, knowing the phone session had been unilaterally ended by his grandfather. Lionel hit the steering wheel without caring about Belle's response. "Why does that man have so many wishes? How am I supposed to move on after this, huh?"
***
