It had been a while since the last time Edvard visited the University. His tight schedule forbade him to take any short break.
Abigail, his assistant of twenty years, hadn't told him whether he had a schedule or not this morning. Thus, he decided that he had no schedule.Sipping his morning tea in his pavilion in the palace, he was thinking of visiting Lila in the University under the pretence of craving the cafeteria's sandwich again.What lie should he tell her so that she would agree to go out with him again? They already saved stray dogs, should he ask her to save stray kittens? She liked cats, perhaps she would want to go.Off we go then…The tea cup clinked sharply against its saucer as Edvard hurriedly put it down then rose from the chair. He grabbed the disguise equipment to go outside before heading to the door."Where are you going?" A woman's voice came from the direction of the door."Out." Said Edvard brieflLila walked faster. She forgot that she had an appointment with Uncle Malcolm's lawyer acquaintance this afternoon because her experiments were getting interesting and she was so absorbed in it. When she remembered, it was way past lunch time. Thus, without getting any food, she ran.Luckily, the lawyer's office was situated a few blocks away from the University. And if she took a shortcut through the city park, she would be there faster.Usual city park view greeted her once she was crossing the park. The tourists' lively activity of exploring the park didn't manage to pique her interest, but two little people who sat on the bench did."Hey guys…" Lila waved at them, smiling warmly."Miss…" The little boy's voice excitedly greeted her.Lila noticed the flower in his little hand. "Can I buy the flowers in your hand?""Sure." Unlike their first meeting, this time he responded without any hesitation. "How many do you want, Miss?"
Lila saw Andrew, Henry, and Evan were leaning on the car and their expression slid from smiling while talking to wondering as they stared curiously when Edvard pulled his car right next to theirs.It was Sunday, Lila told Edvard that she had to do volunteer work in the Caring House so she couldn't go anywhere with him except to the Caring House when they couldn't find Dan and Tana in the shabby building that they called home. She also told him that she was sorry for suggesting the Caring House because of her personal reasons.She was surprised when the prince expressed his enthusiasm to accompany her to the Caring House. And of course the prince thought, without any condescending intention toward her, it wasn't a common thing for people to visit the place. In return for his kindness, she gave him a brief explanation about her project's fund.Henry whistled when Lila and Edvard got out of the car at the same time. While Andrew fixed a cold stare at her whic
"Why are you looking at me like that?"Lila was leaning on the door frame. She realized something after the last kid in the class went out with an outloud distress that because she was an orphan that was why nobody's face was similar to her.Today's last session was the additional time asked by Henry to test his updated version of his human body game which was welcomed cheerfully by the children. And as a biologist, Lila was asked to give some explanation before they began to play the game. One of the games was about characteristic heredity from parents to their children, and the similarity between siblings."Stop smiling at me like that." Henry's brows were knitted. "You look so creepy."Lila laughed as she walked closer toward the table where Henry was tidying up the devices that the children used to test the game earlier."You know?" Lila pulled a chair and sat on it. "Your game makes me wonder.""Yeah?""You and Andr
In the village, people were happily celebrating. Food and drinks are everywhere.Lila sat on the long table with Henry and Evan after walking around the festival area, getting to know the people. Andrew was sitting on the other table with some farm owners. While Edvard was a delightful surprise guest, everyone wanted to shake hands with him and talk to him."They might give you a bag full of that." Said Henry, seeing Lila ate her muffin like she hadn't eaten anything for a week."Really?" Asked Lila with eyes widened innocently.Henry narrowed his eyes at Lila. He knew she was a big fan of pastry, plus her busy schedule oftenly made her skip meal time. And ultimately, in his eyes she wasn't that innocent.Unlike Henry, Evan didn't know Lila very well. He was dumbfounded, didn't expect the girl that Andrew liked would be so gluttonous, out of her image as a well-educated scientist. In his mind, smart people usually act gracefully.
"Are you okay?" Andrew put Lila down on the ground, examining if she had any scratch on her skin. After he was sure Lila was fine, he couldn't hold the urge to scold her. "Reckless! Very reckless. What's wrong with you?""Andrew." Warned Henry as Andrew's tone ended a bit higher. He understood that Andrew was scared like hell, he did too, but yelling at Lila when she was in a shock state wasn't right either. Also he noticed tears stream down her face."WHAT?" Andrew snapped.Instead of voicing his reaction, Henry gestured and mouthed "she's crying" at the same time.Looking away from Henry, Andrew wiped Lila's tears at once. He said gently. "I'm sorry. Are you hurt somewhere?"Lila blinked a few times, clearing her vision. She wasn't in a daze anymore since Andrew's touch hit like an electric shock when his finger gently caressed her cheek.Even though she couldn't see it at first, she knew it was Andrew's touch because
"That woman came again."Andrew looked up from his phone, finding Max strode closer toward his direction on the plush sofa. "What woman?""This is the third time she came. She said her name is Carla, she also claims that you know her personally." Reported Max."I don't know any Carla. And I've told you not to report insignificant stuff like this.""Doctor Phillips is also here.""They came together?" Andrew frowned."No, Doctor Phillips had just arrived."In a split second Andrew was striding on the way toward the door. "Got it.""But--" Max couldn't finish his words as Andrew was already out of his office.Sighing, he could only shake his head as he witnessed Andrew behave irrationally again whenever Lila was around.Now he needed to tell Henry that he had to go to the meeting with the investors alone because Andrew suddenly forgot the original purpose of why he came to the office today.
Andrew pulled his car in the visitors parking lot. He took Lila to a high-end secluded residential area which was a well-known private residence with maximum security among the higher society in the country, including the second prince. The houses there weren't as exclusive as other high-class residential areas, it had its own artistic beauty and unique way to get inside the house.At first, Lila thought Andrew would take her to the palace but when Andrew drove the car into the vicinity, she was amazed and couldn't take her eyes off the surroundings view as the car was moving.When Andrew pulled the car into a complete stop, instead of unfastening his seatbelt, he leaned his back on his seat."Tell me again, why are we here?""To visit Prince Edvard?" Lila lifted one brow as her hand hung in the air on the way to unfasten her seatbelt. "He lives in one of those houses, right?""He is." Andrew chuckled which earned a question -wh
Lila found today's morning was peculiar. It had been two days since she and Andrew visited the prince in his private residence.The bus that usually could take her to the nearest stop from the University was forced to disembark its passengers on the sidewalk so that they could resume the trip to their destination on foot or took another vehicle on another route.On that matter, Lila chose to walk toward the University through the usual route as she might also find out why the main street was closed."Mam, you can't walk through this way." A police officer stopped Lila as she was entering downtown. "There's a public hearing.""Public hearing?" Lila's brows knitted and her jaw dropped slightly."Aye, Mam. They named it that way because they demand to know who the king's successor, the crown prince, Mam."Lila nodded. Then the police told her a free-demonstration route to the University when she said she was on the way to the Univer