“So, how was your day?” Constantine asked.
“It’s good, I guess. Why?” Constantine was not the type of person who loved small talk. I concluded it from our first dinner. So, it was weird to receive a daily question from him.
“Nothing. I just tried to chat with you. Have you thought of my offer?” Constantine raised his hand.
The server immediately came. “Yes, sir?”
“The drink, where is the drink?”
“Right away, sir.” Then the server left in a hurry, maybe because of Constantine’s impressive appearance or intimidating aura. In a few minutes, the server served us red wine. “Enjoy, sir, madam.”
We sipped the wine, and I had to admit that the wine was excellent. How come the servers have never served this wine every time I visit here?
“Helena? What do you think? You are frowning.”
“It’s weird that they have a great wine like this. Before, I regularly visited this place, and they have never served me the same wine.”
Constantine gave me a thin smile. “It is all about impression, darling. You should learn a lot to enter the royal world.”
I shrugged. “I don’t think so. I’m satisfied with my life as a commoner.”
“So, have you decided about my offer?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “I love my job now and haven’t thought of resigning. So, I thank you for the generous offer, but I’m afraid I must decline.”
“I see. Perhaps the offer as my wife is a better one.” He grinned. “Please think about it. I can accept your declining to work for me, but I want you to take time and think about my proposal as my wife.”
“Why me?”
“Why not?”
“I’m not the most beautiful woman in the Moon City, nor am I glamorous and influential.” I stared at Constantine. “We have just met, and it wasn’t a fortunate event either. So, why me?”
Constantine smiled. “I will book a beauty salon tomorrow, and you will enjoy the treatment there. I will prove that you may be wrong.” He moved forward to touch my cheek. “You are like a rough diamond. Once it has been shaped, it will glow more than others.”
“But I don’t need it. I mean, I’m a librarian. I don’t need to have a glamorous appearance.”
He clicked his tongue. “Wrong! You don’t know the future. If you are my wife, I will need you to be elegant and amazing. So, I don’t take a no from you. Tomorrow, I will fetch you from your home and drive you to the beauty salon. We will go shopping too afterward.”
“But—”
“As I said, I take no as the answer.” Constantine stared at me. “Whether or not you will accept my offer, it is important for a woman to know her worth and love herself. Changing appearance is the easiest way to do it. So, consider it as my gift to you.” He shrugged, and his face turned sour. “Especially after you refused my presents.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“I will forgive you if you accept my offer to make your appearance better tomorrow.”
I took a deep breath. If I refuse, Constantine may keep arguing. But, honestly, I have no energy left to debate with him. Besides, I wondered what I would be like after the makeover. So, it’s nothing to lose. Why not? “Okay.”
“Good!”
That was when the server came with a roasted turkey glazed with honey. It looked appetizing. I was hungry only by staring at the meal.
“Do you want me to slice the turkey, sir?”
“Sure!”
The server sliced the turkey and placed it on two plates. Then he cut the rest and put the dish on the table. “Enjoy, sir, madam.”
We ate without talking anymore. The turkey was tasty as it was tender and juicy inside. So, I licked my lips, shook my head, and smiled.
“Enjoy your meal?”
“Yes, thank you. It’s delicious!”
Constantine nodded. “Yes, you have a good restaurant preference.”
“Thank you.” Strange, but Constantine’s praise of my restaurant choice warmed my heart more than when he praised my appearance. Maybe he wasn’t so bad. I let out a small sigh. Maybe I was uncomfortable with him because I didn’t know him well.
“You sighed. Why?”
“Nothing. I’m curious about the makeover.”
He lifted the wine glass and sipped it. Then he smiled a little. “After the makeover, you can show it off to Ethan. Maybe you can warn him too.”
“Warn him? About what?”
“If he doesn’t take care of you well, other guys may snatch you from his hands. So I will stand in the front queue, for sure.”
I blushed as it was the sweetest thing a man ever said to me. “Thank you so much, Con.”
He grimaced. “Con?”
“A shortened version of Constantine. I can call you Constantine instead if you don’t like it.”
“Con. How about Stan? Con as if I am a criminal.”
I giggled. “You’re right. I will call you Stan instead.”
He grinned. “Excellent. I love a meek woman.” Constantine held my hand and kissed it tenderly. “I have not ordered dessert yet. So, what do you want?”
“Hm, ice cream, maybe?”
Constantine raised his hand. The server immediately approached our table.
“The lady wants ice cream.”
“Oh, certainly, sir. What flavor do you want, madam?” The server showed me the menu in the dessert section.
Then, I read for a while and chose three flavors: chocolate, blueberry, and strawberry. After taking note of my order, the server left.
“So, when will you pick me up tomorrow?”
“The first thing in the morning. How about 6 a.m?”
I nodded. “Okay, but I thought royalty didn’t wake up before noon.”
Constantine frowned. “How can you conclude that?”
“From the historical romance books I read.”
He laughed out loud, and it was a pleasant sound. “All is fiction, my dear. Though we are royalty, we are like other people too.”
“I love hearing your laugh.”
Constantine stared at me for a few seconds and smiled. “It is rare for me to laugh. You can make me laugh only by saying something. You are indeed a special woman.” His eyes were shining now. “I want you more than ever now.”