The Prince Who Loved Me - Chapter 63

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 63

The more she read the notes, the clearer the blueprint of Bernhardt’s social circle became in her mind.

‘My goodness. If I utilize what’s written in these notes, adapting to high society would be a piece of cake.’

Bada hurriedly pulled out her tablet PC. Then she picked up a pen and began drawing a summary diagram of the social circle’s structure on a blank page.

It was a picture similar to the corporate governance charts she used to create during her investment banking days.

‘So Duke A has a title but is like a paper company with no real influence in society. Count B is an overvalued stock with excessive debt ratio, so I need to be careful.’

Bada analyzed the social circle thoroughly as if it were a market.

The organized diagram that emerged was no different from an excellent investment report. Seeing this, Bada smiled with satisfaction.

‘It feels like I can see the entire social circle spread out before me like the palm of my hand.’

Thanks to this, she wasn’t afraid of the upcoming ball.

* * *

Time passed quickly and before she knew it, the day of the ball had arrived.

The weather as early summer approached was cool, and the wind blowing through the window gaps carried a deep rose fragrance.

Bada began busily preparing for the ball from early afternoon.

Usually she did her own hair and makeup, but since today was an important day, she received help from professionals.

Above all, the midnight blue evening dress that Aldridge & Sons had sent after completing the fitting suited her extremely well.

‘This is the first time in my life I’ve worn such a glamorous dress.’

Just as she finished getting ready and was spraying perfume on her nape, she heard a knock at the door.

“Yes, please come in.”

Soon the door opened and Damien appeared in a splendid tailcoat.

‘I thought it would be Lea.’

Bada blinked her deer-like eyes at his sudden appearance.

Though he usually wore formal attire, dressed up in an elegant tailcoat, she could feel overwhelming dignity and authority emanating from him.

With that height and build, his body could easily look heavy. But perhaps because of his long limbs, he gave off a sleek yet elegant impression instead.

‘…A prince is indeed a prince.’

“Hello.”

He greeted her casually and took a slow step closer.

Soon the space was filled with the heavy eau de parfum fragrance emanating from him.

Standing before her, Damien clasped his hands behind his back and looked Bada up and down carefully.

Tense under his persistent gaze, Bada unnecessarily adjusted her outfit.

“…How is it? It doesn’t violate the dress code, does it?”

His scrutinizing gaze traveled down her neckline and lingered over the slightly plunging neckline.

Wherever that gaze touched, she somehow felt like she was being stripped bare.

Damien spoke.

“It would be perfect with just one more thing.”

Damien unclenched his hands that had been clasped behind his back. Then a square velvet case held in his hands became visible.

Click.

When he opened the case, a necklace with a quite unusual design was revealed.

It was a necklace woven with wild flower decorations of pansies, forget-me-nots, and lily of the valley made from various carved gemstones. At first glance, the design was so intricate it looked like real flowers.

“…This is.”

“Turn around for a moment.”

He placed the case on the table, then took out the necklace and personally put it around her neck.

Even after fastening all the clasps, his touch lingered around her neckline for a moment.

Bada unconsciously let out a shallow breath.

Every time his touch lightly grazed her delicate nape, her fine hairs stood on end.

She asked, trying to hide her trembling.

“The necklace design is unusual. Where did you get something like this?”

Then he whispered close to her ear.

“It’s a necklace made by weaving together hardstone flowers carved by Fabergé. There’s only one in the entire world.”

“Fabergé, you mean…”

Fabergé, the famous jeweler of the Russian Empire, was a person who elevated gemstones to the level of art.

Particularly, the ‘Fabergé Eggs’ he created were worth hundreds of billions and still remained on the collection lists of the ultra-wealthy today.

A necklace decorated with gemstones directly crafted by such a Fabergé.

She couldn’t even imagine what its value might be.

“It’s something the Queen Dowager left to me. Most of Fabergé’s hardstone flowers were lost during the war, so only a few remain. It’s a very precious necklace made by weaving together those remaining gemstones one by one.”

“…Then it must be worth several billion.”

“Well, it’s not something you can buy even if you have money.”

It was so valuable that she worried someone might cut off her neck and take it.

Damien stroked the necklace’s clasp with his index finger and whispered.

“It suits you well.”

“Thank you. Though I’m a bit scared I might lose it…”

He brought his face close to her nape. It seemed like he was smelling her perfume.

Then his hot breath touched her nape, tickling the fine hairs.

“…”

His finger slid down along her neck bones. At the leisurely touch tracing her spine, Bada trembled.

“There’s nothing to be nervous about.”

He left a lingering kiss on her shoulder blade. Then he chuckled softly, withdrew his hand, and slowly turned away.

* * *

In the car heading to the ball, Damien didn’t say much.

He sat with his arms crossed, staring out the window. As if trying to prevent even the slightest brush of skin with Bada sitting beside him.

‘The atmosphere was fine just a moment ago. Is something bothering him again?’

Bada shook her head slightly and pushed away her thoughts.

Meanwhile, Damien sitting beside her was making constant efforts to maintain his poker face.

He looked at her silhouette reflected in the window and furrowed his brow.

‘Too pretty.’

That face, that body, the fragrance from her nape. And above all, the fresh orange-like energy and atmosphere emanating from her.

Everything was so excessively attractive that he was on the verge of losing control.

If he lost focus, he might unconsciously reach out and touch her all over.

So he crossed his arms to prevent such an unseemly situation. As if locking his hands with handcuffs.

‘Grandmother’s necklace has found its rightful owner.’

He was inwardly satisfied with his choice.

Actually, for such large-scale events, it was protocol for the Queen to lend royal jewels to the Crown Prince’s fiancée.

But there was no way the Queen would show such consideration.

Rather, by not lending jewels, she would subtly signal to society that the royal family did not approve of this engagement.

The upper class, who were adept at reading such subtle messages, would obviously use this to attack Bada.

So Damien thoroughly searched through the catalog of his private possessions to find the most valuable and rare necklace.

There would be no woman at the ball wearing anything more expensive than what Bada wore. Not even the Queen.

Moreover, since he had gifted the gemstone the Queen Dowager treasured most, it also proved how deep the Prince’s love was for his new fiancée.

Damien gazed at her reflection in the window again. It was the most beautiful sight in the world.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————