The Prince Who Loved Me - Chapter 64

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 64

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The vehicle carrying the two arrived at Windmere Palace.

At the entrance to the Grand Hall, supercars that had brought the invited guests were lined up in a row.

As Damien escorted her out of the car, the journalists waiting behind the barricades all burst their flashes at once.

“Your Highness, Your fiancée! Please look this way just once.”

“You two look wonderful together! Which brand are the clothes you’re wearing?”

Damien and Bada appropriately dealt with the journalists before entering the Grand Hall.

Then their vision was dyed golden as a splendid world unfolded.

At the same time, the gazes of all the invited guests flew toward the two of them. Since Damien and Bada were the true protagonists of today’s event.

Under the arrow-like gazes, Bada’s heart beat rapidly. Her hand gripping Damien’s arm tensed up.

Damien lowered his head to check her condition. Then he patted the back of her hand.

“Are you okay?”

“…Yeah. I’m just hypnotizing myself that this is an ordinary neighborhood meeting.”

Damien’s expression grew heavy at Bada’s bland joke.

‘She seems a bit nervous.’

He fell into thought about how he could ease Bada’s tension.

Suddenly a good idea came to mind. It was to encourage her using Bada’s own language.

Having finished his thoughts, he opened his mouth.

“Hey, Blue Chip.”

At Damien’s sudden remark, Bada’s eyes widened.

Blue chip meant a blue-chip stock. But why was he suddenly calling her by that term?

“What does that mean?”

“In other words, you’re an unlisted blue-chip stock before going public on the stock market. Today’s ball is like an IPO.”

“…”

“There are those who chatter about my choosing you as the Crown Prince’s fiancée being high risk. No, they’re wrong. You’re ‘zero risk, high return.’ I just got lucky buying at the bottom when you were undervalued.”

“…Damien.”

“Watch closely, everyone will soon know your true value.”

Of course, I’m the major shareholder who owns 100% of your shares, and all voting rights belong to me.

You’re mine. Completely.

Damien, who swallowed his last words, showed a charming smile.

Moved by this, Bada’s eyes softened.

Many people evaluated her as a Cinderella who got a free ride with the prince, but he regarded her as the finest value stock.

Moreover, he even humbly lowered himself, saying he was just someone lucky enough to meet her despite being a prince.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Encouraged by him, Bada felt courage surge within her.

‘…That’s the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard. Right, let’s think of the ball as my corporate presentation and be confident.’

Damien, who had been looking down at her with eyes like those watching a child by the water, raised his head. Then he swept his chilling gaze over the invited guests as if making a threat.

Even those who had been whispering gossip immediately backed down when they made eye contact with him.

Bada, who had relaxed considerably, straightened her spine as the Countess had taught her.

‘She said to act confidently as if you’re the owner of the place, even when entering an unfamiliar space.’

With Damien by her side, it felt reassuring as if a transparent protective barrier surrounded them.

Her pounding heartbeat gradually found its proper rhythm.

Having quickly regained her composure, Bada raised her gaze to look around.

Some figures looked familiar even though she had never actually met them.

‘This is all thanks to the notes Count Lucien sent me.’

The people who had been watching cautiously began to approach the prospective Crown Prince couple one by one.

Damien pretended to tuck Bada’s hair behind her ear while whispering.

“I’ll lead the conversations, so just stay by my side.”

* * *

Damien and Bada exchanged greetings with dozens of invited guests one by one.

The King and Queen of Spain, Italian diplomats, the US Vice President, Lionel Messi, Oprah Winfrey, and even Leonardo DiCaprio.

At first, it was fascinating to actually see celebrities she had only seen on TV.

She had to barely restrain herself from asking for autographs.

But as she had similar conversations with them repeatedly, Bada began to grow tired.

On the other hand, all of this seemed as natural as breathing to Damien.

He held a champagne glass in his right hand, kept his left hand behind his back, and maintained perfect posture.

With his graceful, perfect face and impeccably refined demeanor.

Even distinguished people looked up to him like children in his presence.

Just by standing there, he seemed to dominate the space with his commanding presence.

Moreover, Damien possessed the charm to lead conversations wittily.

He led conversations like flowing water, guiding the flow of the party. Bada couldn’t help but admire this sight.

‘It’s as if he has a prepared script – every word is both witty and dignified. He’s truly amazing.’

Just as the Bernhardt Prime Minister and his wife, who had been chatting, stepped away. From over there, a middle-aged woman approached combatively as if it were her turn.

“Oh my, Your Highness!”

But for some reason, Damien’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the woman. He clicked his tongue and muttered to himself.

“Damn, who is that woman.”

Bada quickly scanned the woman’s face. Then she remembered content written in Lucien’s notes.

‘I know who she is. I remember because what was written about her was so unusual.’

Bada smiled triumphantly and stood on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

“That’s Mrs. Lawrence. She recently flew all the way to LA to get a facelift from a plastic surgeon famous among Hollywood actors. That’s why you didn’t recognize her.”

A suspicious look flashed in Damien’s eyes as he looked down at her.

Just as he was about to question Bada about something, Mrs. Lawrence curtsied and greeted them.

“Your Highness, it’s been a long time.”

“Mrs. Lawrence.”

“Have you been well? I think this is the first time since the funeral.”

Mrs. Lawrence treated Bada beside her like she was invisible and continued chattering.

A crack appeared in Damien’s brow as he had been treating her politely for a while.

However, Mrs. Lawrence seemed not to notice this.

“By the way, isn’t it perfect weather for a summer night ball? The breeze is cool and so refreshing.”

“I agree, Madam. Doesn’t it feel like being reborn?”

As Damien finished speaking, one corner of his mouth curved up crookedly.

At this sight, Bada was inwardly shocked.

‘He just took a shot at Mrs. Lawrence, didn’t he?’

Bada subtly poked him with her elbow without showing it outwardly.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Lawrence had an expression of trying to figure out the Crown Prince’s underlying meaning.

“Then I’ll see you again at dinner time later.”

Damien bowed politely, then put his hand around Bada’s waist and moved away.

As they distanced themselves from Mrs. Lawrence, Bada looked shocked.

“How could you say something like that so openly! Unless she’s an idiot, she would have figured out what you meant.”

“Well. With the intelligence to undergo such ridiculous procedures, there’s a possibility she didn’t understand what I said.”

“Damien!”

Then he shrugged as if asking what the problem was.

“That woman was desperate to make her daughter the Crown Princess. That’s why she blatantly ignored you.”

“So you said that for me?”

“Something like that.”

“Oh my, thank you. That’s enough, don’t do that anymore. Okay?”

“You were also quite obvious about sneaking glances at the stitch marks on the back of Mrs. Lawrence’s head.”

“…Gasp, really?”

“Be honest. You thought, ‘She made a useless investment in her face, which is an illiquid asset,’ didn’t you?”

“…How did you know? You’re right. She made a large capital expenditure on a depreciating asset. I was thinking, how is she planning to manage the maintenance costs and downside risks!”

“I knew it.”

The two exchanged glances like children plotting mischievous pranks.

But Damien soon sent a suspicious look.

“By the way, how did you know so much about Mrs. Lawrence?”

At his sharp question, Bada gulped.

These days, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him a control freak when it came to Bada’s affairs.

He monitored her every move. And tried to control her.

‘Come to think of it, Damien doesn’t know that Count Lucien sent me notes.’

Since the relationship between the two wasn’t very good, she thought Damien wouldn’t be pleased about this.

‘I think it would be better to tell him after the ball is over.’

As she looked for an excuse, her eyes caught sight of a man standing in the distance.

The blonde-haired man was as tall and handsome as Damien, making him particularly noticeable among the crowd. Most importantly, standing beside the man was an Asian wife with an elegant appearance.

Bada exclaimed.

“Oh! Isn’t that Noah Christenson and his Korean wife over there?”

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