Proposal

A few days after the ball, the Royal Papers were still talking about Jerome and Rowan's dance.

There were numerous opinions about it, some are supporters, some are against it and some are confused.

Jerome would've ignored the news; however, it was affecting his business greatly.

"You look stunning here, my lord." Liao chuckled while reading the news.

"Shut it Liao..." The younger was holding his head while sitting on his office chair for a few minutes now.

Henry could only frown since even his tea couldn't help his master to relax.

"Don't worry about it. As of the moment, you're the headline. People now know you!" The Eastern man assured.

The noble man looked at him, thinking out loud, "That's true... Other newly blessed nobles are having a hard time making a name. Probably because they only have their families to support them and no effort was exerted from them alone."

"Despite what happened, many nobles had sent their invitations to have some tea or dinner with you, my lord." The old butler showed the silver tray full of invitations.

Jerome only looked at it and sighed, "I don't know if I have the energy to attend them."

Henry assured him, "That is quite alright, my lord. You're not obligated to do so."

"Ooh! Let me attend them instead!" Liao took a bit of the invitations to look at them.

This made the black haired man raise an eyebrow, "What's the use of attending those for you?"

"Resources, information, connection?" The Eastern man smirked.

"Sometimes you scare me, Liao."

The older chuckled, "Don't worry, my lord. I wouldn't wish for you to be my enemy as well."

"You can attend them in my stead... I'll be working with Georgia for some few upcoming products. It's a great opportunity to release one while my name is in the papers." Jerome stood up to proceed to the carriage.

Liao looked at one particular invitation, "The royal family invited you for tea, my lord."

This made the the younger stop in his tracks, he knew that letting Liao go in his stead would make it seem like he was too arrogant and rude to grace the royal family with his presence.

The nobleman took the invitation from the Eastern man to look at who the sender was and he sighed at the sight of Rowan Lennox' name.

"It is alright, we can ignore their invitations for now, I could just make an excuse that I am busy." Jerome gave the invitation back to the older.

"Henry, please tell Dynila to keep it low at the moment, we wouldn't want for the people to tie her small business to mine while my name is in the front page of the Royal Papers." He ordered in which the old butler nodded, "As you wish, my lord."

The next few days, Jerome used the opportunity that he was known and famous to promote his and Georgia's latest collection.

His outfit at the Welcoming Ball also became a talk that people were wondering where they could buy it and so, the nobleman released some posters of his and his partner's work.

He became too busy that even when Rowan sent numerous invitations to him, he doesn't even come. Of course, this made he crown prince upset.

"Wystan, how are the knights assigned to Lord Jerome? How are they faring?" Rowan asked his most trusted knight while he was staring at the Royal Papers with a frown.

The once Welcoming Ball topic was immediately replaced by Jerome and Georgia's new collection and how it easily became a new trend. Some fashion-interested men pre-ordered the same dress-suit design, which Jerome wore at the ball.

The crown prince wasn't upset that the nobleman was getting successful, he doesn't know why but being ignored by the man left a bad taste in his mouth. Not that he interprets Jerome's actions as rude, he just doesn't know how to put his emotions into words.

"They were faring very well, your highness. They stated that there were no danger around the lord." Wystan answered.

Rowan just nodded, still deep in thought, "Wystan... I'm usually fine being ignored but..."

The tan-skinned man raise an eyebrow at that but he just listened.

"...Somehow, this Jerome Wright got me all... restless..." The crown prince frowned.

"What is your relationship with him, by the way? If I may ask?" The knight asked, indulging with the prince's problems.

Rowan decided back then that he would test fate and will find the reason why the universe draw them together but somehow, he can't even describe his relationship with Jerome.

'Always tied together but never really got close?' The red haired man asked himself.

'A push and pull relationship... what even is that?'

"I don't know." The crown prince stood up and took his coat.

"Where are you leaving now?" Wystan asked, seemingly tired of his highness' spur of the moment actions.

"I'm just going to pay him a visit."

The knight sighed and followed behind.

At Jerome's manor, the man was working on his office desk, unaware of who was coming and what could possibly happen.

He was peacefully sipping his tea while looking at some documents when a staff knocked on his door, "Come in."

"My lord, the crown prince is at the gates." The stafff stated as soon as she entered making the black haired man choke.

"W-What is he doing here?"

"It seems as if he got fed up with you ignoring him, my lord." Henry speculated.

Jerome frowned, he knew ignoring the crown prince won't work. He already knew that Rowan isn't the type to sit still and be idle but he still tried to ignore the man.

"Let him in." The nobleman told the staff who nodded and left.

A while later, Rowan came to his office without even knocking, "You're ignoring me."

Jerome stood up and bowed to show courtesy, "I apologize, your highness; however, I am busy." He looked at the crown prince, "Like I stated before, I have no time to play."

"I am not playing." Rowan sternly stated before moving to stand in front of the shorter man's desk, "I'm here to propose something with you."

This made the nobleman's eyebrow raise. He took a moment to think before turning to his butler, "Henry, please keep the crown prince and his knight comfortable in the waiting room, I'll follow shortly."

The red haired looked at him before he was urged by the old man to follow, "I'll be waiting, Princess."

After Rowan left, Jerome began to overthink, 'Propose? Like what? A negotiation? He was never interested in business. Is this about his rebellion again?' The noble man took a deep breath before he left his office.

He made slow strides to the waiting room, still thinking of what the crown prince could possibly want from him.

He never wanted to interact with Rowan in this life — maybe only back then when he was a mere reader of the novel but nowadays, the thought of possibly being killed haunts Jerome. If fate was playing based on the novel, then the possibility of being executed because of Rowan isn't out of the possibilities.

It's not like he hates the crown prince, to be honest he finds him attractive, despite having no attraction to anyone — from what he remembered.

Jerome took a deep breath and entered the waiting room. Once he was inside, Rowan signaled Wystan to wait outside and so, Jerome nodded to Henry to do the same.

Now that they're alone, the black haired man sat on the couch accross the crown prince, "I apologize for the wait; however, I wasn't prepared and aware that you'll be visiting me while I was occuppied, your highness."

The red haired man frowned, "I've sent you invitations to meet, I believe that it is ruder to ignore one's invitation rather than me coming here unannounced." He huffed, almost sulking.

Jerome was in disbelief, the prince is acting like a spoiled brat but he merely bowed in polite, "Then I apologize, like I mentioned, I was occuppied and can't entertain any invites. I even had my trusted investor to attend some invites in my stead."

Rowan crossed his arms, "Apology accepted, also, stop being too polite with me. Especially when we're alone."

"It's a courtesy I must do since you're a prince."

"You don't even speak that way when you didn't know that I was a prince yet back in Hardwicke's factory."

Jerome was embarrassed at that but he tried to be composed, the tip of his ears were warming up, "Like you have stated, I was unaware."

"Then act as if you are unaware."

The black haired man could only take a deep breath at the prince's words.

"What would you like to talk about that you had to come here yourself, your highness?"

"First, call me Rowan. Second, I want to marry you."

The words haven't sunk in Jerome's mind yet that he could only look at Rowan with confusion, "Pardon?"

The red haired man smirked, "Marry me."