Wife of The Demon Prince
Chapter 61: End of the grand ball

Chapter 61: End of the grand ball

Claire smirked as she stepped forward so that it would be easy to place the tiara on her head without hurting the other shabby ladies pride! ’Just call my name already sire!’

"The winner is..." The herald paused before he announced, "Lady Arabella Boxton!...Congratulations! Lady Arabella, you’re the winner of the year’s most beautiful maiden contest!"

Applauds burst forth from the crowds.

"W-what?" Ara’s jaw dropped open without her even realizing it. How could it be her? Wasn’t it supposed to be Claire? But come to think of it, it could be the right opportunity to rub it on the spoiled brat’s face for stealing their dresses! Ara thought.

She glanced at Claire who had already stepped forward.

Claire looked confused and her lovely cheeks turned red enraged as she clenched tightly to her dress in embarrassment.

Ara then glanced at the elites in the ballroom who applauded. Some looked jealous, while some bored, others looked happy as they cheered. She then glanced towards her sister, who had a pure expression of happiness.

Anne yelled out loud, "That’s my sister!"

Ara was so happy as she heard her sister’s words, she then mouthed a, "Thank you’"

Prince Cassius approached her with the diamond tiara, while he still had that same sly smile on his face. She didn’t know why he had been smiling that way to her. When he reached to her side, she slightly bowed her head in respect.

Prince Cassius placed the tiara on her head wordlessly, he moved closer to her than expected while placing the tiara on her head, he then said in a low voice meant only for her to hear,

"To me also, you’re the most beautiful maiden I’ve ever set my eyes on. You took my breath away with your beauty."

"...?"

The words he whispered made her slightly cringe, and her eyes widened. If it was her sister or the crown Prince who said that, she would think nothing of it. But it was Cassius, the second Prince who was known for taking different women on a whim. It was rather dubious of him saying this, unless he was interested in her?

’Why the Heck...I must be wrong!’

He couldn’t be interested in her, could he? If he was, that would turn out very bad for her as the second Prince was known to force himself on any woman he desired, there were countless scandals going around about how he treated women, forcefully taking them regardless of what house they belonged to and no one would dare oppose him with his mother’s fierce backing from Dumbarton kingdom.

After the tiara rested on her head, she looked up at Cassius with a complicated expression. His lips pulled up in a smile as he moved closer to whisper in her ear, this time saying,

"Dance with me next time...I’m a good dancer, much better than my step brother."

Was he paying attention to her because she had danced with Hamon? Even though they hadn’t announced their marriage yet, the couple had been wandering around the ballroom advertising their relationship. Was that why he was interested in her?

Ara’s green eyes shone with suspicion, she then heard him continue to say, "My birthday banquet will be coming soon, I’ll send you an invitation to my private party... I will be expecting you there." He gave her a secret wink before he turned to walk away from the platform.

Ara was frozen by his remarks, she couldn’t understand why he would be expecting her at his private party. She stared at his retreating back.

Claire who was embarrassed by the outcome of the event, turned back to face Ara with a deadly glare, then made to walk away, but before she descended the platform, she left her warning,

"Enjoy the fame while you can, bitch! I’ll ruin your life and take back everything you’ve stolen from me from the start!" She warned through clenched teeth, then left.

Claire walked away in anger. They never had anything good to say to each other, but there was an ominous air to her tone.

A frown formed on Ara’s forehead. What had she stolen from the spoiled brat? She then heard Evangeline say,

"Congratulations lady Boxton! Even though I didn’t win, am happy you won instead of Lady Tudor." There was a slight happiness in her voice.

Ara smiled a little and replied with a, "Thank you."

As the other ladies had left the platform, only Ara and the herald were left. She glanced towards Hamon’s direction, his expression had changed from the gentle smile he had on awhile ago, and was replaced with a fierce expression now.

Ara guessed it must be because of Prince Cassius’s closeness to her when he whispered and placed the tiara on her head, but it wasn’t her fault for him to look at her with that fierce expression,

_It was your fault! You gave me a beautiful and expensive dress._

Ara stood on the platform as she complained to Hamon with her eyes, the herald next to her spoke,

"Lady Boxton, how about a few words to the people who voted for you tonight?"

"Um..." She was flustered for a moment, before she composed herself, "Thank you for giving me the honor to wear this tiara tonight."

It was impeccable, but very short. In other cases, young ladies would normally become emotional and into tears, but Ara looked quite embarrassed instead.

"...Oh, I hope you all continue to enjoy the rest of the evening!" Exclaimed the herald as he strode down the platform.

The beauty contest ceremony ended successfully. Ara tiredly walked and returned to her seat next to her sister.

"You did well, sister." Anne beamed.

"Yes. Congratulations lady Ara." Said Mary.

"Thank you."

As Ara was conversing with her sister and Mary. Hamon stared at her direction without taking his eyes off her. He knew how his brother’s head works when it came to women, Cassuis was preying on his woman! If his brother dared touched his woman...Heck, he’d deal with him in his own way.

"What do you think about that, Brother Hamon?"

"Hmm" Hamon replied without looking at his step sister who had be bothering him with her endless talks the entire time.

Eadlin furrowed her brows at his short reply, "Are you even listening or just staring at that beautiful red haired lady the whole time?"

"Hmm."

He really wasn’t listening! Eadlin thought.

"You danced with her, do you like her? You look good together. She’s beautiful and you’re handsome, it’s perfect, Brother!"

"Really now, little sister?" He turned to her at last.

Hamon had been trying to avoid his step sister for her own good, as queen Merona doesn’t approved of her being around him, but when he heard her words he couldn’t help it. Of course they’re a match made in heaven! Ara

was destined to be only his woman.

__

The grand ball finally came to an end and soon all the elites began to leave the ballroom, they all went out in a tide.

Ara with her sister and Mary waited together outside, for the train of carriages to pass. Ara soon spotted a carriage with a crest of the Cabrera, which was Mary’s household.

"Your carriage is here lady Mary." Informed Ara, as Mary was too indulged in a conversation with Anne.

"Oh, thanks." Mary thanked and made to step into the carriage, but paused, then turned back to say, "Lady Arabella, there’s something I want to say to you..."

"What’s that?"

"Beware of Lady Tudor, she’s dangerous."

Ara stared at Mary with her brows knitted together, she had a point, but her words were somehow unexpected to Ara.

Mary continued to say, "I was once her friend...Lady Claire is very jealous of you, and she thinks you stole a lot of things away from her...Claire can be very dangerous when she’s jealous and will do anything to ruin that person who made her feel that way."

Anne chimed in, "I also know she is extremely jealous of my sister, but if she tries to do anything to harm my sister...I also won’t take it easy on her either."

"Anne, why do you dislike lady Tudor in the first place?" Ara asked.

Her memories of Claire was still not that clear, she couldn’t recall what exactly made Claire hate her this much, and why she thinks she had stolen everything away from her?

"Sister, I can’t believe you forgot how Claire always tries to embarrass you in every event or celebration we went to...have you forgotten all about it?"

Ara didn’t answer as there was no such memories for her. However, it was true that her sister seemed reluctant about Claire from the start and the both of them never got along well.

Mary continued, "Claire may feel that you’ve stolen her position again tonight, I think you should be very careful as she’s not the type to let things go that easily, she’ll try to do something to harm you in anyway." Mary glanced at their surroundings as she spoke, in case anyone was listening, she was very terrified of Claire as she had seen what the Tudor daughter could do to her enemy.

"Thank you for your kind advice, I’ll watch my back from now on."

"Then I’ll take my leave first. I’ll see you both soon." Mary curtsied then boarded her carriage, she waved her hand out the window as the carriage drove away.

Both the sisters waved back at her, the carriage was soon out of sight, Anne then spoke, "Mary was right, Claire is a jealous witch, so you should avoid her as much as possible."

"I will..." Ara remembered Claire’s warning at the platform, ’Enjoy the fame while you can, bitch! I’ll ruin your life and take back everything you’ve stolen from me from the start!’

_I’ll have to watch out for the spoiled brat._

The Boxton carriage soon approached them, "Anne it’s time to head home."

"Yes. I feel very tired tonight..." Anne mumbled, as she had stressed herself the entire night to expose that thief! But the man had suddenly disappeared out of the ballroom, she wasn’t able to find him again.

"Are you alright?" Ara asked as she noticed the dazed look on her sister’s face.

"I’m fine, beauty of the year!"

Ara chuckled at Anne’s teasing words, they both boarded the carriage and left the castle.