My Fiancée Hates Me
Chapter 47: Falling Again

I was the last to leave after gathering my things. I realized I had forgotten to give Prince Erik my list of improvements. Maybe if I leave quickly, I can replace him before he leaves?

I made my way towards the stairs that I first saw Prince Erik when school started and saw him walking down.

"Your Highness! A moment please..."

"Arielle?" he said as he turned his back towards me.

I had accidentally tripped down the stairs yet again. I moved my hands in front of me in hope that I could break my fall, and then I remembered I was still holding onto the important documents and clutched them close to my chest.

Prince Erik had saved me yet again by catching me into his chest. We both fell seated on the stairs.

I had once again been welcomed by the scent of fresh pines and fresh smell of laundry detergent and his chest.

"Choose to protect yourself by putting your hands out instead of protecting your documents," Prince Erik scolded.

This kind way of scolding is comforting...

"... Yes," I awkwardly replied.

He soon moved from me and stood up. He held out one hand for me and helped me up.

"We need to stop meeting like this... It is not good for my heart," Prince Erik sighed.

"...I agree," I said.

"Then, did you need something from me?" Prince Erik asked.

"I wanted to hand you a list of improvements for the bridge," I said as I handed him the documents.

"For this...I purposefully placed some errors in the design for other people to point out. Seeing as though not many people cared to look at it means that they were unqualified," Prince Erik said coldly. "...This was pointless then," I said dismally.

Prince Erik smiled as he tucked the sheet into his portfolio.

"I would not say that. I said I placed some errors to test if they were able to notice them. Your notes will be most useful," he said with a soft voice.

His attitude now makes me almost doubt his cold demeanor from earlier.

"Your Highness, is there something bothering you?" I asked suddenly. "...No, why?" he asked.

"...Well, you seemed irritated much throughout the meeting," I said.

"Of course, I would feel irritated when they were constantly undermining your ideas. You are someone I think very highly of," Prince Erik said.

I felt touched that he would think so highly of me.

"Even if you think that, you could easily make enemies with such an attitude like today, Your Highness," I warned.

"Should I just nod my head and accept everything as is then?" he asked crisply.

I never said that!

"I am in no position to scold you...I just think that it would be in your best interest to create more allies than enemies," I said.

"Well, aren't you just the worrywart? I will be fine in a place full of enemies. This is no different from all my life, My Lady," Prince Erik said.

I felt irritated.

A worrywart? How dare he!

"With your attitude, it is a wonder why people are willing to follow you," I said snidely.

I think I went too far on that one....

"Why do you think I have such an attitude in the first place? It is all your fault! It is natural that I would be concerned about someone important to me..."

As soon as Prince Erik realized what he said at the peak of his emotions, he became reddened to his ears.

My face flared up from the secondhand embarrassment.

Usually, he just says those kinds of things without thinking much about it...

I suddenly felt guilty about Garett.

"... Your Highness, as I have said before, you do not need to be so considerate towards me. I have a lover. I would not like any misunderstandings to occur between the two of us, so please do not show too much concern towards me. We are only together because of student council matters. Outside of this, I do not want you to think much of me," I said coldly.

"...What do you like about that guy?" Prince Erik suddenly asked.

About Garett?

I was taken aback by his question.

Should I just answer truthfully?

"He is kind, intelligent, and cares deeply for me. Honestly, he is too good for me...but he is important to me," I replied.

There was a hint of loneliness in his eyes. The silence coupled with his saddened expression drove my heart into a frenzy.

"I see... Well, you should go to him," Prince Erik said as he turned to leave.

Looking at his back retreating away from my view made me feel incredibly guilty about how I was living a lie and had to lie to his face about the nature of my relationship with Garett. Everything hurts...

I hated the fact that I could not completely trust those around me, the fact that I had to lie to everyone including Prince Erik, and how I was using Garett for my own benefit. Why am I the only one being burdened by these memories?

If only I could shut off my own heart as well...