Chapter 1: The Proposal

Dawn was sipping a cup of coffee and admiring the breathtaking view from her vantage point. The sun beams through the glass window of the cafe where she is sitting. She really love watching and observing people and their daily hustle and bustle in life. Call her weird but it helps her to stay. She was about to stand up when her gaze wandered over a familiar face.

His slightly brown, waxed hair matched his handsome face. He is wearing eyeglasses which perfectly suits him. He has a white skin tone, that will make her think that he bathed with milk everyday because of the clear and perfect tone-skin. Looking at his eyes, she's sure that he's someone she don't want to mess with. He was wearing a blue suit, probably just finished a business meeting. Everything about him is so perfect except for his dark aura and attitude.

Yeah, he is the kind of guy that everyone goes crazy about. He is undeniably handsome, extremely rich, and his aura is screaming with power and authority. A perfect guy for a date. But the thing is, he is cold arrogant, mean, heartless, likes to ignore people and most of all evil.

He looked like the perfect guy who stepped out from a book except from his arrogant and cold personality.

Everyone calls him, 'Mr. Monochrome' or 'Monochrome Prince' either way, both still fits his current personality.

She can see the women on the cafe eyeing him dreamily.

Most of the women here, adores him. And she don't really know why.

He goes in his flashy car and drove off.

Dawn let out a deep sigh. He was totally different from the person she knew 3 years ago. He was a bubbly and a happy-go-lucky type of guy before, not until an unfortunate chapter of his life happened.

She may not personally know him but her habit of observing people made her otherwise. She'd heard gossips from other people, a lot of them.

And luckily, she was one of those who happened to witness his misfortune.

That day, it was a warm summer afternoon, she was just sitting on a bench at our local park waiting for her bestfriend to pick her up when she saw a lovely couple approaching. The man was so handsome and rich and from the looks of it, he might be around 20 years old. The woman also was so pretty even without making an effort. She was undeniably gorgeous. Dawn think she is around her age or older. They were wearing casual clothes but she can still predict that they were from a rich family.

They sat across the bench where Dawn was sitting and started to talk about things.

They are staring intently through the eyes of each other while talking and she can't help myself but to admire them.

Occasionally, she would see them together, by then she came to know the man. He was Livius II, a well-respected gentleman and one of the wealthiest person in our city. At such an early age, he was able to manage numerous companies, building his own name in the business world.

And the woman, whom she knew as his girlfriend was Nevy, the granddaughter of a business tycoon, ranked 10 to the wealthiest person in the city.

She must say, they are match made from heaven.

She was sitting at her usual place at the park, thinking about the things that she'd learned about them. Dawn was doodling on her notebook when she heard someone shout near her seat.

"I can't take this anymore! We should break up!"

Her gaze shifted to where the voice at and was shocked to know who's that person behind that shouting.

It was Nevy. Dawn wandered her gaze and saw Nevy together with Livius. Nevy was crying her heart out. Her hands were shaking and seemed angry and frustrated about something.

And then Dawn saw Livius. There was nothing to see except for the loneliness and pain in his eyes. He was not uttering a single word yet his eyes are telling me something. His eyes are telling me that he's hurting. His eyes are begging.

"W-What did I do wrong?" he asked after a moment of shock and confusion.

"That's the thing! You did nothing wrong and I've been lying to myself." she said.

"W-What do you mean by that?" asked Livius who was still confused of his girlfriend's sudden outburst.

"I've been telling myself that I love you and I pretend to be sweet towards you but the truth was, I'm not having the sparks anymore." Nevy said without any hesitation but her hands and lips were trembling.

Dawn was shocked by her revelations, and most of all, shocked by how she said it.

"Y-You d-don't love me anymore?" he said while trying hard not to cry but his eyes is full of pain and misery.

"No, not anymore." Nevvy said without hesitation again.

That was Dawn's first time seeing the two of them fight. Her curiosity was burning and so she propped closer to listen.

"I think we should break up." Nevy said as she sat a meter away from Livius.

"I don't think it's a good idea to continue this relationship. Just recently, I found my first love since I was in kindergarten, the moment I saw him, I knew that he's the one." Nevy added and silence enveloped them.

Dawn can't hear a thing from them, not a single word came out. They just keep silent towards each other.

"I'm going to US next week and I'm staying there for good. I'll be with him. I hope you understand." she said as she broke the silence between them.

Nevy was about to stand when Livius asked, "Am I not worthy enough? You will just throw our 2 years of relationship for that stupid first love of yours?!"

Everything went silent once more.

"I thought we will be together, I even planned our future and to think I was thinking of proposing to you tomorrow. I even arranged the most extravagant proposal the world has ever seen. And this is what I get instead?" he said and now tears are rolling in his cheeks without stopping.

Dawn looked over at Nevy but there's nothing in her eyes except the surprised look she got.

"Go to your stupid first love! I thought you're not going to leave me like my parents but you just prove myself wrong." he said while bitting his lips and forcing himself not to cry.

A batch of fresh tears started to roll on Livius' cheeks.

Silence again enveloped for the both of them. Then what he said made Dawn shocked and realized that he really love Nevy even though his hurting inside.

"Is that man much better than me? I can do everything, I will make myself like him so that you won't go away. Please babe, don't leave me." he said crying again.

"I'm sorry."

He tried to reach one of Nevy's hand but she shoved it away without looking at him and started to storm off from the place.

And as Livius cried, droplets of rain started to fall from the sky. Dawn hurriedly kept her things inside her bag and ran to the nearest tree for shelter.

Everyone is busy saving themselves from the strong rain. But not him. He stayed there with gritted teeth and clenched fist. Pain is written all over his face. And with the strong mist created by the rain in the park, one man stayed. Livius.

Dawn felt sorry for him. And since that day, she never saw his smile again.

Dawn shrugged all those thoughts from her head and started packing her things to work.

Dawn is the secretary of her company's CEO. The salary is high enough to sustain her needs and so she did get to enjoy her job.

"Secretary Dawn, the Ceo wants to see you." her workmate, Yana said.

She just nodded and went straight to the CEO's office.

"Good morning Sir, is there anything you need?" she asked Mr. Woods, the CEO of the company.

Dawn come to see him standing, watching from the window with his both hands at the back in his colored-gray suit matched with a navy blue necktie. Many years of working for him, she came to know him. He was an approachable and outgoing person. He's not strict but he gained respect and obedience from every personnels of this company. Not only that, but he was also one of the most well-respected and powerful in the business world.

Maybe because he is the uncle of Livius II.

He looked at her, and excitement is written all over his face.

"How old are you again?" he asked.

Dawn's eyebrows furrowed. What is this all about? she thought.

"20 sir." but she replied anyway. He started to look at her from head to toe. He smiled and nodded.

"Single?" he asked. Her eyebrows furrowed more.

"I didn't mean to disrespect you Sir, but why are you asking me this questions?" Dawn asked, feeling really confused.

His dimples on both cheeks appeared as he gave a gentle laugh. For someone who is in his mid' 40s, this man is exceptionally handsome.

"Just answer my questions and I'll answer yours." he smiled.

She sighed in defeat and nodded.

"You're single and you don't have any relatives, am I right?" he asked.

"Yes Sir, " she replied.

It's true, Dawn don't have any family anymore. Her parents died on a fire when she was fourteen. Thankfully she survived and managed to get up after that incident.

Dawn still can't move on, but what can she do?

"Don't you want to have a family of your own?" he asked her seriously.

This is really getting weird, why would he asked me if I want to have a family? Everyone wants it but in the right time, she thought.

"Yes I do, but now isn't the right time."

"Why?"

"I have a lot of things to think about."

"Oh." He sat on his chair and was turning around using his chair. Doesn't he gets dizzy doing that? she thought.

"You have no one to take care of except yourself right?" Dawn nodded as a response.

"Do you need money?" he stopped turning around and now is looking at her. Money? What is he talking about? she asked herself.

"My salary is quite sustainable, sir." she said honestly.

"Well, that's too bad." he whispered but she can perfectly heard it.

He stood up and went around. He came closer to her and scanned her from head to toe again. Then he went around her checking everything about Dawn. After that he stopped, put his hand on his chin and nodding a lot of times when his eyes are closed.

This is bad. Why is he looking at me that way? This is totally creeping me out, she thought. Her eyes found the door. If Mr. Woods would do anything nasty, I...

"You're perfect for the job!" my boss exclaimed.

Dawn's thoughts trailed off. What?! she thought.

"I beg your pardon?" Dawn asked.

"I have a proposal," he said calmly.

"And that is?" she asked impatiently.

"You will be the wife of Livius II." he calmly said.

Dawn's world literally stopped. She even heard her heart stopped a beating. She froze just like a statue here.

Did I hear it wrong? she thought.

"Can you say it one more time?" She asked thinking that maybe she just heard it wrong.

Stay calm. You just heard it wrong, Dawn. She said to herself.

He came back to his table and sat on the chair. "I want you to be the wife of Livius II."

She stepped back almost losing her balance. Luckily, she had managed to grip the egde of his table to keep herself from falling.

"May I ask why would you propose such a thing?" Dawn asked irritatingly.

He put his arms above the table and looked at her with his dark set of eyes.

"He's lost, I want you to help him."

"Of all the women out there, why did you choose me?" She asked in disbelief.

This is ridiculous! I will marry that cold, arrogant kind of man? This is really insane! A big trouble! She thought.

"You're perfect for the job, you can melt his wall made of ice by your sunny and bright personality." he said smiling and he leaned towards his chair.

"I mean no disrespect but I cannot accept your proposal." Dawn said in a stern voice.

"Why?"

"Being married without affection is not just right. And I don't have a reason to marry such terrible guy." she replied seriously.

He laughed hard. "Well, I agree, he's terrible alright,"

After that he sighed. "Aren't you one of the girls who love him?" he asked while getting a cigarette.

"I'm not."

Mr. Woods put it in his mouth, lit up his cigarette, and producing a swirl of smoke around him.

"Really? Then that's even better." he smiled in amusement and even laughed harder.

"Imagine, there are a few girls who don't love him? How great is that?" Mr. Woods added and continued laughing.

Dawn stood there, staring at her boss with her forehead creased, brows furrowed, and yeah, confused as ever.

He paused and looked at her. "I want you to think about it. Being married to him will give you a huge handsome sum."

"No." Dawn said with finality.

She sighed. "Sir, I'm already contented of what I have now. I don't need it. You can find another girl who's interested for the position." I added.

"Don't have any second thoughts?"

"No, "

He sighed again. "Fine I guess there's no forcing you to marry my nephew. He is just so cold and mean to everyone. I feel sorry for him. He doesn't trust anyone other than himself. And most of all, he forgot how to smile." Mr. Woods said sadly.

Dawn just kept silent but deep down she approved everything about her boss said.

He looked up to her and smiled. "I'll find someone who will fit to become his wife and if I can't find one, I'll have no choice but force you to become his wife." He said.

"How many times do I have to tell you sir that I don't want to be his wife?" Dawn said almost losing my temper.

"I'm just stating the possibilities, you can go now."

"But I—"

He turned his back on me and faced his view he got from his window. After she said goodbye, she got out.

Dawn closed the door with confusion and about to lose my temper. The proposal of her boss is just too much.

What does he take me for? she thought.

Aarrrgghhh! This is irritating! she said while grabbing her hair out of frustration.