Chapter 11. Only Her

11

It didn't take Ivory long to-prepare – she simply added a light touch of makeup and decided to follow Rayshawn's lead. As she made her way to the front hall of her father's mansion, Siegfried's parting words echoed in her mind.

"Ivy, if he does something stupid again, even if he's the Crown Prince, just kick his balls!" her brother had warned.

Ivory couldn't help but chuckle at Siegfried's blunt advice. "I will, no worries" she assured him, her smile soft and reassuring.

When Ivory finally reached the entryway, Rayshawn was already waiting for her, standing tall and exuding a gentle, refined bearing. His face was graced with a warm, genuine smile, and Ivory found herself doubting whether she truly knew this man at all.

As Ivory approached, Rayshawn extended his arm, silently offering to escort her to the waiting carriage. Ivory hesitantly slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, still wondering at the contrast between his current demeanor and his past behavior.

With a polite gesture, Rayshawn turned to address the Marquis and Siegfried. "I'll bring her back before dinner," he promised, his tone measured and respectful.

As the carriage rolled on, Ivory found herself the unwavering object of Rayshawn's gaze. His beautiful, blazing red eyes studied her with a mix of emotions—adoration, curiosity, and even a trace of undisguised lust. Ivory felt herself growing hot under the intensity of his stare, realizing that her instincts had been right—the current Rayshawn was indeed a dangerous man.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked, attempting to strike up a conversation and break the magnetic hold his eyes had on her.

"Because you're beautiful," he answered softly, his voice low and smooth.

Ivory felt her face flush furiously at his direct compliment. "Why are you saying it like that? You're so shameless!" she retorted, flustered by his bold words.

"What's so shameless about speaking the truth?" Rayshawn replied, a gentle smile playing on his lips. He seemed to be reveling in Ivory's reaction, a stark contrast to the women of the modern world, who were often unfazed by such blatant flirtation.

Desperate to change the subject, Ivory suddenly found herself asking, "Anyway, where's Garret?"

The moment the words left her lips, she regretted the question. But to her surprise, Rayshawn's expression remained calm and unperturbed. "I threw him out of the palace," he stated matter-of-factly, his tone devoid of any hint of emotion.

Ivory blinked, taken aback by his blunt admission. She had half-expected Rayshawn to react with anger or possessiveness at the mere mention of his annoying lover. But the Crown Prince's response was surprisingly dispassionate, almost as if Garret had never held any significant place in his life.

"Don't you love him?" she asked again, testing the waters.

"Why would I keep on loving someone who left me behind when I was attacked?" Rayshawn snorted, "I was stupid."

"Yeah, you are." Ivory blurted out.

"Getting comfortable, are we?" Rayshawn's lips curled into a playful smile as he held her gaze, his crimson eyes burning with an intensity that made Ivory's breath catch in her throat.

If he remembers his past life as Rayvenne Kaufman, never before had he encountered a woman as breathtakingly beautiful and ethereal as the one sitting before him now. Her radiant presence had the power to captivate him in a way that no one else ever had.

Ivory felt a familiar flutter in her chest, one that she had long ago buried beneath layers of resentment and distrust. Rayshawn's transformed demeanor, his gentle attention, and the vulnerability he now displayed—it all threatened to chip away at the carefully constructed walls she had erected around her heart. Before Garret, Rayshawn was so gentle to her, but the Rayshawn in front of her now is far more gentle and softer, making it harder for her to reject him.

"I'm sorry," Ivory stammered, averting her gaze in a futile attempt to regain her composure. "I didn't mean to be so...blunt."

Rayshawn's smile only widened, and Ivory could sense the triumph glimmering in his eyes. "Don't apologize," he murmured, his voice low and velvety. "I find your honesty quite refreshing."

Ivory knew that she should remain cautious and that she couldn't afford to let her guard down so easily. And yet, a part of her longed to believe in the transformation she saw before her, to trust that Rayshawn had truly shed the arrogance and callousness of his past self.

-

Madam Frou was quite surprised to see the Crown Prince arrive at her boutique, accompanied by his official fiancée, Lady Ivory Vanderberg. Upon coming out of the carriage, Rayshawn's arms were wrapped around Ivory's waist, a gesture he had politely requested permission for.

"Any problem with my attendance?" Rayshawn asked, his tone polite yet firm. "We're here to find a matching outfit for a tea party."

"Ah, there's no problem at all, Your Highness the Crown Prince!" Madam Frou bowed deeply before them.

However, Rayshawn sensed a hesitation in the older woman's demeanor. "I sense a 'but,' what is it?" he pressed. Madam Frou stepped aside, and to Ivory's dismay, Garret was revealed from behind the curtain.

Rayshawn could feel Ivory's body tense up at the sight of the man. "Stay," he whispered to her, refusing to relinquish his hold on her waist.

"Ray!" Garret suddenly rushed towards Rayshawn, a look of elation on his face.

But Rayshawn quickly dodging away, still keeping Ivory close to him. "What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Why are you moving away?" Garret's expression turned crestfallen, like a sad puppy. "I heard that you're going to Madam Frou's boutique with Lady Ivory, so I thought this was my chance to talk to you. I know you've been hesitant all this time because of the pressure, right? But I don't mind being the mistress if you marry Lady Ivory. As long as you don't abandon me," he pleaded, his voice laced with desperation. He knows that the last sentence always works like magic.

Ivory stared at Rayshawn, who's suddenly turned silent. She felt a slight disappointment; she was already hoping that Rayshawn will change. But it turns out he's still the same as before. Suddenly, Ivory heard an unfamiliar word escape Rayshawn's lips. "Fuck!" he exclaimed.

"Ray?" His outburst, which was unlike him, startled Ivory.

"It gives me goosebumps," Rayshawn said, gesturing to his neck.

"What did you just say?" Ivory asked, clearly unfamiliar with the modern profanity.

"It's a cursing word, my lady. You don't have to bother with it," Rayshawn replied, chuckling at Ivory's reaction.

"Ray? I'm here," Garret said again, his purple eyes gleaming, It's always makes him feel disgusted. Like someone is inside your head and giving you access to control everything.

Rayshawn's eyes hardened as he firmly pushed Garret away. "So?" he scoffed, making his disdain for the other man abundantly clear. "I'm here with my fiancée. You should leave."

Turning his attention to Madam Frou, Rayshawn's voice took on an authoritative edge. "And Madam Frou, I revoke all of his privileges. If he's coming here, it's on you, not me. I no longer want to be connected with him in any way."

Rayshawn's gaze then settled on Ivory, his expression softening as he spoke. "My fiancée is Lady Ivory Vanderberg. Only her, and all the privileges you've granted me as the Crown Prince of this Empire, belong to her and her alone."

Ivory could scarcely believe what she was hearing. Rayshawn was unequivocally choosing her over Garret, a man he had once seemed enamored with. The sudden shift in Rayshawn's allegiance left her momentarily stunned, her heart racing with a mixture of disbelief and elation.

"Certainly, Your Highness," Madam Frou replied solemnly, quickly summoning her store guards. "You may sit inside, and we'll provide you with everything you need."

Garret, on the other hand, recoiled as if he had been struck, his features contorting into a mask of shock and indignation. "But... you're mine! With all the privileges!" he sputtered, his voice laced with desperation.

Rayshawn's lips curled into a sardonic smile. "Not anymore," he declared, his tone dripping with anger. "The privileges and courtesies of the Crown Prince now belong to Lady Ivory Vanderberg and her alone. You are no longer welcome here, Garret. I suggest you take your leave before I have you forcibly removed."

"Ray! You can't do this to me! You love me! I'm the only one you need, Rayshawn!" Garret screamed, his pleas falling on deaf ears.