Chapter Nine

"Thanks again for your help, Adrian!" She said, smiling warmly at him. They sauntered on the cobblestone sidewalk after leaving the orphanage.

"It is no big deal, I really had a great time with the kids. It was all thanks to you Caroline!".

Was it just her or did the atmosphere suddenly become hotter because of the compliment? She tried so hard not to blush.

Adrian sniggered on noticing the light shade of red on her smooth cheeks. She looked so charming whenever she tries her best to be cool when they are together

.

"How long have you known the kids?" He suddenly asked.

She thought for a while, recalling the years "Well, um… I started when I was a teenager so it has been like um… a decade and two years!".

"Oh, it's been a long time!" He stated a bit surprised that it has been that long.

"Yeah, they are so used to my visit especially when…" she was cut short when her phone vibrated in her hand.

Adrian halted in his tracks as he stared at her, inquisitively.

Looking at the screen, she received a text message from William.

'Hey, Carol. Just wanted you to know that I am on your way to your Company for the stuff that I told you about. Oh and my sister wanted to tag along since she is a big fan of yours' it read.

"Oh Damn it! I have gotta go!".

"It's everything alright?" He had a concerned look on his face. Carol felt that she could melt into a puddle if she stared at his beautiful eyes for a moment longer.

"Yeah, everything is good. I just have to meet a client of mine".

"Oh!"

"Thanks for everything Adrian I really appreciate it!" She gave him a quick smile before moving forward.

Adrian stared at the figure walking down the sidewalk, pieces of a plan began forming in his head.

* * * *

"William, sorry for keeping you waiting!" Carol said as soon as she stepped into her office.

"Is it okay that we waited for you here? The receptionist told us to wait in your office and your Assistant wasn't in her station!" He explained.

"Yeah, it's cool!" She said with a wave. Knowing Lilly, her receptionist. She must have said that while drooling over him.

Carol rolled her eyes.

She spotted a girl who looked like a fifteen year old, vetting through her office with an enthusiastic look.

Her choice of dressing was exquisite, if Caroline should say so herself. She couldn't see her face since she had her back to her. Her long black hair was curly and looked super smooth and she had a curvaceous body for a teenager.

The girl whipped her hair and turned around with a shocked smile on her face, Her hazel eyes smiled at her with excitement in them. She looked just like William but like the female version of him. A true belle.

"Oh my gosh! It's Caroline!" She rushed towards her gleefully and quickly shook her hand with so much energy.

Carol didn't have any idea to do but smile at her energetic behavior.

"It is nice to meet you, uh…" She had no clue what her name was.

"I am such a huge fan! The name's Grace".

"Grace, it is nice to meet you Grace!" She said, forcefully.

Grace suddenly left her hand and engulfed Carol in a sudden hug.

"I can't believe I am finally meeting my idol, I love all your designs!".

"Thanks, I am glad that you do!" She replied awkwardly.

Once Grace finally let go of her, she turned to look at William. She gave him the 'I had no idea that your sister was a big fan of mine' look.

William innocently shrugged understanding the look.

"I kinda told you that she was when last we met and I also sent you a text about it".

"Why didn't you guys go to one of my boutiques, you could have chosen a gown from my latest collection there?" She asked.

"Actually, I told my brother that I wanted to meet you. So, he brought me here instead. I hope you don't mind?".

Carol shook her head "No, I don't!".

She dropped her back on the table whilst resting on it.

"Luckily for you. The gowns are here in my company!".

Grace giggled, she couldn't hold her enthusiasm. Finally, she is wearing a gown that her fashion icon designed by herself and it was her latest collection. 'This day was the best' she thought.

Carol clapped her hands and a lady walked in pulling a rack full of beautiful dresses with her.

"Thank you Jesse!" Carol spoke to the woman.

Jesse sighed "You know Jenny could have done this, I am kinda busy with the wedding dress for the Princess!".

"I know and I am sorry!" She said politely "Where is Jenny anyway?".

Jesse shrugged "I have no idea!".

Saying that she left them.

Out of everything that the two ladies conversed about only one thing got Grace hooked.

"Wait, did she say wedding dress for the Princess?"

Carol nodded "Yeah!".

"Oh my gosh! Can I see it? Please!" She pleaded using one of her charms 'the puppy dog eyes'.

But Carol wasn't falling for it "Nope, it is not for the public eyes, yet!".

Grace slouched a bit where she stood.

"So, which of these dress do you like?" Carol asked bringing their attention to the gowns.

Grace shrugged "I don't know, they look really beautiful!". She had a thoughtful look on her face as she stared at them.

"You know what? Why don't you test them all and tell me what you think about them?".

"Okay!".

Grace walked towards the rack and carefully picked a green sleeveless ball gown before walking out of the office.

"Thanks for doing this for me, Caroline!" William said.

"Hey, it's no problem!" She spoke with a smile.

A few minutes later, Grace walked in wearing the green gown. Carol and William looked at each other and then at her, their jaws dropped.

"So, what do you think?" She asked shyly, awaiting their response.

"Wow! You look amazing!" Carol said admiring the fitting of the dress on her.

"I will never stop saying it, you are really beautiful Grace!".

She smiled "Thanks guys!".

"Is that what you want?" William asked.

"I am not sure, Can I test the rest?"

"Sure!".

Grace walked towards the rack and took all the gown in it before leaving.

After minutes of gown testing she was still so unsure of what she really wanted. Carol walked towards her and sat beside her while William stepped out to answer a phone call.

"Hey, What is the matter? You look so down, what happened to the excited girl I met a few minutes ago?" She stared at her with a concern look.

"I-I don't know Caroline, this is my first prom in high school and I want to look amazing not like the nerdy girl that is always bullied in the hallway!" She stated.

Carol was shocked, Grace was bullied! She didn't look like a nerd and definitely didn't look like someone that was being bullied at school.

"You are being bullied?".

She nodded slowly "Yeah, eversince I stepped my foot in that school, the popular girls have been out to get me and I thought that this prom I could look you know… different. Maybe they'd respect me, if I look snazzy and they will stop bullying me" She had a bitter laugh "Maybe I shouldn't go for it, It is just a stupid prom anyway!" Even though she tried to act tough and carefree about it. Carol could see right through it the pain she felt.

She sighed "look Grace, I think that you are an amazing person. Who cares what those girls think? I for one think that you are super cool and perfect with a fantastic body, I think those girls are just jealous of you and feel inferior to you because of how beautiful and intelligent you are that is why they bully you!".

"You really think so?" She sniffed back the tears.

"I don't think so, I know so!" She said confidently and playfully punched her arm.

Grace giggled and wiped out the stubborn tears that were on her cheeks.

"You know what? Why don't you take these dresses for free!".

"What!"

"What!" William shouted walking in on them, surprising both ladies.

"William, how long have you been standing there?" Grace asked, giving her brother a questioning look.

"Well, I…"

Whilst Carol talked to Grace, he went out to answer a very short phone call, about to walk in he heard their conversation. Curious, he decided to listen in on them. He never knew that Grace was being bullied, hearing that made his blood boil with rage but she never really open things up to him. But seeing her talking to Carol, he was shocked to find himself smile at the sight.

The only reason he decided to walk in was when Carol made that suggestion.

"... I just finished talking to the person on the phone call just now and then I heard what Carol just said!" He said quickly. The two ladies looked at him with a blank expression on their faces.

After an awkward minute of silence. Carol finally spoke.

"So, it is being decided, you are taking all the dresses for free!" She said with a smile.

"I don't…"

"No, we are not!" William said cutting Grace off "Carol, I am not going to accept this. I have a better idea what if I pay for all of them!".

"That's nonsense!" She waved it off "Consider the dresses as my gift to Grace!" She turned to Grace with a smile.

"Nope I am paying for them!". He quickly took out his phone about to make a bank transaction.

"Ugh! Fine. Why don't we do it like this? You pay for three of the dresses and take the remaining two for free!".

"What?"

"I like it!" Grace jumped in "Thank you Caroline!".

Without much thinking she hugged her, taking Carol by surprise again.

"Thank you for everything!" There was sincerity in her voice as she spoke.

"You are welcome, if you ever need my help you know where to find me!".

"Really?" She asked once they were apart. Her face was so bright that it could light up the entire room.

"Sure!".

"Does anyone not care about my opinion because…" he was cut short when he heard a voice from the other side of the door.

"Carol, I didn't know that you were coming back early today you should have at least told me, you know I bumped into Jesse down the hallway and she was like…." Jenny treaded into the office preoccupied in her talk.

Jenny didn't realize that her boss had some company with a very beautiful teenager and a… Oh My God! Was this man even part of the male species?.

He was the most beautiful man she has ever laid her eyes on.

"Whoa!" She stared at him like he was some kind of Prince from a Disney movie.

Even though she has actually met a real life Prince. The man in front of her was more Princely than the Prince she met. Was that even possible?.

"Jenny! Jenny!" Carol called out to her but it seemed like Jenny was already occupied with something extremely important like um… checking out the hot man in front of her.

Carol stood up and walked towards her, she shook her shoulder slightly which brought her back.

"What! What! Sure! Obviously!" Were the words that flew out of her mouth.

"What!"

"What?" She suddenly realized that her voice was higher than usual and that she was not subtly ogling over the man in the office.

"Sorry!"

"Where have you been?"

She clicked her tongue, thinking of what to say "I was just um… around, why?".

"Nothing, it was just that I didn't see you when I arrived!".

"Oh!"

"And also they didn't see you either!" She referred to Grace and William.

"Oh, okay. Um… who are they?" Jenny asked in a curious tone.

"William is the mysterious client that wanted to meet up with me, judging from your recent reaction, you guys haven't met yet!" Jenny glanced at him again.

He smiled at her and waved. Was it just her or did her heart suddenly began beating faster?.

"Hi!"

"Hi!" She replied meekly.

'Okay now, I am behaving strange like Carol when we first met the Prince in the palace last week' she thought.

"And that is his younger sister, Grace!"

"Hello!" Grace greeted.

"Hi!" Jenny turned to William "So you were the guy who spoke to me on the phone and made an appointment, I never imagined him to be this hot…" she shook her head quickly "I mean professionally handsome!".

Gosh! That was embarrassing.

Carol noticed the flush look on her face, a smile was smoldered on her face.

"It was nice talking to you on the phone Jenny!" He said with a smile.

She felt like she could go to Mars and never return if he smiled to her like that ever again.

"Yeah!"

"Okay, it has been decided!" Carol said with a clap "you will pay for three dresses and take the other two as a gift from me!".

William was about to protest but she stopped him.

"Nope, no argument. It has already been agreed on!"

"By who?".

"Mee!" Grace said jumping on her feet, beaming at him.

He groaned "Okay, fine! But I owe you for the two dresses Caroline".

"How?"

"We will talk about it later!" He winked at her.

Jenny sighed, it seems that she has no shot at all, it was super obvious that he was into Caroline which was a bummer but like she always says 'life goes on'.

Carol didn't want to blush because of the people in the room.

"Sure!" Her voice was as cool as it could be.

* * * *

"So, spill?" Grace asked climbing onto the passenger's seat whilst William was seated beside.

"Spill what?" He turned on the ignition.

"You obviously like Caroline, you guys have a past right?" She had an expectant look on her face as she stared at him.

"That story is for another day!" Saying that he peeled out of the parking lot, ending that conversation before it even started.

"Oh, come on!" She whined.