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By the time we reached the restaurant, my respect for her had increased tenfold. She was rich yet humble, delicate yet daring enough to demand me to meet her even though I had asked her out.
The staff of the luxurious restaurant led me to the upper level which overlooked the city of London. It had a stunning view of street and building lights with clear night sky. Despite the opulent setting of the floor, it was odd that it was empty of staff and people.
“Where is everyone?”
“Miss Valeria reserved the second floor for the evening. She doesn’t like crowds, and this is much better for her,” the server answered with a small smile as if he was remembering the past encounters with the woman I was curious about.
I settled down at the table placed in the center of the floor, underneath a dimly lit chandelier. The warm and rich environment reminded me of the dining hall back in the Palace of Azmia where I had countless dinners and lunches with my family. Valeria had a great taste, but not when it came to dating.
I sipped on red wine, lazily waiting for her to arrive.
Finally, the clock struck seven.
Valeria
My loud sniffle echoed in the room as I turned to the other side, holding in my wince and making sure the bandage wasn’t misplaced.
“Please don’t cry dear, I am sure he will understand.” Mabel, Mr Benjamin’s wife, said in a soothing voice. It made me feel more guilty. They both were doing so much for me.
I tugged the blankets over my head. I didn’t want them to see me like that, even though they both had been with me since the beginning. They always took care of me when something like that happened.
An hour ago, I was wearing a slim white dress, small diamond studs in my ears with my waist length red hair curled in silky waves. Mabel had told me I looked like a beautiful angel after I had applied minimal makeup. I had learned to do it on my own since high school. I had thanked her for the compliment, knowing she had called me angel when I was at my worst, after the accident that robbed me of my sight.
But as soon as I had stood up from the stool, my head had throbbed painfully with my eyes. I had almost fainted.
The doctor told us that my headaches were getting worse because of the corneal blindness and the only cure was to implant new corneas in my eyes. But I wouldn’t agree with it. I didn’t deserve it.
The headache was my fault, anyway.
It was half past seven with me crying on the bed because I hit my head after getting too excited over a call with the Prince of Azmia, Khalid Al Latif.
I groaned, wishing I was sitting across from him and hearing him talk.
“Are you okay? Do your eyes still hurt?” Mr Benjamin asked.
“No. I wish I could apologize, but I am too ashamed to even call him.” I pouted, the spot between my ribs aching. “He must be cussing me.”
I was ashamed.Deeplyashamed. I had told him not to be late and yet I was the one who couldn’t meet him. I had never once been late in my life to any meeting. I was always on time. I hated tardiness. But curse my throbbing head and eyes. I had begged both of them to let me go and meet Khalid, but the doctor insisted me to get some rest.
“Why don’t you call him over?” Mabel asked. “I will cook something delicious and have dinner here. He’s a Prince, Valeria, you should have dinner with him.”
I groaned, “Exactly, Mabel. I don’t want him to see me like this.”
I didn’t want his pity. Not from him.
Mabel petted my hair. “At some point, you have to accept it and let others accept it too, Valeria.”
Frowning at her words, I buried my face in the pillows.
I heard Mr Benjamin moving around the room and closing the windows to stop the cold air from entering. “Get some rest, I will talk to him and reschedule the dinner.”
Peeking from the blankets, I looked toward his raspy voice, trying to remember the lines on his face from childhood when I had my sight. Even though the image of his face was blurry in my mind, I remembered his kind blue eyes and the small wrinkles around them.
“Thank you, Mr Benjamin. I don’t know what I would do without you.” My eyes burned with tears, throat clogging up as I tried my hardest not to cry. My tears would upset him.
“Valeria, don’t cry, my dear. You are like my daughter and as your guardian, it is my duty to care for my child.”
I sniffled, thanking him once more as he patted my head.