Dara's POV

While staring to Jiyong's sleeping face earlier, I found myself deciding to tell him already the real truth about me. He deserves to know it and prolonging to hide it from him wasn't a good thing because I have to go home soon. So I need to get the right timing and it seems today is already the day.

"Where is it?"

I hesitated for a moment then I bite my lower lip. Am I really ready to tell him everything? "I really don't live here. I don't even grow up here. I was like a foreigner that just built a business here." When his face shows surprise, I inhale deeply. There's no turning back now. "My home country is Bellea."

That surprised him more. It's so obvious on his face then he did not say anything until we reached my apartment. "Dara..." I looked at him expectantly then hope that everything will be okay. "Tell me honestly, who really are you?"

I smiled tentatively. Oh boy. My head is starting to produce different scenes now. "My real name is Athena Laurent." When he frowned, I started to be nervous. Is telling him the truth really the right thing to do? "I am the granddaughter of the Royal Couple of Bellea."

Then he gaped. "You are a princess! Why you are wandering around outside Bellea by just yourself?"

I smiled a bit. "I feel imprisoned because I only have to stay inside the palace so when I reached my eighteenth birthday, I begged to them if I can have a temporary freedom and thankfully, they granted me that but for ten years only. After that..." I looked at him, observing his every facial expression. "I need to go home."

He got startled then became silent for a moment then he cleared his throat. "What will happen when you go home?"

I inhale deeply once more. "I have to fulfil my responsibility as the next in line on the throne." Then I stared at him seriously. "I need to get married." His face shown surprise followed by confusion. When I was about to reach his arm, I felt numb as he made a step backwards then I bow my head. Not wanting him to see the tears that already formed in my eyes. "I'm sorry for not telling you this sooner."

He scoffed. "So what am I to you? What this relationship is for?" His tone was harsh and there's a hint of bitterness as well. "A pastime boyfriend before you finally settles with some bastard?"

That made me look at him with shock. He misunderstood what I said. "Of course not!" I planned to reach him again but I decided to keep my hands to my sides and bow my head once more. It hurts to see him thinking about me like this. "The other reason why I badly wanted to have that temporary freedom was to search a husband on my own. I don't want them to find one for me." When I lifted my head, my heart thumped wildly as our eyes meet. "I wanted that the man I am going to marry is the man that I fell in love with." I bite my lower lip as my body starts to tremble. "I love you, Jiyong. I can't see myself to be some bastard's wife."

He stared dumbfounded at me until he blinked his eyes then he cleared his throat. He somehow looked embarrassed. "Is that a proposal already?"

My face flush. "Not really."

He chuckled then my heart thumped more when he made a step forward and grasped my hands. "Sorry for thinking that way." His grasp tightens. "My head just went crazy upon thinking that you're going to ditch me soon."

I pout. "I'm not like that."

He smiled sheepishly then caressed the back of my hands using his thumbs. "So my girlfriend is a princess."

I rolled my eyes. "It's just a title."

He snorted. "I am pretty sure that despite Bellea is not a very big country, you know how powerful your country is especially your grandparents."

I inhale deeply. "Well, they really became that influential across the world. Just like what you said before, there is this great power beneath them."

"You'll be like them one day."

"Do you think so? My grandparents are definitely better than me so I already feel pressured by just thinking about the responsibilities that I have to perform some day."

"I believe that you'll do great but do not worry about that yet." Then he became serious. "When do you need to return home by the way?"

"In eighteen months." Then I looked at him nervously. "I believe you have heard already the infamous love story of my grandparents so if..." I inhale deeply again. "if you still feel love for me by that time, will you consider being my husband?"

He frowned. "You sound like my feelings for you have expiration."

I groan. "It's not like that." Then I inhale deeply once more. "It's just that you're going to sacrifice everything for me. I honestly don’t want that but it is the only way."

He chuckled then hugged me. "First of all, I don't mind sacrifice everything for you." My heart thumped wildly. "I don't even want to manage the company in the first place but I had no choice since my parents died in accident." His hug tightens. "And I can't even imagine you being some bastard's wife." Then he cupped my fac