The first week of Blanche's new life passed with every day being rather similar. She woke up and ate breakfast with Theodore before waiting for noon to arrive so that she could see him again for lunch. Then she tried to find something that didn't include going out and facing the judgmental crowd to distract herself during the afternoon.

If she was lucky, Theodore also ate dinner with her, and then they could take a walk. He only accompanied her out when he was done with his work, which was often rather late, so they usually walked around while the sun set or after that. But that was good too since most servants were gone during that time.

Blanche loved every second she got to spend with Theodore. She couldn't imagine anything better right now. With every conversation that they had, she became more comfortable around him and could speak without feeling like her heart would explode. She was still undeniably enamored with him, but at least she could have a normal conversation with the man she loved now.

Even so, she still had to hold herself back whenever he smiled at her. The more often he showed her that expression, the more she wondered whether she might not be deluding herself. What if he liked her too? It seemed like he thought that she was beautiful, which he had told her a few times already, only to reduce her to a stuttering mess with that. And he was very nice to her and did more than he had to for her too. It truly made her think that he cared about her a little bit.

The fact that he came to see her whenever he finished his overwhelming amount of duties and sacrificed his little amount of free time for her made her feel special as well.

That feeling only grew when she met the tailor for the first time. Madame Charture was one of the most chatty people she had ever met, which was a bit strange to Blanche. But the other woman was kind and happily introduced her to the dresses in the most famous styles.

At that point, Blanche realized that Theodore had to like her more than a little bit. After all, the clothes she received hadn't needed to be this fancy, but he had gone out of his way to make sure that she would like them. It was almost embarrassing how happy that made her. She was torn between thanking him over and over again with a bright smile and feeling guilty because he paid so much money for her.

But she had to admit that her worries were quickly wiped away when he assured her that it was fine. It was his money, so it was alright as long as he agreed, right? He was surely responsible enough not to buy more than he could afford. So, she didn't bat an eye when he gifted her a dozen dresses so that she could wear a different one each day.

The only time that she did freeze upon receiving something was when he gave her a little box after dinner without telling her what it was. Blanche stared at him with wide eyes before slowly opening it. She was greeted by a gorgeous necklace that took her breath away in an instant.

Was that a gold chain with a real ruby? She almost couldn't believe it. It was certainly normal for the emperor to own something so valuable, but she definitely didn't have the right to accept this. That was her first thought upon holding the necklace in her hands. But there was no way that she would ever reject a gift from Theodore. She would keep it even if she felt incredibly bad about it.

After she had stared at the necklace for a while, Theodore spoke up. “And? Do you like it?” He rested his chin on his palm and watched her expression closely as she examined the gift.

Blanche quickly nodded at him. “It's beautiful. It's one of the most wonderful necklaces I ever saw. I just...” She barely dared to say anything and bashfully looked up at him. “I feel like I can't accept so many presents from you. I feel bad when you pay so much for the things I own. I mean... The dresses may have been necessary, but you didn't have to get them from the tailor. You could have found much less expensive ones. But I understand why buying them from a tailor was easier. A necklace, on the other hand, is not something I need. You just gave it to me without a reason. So, I have to ask this. Why are you spending so much money on me? That you took me in without a second thought is kind enough, and now this... Why are you going so far? I'm only a stranger with an unknown past.”

She wasn't sure why she was this direct now when she had wanted to avoid asking him what he thought about her. She didn't want him to tell her that he didn't see her in a romantic way after all. But maybe a part of her also wanted him to define their relationship because she could stop over-interpreting his actions if she had a response. Because right now, she felt like he might actually be interested in her too, and she would rather get rejected now than later when she already started hoping for something. Still, she was tenser than anything else after asking him.

Theodore was quiet for a moment and avoided eye contact. He looked like he pondered his response carefully before gathering the courage to reply. “I'm not doing it because I'm selfless. I do have an ulterior motive. So, there is no need for you to feel responsible for any of this.”

Blanche tilted her head to the side and watched his expression carefully. She wasn't sure what he was talking about. Until now, he had been nothing but kind to her. There was no way that this had all been an act. “I don't think that you are a bad person. You've taken care of me this whole time. I believe that I would have noticed it if you wanted something selfish in return.” Especially since they both knew well that she had nothing to offer. She couldn't give him money, power nor anything else that would require him to put in so much effort in making her comfortable.

The emperor smiled at her and drank some of his tea before replying in an ominous tone. “You shouldn't trust me too much. We only met each other a week ago. I could be hiding a horrible secret, and you wouldn't know it.”

Blanche grinned back at him. “There is no way. If you had a secret, I would only need to step out and talk to one of the gossipy maids, and I would know immediately. Keeping a secret here in the palace with all of these nosy people around is impossible.”

Theodore chuckled quietly, which made shivers run down her spine once again. “You are right about that. Apparently, I can't unsettle you this easily. But that is good. You don't have to worry about me after all. I have no intention of doing anything that is unfavorable to you. I won't do anything you don't like, and you won't be forced to stay any longer than you want to. You can rest assured that I'm not doing this because I want anything materialistic in return nor do I expect a reward. I'm doing it because I want to help you. But I still have to admit that I'm not doing it only for you either. I do collect some reward without you even noticing it.” He stopped at that point and drank his tea again.

Blanche waited for a moment, but it quickly became clear that he had no intention of continuing to speak. But she definitely wouldn't allow him to keep her on edge like this. “What are you talking about?” He ignored her question and just smiled at her, which made her speak up again. “You can't just stop there! I want to know what your reward is.” She didn't have anything in mind that could cause him to benefit from taking her in. In fact, her presence had only caused problems thanks to the rumors that were circulating.

Once again, Theodore ignored her question. Instead, he gestured to the box in front of her. “Shouldn't we talk about something more important than that? Aren't you going to wear your gift? It will get lonely if you don't look at it.”

Blanche was well aware that he was changing the topic, and still, she quickly lowered her gaze. “Ah. Yes, I will.” She pulled out the necklace and carefully held it between her fingers. There were multiple small rubies that were sitting on top of this graceful chain, and she feared breaking it if she just made one wrong movement. Blanche found the claps and barely dared to press down on them while trying to put the necklace around her neck. She managed to open it, but closing it behind her neck was impossible. She tried it a few times before giving up. “Theodore...”

Before she could voice her question, she realized that Theodore was already in the middle of standing up. He rounded the table and stopped behind her. “I will close it for you.” His voice was directly next to her ear now, and that was enough to make her shiver. He carefully took the necklace from her hands and put it around her neck. It should have been easy to close the clasp while seeing it, but he still took a little moment, and his fingers brushed over her skin in the meantime.

A jolt went through Blanche's body when she felt that, and she immediately scolded herself. There was nothing special about such an accidental touch. She shouldn't make a big deal out of it. But that was easier said than done. She had no idea how to hide her reaction when her whole body began tingling because of those few seconds.

When Theodore pulled his hands away, she let out a shaky breath and forced herself to calm down. “I... Thank you for...” She turned around while intending to thank him properly, but seeing his face directly in front of her made her stop. He was so close to her that she could feel his breath on her skin. This wasn't good.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Theodore's eyes drew her in again, but this time, his lips were just as distracting. He would kiss her now, wouldn't he? He had leaned down to her for a reason, and he certainly wouldn't get so close if he intended to pull away, right?

Blanche's heart pounded in her chest. She had no way to calm herself anymore and had to pray that she wouldn't faint. This was her first kiss, and if Theodore was the one taking it, she was definitely ready. But she would probably get more excited than her poor heart could manage. She mentally braced herself for feeling his lips on hers and imagined how wonderful they had to feel.

And then all of a sudden, Theodore pulled back and straightened his posture as if he had been hit by something. “I...I didn't-” He looked almost panicked for a moment. He took a few seconds to calm down and then quickly spoke up again. “I apologize for that. That was inappropriate. I'll make sure that it won't happen again.”

That shattered the dream again.

He wouldn't let it happen again? So, he didn't like being close to her. Bitter disappointment rushed to Blanche's stomach and almost made her want to cry. She was stupid. Of course, he didn't like her like that. She should stop deluding herself before this first love of hers got even stronger. This was more embarrassing than everything she had done before. Hopefully, he hadn't noticed her expression.

She averted her eyes and forced herself to let out a nervous chuckle. “It's fine. Thank you for the gift. It's very pretty.” Her voice lacked the necessary confidence, but she had other problems right now. She had to blink a few times to keep herself from making this situation even worse by crying.

Theodore moved over to his chair and picked up his jacket before emptying the teacup. “I'm glad that you like it. It fits you well. It's getting a bit late, so I will go back now. Goodnight.”

She had made him so uncomfortable that he wanted to leave immediately. Had her intention been so obvious that he wanted to flee now? Great. Blanche's heart ached at that, but she forced herself to put on a smile. She only had to hold on for a few more seconds, and then she could let her feelings flow out. “Goodnight and have sweet dreams. Don't work for too long.”

Theodore gave her a small smile as well, but it seemed more forced than usual. He waved to her when he reached the door and left before closing the door behind him.

Blanche immediately jumped up and rubbed over her eyes. Why was she so sensitive to this little incident? It should have been obvious that Theodore wouldn't like her. He was the emperor of Artias, and to him, she was a random woman with amnesia. He had only been kind to her, and the inexperienced little girl that she was had misinterpreted all of that.

How wonderful it was for her first love to end like this.

She walked over to her bed and let herself fall forward. She landed on the mattress while hugging the pillow. Blanche began shuffling around to get under the blanket without using her hands while hiding her face in the cushion and letting out small sniffles. She felt horrible now even though nothing had happened. She truly had gotten too attached to a man that she had barely met. That he now left after she had only wanted to get closer to him broke her heart.

But wasn't it partly his fault? Why did Theodore keep on doing things like that? Of course, she would misunderstand if he was this close in front of her and looked at her like that. And now she had probably made him think that she was delusional. Maybe he wouldn't visit her anymore because of this. That thought made her chest ache even though she knew that spending time with him would only give her false expectations.

Blanche lay there in silence for a few minutes, and only her quiet sniffles sounded through the room. She couldn't start crying out loud now. That would be even more embarrassing than what had happened. She needed to get herself under control, and then she could face Theodore again and act like a decent human being. She would just apologize for making him feel uncomfortable, and if she managed to keep a straight face, he would probably forgive her. It would be better to just be friends with him than to have him avoid her. He already trusted her enough to eat with her without Owen in the room. She couldn't lose that now.

“My Lady?” Stella's voice pulled Blanche back into the present.

Blanche didn't dare to lift her head though and just kept her face pressed against the pillow. “I'm fine, thank you.”

There was no response from Stella, and no footsteps sounded, which made it seem like the maid hadn't moved. It took another minute before she spoke up again. “Are you sure that everything is alright? Should I bring you some macarons? Or water?”

Blanche wanted to refuse, but the offer was too tempting. “Macarons, please.” If anything could distract her, it was sweets. She heard how her maid hurried away and stayed in bed until the other woman returned

Stella brought over a tray to the bed and presented her mistress a full plate of macarons.

The first three disappeared in her mouth immediately while Blanche still kept her head down.

The maid gave her a moment before beginning again. “If you want to talk about something, I am willing to listen. If you wish to tell me, that is.”

Blanche knew that this was probably a horrible idea. After all, the maid worked for the emperor and would certainly tell him everything she knew. But she couldn't bring herself to stop herself. “Theodore helped me put on the necklace. Then he was so close in front of me that I thought that he would kiss me. I was so nervous and waited for it, but he didn't do anything. And then he ran away a moment later as if I made him feel uncomfortable.” She felt like a bratty child while complaining about that. She even pouted, and upon noticing that, she hurried to hide her face again.

Stella was quiet for a few seconds before speaking up. “But it does seem like he cares for you. He would not allow just anyone to move into the royal palace. So, he will definitely not be angry. I can't imagine him running away in such a situation if he was uncomfortable. Maybe he was just flustered?”

“Why would a man like him be flustered? He is perfect. Every single woman in this world that wants a male partner would like him. He is probably the best choice in this nation.”

That thought left a bitter aftertaste. What if Theodore was really used to being swarmed by women that had fallen for him? Maybe that was why he behaved as if he liked her. Because he was used to dealing with people like her that had fallen for him at first sight. Maybe he even regularly met with others that loved him as much as she did.

Even though Blanche had absolutely no right to feel that way, she got jealous immediately. She gave her best to keep the bitterness out of her voice as she spoke up again. “Does Theodore do this with many people? I'm sure that everyone here is madly in love with him. It wouldn't surprise me if he already had countless relationships.”

Stella was quick to reply this time. “I have never even seen him having a conversation alone with a woman, and he wasn't involved in any scandal. He never had a relationship either as far as I know. Of course, he also never let a woman move into the royal palace before. And I can assure you that not too many staff members are interested in him...in that way. I don't know how to say this without sounding insolent. Well, His Majesty is usually...rather strict. He smiles, but when he does, it is a very polite smile, so you know that it's not real. And when he doesn't smile, he looks so authoritarian that no one approaches him. I don't think that many people from here dare to like him. Some noble ladies might, but I doubt that he is interested in one of them. He doesn't even seem to like his fiancée. He is always quite polite but distant with her.”

Blanche swallowed at that. Of course. Of course, the emperor would already have a woman he planned to marry. She had expected that already after Leon had kept mentioning how a Lady Duremont would hate that an unknown woman suddenly moved in with Theodore. To be honest, that should be enough to make her stop thinking about the emperor. If he was taken, there was no way that she should try to get in between the couple. But giving up her first love because of this would feel too horrible.

She blinked a few tears away and nuzzled her face into the pillow. Why was she thinking about that? She wouldn't be forced to decide here when Theodore clearly didn't like her in a romantic way. That had to be it. After all, he had turned his back on her as soon as she had dreamed about kissing him.

But hadn't he also held her hand and told her that she was beautiful? Had he done that to mislead her on purpose?

No, he wasn't that type of person. His kindness had seemed way too genuine. But why was she still lying here in uncertainty when he should know that giving her a clear response would be best? He should have noticed that she liked him by now. Her facial expressions were way too open for her to hide anything. Had him leaving been the response? Or him giving her gifts and coming close to her?

Blanche felt like her head was spinning when she thought about that. She didn't want to say anything at all, but the words came out of her mouth on their own. “I like him a lot. A lot, you know? And there are times when he acts like he might like me too, even if it's just a tiny bit. But then things like this happen, and I think that he will kiss me. But he never does anything like that. I feel like my heart will explode if it goes on like this. How can I figure out whether he likes me?”

Stella walked over to the table and sat down on one of the chairs before replying. “Unfortunately, I do not have any experience in regard to this matter. Since I leave while you eat, I also haven't seen a lot about how you interact with each other. But even that was enough to make me see that...you two are at least a little interested in one another. You stare into each other's eyes for way too long, and there seems to be some tension between you. Not a bad one though. Maybe I can give you a clearer response when you tell me more. How did you meet exactly?”

Blanche didn't even need to think long. That memory had already ingrained itself into her brain. “I was crying in the pavilion because I suddenly woke up there and didn't know where I was. Then Theodore came and consoled me. He crouched down at me and wiped away my tears. He also cupped my face and held my hand later. And he gave me his cape because I was cold. Then he protected me from Leon, who thought that I was a spy, and hugged me. And he told me that I could live here until I don't want to stay anymore.”

The maid was silent for a moment before she replied. “My Lady, I do not wish to unsettle you, but...no person would act like this if they weren't interested in you. Romantically, I mean. Helping you is one thing, but holding your hand is definitely not an ambiguous gesture. And hugging you after you just met isn't normal either. I feel like the fact that he keeps giving you gifts is also hinting at him liking you. This necklace is from him as well, isn't it? And you should remember that His Majesty never allows anyone around him to call him by his name. You are the only one that ever said his name.”

That wasn't true. Leonard also used Theodore's name when they were alone or when he was incredibly angry.

But Blanche didn't say that. Wasn't Leon the emperor's most trusted advisor? And if she received the same rights as that person, it had to mean that she was special to Theodore in some way, right? That thought was enough to give her some newfound courage to face the man she loved again.

Unfortunately, this courage didn't last long.