The early sun slanted through the floral curtains into the room. Ximena furrowed her eyebrows, and her eyelids trembled. However, she didn't open her eyes.
The lack of sleep for many days in a row had made her tired and wilted, but to her surprise, she had slept soundly last night.
She half-turned on the bed, hoping to prolong the scarce rest of the previous night. Feeling something was odd, her eyes snapped open. A pair of dark eyes were just a few inches from her face. Ximena widened her eyes and let out a piercing scream, backing away from the man, whose face consumed her vision. Up close it was hard to recognize him and for a moment her heart pounded in fear.
"Oh my gosh!"
Flustered and rattled, Ximena had fallen out of the bed.
Groaning with pain, she furrowed her eyebrows and put her hand over her hip, which had hit the floor upon impact. Finally recognizing the man, she was so embarrassed that she wanted to die.
Aaron slowly leaned forward and casually looked down at her over the edge of the bed. He coldly asked, "Am I a ghost to you?"
She looked up at him sternly. Getting to her feet, Ximena wordlessly limped to the bathroom, her hand still pressed to the painful joint. After she had washed up, Aaron was no longer in the room upon her return.
Looking first at the empty bed, and then at the city lying in the sunshine beyond the window, Ximena frowned. "I can't believe that I slept for so long," she murmured.
The dream of last night was still playing before her eyes. Someone was holding her in his arms and whispering tenderly in her ear. Now it turned out not to have been a dream at all!
Smiling half-mockingly, Ximena got dressed before walking downstairs. After finding that Aaron was not downstairs either, Ximena couldn't help looking on the third floor, only to find that no one was there.
"Miss Mo." The housekeeper walked up to her. "The breakfast is ready."
Ximena nodded and walked towards the table. The food which she had been tired of these past few days, was now suddenly extremely delicious. Staring at the splendid breakfast on the table before her, her eyes became a little unfocused.
"Your Highness..."
Ximena's culinary reverie was broken by the housekeeper's words. She stiffened for a second and then noticed that a neatly-dressed Aaron had taken the seat opposite her and began to eat his breakfast without a word.
Suddenly aware of a tension in the room, she found it difficult to breathe, and began stuffing down bread almost compulsively.
A glass of orange juice was set down before her and she instinctively turned to look at where it had come from.
Aaron casually withdrew his hand and said, "In case you are choking."
Ximena glanced at the juice and didn't respond, silently fuming and stubbornly chewing at the dry bread.
"Last time you said you wanted to find a studio. Any good ideas?" Aaron asked as he took a sip of coffee.
Ximena stared at him inquiringly. She did want to start a fashion studio, but she had thought that he would only see it as a joke.
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