The Cursed King

[I already have Alex.] Marc finally added. Was his uncle trying to use nepotism and get Marc to hire someone without qualification, especially when he didn't actually need a new assistant?

[Well, you already have a man for an assistant. You will need a female assistant.] Loriel insisted.

[Alex IS female. Her name is Alexandra.] Marc quickly explained.

Lauriel who was sending the text messages while Elise was choosing her clothes from the display in Bloomingrose, raised an eyebrow. What was it with women wanting to be called using men's names?

In his mind, Alex meant Alexander, like Elise's father, King Alexander Leoralei, for example.

[Then, hire this woman to be Alex's assistant.]

Marc wanted to laugh out loud when he heard this silly request. So, his assistant will have her own assistant?

This was too funny.

[Okay. What can she do?] Marc decided to see where this was going. [What are her hard skills and soft skills?]

[She is kind, patient, a breath of fresh air.]

Uhm… that's very vague, Marc thought. Truly, Loriel had become so weird in the last few days. He asked Marc to find information about this woman whom he called the most beautiful woman in the world.

And the way he described her was funny too. He said Marc had to imagine the most beautiful woman in the world, and time her beauty by one hundred. Too funny.

And now, he described her skills as being kind, patient, and a breath of fresh air?

All his life, Marc had never witnessed this side of Loriel. Were these the signs that his grand-uncle was falling in love?

Now, Marc became so intrigued. He wanted to know how special this woman was, that she could melt the ice named Loriel Maxim Ashborn.

The man quickly typed in his reply.

[Okay, grand-uncle, I'll be there for dinner and meet her.]

Marc closed his eyes and smiled to himself. Ahh... Loriel was a normal man after all. He could fall in love like the rest of us and do silly things in the name of love.

All right. It was quite easy for Marc to give what his uncle wanted. He would just hire that woman and tossed her to Alex to take care of.

***

Marc Sanderman stepped out of his Maybach and made his way to Loriel's penthouse.

He told his driver to go home and come back later to pick him up because he thought it was going to take him a while.

Loriel invited him to dinner?  Ha. This was truly an extraordinary event.

He didn't remember the last time he had dinner with this grand uncle of his that wasn't Christmas or his birthday. 

Marc wasn't used to being called to visit Loriel so he even brought a gift to offer to them.

Once he was at the door, he knocked and was welcomed in by Loriel himself. "Ah, grand—"

"DON'T call me grand uncle. I am your oldest friend and you owe me your life, okay? So you would do whatever to help me." Loriel quickly corrected Marc's words in a whisper, before his nephew could call him 'grand-uncle'. "Just call me Loriel."

"Ahh. I see…" Marc smiled.

Of course, he should know that his uncle wouldn't tell the girl he was dating how old he actually was. Especially if their relationship was very new. He could imagine the woman would freak out or call him a liar.

"Ah, you're finally here, Marc," Loriel greeted Marc loudly. He patted his nephew's back and then glanced back at Elise. His smile softened as he motioned to Marc. "I've invited my old friend, Marc, to join us to eat. He's the one I told you about."

Elise looked up and offered Marc a polite smile. She quickly paused from setting the dining table and approached him. She offered out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elise." 

And right then, Marc realized Loriel was telling the truth. He had never seen a woman this beautiful before.

Elise was not just beautiful physically, but there was also something special about her that made Marc stunned in his place. 

This woman was blessed with the perfect face, big brilliant colored eyes that reminded him of two shining emeralds.

She had a tall and slim nose, perfectly shaped full lips, long hair that reminded him of the flowing waterfall, and a perfectly sculpted figure that seemed to be only achievable by countless of cosmetic procedures or so much workout. 

But, she didn't seem to do any of those.

However though, it was not even her physical beauty that enchanted Marc to the point that he stood in his place with his mouth agape, but it was her elegance, gracefulness, and smile.

She looked like a princess from the fantasy stories he sometimes read when he was younger. This was the typical beautiful damsel in distress that all knights and princes risked their lives to save.

Loriel was really unhappy to see Marc's reaction. He already guessed that this would happen. Sigh. How could he keep Elise's beauty to himself?

He didn't need to worry about his nephew since Marc wouldn't dare do anything to Elise, but what about many other men out there?

No wonder the Yorks kept her life sheltered all this time. They might want to protect her from the world and the lustful eyes of other men.

Loriel couldn't possibly forbid Elise from going out and work or do whatever she felt like doing on her own. She was not his property, and he didn't have the status that Daniel York, her adoptive father had.

As her 'father', Daniel York could just advise Elise not to go out and work. He could provide for her. However, Loriel didn't have such rights.

He was a nobody to her, at least for now. She only saw him as a kind new friend. She wouldn't possibly be okay to have Loriel provide everything for her so she didn't need to work.

How could he make her his wife in this world, if she still couldn't remember him?