Page 7 of In Love with a Ruthless Man

“Curiosity perhaps,” he answered with a shrug. “Or boredom.”

She wondered if he knew how insulting that sounded and thought,Probably.It wasn’t like insulting her would do anything to the prince’s shockproof conscience. She said reluctantly, “Because he r-respects me.” Or at least that was what she liked to tell herself these days.

So girls like this one still existed, he thought. Pure as driven snow, thinking she could guard her virginity until she made it to the altar.

Idiot, he thought again.

“M-may I go now?”

“Of course...parthena mou.” The last one was unintended, but since he was unable to recall her name at that moment, the prince decided to use the first term that came to his mind in describing her.

Turning away and tightly clutching her mop like it was a weapon of self-defense, Fawn wondered nervously what those last words meant.What had he said again?

She remembered the cuss words she got one of the other maids, a half-Filipina, had tried to teach her.It really sounded similar, she thought suspiciously.

Pu...na...mo.

Hmm.

It really sounded familiar.

Could the prince be cursing her?

Alone in his study, the prince thought for a moment before walking to his desk and accessing the employee database in his computer. The girl’s file came up a few moments later.

Fawn.

Her name was Fawn.

And for one moment, the prince had an uneasy feeling that it was a name he would never forget again.

THE NEXT TIME THE PRINCEencountered her again, it was purely accidental. He was inside the watchtower, speaking with Noah, his chief of security, when he heard an unmistakable voice call out gaily, “I have something for you, Noah.”

Noah automatically looked at the prince for permission. Ex-army and in his fifties, Noah was all about the chain of command. Although Fawn was a good girl, the prince was his first priority.

“Don’t bother letting her know I’m here,” the prince murmured.

Nodding, Noah then poked his head out of the open window, saying with a cheerful smile, “Good morning, Fawn. You’re early today.”

“Classes were cancelled,” Fawn answered, smiling back up at Noah. “I asked Igor if I could do an extra shift and he said yes.” She lifted the paper bag she was holding. “Bagels, and like you’ve never tasted before.” At his doubtful look, she insisted, “I’m not exaggerating. Should I bring it up?”

“No need.” At the prince’s nod, he told Fawn, “I’ll come down.”

The prince continued to listen to the conversation below.

“Thesearegood. Where did you get them?”

“A girl from my statistics class. I told her I’d help with her business plan if she ever thinks of selling them.”

“She could be your first client then.”

“You know me too well, Noah. That’s exactly what I told her,” the prince heard Fawn say with a faint giggle. “Anyway, I gotta go. I also have some for Igor and the others.”

Knowing that the prince was still listening in, Noah asked, “And the prince?”

Silence.

Then Fawn whispered uneasily, “But he’s always sleeping in the mornings. I don’t have to give him any.”

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