The Royal Contract

Chapter 341 - Good Luck Charm

"How did your day with Jacky go?" Alex asked as he drove them to her parent\'s home.

Her father had been requesting her presence since they arrived, but her busy schedule prevented her from keeping up with her promise. She had to postpone her visit until tonight.

"It had been fun." Remembering the entire fun day spent with her friend. "You know Jacky." She could not help but smile at the thought of the things Jacky did for her.

"Then, I guess I should stop asking questions," Alex was satisfied to know that when Jacky was around, it was sure that Dani had a great time.

When it came to her best friend, it was best not to pry with their activities. He was sure that it probably involved shopping, salons, and other girly things.

"Funny." She smirked at him. "But honestly, I did have a lot of fun." She looked outside the window and saw the darkness spreading around them.

She was glad that she did get out with Jacky earlier. Although she loved spending the day with Alex, she knew her time with Jacky would be limited once she was married.

She still had no idea what would happen once she took her vow. She realized they hardly talked about their plans once the ceremonies were over, like where they would live.

"I am glad. You deserved to have fun." He only glanced at her for a second before returning his eyes to the road.

"What about you? I notice that you hardly see your friends." She had observed this since they ended up together.

He had been swamped with work and with her. He never had time to bond with his friends, even Marcus. She sometimes felt guilty that she and her family consumed most of his free time. He did not get enough for himself.

"That is ok. My friends are also busy with their lives." Alex made his excuses, but he decided to concentrate on his work.

Since she became a part of his life, he had made her his number one priority. He did not regret it one bit but found satisfaction, knowing that he was protecting her.

A few more minutes, and they were parking in front of her family home. She still could not call it a house due to its massive size. Until now, she still considered it too big for the two people living inside.

"Ok. But I do hope you can take some time to loosen up with your friends." She knew the pressure of their jobs could be demanding.

A few times of going out and having fun might be what he needed.

Once inside the mansion, she walked into the hallway. She recognized all too well the history of every corner of the place.

Her parents were already waiting for them at the library where his father still kept his price possessions, his collections of old books, manuscripts, and some masterpieces.

"My princess," Ethan greeted his daughter when he saw her step inside the door. "Alex, welcome back to our humble home," Ethan added when he followed close behind her.

Laura also greeted them, offering them a seat on the long sofa and drinks. Her daughter and her fiance were a bit early, so dinner was still not yet set.

"It is always a pleasure to be with your company," Alex responded with a charming smile.

He always enjoyed chatting with Laura since she kept reminding him of his mother. While Ethan had always been fascinating, his conversations with him had always been interesting.

Dinner had always been impeccable as always. Laura always did a great job in running the households. She could run an army if she wanted with her skills in the delegation.

"Your mother would like to hear more about your day with Jacky today." Ethan directed his words to her daughter. "Alex, would you like to join me in the library? I am sure that you are not excited to hear about shopping and the likes."

"Yes, I am sure Mom would like to hear how beautiful my gown is." Dani stood from her chair and gave her father a soft kiss on his forehead. "Mom, would you like to accompany me to my room?"

It had been a long time since she had been in her old room. It would seem that her mom had kept it just the way she liked it before. She could still see her old things exactly where she had left them when she left.

"You kept my things." she voiced out her surprise as she moved around the room. She picked up some old books she loved to read. A few of her old pieces of jewelry were still in her box.

"Of course. It was the only thing that reminded me of you while you were gone." Her mom answered her as she sat on the edge of the bed, watching her walk around the room.

Her daughter leaving their care had been one of the difficult times she had to endure in her life. It took her a while before she stopped blaming Ethan for breaking their family.

She was glad that it did not take long. She and her husband were able to patch up their differences. She eventually stopped being mad at him, accepting that Dani had to leave because of a misunderstanding.

Her daughter was too young to learn the truth, so her husband had to keep her in the dark. As much as they wanted to include her in their secret, it was too dangerous. It was better if Dani remained clueless about the situation.

"What are you looking for anyway?" Laura asked as Dani kept moving around and picking on her things.

"Nothing in particular. I am just enjoying recalling the memories this place held in my heart." Dani picked up a picture of her with her parents on one of their ski trips.

She remembered she broke her ankle that time when she accidentally tripped on a rock. But that was another time, Dani could say that she had improved through the years.

"I do remember when your father first gave you this." Laura stood beside her on her table and pulled out a basketball.

It was the only boy toy that she could find in her room. It reminded her of the time when she insisted on having one. It was the moment her daughter pointed out to her father that she could also do what boys could.

Dani did not play the game, but she kept the ball. It had been a symbol that gender was only a letter. She could do anything she wished to do as long as she was determined to do it.

"Are you ready to get married?" Laura changed the topic, asking the question that was plaguing her mind.

She just wanted to be assured that Dani had thought about this wedding thoroughly. She did not want her to make a mistake and ended up divorced and miserable in the end.

"I have never been sure in my life." She answered her mom with a starry-eyed and dreamy smile.

Dani finally found what she was not looking for in the first place. It was a blue hairpin that her grandma gave her when she was young. It was one of her favorite.. She constantly kept it around because she believed it had been her good luck charm.