A maid's voice interrupted Isabella's action. Her hand paused before retracting slowly and left the expensive box partially opened. Looking up at the maid who came to inform her something, Isabella turned around to permit her with a slight nod.

The maid reported after bowing at her respectively,

" Princess, your aunt Shelly has come to pay you visit. Should I call her upstairs in your room?"

Isabella's eyes sparked in happiness. Aunt Shelly was the only closest person left from their mother side. Going against her own clan had separated their mother, Jasmine from her family for eternity. Shelly was Jasmine's youngest cousin and childhood friend who only maintained contact after Jasmine's marriage with Oscar. Naturally Shelly's presence made them feeling closer to their mother.

Isabella waved her hand dismissively and became a little more excited. Leaving the box there, she made her way outside while saying,

" No need! I am going to meet my aunt downstairs. She is already very old. Don't tire herself anymore."

The maid smiled and slipped past by her side to hold her. Isabella was going through her final trimester. Cedric's repeated reminders made all the guards and maids restless since they all knew that Isabella had a complicated pregnancy.

After reaching downstairs, Isabella smiled staring at the familiar back of her aunt. Shelly was a very highly fashion sensed woman. Her age didn't restrict her from wearing whatever she wished. From back, Isabella could detect that she was wearing a floral knee length top today. A brown hat was swaying between her long hairs as her head kept wandering around the palace as if she was taking a note of everything.

Isabella called out her name with an emotional smile,

" Aunt! "

Shelly whipped her head back to smile at Isabella dotingly. Her slightly wrinkled face danced in glimmer as she saw her favorite niece after years probably. Shelly stretched out her arms, ready to pull Isabella into a tight hug hastily but stopped few steps away when she spotted her protruding belly.

Shelly still called her with happiness and motherly love,

" My baby Bella. I missed you so much."

She exclaimed and approached to Isabella with caution. Pulling her niece into a bear hug, she grumbled patting on her back,

" Humph! You all forgot about this aunt, huh! Why did I miss everything? I had to learn from a passer by that the eldest princess was pregnant. Oh my goodness! Where is that brat, Cedric?"

Isabella snorted back with a pout,

" I had written more than ten letters to you but you never responded to my letters. Your neighbors informed my guards later on that you were traveling."

Shelly smiled back at her niece embarrassingly. Helping her to walk over the couch, Shelly responded with a grin,

" Oh, my bad, Honey! You know that I am obsessed with traveling."

Isabella laughed at her childish aunt who was nearly 700 years old but still acted like a teen who find everything amusing about this world. Shelly couldn't restrain her excitement as she questioned again wandering her eyes around the palace,

" Where is Cedric? I heard that he got married. Who is that unlucky woman? I would like to meet her and see that if she has any brain left inside or not."

Isabella couldn't help but laughing hard. She rebuked patting on her baby bump,

" Umm..My brother has changed a lot after this marriage, aunt. I was in unbelievable state like you when he told me that he was going to get married. Morever he has vowed to not touch any other woman."

Shelly choked widening her eyes disbelievingly and growled back at Isabella,

" Don't tell me that he has fallen in love. Whatever! As long as the woman can tolerate his narcissistic behavior, I am happy for him. How is your pregnancy going?"

Isabella's smile stiffened a little. With a heavy heart, she shortly explained her crucial state to Shelly. Shelly became instantly worried for Isabella. Jasmine's family still blame the entire Dixon Clan for her death. If anything goes wrong with Isabella's pregnancy, they will bore more hatred for this family once again.

Shelly tapped on Isabella's palms gently and suggested after giving it a deep thought,

" Why don't you stay with me in Richalwolf Land? They have the most peaceful environment and a lot of white witches work for the Royal family. I can help you out during the time of pregnancy, Bella. Besides, if you stay in Basarisk, you can be the target of DAVINA's people always. I think, you should hide yourself during the final stage of pregnancy."

Isabella hesitated but Shelly's words made sense. Those Shifters even dared to attack her in this Palace.

What if they get brainwashed by Shanz again and come back to kill her baby? 

Even the imagination of loosing her baby shook herself in fear. Isabella replied with unsurity,

" I can't promise you anything, Aunt. Cedric take the final decision. Until he returns from states, I can't give you words but honestly, I know that I would be the most safest around you."

Shelly hummed with understanding. Taking her palms together to comfort, Shelly questioned staring deep into her niece's eyes,

" Bella...are..are you really happy here? I mean, don't you miss Vincent ever?"

Even the name of 'Vincent' shrieked Isabella in fear. Her feet nested against each others uncomfortably. Letting out an erratic breathing, she questioned to her aunt with a bitter sweet smile on her lips,

" Can people really forget that person whom you loved once, aunt?"

**** DALASTIA WORLD ****

Fortunately, Arthur didn't mind the fact when Ayra asked Elizabeth to go with Alexander in Basarisk. He knew that they had a close relationship. Honestly, he never expected that something could spark emotionally between Alexander and Elizabeth. Simply they both followed different principles from each others especially Alexander who imposed an aloof aura and was very mature from them.

After discussing with Esme regarding Ayra's request, Esme insisted Alexander to take Elizabeth with him in Basarisk. She worried that Ayra might be feeling very lonely over there. Not only Esme, Athena also ordered Alexander to fulfill Ayra's each request. As expected, they doted on their daughter the most though they had another children. Talking about his father and uncle Ethan, never mind. If they learnt that their baby daughter had asked for his arrival, they would have driven him away from Dalastia right away.

Alexander sighed helplessly as he made his way out to visit in Elizabeth's house. He needed approval from Elizabeth's father. Pushing away the promise that he made to Elizabeth, he went for her home.

Elizabeth was working in the kitchen when the door knocked from outside. Her step mother and step sister were resting on the couch as they all heard the knock on the door. Dora's harsh voice came out from the couch to the kitchen,

" Are you deaf, Elizabeth? Someone is knocking on the door. I am applying nail polish. Go! Open the door."

Elizabeth looked down at her cooking helplessly. If she left the stove on, the food could be burnt. Letting out a helpless sigh, she switched off the stove and made her way towards the door while wiping her hands on her apron.

She opened the door without any prior notice and was astounded momentarily when she met those familiar eyes. As if her heart had stopped beating, she muttered oddly,

" Brother.. Alex..You are here?"

Alexander couldn't pull his eyes away from Elizabeth's nervous expression. It is hard to hide your emotions when you are in front of the person that you love truly.

Alexander parted his lips slightly, eyes scornfully wandered on her apron as he replied connecting their eyes together,

" I am here for you."

Elizabeth was startled for a moment. Her heart kept racing like a wildfire when she vaguely recalled the promise that she had taken from Alexander.

" Never appear in front of my sight again! "

Elizabeth drew a nervous breath after the reminder. Sucking another erratic breathing, she muttered like a whisper,

" What.. what do you want from me?"

Alexander wiggled his eyebrows unhappily,

" Is that how you welcome your guest? You won't even ask me to go inside?"

Elizabeth gripped the corner of door tightly. With a thumping heart, she blurted out impatiently,

" If you are here to talk with me, just say it here and leave. If you have come for other business, I can let you enter then."

Alexander smiled at her sluggishly. Eyes ran through her red blushes, he commented inching closer to meet her eyes,

" Why are you running away from me Elizabeth? Is it because you are afraid that your emotions would be exposed in front of your family members?"

Elizabeth smiled back bitterly, made sure that her tone was too low to hear from inside,

" Who am I to show my emotions to crown prince, Alexander? I am just a disguised daughter in form of maid."

Alexander lost his emotions this time. With a clenched jaw, he barked out angrily as her reply,

" Then who are you to ask me to not appear in your sight, Elizabeth? I can appear in your sight whenever I want. Who are you to order me?"

************************

Damn! I love Alexander sometimes so much! Btw as a repayment of yesterday, I made this two chapters longer than usual. I am going to update another chapter after dinner. Lol!