After the class, I immediately went to the bus stop and rode a bus, excited to get home. It was because tonight would be the time to pick a gown for the Ball tomorrow.

“I’m curious about how Prince will look tomorrow. Maybe he’ll dress like a prince,” I muttered to myself and chuckled a bit. “After all, he’s always wearing that strange crown on his head.”

When I arrived in front of the house, I immediately saw Amilia with a broom.

“You’re in a good mood today, aren’t you, Cindy?” she asked with her usual smile full of kindness.

“Well, it’s because I’m excited about tomorrow,” I answered with a smile.

“It’s the Ball of your school, right? Are you planning to dance with someone?” she asked as a tease.

“I’m gonna dance with my friends, that’s all,” I answered in a shy tone. “Anyway, I’ll get changed now.”

“Okay,” she responded with a smile and continued her work.

After that, I entered the house. But before I ascended the bifurcated staircase, I saw a familiar figure. She was in her usual business attire as she stood at the center part of it.

“Auntie...” I whispered, surprised.

This lady is Maine, my step-mother. After my father passed away the last two months, she took over the family’s business and his properties. She’s a kind person. But after my father passed away, she changed. She became stricter and dominating.

She continued looking at me with her usual stern expression.

“Cindy...” she called in a strict tone.

“Yes?” I immediately responded, nervous.

“Is it true that you skipped your afternoon classes three days in a row?”

“That’s...” I reacted, stunned. Sweat appeared on my forehead.

She discovered it...

“Is that true?” she repeated, now in a much heavier tone.

With the sudden urge to apologize, I bowed my head and replied, “That’s true. I’m very sorry.”

“Then, you can’t go to your school’s Ball anymore,” she followed, expressionless.

“But that’s—” I immediately protested, but her intimidating glare made me unable to continue.

“That’s final. You can rest for the day and reflect on your actions,” she followed and faced her back to me. She then ascended the staircase.

I won’t agree without second-guessing anymore. I learned a lot after meeting Prince. I now know that voicing your opinion is an important aspect in times like this. That is why... I will tell her what I want to do. I want to go to the Ball. I want to dance... with Prince!

I opened my mouth, to voice my opinion, but nothing came out. I only opened and closed my mouth there and produced no sound at all.

What’s wrong with me? Am I going to return to my former self? Will I forget everything that happened to me these past few days? I don’t want it to become useless. The courage I’ve gained... I won’t allow it to be for naught!

“I—” I shouted, and it made her halt. She then turned towards me and gave me a glare.

“Did you say something?” she asked with intimidating eyes.

“I... understand...” I muttered and became stupefied immediately.

Why... did I say that?

“Very well,” she responded with a smile as she looked down on me. She then ascended the staircase and disappeared from my sight.

After that, I went to my room and collapsed once again on my bed.

“Why did those words come out from my mouth? It’s the exact opposite of what I want to say,” I whispered in a dejected expression, confused.

Am I still the same after all?

Then, my phone inside the bag rang. I opened the zipper and grabbed my phone.

“Prince?” I muttered, surprised after I saw the name of the caller. I immediately answered it and said, “Hello?”

“Hello, Cindy? This is Prince. Can I talk to you right now?”

“Yes, you can. I have nothing to do for today so it’s fine,” I answered and smiled in sadness.

“I see. Well, I only want to let you know that I rejected Anna and Rizelle earlier.”

“I... see,” I murmured with a sad look. “Did they say something?”

“Well, Anna said that she now hates me,” he said and laughed a bit.

“Well, that girl is an open book since I met her,” I followed with a smile.

“And as for Rizelle... she said to enjoy the Ball with the girl I like tomorrow.”

“Rizelle is strong as expected,” I responded. Because of that, I remembered how I envy my older sister’s strength. “So... you’re planning to dance with the one you like tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah, that’s the plan.”

What kind of girl does he like, anyway? Rejecting both my sisters must mean that she’s perfect, right?

“Then, I wish you luck,” I replied with a smile. I then felt a little sting in my heart.

“How about you? Looking forward to dancing with someone?”

As a response, I made a sad smile and replied, “I... won’t be able to attend tomorrow.”

“Wh-what? But why?” he reacted in a shocked tone.

“Well, Aun… my step-mother won’t allow me now. She found out I skipped my afternoon classes,” I explained with a forced smile.

“And you agreed to her?” he asked in a serious voice.

After I heard that, I became surprised and got speechless. He waited for a bit before he continued.

“I don’t want to be too nosy, but I want to learn about your circumstances there at your house. Because what I will do will depend on what I will learn from you.”

Prince...

“Okay. I will tell you,” I replied with my cheeks slightly flushed.

Hearing his words of concern makes my heart race. But why? I’m not even like this when I talk to Hanna.

“Thanks,” he replied, probably with a smile on the other side.

“I’m an only child. My mother passed away after giving birth to me, so my father raised me alone. But because my father’s parents are well off in life, we didn’t experience any hardships with money. My father even made the business of my grandparents famous that we became rich than ever before. That’s when he met my step-mother. At first, I’m a little anxious about him getting re-married, but when I met her, I learned that she’s a kind person. That is why, in the end, I agreed on my father’s plan to remarry. But after a year of their marriage, my father got involved in a plane crash, changing everything. After my father passed away, my step-mother took over the family’s business and his properties. She’s a kind person. I’m sure about that when I met her back then. But after my father passed away, she started changing. She became stricter and dominating. That’s also the reason I started doing chores and wearing a maid uniform in this house. She wants me to learn proper discipline and humility that according to her, my father didn’t even teach me. Last week, I agreed to those requests without a doubt. But looking at it now, those are very unfair, right?” I muttered with pity to myself.

“You’re the real-life Cinderella all right,” he commented and laughed.

“Wh-what? That’s rude. And here I am telling you my life story,” I said, dumbfounded.

He is a good guy, but he can be mean sometimes. I mean, is it even the right time to laugh?

“Sorry, sorry. I only want to lighten the mood.”

“Jeez,” I said with a pout but still smiled immediately.

But I guess I already got familiar to that side of him.

“Wait for a bit,” he said in a serious voice and got silent for a minute.

“Prince?” I called to confirm if he was still there.

“You want to go to the Ball, right?” he asked after a minute of silence.

“I do but...” I answered but made a sad face after. “I can’t.”

“What? Are you scared of your step-mother?”

“That’s also one reason but—”

“Answer me without giving other reasons after. Do you want to go?”

Prince...

“I do,” I replied with a serious look.

“Then, you can go. I’ll be waiting for you,” he said, probably with his usual smile.

“What do you mean? Even if I sneak away here, I have nothing to wear for the Ball,” I said in a worried expression.

“Leave that to me. Are there any more problems?”

“Well, my sisters are gonna attend it too so—”

But before I finished my sentence, someone knocked on the door and said, “Cindy? Are you there?”

“It’s Rizelle...” I muttered and lifted my upper body upright.

“Hide your phone!”

“Huh? But why?”

“Trust me.”

“O-okay then!” I responded in panic and hid the phone under my pillow.

“Can I come in?” Rizelle asked in a gentle tone.

“S-sure!” I answered in nervousness and sat down straight.

When Rizelle heard my response, she opened the door and appeared with a smile.

“Why are you still wearing your uniform?” she asked with a puzzled expression.

“W-well... I forgot to change,” I replied and forced a chuckle.

“I see,” she followed and sat down next to me. “I only want to say something.”

“Wh-what is it?” I asked, flustered.

“I got rejected by someone I like today,” she said with a sad smile.

Because of that, I remembered what Prince told me about what he did to Rizelle.

“Uhmm... do you... like him for real?” I asked in a sudden sad mood.

She nodded and continued, “I was very interested in him. But I didn’t expect that he’ll reject me.”

What am I supposed to say to my older sister at a time like this?

“D-don’t worry too much about it. You’re beautiful and kind! I’m sure that you’ll find someone who’ll like you back,” I said to cheer her up.

She then gave me a warm smile and replied, “Thank you.”

“Y-you’re welcome.”

“That is why I won’t attend the Ball too, like you.”

“What? But why?” I asked in a surprised face.

“I don’t have the mood for that after a rejection, you know. Also, Anna won’t attend too because she’s down on the bed with a high fever.”

“Fever?”

“She had undergone full body liposuction last night. After that, she immediately went to school in the afternoon. Of course her body won’t be able to handle that,” Rizelle said in a worried face.

“I hope she’ll get better soon,” I said, also worried.

“That’s all. You should hurry and get changed now,” Rizelle suggested with a smile and stood up. “Let’s chill here in the house tomorrow night. How about we watch a movie like old times in my room?”

“Well, okay...” I responded with a smile yet with a hint of sorrow.

With that decided, she exited the door, and I grabbed my cell phone once again.

“Prince? Are you still there?”

“Yeah. So that’s another problem down,” he responded in a serious voice.

“So you’re listening,” I reacted with a pout.

“Anyway, sneak out of your house tomorrow night. I’ll be handling everything once you escaped.”

“But what are you planning to do?”

“Just trust me on this one,” he said in a reassuring tone.

Well, it’s Prince, so I’m sure I can trust him.

“Okay,” I replied with a smile.