The Devil's Betrothed
Chapter 495: Do You Like Me?

Chapter 495: Do You Like Me?

Song recommendation- Too good at goodbyes by Sam Smith

---

Without uttering a word, Oriana read the scroll that declared her betrothal to the Crown Prince of Griven, Arlan Cromwell. After contemplating it for a moment, she carefully rolled the scroll back into the wooden box and returned it to the drawer, restoring everything to its original state. Closing the cupboard, she turned around, her thoughts appearing conflicted.

Yorian approached her, positioning himself to face her, and gently reached for her face, coaxing her to look at him. When her hazel eyes met his, he offered, "Would you like to go far away from here with me, Oriana?" When he said her name, there was a distinct depth to it. He continued, "I will always by your side. I will ensure nothing troubles you ever, and you can live your life in peace, the life of freedom that you have always wanted for yourself. No one will ever bother you."

His offer was undeniable, tempting her to escape from everything and find solace in a life free from burdens. She knew that with Yorian by her side, she would be safe and able to live as a free soul. She trusted him with her life or won’t be wrong to say he was the only person she has ever trusted other than her grandfather, despite being a stranger to her.

"Hmm?" he prompted, gazing into her beautiful hazel eyes.

"Thank you for always caring and supporting me, Lord Yorian," she responded, looking back into his sincere eyes. "But... I think..."

"You want to go to him," he concluded, articulating what she couldn’t bring herself to say.

"I want to fulfill the promise my mother once made. Though I never saw her, I want to connect with her by honoring the words she spoke. I am determined to atone for the sins my family has committed. I must protect him," Oriana declared.

After staring at her for a moment, Yorian took a step back, creating a distance between them.

Oriana noticed, there was a palpable change in the elf’s demeanor, as if he anticipated something. "Lord Yorian, I..." Oriana began.

"I brought you here so you could finally make the right decision for yourself, and you did," he replied with a light smile, concealing his own emotions. "Do you plan on attending your wedding like this? If I’m not mistaken, everyone is already waiting for the bride to arrive."

"Is it late?" she asked anxiously. "What should I do?"

Yorian chuckled, "Are you forgetting we are supernaturals?" With a flick of his fingers, everything needed for the bride materialized on the bed, including the wedding dress prepared for her by the royal family.

She was taken aback by the sudden appearance of everything, her eyes widening in shock. Yorian, unfazed, urged her, "What are you waiting for?"

Oriana grasped the wedding dress and retreated to the side chamber. Emerging after a short while, she wore the pristine white gown. Yorian turned to gaze at her, captivated by her ethereal beauty.

"Get in front of the mirror. I will help you put on the jewelry," he suggested.

Oriana complied, walking to stand before her mother’s dresser. Yorian, carrying the jewelry, positioned himself behind her.

"First, we need to fix your hair," he said, looking at her through the mirror.

"I will just tie them," she replied, prepared to do it herself.

"Don’t be in haste; you are the bride," he insisted, using a magic spell. Her hair began to arrange itself into a beautiful hairstyle.

"It looks good," Yorian commented with a satisfied smile, while Oriana silently observed him through the mirror.

Picking up the hair accessories, including delicate hairpins, he placed them one by one in her hair. Oriana remained silent, her attention focused not on her own appearance, but on Yorian’s face having focused expressions and his skilled hands working with the accessories.

He delicately picked up the necklace, preparing to adorn her slender neck. Glancing at her through the mirror, he was keenly aware that her gaze was fixed on him.

"Do you find me that good-looking to not be able to remove your gaze?" Yorian commented.

Oriana nodded, admitting, "You are right." She then suggested, "Why not use magic and put on all the jewelry at once?"

Yorian simply smiled and turned her around to place the jewelry on her wrists. "Magic sometimes can snatch precious moments away from you," he explained. Gazing back into her eyes, he added, "And these are precious moments which I might never get to experience again."

"Lord Yorian, do you like me?" she asked, directly seeking an answer.

"Is there anything that is not likable about you?" he chuckled, turning her around to face the mirror. "You seem ready now."

Oriana observed her reflection and nodded in agreement.

"Let’s go then," Yorian suggested. "Let’s not keep them waiting for long."

Before leaving, Oriana grabbed his hand firmly, bringing him to a halt. "Wait!"

He looked at her, inquiring, "What happened?"

Without a word, she moved forward and embraced him, catching him by surprise.

Yorian reciprocated the hug, a warmth enveloping his cold heart. "Are you going to cry again?" he asked.

She shook her head and expressed her gratitude, "I want to thank you for always being with me and believing in me. Your presence in my life is like a miracle, a kind of miracle I want to hold onto for the rest of my life." She raised her head, looking up at him. "Thank you for everything, Lord Yorian."

"You don’t have to," he reassured her, gently caressing her cheek. "Just know that I am always there for you when you need help."

She nodded, saying, "I know." Letting go of him, she took a final glance at her mother’s chamber. "And thank you for bringing me here."

"Now you know this place, you can come here again, whenever you want," he suggested.

"I sure will."

"Take this," Yorian said offering her a flower bouquet which appeared in his hand with a magic spell, "I personally made it for you."

Oriana gladly accepted it, "It’s beautiful," and then moved her gaze towards him from that bouquet, "You had prepare it beforehand that means you already knew I would go for the wedding. Then why would you offer me to leave with you?"

Not answering her, he simply smiled, "We are getting late."

In an instant, both vanished from the chamber, reappearing at the entrance of the grand hall.

He offered her an assuring nod, urging her to go ahead. Oriana inhaled deeply and walked ahead after glancing at the elf for the last time.

Letting those suppressed emotions surfacing in his eyes finally, he continued to watch her walking ahead towards the door of grand wedding hall.

’I wish you the happy life ahead, Oriana.’