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He didn’t say anything as he turned to stare out theas they approached the palace gates She chose to take his silence as a good sign, but she couldn’t help but worry just a bit about the iotten of Mirraccino She could only hope the financial projections packet she’d put together would outweigh everything else

Annabelle sat in the back of her sedan with Grayson as Berto ushered therounds Annabelle had to ad here for the past couple of years she’d begun to take the palace’s beauty for granted

She turned to Grayson to find hi in thepal the long and winding drive

“This place is rehts “We have nothing like this where I come from”

“You’re froht?”

He nodded, but he never took his gaze off the colorful scenery “I couldn’t even iine what it must be like to live here”

“You get used to it” As strange as thatplace felt like home to her “Is this your first visit to Mirraccino?”

“Yes” He still didn’t look at her

The turrets of the palace were first to come into view They were colorful with stripes of yellow, pink, aqua and gold Annabelle found herself looking at theh new eyes

And then the palace in its entirety loomed It was enormous, even compared to her family’s spacious mansion back in Halencia While her home in Halencia was all white, the palace was created in warm shades of tan and coral with so

And with the afternoon sun’s rays, the palace practically gleaht the palace was ical She’d alanted to be a princess, but her mother assured her that she didn’t need to be a princess to be special

Being the daughter of the Duke of Halencia, she was addressed as Lady Annabelle It gave her recognition in high society but not much else Her father’s estate would eventually revert to her older brother, the Earl of Halencia She used to think it was unfair, but now she appreciated having choices in life

The car pulled to a stop outside the palace Berto rushed to get the car door Annabelle alighted from the car followed by Grayson

Grayson turned to her “Why is the South Shore so io out of your way for me?”

She schooled her features, trying to hide any hint of her desperation “The South Shore was a pet project of the crown prince He broughtWhen his responsibilities drew him away, I promised to see that it was finished”