Royal Princess: Doted On By The Mafia King

By talking about his mother to blackmail Rose, Rose had no option but to accept so he would quit bothering her. "I will help you with what I can but that won't be now," she agreed when she met Valerie's almost pleading gaze.

"Why not now?" he asked with a slight pout.

"She agreed to help you. Shouldn't you be grateful?" Anna asked irritated by his disturbing attitude. "She is still recovering. How do you intend to work here in this room?"

"We can start with the sketches," Carl replied shameless avoiding Anna's gaze as he looked at Rose with a pleading gaze.

"I will help you but that will be after I leave the hospital. We are cousins so we will get to see each other when I am out of here. There is no need to rush," she said glancing at Valerie.

"You sound like you really want to leave. I must have been a good enough pest," he said thoughtfully. He did not push any further as he smiled watching her. He was happy about the fact that he will finally get to work with Rose. "I promise to be a good apprentice."

Rose shook her head. If anyone was going to be a good apprentice, it could not be Carl for every reason possible. But although he was a pest, he was actually not a bad company to have in this lonely quiet hospital.

The following day, when Anna and Valerie came to visit Rose, Anna wanted to know why Rose was always made friends with very pretty boys.

"They are not pretty boys. They are only good looking," Rose replied immediately.

"Eric is very much a pretty boy. Carl is not as pretty and prettily dressed as Eric but he is undeniably a pretty boy," Anna explained.

"I guess we love the same things. It is easier to make friends with people who share the same interests with you. They both love fashion and have potentials to excel in the fashion world, just like me. I learn from Eric and he learns from me too. Having the same interest is the secret behind it all," Rose replied truthfully but hiding the main fact from Anna.

"Debby, Wayne and I have been friends for years now but we almost don't share any interest at all," Anna replied shaking her head in disagreement. She wanted her sister to admit that she liked hanging around pretty boys by teasing her. "They look like models and they are the hottest looking guys around."

"Stop trying to force words out of my mouth. Carl is our cousin and Eric is definitely not my type. And besides, the three of you have almost the same interests. You haven't noticed it yet but I know you do," Rose said glancing at the vase on the shelf. Her mind drifted off to the discussion she had with Carl twenty-four hours ago after her mother and sister left her room. She was friends with Eric and Carl because they were among the very few people who know her real identity.

"Then let us keep Carl out of it since he is impossible. What about Eric. He is very good looking and most of the girls want to date him. I bet you also think he is good looking," Anna said wriggling her brow teasingly. She got up from the sofa she sat on and joined Rose on the couch.

"Eric is good looking but he is not my type," Rose replied her as she attempted to stand up.

"Wait. I still have a few unanswered questions," Anna said hugging her sister's arm tightly and pulled her back to sit beside her on the couch.

"Now what?" Rose asked with a sigh that she tried to use to the maximum to express her boredom and desire to just lie down and sleep.

"What do you think a guy needs have in order to be your ideal guy?" Anna asked excited to hear Rose's answer.

"I have never thought of answering such a question," Rose replied as a matter of fact. She could remember thinking towards that direction. She once had a crush on Liam like many thousands of girls all over the world after all he was rich, hot, and handsome.

"Then think. All my friends and I have been in relationships before but you have never dated before. Are you still having a crush on Jace's brother?" She saw Rose shake her head sharply and she continued, "Then, what is your type of guy?"

"I like strong men," Rose replied sincerely. At this point of her life, her ideal guy is someone powerful enough to help her become Queen with a tangible reason for his offered help but that was not something she was going to let out of her mouth to her step sister. She trusted Anna but it was best to keep that delicate information out of her relationship with her sister.

"Strong men . . .? I don't know any guy to set you up with but I could talk to Wayne about his elder brother. He works out a lot and he is very strong," Anna suggested clapping her hands in excitement at the thought of playing the role of a match maker for her sister.

Rose only chuckled softly as she looked at Anna who had no idea about what she meant by the guy being strong. He does not need to be strong physically like Liam who was also in the hospital with her but he had to have enough power to protect her and also the desire like Liam who did not hesitate to give her a part of his liver when they could not get a donor.

"I am serious. He is handsome," Anna said as she began planning on how she will talk to Wayne about her new plan. Last time she heard, Wayne's brother was single.

"I am not interested. If I really want to be in a relationship, I will get one in college. I am sure there will be a lot to choose from," Rose said hoping her sister moves to another topic.

"How many of them will be as successful as Wayne's brother?" Anna asked obviously unwilling to give up.

"I am really not interested."

"Is there a secret you are keeping from me? Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No! I don't. Your relationship with the teacher did not last for long. I really don't want to get involved with anyone now. I don't want to get disappointed just like you. Men are not always what they appear to be in the public," Rose said probing Anna's soft spot.

"Yeah. The teacher did not contact me for all these days. He appeared to be a gentleman. I thought he will try everything possible to get me back," Anna complained.

"I think he is being a real gentleman by respecting your decision. He does not want to offend you by pestering you," Rose said smiling in realization when she finally understood what her sister wanted.

"He . . . whatever. I guess it is good you remain single," Anna said thoughtfully. As she thought of how she felt she was already over with the teacher but she still wish he will come to plead with her.

Rose almost jumped to celebrate her victory. She actually used that line well. It must have hit Anna really hard when all she intended to do was to probe a little.

"I know you are jubilating but I am sincere right now. I don't think I handled our break up well I feel a little ashamed. I thought over what I said about the fight we had before coming to Star city, I found out none of them was his fault," Anna narrated truthfully.

"You are very confused," Rose commented not hiding her thoughts. "Firstly, you said you can't survive without him.

"Secondly, you complained that he was the reason you forgot I was not with you when the restaurant caught fire which I don't think is a reasonable thing for you say.

"Thirdly, you broke up with him because you needed to vent you frustration and blame somebody else. Now finally, you want him to try to persuade you to get back with him? I think everything is your fault."

"I know but how can I change it all. I am sure he thinks I am very childish. I know I can be really selfish and unreasonable but I wish he will come back to me," Anna said in a very low voice.

"So, do you want to apologise?" Rose asked. She was able to understand what Anna felt a little when she remembered how she keeps avoiding Liam while hoping he keeps coming to see her. Crazy, right?

"No. I am too proud to apologise. I will not apologize. If he doesn't come back to me, then I will just date someone else. I will send Jace a text tomorrow. He has twenty four hours to contact me before I move on to someone else," Anna said with so much confidence you will think she can she him holding his phone to call her.