CHAPTER 192: CHAPTER 192: HIS PRINCESS

Actually, Declan Pierce had known Tanya Sinclair for many years.

So long, it felt like something from a previous life.

His mother, in his memory, was a gray shadow lying on a filthy broken bed, different men coming in and swearing as they left.

He stood by the door, and the woman on the bed would grab anything she could and throw it at him.

Sometimes, when he was too hungry, he had to find something to eat.

The drive was the instinctual survival urge deep within his bones.

He accidentally found himself in front of that beautiful house, so beautiful it seemed like a little castle from the television.

Through the fence, he saw the little princess in the castle.

"Our Princess Tanya is turning six!"

The little princess in a gown and crown was held in her father’s arms, tossed high into the air, while the beautiful and gentle mother stood beside them, smiling with love in her eyes.

There was also a group of people singing and congratulating her.

The princess from the castle saw the little beggar outside the fence and had a servant bring him a sympathetic cake.

That day, Declan was very hungry, sitting by the roadside, devouring greedily but only daring to eat half.

He took the other half home, where his mother ate it, and then smashed the plate on his head, cursing him for being a burden and telling him to die.

Accustomed, he wiped the blood from his face and curled up underneath the table, quickly falling asleep.

In his dream, he went to that castle again, only it was made of candy, the Candy Princess standing at the door, breaking off a chocolate doorknob for him to taste...

Afterward, Declan would often take a detour to the castle, still rummaging through trash cans, looking for edible scraps to fill his mouth, useful things to gather into his woven bag.

But getting closer to the castle seemed to bring him closer to things he had never had before.

It was an unknown pilgrimage.

Later still, clean food would appear at the castle gate, and Declan knew it was left for him.

As he stuffed his mouth, he suddenly sensed something, looked up, and saw the resplendent little princess standing behind the fence, blinking big eyes.

She extended the milk box in her hand toward him.

"Do you want to drink milk? I’ll leave it for you next time."

He didn’t know why he was suddenly angry, like a little beast bluffing, baring his teeth at her.

It took many years for Declan to understand that those feelings were called extreme inferiority.

There was a long period where he didn’t go to the castle because he was beaten and had his leg broken, and when his leg healed, he went back, only to find a desolate yard without the princess.

The Candy Princess was gone.

As time passed, he learned how to make money, how to fight, how to survive on his own.

From time to time, he’d visit the castle; there was no princess inside, the castle gradually decayed, lifeless.

Later, he was admitted to Northwood University.

During the first class meeting, as he was buried in the corner, making up for sleep, he heard the teacher call out a name.

"Tanya Sinclair."

"Here," came a gentle and clean voice, "Hello everyone, I’m Tanya Sinclair, my family calls me Tanya."

His closed eyes slowly opened, hesitantly raising his gaze.

The Candy Princess had left the castle and entered his world.

He realized he had misunderstood for years.

Turns out it wasn’t "Candy" (糖) but "Hawthorn" (棠).

That was even better.

His personal Candy Princess, unknown to anyone...

Declan withdrew from his memories, silently gazing at the person before him, his eyes astonishingly deep.

Tanya Sinclair only thought he was still sad, feeling some pity.

She naturally already knew about Declan’s background, in some regard, her background and his were similar; they both lost their mothers early and had fathers, yet were like orphans.

"Declan, are you alright?" Tanya Sinclair asked softly, wanting to say something to comfort him.

But before she could speak, a shadow fell, and Declan stepped forward, bending down to embrace her.

Tanya Sinclair froze, instinctively wanting to push him away, but the man’s low voice sounded first by her ear.

"Let me hold you, just for a minute," he said, "Please."

Please, Candy Princess...

Tanya Sinclair’s hand, initially pushing away, froze in mid-air before softly dropping in sympathy.

No matter who you are, everyone has moments of vulnerability, and Declan now should be especially sad...

Declan understood Tanya Sinclair too well; he knew how soft-hearted she was.

She was the kind who never responded to force but surrendered to gentleness.

Approaching her forcefully was useless; only showing weakness would work.

The more pressure there was, the faster she would escape, only if she let down her guard could he get close.

Declan shamelessly enjoyed this minute gained from feigning misery, breathing in her scent, mingling with roses.

So sweet...

He closed his eyes momentarily, his Adam’s apple dryly rolling.

He tried hard to suppress the restless desire rising from his heart; a hug wasn’t enough, he greedily wanted more.

Once the desire cracked open, it became an insatiable abyss.

Declan despondently realized that his pride in self-control was pitifully fragile in Tanya Sinclair’s presence...

He took a deep breath, his large hand gripping Tanya Sinclair’s shoulders, pushing her away.

The cigarette he didn’t light earlier, now was lit.

He inhaled deeply, as if suppressing something urgently.

Tanya Sinclair straightforwardly assumed he was still upset about the comments from those executives.

She wanted to step forward and say a few comforting words.

"Declan..."

"You should go in first," Declan’s voice was deep, infused with smoke, showing silken huskiness, which landed in her ears with an inexplicable sensual allure.

Tanya Sinclair’s ears warmed up slightly; she thought she was becoming more and more unseemly.

The main reason was Declan; his allure was too great,

Tanya Sinclair wasn’t adept at comforting others, and since Declan asked her to leave, she naturally complied, turning around and leaving the terrace.

After Tanya Sinclair left, Declan smoked two more cigarettes, gradually calming down.

Now, it was time for some reckoning.

He made a call, his brows cold and sinisterly said, "Someone, take care of it for me..."