My Dangerous Rogue, Paula Wong [best books to read for self improvement TXT] 📗

woman toying with him? She came up to his estate and told him that she loves him. And all of a sudden she gets engaged?
What game is she playing?
“Richard?” she asked raising a brow. “You are going to the ball tomorrow right?”
He looked up at her and grinned, then switched his gaze to where the carriage used to be.
“Yes Evangeline, I am going to the ball. I have need to speak to someone there,”
“Speak to someone?”
“Yes, a business I need to take care of,”
“Well alright,” she mumbled reaching up to kiss him on the cheek. “But please don’t do anything reckless. This is a ball and every single member of the ton is invited. I am rather surprised they decided to invite the O’Conner family. But very well, I must take my leave. I have children to feed, husband to take care of.”
Richard smiled and bowed, lifting up her hand to kiss her on the middle knuckle. “I will see you tomorrow sister, along with your husband I presume?”
“Yes, Robert is coming as well. He is a very good friend to Ms. Chase’s future husband.”
He cringed. “Of course,”
“Goodbye brother. I will see you tomorrow,”
“Yes, I will see you.” He called after Evangeline left the mansion. He looked out the window and down the carriage as she got on.
“And I will see you Lady Chase tomorrow as well. Be prepared, for you will encounter England’s worst eligible bachelor.”
He raised his goblet up and swallowed the red liquid of the night. For tomorrow the wine won’t be the only thing that will keep him company.

Chapter 4

Loretta took a deep breath and looked at her full length mirror. Her white satin gown neatly sprayed out all over her body, fitting her perfect waist and breasts. She took a deep breath and grasped the necklace that was around her neck.
Already, carriages filled the front estate, coming and going and she guesses that she won’t see the end of the carriages really soon.
“You ready mistress?” said a voice coming from the doorway.
It was her personal maid, Wilhelmina. Her long red hair tied on a long pony tail, her dress is a worn out color of brown.
Loretta smiled and motioned for her to come in. “Close the door behind you,”
She nodded and stepped in the room, heading over to Loretta. “What is it you want mistress?”
“Take off your dress. I’m going to play godmother.”
Wilhelmina’s eyes widened slightly. “No mistress, my job is to tend to your needs not attending masquerade balls.”
“That is my need,” she said simply taking out a gown from the closet its golden color is perfect for her skin texture. “Perfect,” she smiled handing it to her. “I’ll be waiting outside of the doorway. The mask is over there by the desk mirror.”
“But mistress-.”
“You are eight and one. At this time you should have someone to care about. I don’t want you living this life forever. With your beauty surely you can find an honorable man who will love you even if you are not a member of the ton,” Loretta said softly smiling. “I do not want you having the same fate I have.”
Wilhelmina nodded but said nothing, staring at the gown. “It is beautiful mistress. I thank you for everything you have done for me,”
“You are welcome,” she replied smiling. “My comb is also next to the desk mirror and also the beauty products. Feel free to use either one of them. We do not want mother and father finding out that you are in the ball,” Loretta winked and closed the door behind her.
She wasn’t stupid. She knew that Wilhelmina wanted to go to the ball. She caught her dancing in the ballroom while cleaning the floors for tonight. Inhaling a breath, she pulled the golden mask on, only covering the upper part of her face, its golden laced trimmings around the mask.
After a couple of minutes, the door finally opened. She blinked as a new woman stepped outside. “What do you think mistress?”
Her red hair tied up into a neat bun, but some ringlets escaped her hair, making her look like a proper lady. A lady any men would want. Her slim curves stood out by her narrow hip, her lips the color of peaches, showing perfectly straight and white teeth. She was right; the golden and black dress did fit her.
Her skin complexion made her look dashing. She was beautiful.
How can a child like her end up as a maid? Surely, there has to be an explanation.
Loretta smiled. “Stunning, lord you out did me with the curves.”
She smiled her face seeming to turn red. “Thank you mistress, but you do look beautiful yourself,”
“Please, call me Loretta for tonight. We do not want some people mistaking that you are my maid. Please attend this ball and do not worry about me. I know you had never been to a ball with the actual dress. That is why I lend it to you. You can keep it. Where’s your mask?”
“Right,” her mask was the color of velvet red, golden trimmings circled around the edges. “And no, I cannot keep the dress. It is yours I cannot possibly keep it.”
“No, it’s alright. Please I insist, I can just order new ones.”
“Are you sure?” she asked smiling kindly at her.
“Yes, I am sure. Come on,”
Loretta’s heart felt like it’s been beaten by the drum. “God, I can’t do this.” She whispered stopping by the entrance door. It’s great height standing fifty feet in the air. “I can’t do this,”
“Mad- I mean Lady Loretta? Are you alright?” Wilhelmina gave her a concerned look.
“Yes, I’m fine. No need to worry about me,” she whispered smiling. “It’s just I don’t like masquerade balls that are based on me or Lord Frinchester,”
“You don’t want to marry his highness?”
Urgently, Loretta looked up at her and shook her head. “Uh no, that’s…that’s not it. I do want to marry him. It’s just that I do not want mother and father to tell Society that I will be married yet,”
“Lady Loretta,” she smiled taking her hand to hers. “I have five sister and three brothers. You can say that I am good at detecting lies. I know it’s none of my business but is it okay just to lie like that? Do you really want an arranged marriage?”
She sighed and looked at her giving her a sad smile. The place where she can be herself is at the club. For once, she wants to tell someone the truth. To stop pretending for a while. And additionally, Wilhelmina is a good friend. Loretta inhaled a breath and looked at her. “No, I don’t want to get married,” she whispered. “Especially not to him, I don’t ever want to get married to him.”
Wilhelmina smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “Then tell them mistress. Tell your parents, let them understand,”
She shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. I don’t want to disappoint them. I can’t. If this marriage is what they want from me then I will accept it.”
“Even if it doesn’t make you happy?”
Painfully, she nodded. “I don’t believe in true love. I don’t believe in love’s first sight either.”
“But that doesn’t mean you should marry. That doesn’t mean that you should actually let your happiness slip away,”
“I can’t. I’m sorry,”
Wilhelmina sighed. “Well alright. I do understand you in a way. Now come on, they are waiting for you,”
“Go ahead, I’ll follow. I forgot something in my room.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
She doesn’t want to get in the way of her finding somebody to love. So she decided she would sneak at the back of the house. Where even the guests don’t come in.
“Well alright, I guess I will see you later mistr- I mean Ms. Chase,”
Loretta smiled and patted her on the shoulder. “I would want to hear everything later.”
She nodded and bowed going in the ballroom with the mask on.
Quickly, she picked up her skirts and slipped right out of the long, wide hallway and to the back door.


Richard entered the ballroom and cringed. He hates the Society, specially the Public.
At least the mask helped the tension in the room.
His black suit, fitted perfectly against his broad chest and long arms.
His mask was white as the snow falling outside; golden trimmings surrounded the edges making him look more mysterious than ever.
At least with the mask on, nobody can recognize him and gossips won’t be spread around the ton on why he is doing here and for what person.
He strode over to the table were desserts and wines are sprayed out.
Nodding at the few women who smiled at him, he picked up a goblet and slowly raised it to his lips to taste the delicious wine.
“Not bad,” he muttered, swirling it gently as his gaze transferred to the maiden who entered the back door of the ballroom. Somehow this woman was oddly familiar, her brown hair curled up in the back of her head, loose curls fell on her face making her look like a beautiful goddess, lips the color of the wine he was drinking.
He couldn’t see her face yet something in him knew that woman.
Her white satin gown filled with fallen snow.
No, he thought tearing his gaze away from this maiden. He came here to simply talk to that damned woman. The one who this ball is for.
Where is she?
He looked around. The damned place was filled with every member of the ton, each and every one of them wearing masks.
How was he supposed to find the woman with all of these people?
This is madness.
The next thing he knew every gentleman were lined up on the left side of the room and the women on the right.
Not now, he thought furiously but before he could move to the doorway, the orchestra started and his body moved forward holding up his hand to the woman he was facing with, the same woman who had the white satin dress, and who had entered earlier on the back of the room.
The woman hesitated but seeing that she doesn’t have a choice, she took it. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her other hand in his own, then glided through the dance floor, twirling, and spinning.
He looked down at her; yes there was something familiar about her.
Something that he can’t put his thoughts on.


Loretta looked up at this masked man. His suit made this man dashing. No, really handsome.
As they glided across