Stepping out of the mansion, Maggie walked forward towards the carriage and in the same intensity, she turned around to stop her feet when she saw Jerome following right behind her.

"What was that in there?" she demanded, her eyebrows knitted together.

Jerome could tell that Maggie was not angry but she was embarrassed for what he had spoken inside the mansion with Mr. Quinn, "I was asking your hand in marriage. Isn't that how it goes?" he questioned her.

Maggie pursed her lips. This vampire really was ahead when it came to his thoughts, "I never agreed to marry you, Mr. Wells," though her father had approved of the man, the vampiress wasn't ready for it. In the past, she had been hurt and she could still feel it stinging every time she remembered it.

"I know, Lady Maggie. I am aware of it but you cannot deny the possible attraction you feel for me."

"I never said anything like that," Maggie rolled her eyes, "You must be in your fantasy land."

Jerome chuckled hearing this.

He had been watching the vampiress for weeks now, seeing her come to one of his acquaintance's mansion to teach the children. As much as she appeared to be stern outside, he had found out that she was actually a very mellow person from the inside who only put up a hard exterior in front of the strangers to protect her heart. Maggie Quinn, she was a beautiful vampiress who came off to be aloof at times because she didn't bother to mingle around unless someone approached her.

Jerome himself had not gone looking for a woman to love as he already had passed through that feeling when it came to a woman named Vivian. Their first encounter was an interesting one. Curious he wanted to know more about her.

And he had asked Mrs. Jillian about her as Maggie was going to her mansion to teach the children there. He was curious why a pureblooded vampiress who belonged to one of the highest holdings of the pureblooded vampires was going out to teach when she could spend her time like the rest of the women in her society by attending tea parties or going out to shop or meet her friends. There weren't many women who actually spent their time on actual things.

When he had asked, Mrs. Jillian had said to him, "Maggie had a heartbreak some time ago. She is a good girl."

Jerome had later found out from different sources of what happened with Maggie Quinn.?He gave her a smile, "You stopped visiting Mrs. Jillian's house. Did my presence intimidate you?" he asked her in good humor.

It had been a while since a man had tried approaching her.

Maggie was not like her mother. She didn't want to be her mother and there had been times in the past where she questioned herself if what the people spoke was true.

And here was this man who was showing interest in her which she didn't understand. Didn't he hear about the rumors? "I don't think there's anything to be scared about when it comes to you."

"If that is so, allow me to take you out. I promise to be on my best behavior," Jerome gave her a tranquil smile she was not used to receiving.

"I don't know you enough to go out, Mr. Wells," Maggie tried to tiptoe away from it.magic

Feeling Maggie's resistance, he didn't want to push her and instead said, "There's soiree taking place in Mrs. Jillian's mansion. You must have received the invitation to it. Do you think you could make time for me, Lady Maggie? I know I don't know you and you don't know me but I would truly like to get to know you better."

"Why?" came the question from Maggie.

"Because I like you," Jerome was a straightforward man who didn't beat around the bush, and Maggie was not used to this.

"Like will turn to hate, Mr. Wells and you won't even know about it," there was an underlying pain in the words she spoke.

"One failed person doesn't mean that the next ones are going to be the same," when Jerome said this, Maggie who had her eyes looking at the statues in the mansion turned to look at him. A hint of suspicion that made her uncomfortable at the thought that this man had heard about what she had done too which was why he spoke those words.

"I don't know what you are speaking about," she said, her dark red eyes staring into his lighter ones.

Jerome gave her a reassuring smile before saying, "I did what I came here to do. I look forward to meeting you at Mrs. Jillian's soiree. Have a good day, milady," he offered her a bow and she lightly bent her head to see him get in the carriage he had come in before the carriage headed out through the gates of the mansion.

Maggie let out a sigh of breath which she hadn't realized she had been holding back. She didn't understand why he had taken an interest in her. There were plenty of women out there she was sure who was attracted to him.

The last time she had fallen in love, it had turned her heartbroken and she didn't know if she was ready for love.