Chapter 99: Friend- Part 3

"He's a nice man," Belle responded back, "But…"

"But he's not Lucas." 

Belle's eyes snapped towards Simon wondering when and how he found out about it, "What?"

"I was joking. Your butler appears stern and never out of line, like a perfectionist so I thought you might be looking at him as a role model," Simon shrugged his shoulders but with the way Belle looked at him, he asked, "Really?" he started to laugh and Belle turned away to sip from her teacup, "Don't look upset, your secret is safe with me."

"Why are you laughing?" she asked slightly annoyed. 

"My bad," he said, controlling his laugh, "I think I somewhere understand why he doesn't like me. The day you jumped into his arms proclaiming to be his bride, I told I would take you as my bride. Of course, I meant it as a joke," Belle couldn't believe how many others had heard this and remembered it, "He must be thinking I want to take you to bed and pounce on you."