LOGINSERAPHINA'S POV
"Lady Seraphina..."A young woman greeted me with a graceful bow as she opened the car door. The name embroidered on her badge, Paulina."Thank you, Paulina," I said with a smile. She bowed once more before quietly closing the door behind me.My eyes instinctively searched for the training grounds where I'd practiced all week. I almost couldn't recognize them.The organizers had completely transformed the Royal Training Ground overnight. Every temporarSERAPHINA'S POVI stood in front of the mirror for so long that I was starting to feel annoyed. Not because I didn't know what to wear. It was because I now had to get used to choosing my clothes without considering whether Vaeldric would like them.It was strange. This would be the second event I'd attended without Vaeldric, yet it felt completely different.At the ballroom, I had only been an ordinary guest. Though I had somehow become the subject of enough gossip after Adrian asked me to dance.This time, it was a formal event. There was no chance I could simply show up, enjoy the refreshments, and leave. This would be very different from an ordinary ballroom party.I pressed a hand to my forehead. What madness had possessed me to agree to Adrian's idea? Lately, I had been making increasingly impulsive decisions. Or perhaps Cyran was simply too good at twisting everything until it went exactly the way he wanted.Either way, the two of them had somehow driven me into standing in fr
VAELDRIC'S POVDamn. She still wouldn't answer my calls or reply to my messages. She'd seen them. Read every word. Yet there wasn't even a sign that she was typing a response. I'm still giving you a chance to explain yourself, Sera.One... two... three... four... five...Enough. It had been five minutes. My messages still showed as read, but there was no reply. I'd kept giving in because I knew I was the one at fault. But lately, Seraphina had truly gone too far.I couldn't wait any longer. At that very moment, I drove as fast as I could toward the Vermont Estate. What are you doing, Sera? Are you really preparing to leave me?Less than thirty minutes later, my car was parked in front of the Vermont Estate. I hadn't even bothered counting how many traffic laws I'd broken along the way.I only wanted to see Seraphina. Right now.“Oh, hello. Good morning, Lord Ashbourne.” A man's voice greeted me the moment I stepped out of my car.Cyran. That damned bastard. Once again, he'd gotten the
For a moment, I could only stare at the phone in my hand, stunned by how quickly everything had happened. Crown Prince Adrian had already ended the call before giving me a chance to argue.The screen went dark. I hurriedly returned the phone to its owner. Beside me, Cyran looked far too pleased with himself."You sneaky bastard. You planned this."I glared at him because it was the only thing I could do. Even if I tried to hit him, he was far too skilled at dodging."I was only following orders.""You handed me the phone without warning.""You were about to reject an invitation from the Crown without even reading the full programme.""I'd read enough.""No. You read the title, decided you didn't belong there, and immediately tried to run."I narrowed my eyes at his argument. The annoying part was that he wasn't entirely wrong. I looked down at the royal invitation in my hand again. Thick paper embossed with the Royal Foundation's crest."Then tell me what you know."Cyran glanced towa
SERAPHINA'S POVI was finally back in my room, alone. This time, I no longer felt the need to hide anything.My room was still exactly the same as it had been when I lived here before I got married. My family hadn't changed either. They were still just as warm as ever.If anyone had changed, it was Cyran. We had known each other since childhood, growing up together and sharing countless memories. He came tonight, yet somehow, everything felt different.Maybe it was because we hadn't spent much time together in years. Or maybe Cyran himself had become more complicated.Was he the one who had changed? Or was it me? For some reason, my instincts had grown sharper lately. Everything seemed to have a motive behind it. Even Cyran's kindness. Whether it came from his own intentions or because he was carrying the Kingdom's interests, I could no longer tell."Sera."Mother knocked softly before stepping inside. I had no idea what she was feeling right now. Her daughter had returned home, stil
CYRAN'S POVThe moment I stepped through the door, the aroma of rosemary greeted me. Seraphina smiled proudly before leaning in to whisper,"It's been a long time since you've had Mother's cooking. Just don't get too greedy later. I'm hungry too."I didn't answer. Everything she said was true. It had been a long time since I'd set foot in this dining room. In fact, I hadn't come here once since Seraphina moved out. L Without her, I no longer had a reason to visit.Lady Vermont stepped out of the dining room, still wearing her apron. The moment she saw me standing beside her daughter, her face lit up."Cyran."She wrapped me in a warm hug without hesitation, just as she would one of her own children. And, truthfully, I'd almost come to think of her that way myself.Our families had been neighbours for years. We grew up playing together.Whenever my mother was busy, she'd often leave me with Lady Vermont. She knew I'd run wild at home because none of the servants ever dared discipline m
At last, Seraphina came downstairs. For a brief moment, warmth spread through my chest as I watched her descend the stairs. How pathetic. A part of me had still hoped she'd come down because she'd heard I was here.It had been so long since I'd last seen her this close. She looked radiant, free of the anger she'd carried for so long. How had I managed to take someone so beautiful, so graceful, for granted? Idiot."Sera."I called her name before I even realised it. My voice came out quieter than I'd intended. She stopped for a moment. I saw her shoulders stiffen ever so slightly. Slowly, she turned to look at me. Our eyes met for only a second. I couldn't read her anymore. There was no anger. No hatred.Damn it. That hurt far more than I'd expected. I'd rather she cursed me than looked through me as if I didn't exist. As if I were nothing more than a stranger who happened to be standing outside her house."Good evening, Lord Ashbourne."Her voice was calm and polite. It was the comp







