I packed my stuff to be ready when Noah could sneak me out, wondering if I should take any of my pretty dresses with me. I bought them with Ian's money, but they look too pretty to be left behind.Was this part of his plan? To get me carried away by all things rich and beautiful, so I got distracted and blinded about what was really going on? While I got my hair done and nails polished like a fool, he was screwing Bella.He can keep his dresses and his money. I took my earnings out of what he gave me and left the rest next to the letter. I opened the side table drawer to take something I wanted to keep with me—A picture of us in Mountbatten.It was on the day we went dog sledding and stopped for campfire lunch. "It would be a crime to not capture how cute you look in this outfit," Ian pulled me into the frame when I was reluctant to pose with him and the six Siberian Huskies.He kept the other picture from the next day at dinner after t

~Third Person's POV~"He's going to ask me if I knew about Nadia and Noah. What should I tell him? I'm sure that's why he asked me to see him," Lydia asked her mother."What kind of stupid question is that? Nadia loves Ian and only Ian. Why wasn't I aware of this Noah's existence until today? That idiot girl!""But I don't want to lie to him. Nadia did meet Noah. I saw her get dressed to meet him in secret once. I'm sure it was him, but she wanted to protect his identity.""So what? Even if Nadia slept with Noah, you will still tell Ian she only loves him. Is that clear?""He trusts me. He considers us family because of Nadia. I feel like lying would only complicate things even more.""How is this little truth going to help the situation? I am getting tired of you girls and your stupidity. I warned Nadia over and over to stop acting on an impulse. Look at what happened now. Not sure if she's even alive.""I won't tell him then."

"Nadia! What are you doing?" Granny stepped into my room with a frown on her face."I can't decide if I should let Ian know about the baby.""Can't decide would be an understatement," she said, picking the mess I made.I was sprawled out on the floor in my nightclothes amid dozens of crumpled unfinished letters to Ian. Would he care about the baby? I definitely didn't want one, at least not this soon. An unmarried pregnant girl!There was only one time when a courtesan got pregnant despite taking birth control. Prince Damian took no responsibility. In fact, he threatened to kill her if she kept the baby. Her family banished her, and she was forced to live somewhere away from the community. No one heard from her again. "Granny, if I don't tell anyone about this and give the baby up for adoption, will someone take it?""I doubt it. There are countless homeless children on the streets. Foster cares and orphanages are not reli

~Ian~She closed her eyes in a panic and grabbed onto my shirt, unwilling to let go. Too scared to see the cliff that she was going to fall off of.I grabbed her by the wrists and pushed her."Ian, nooo!!"She fell into the water and was in a shock to realize she was still alive. "A surprise hot spring!" I said and jumped in right next to her."You gave me such a scare! This feels so awesome, so I forgive you," she mussed up my hair and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me as close to her as possible. "So that's why you didn't tell me what's in that bag you were carrying all this time. Those are our change of clothes!" She felt like a genius for figuring it out."This is one of my favorite places in Mountbatten. I sometimes wish to leave everything behind and just start living here, in this tiny mountain town like some old man with no name.""And I will still love you when you go bald and lose all your teet

~Ian~After visiting Ivaris for a second time, I met their Crown Prince and went hunting with him. Ivaris was one of the best hunting places I have known with lots of freshwater, feeding spots, and some kind of game breeding throughout the year. The last time I was with Andreas was in February when I couldn't stop thinking about Nadia. It was the first time I thought about someone who was not Caty.On one such day eight years ago, Andreas and I met Caty when we were up north in his kingdom, hunting for some Alpine Ibex. Visiting Ivaris always brought back memories of her, and the good times we spent together. Just a few kisses from Nadia made me forget Caty, who was on my mind for many years.    I wanted to stay mad at Nadia for pushing me away for some nonexistent future husband. I left without telling her because it really hurt my ego. Little did I know it was Noah she wanted to save herself for. Months later, I still can't stop thinking about