Lahat ng Kabanata ng Crown of Deception: Alpha's Contracted Bride: Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

Amelia’s POVThe faint crackle of the fireplace filled the silence in my chamber as I sat cross-legged on my bed, staring at my phone. My fingers hovered over the screen, rereading the text for what felt like the hundredth time.“I know what you’re looking for. I can help.”The same unknown number that had warned me about Kurt’s schemes. That message had been right; I couldn’t deny it. But who was this person? Why were they helping me, and what did they stand to gain?I gnawed on my lower lip, my thoughts a tangled mess of suspicion and curiosity. Could I trust them? Snow’s voice stirred in my mind, calm yet cautious.Amelia, you can’t trust someone just because they’ve been right once. This could be a trap.“I know,” I murmured aloud, though the words felt hollow. Despite her warning, I couldn’t shake the need to know more. If they’d been right about Kurt, they could be right again.Finally, I typed out the words that had been burning in my mind. “Who are you?”I pressed send and wai

Amelia’s POVThe morning sunlight crept into the room, slanting across the bed and warming my face. My eyes blinked open, groggy and heavy from a night of tossing and turning. Sleep had evaded me, leaving me restless and on edge. I could blame it on Maxwell, on the rogue, or on the mysterious text messages. But the truth was, the real reason was sitting across the room, perfectly at ease, as if he hadn’t completely disrupted my peace last night.Lucas.He stayed.The knowledge was like a live wire in my chest, sparking every time I glanced at him. I turned my head slightly, watching him out of the corner of my eye as he leaned back in the chair by the window, flipping through some document. His shirt was slightly unbuttoned, exposing the hard planes of his chest. His dark hair was messy, like he’d just rolled out of bed, but his face looked… annoyingly rested.Meanwhile, I was anything but.“You look well-rested,” I muttered, unable to hide the edge in my voice.He glanced up, one bro

I paced back and forth in my office, the sound of my boots echoing off the walls. The confession didn’t sit right. Maxwell’s words replayed in my mind, but no matter how I twisted them, they felt wrong. Too easy. Too pat. Who admits to a crime like that so suddenly? It stank of manipulation.He’s lying, Titan growled in my head, his voice a low rumble. Or someone forced him into it. You know this isn’t the end of it.“I know,” I muttered under my breath, running a hand through my hair. The tension coiled in my chest like a spring, tight and unyielding. I wanted to smash something, but that wouldn’t help. What I needed was clarity, a way to untangle this mess and expose the real threat.The sharp buzz of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I grabbed it, Derek’s name flashing on the screen. Relief and apprehension hit me at once. If anyone could make sense of this, it was him.“Derek,” I answered.“I’ve got news,” he said, his tone serious. “The poison Maxwell used—it’s not somethin

Kurt's POVI paced the length of my study, the tension coiled in my chest growing tighter with every step. My boots struck the polished wooden floor in a steady rhythm, but it did little to calm the storm in my head. Lucas’s words from earlier rang out in my mind, sharp and insufferable.“You are to show her respect.”I scoffed, shaking my head in disbelief. Respect? For Amelia? That insolent brat—barely old enough to know the weight of his title—expected me to bow to her. My lip curled as I thought about it. That woman had no right to sit beside him, let alone hold a title as esteemed as Crown Princess.Stopping by the window, I gazed out at the moonlit garden, the cool light only sharpening my thoughts. It was infuriating. Lucas’s loyalty to her ran deeper than I had anticipated. I’d hoped the bond between them was shallow, a fleeting connection formed out of duty rather than genuine trust. Yet today, he’d stood by her like a true partner, daring to question me in the process.My ja

Amelia’s POVI couldn’t stop replaying the trial in my head, even as the heavy doors slammed shut behind me. The sound echoed down the stone corridor like a final judgment, leaving me with this strange mix of satisfaction and unease. Maxwell’s sentencing was swift—death for his crimes. It should have been enough.But it wasn’t.Lucas had pulled me aside after the trial, his expression serious. I followed him into one of the quieter hallways, away from the lingering crowd. His steps were measured, his jaw tight. He didn’t speak until we were completely alone.“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice low.The question caught me off guard. Lucas rarely asked about my well-being unless it was strictly necessary. But today, there was something different in his tone—something softer.I hesitated, my fingers brushing against the fabric of my gown. “I’m fine,” I said, though my voice didn’t quite convince me.He nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on me, as if he didn’t believe me either. “Th