جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

INDY Why the heck did I have to make this story so complicated?I pressed my lips together, my chest tight as that thought repeated itself over and over in my head. This was one of the reasons why Rome couldn’t just elope with Clara.It wasn’t because he didn’t want to. It was because I existed.My existence itself was a problem. A living, breathing disruption in a system that demanded obedience to ancient magic and bloodlines.Why did I have to be so important?The thought made me scoff bitterly. Important. What a joke.I clicked my tongue, my jaw tightening as I stared at Genevieve. The hospital wall behind her felt like it was closing in. However, I knew better.I had lived with this knowledge longer than she realized.I just needed to accept the rejection.That was all.If Rome rejected me properly… if the mate bond was severed the way tradition demanded… then it would be shown.That everything would be fine even if Rome marries Clara. The world would move on.Without me.I l

INDY The private jet door closed with a heavy sound that made my stomach drop.This was it.There was no turning back now.We were on the jet.Together.I sat stiffly on one of the wide leather seats, my arms crossed over my chest. The interior was massive. There was an actual bed behind the seats. It felt more like a flying hotel room than a plane.At the end of the day, no matter how much I hated it, King Osiris was still the King.We couldn’t fight his orders.The silence between Rome and me was pressed against my ears until I became too aware of my own breathing. I shifted in my seat, pretending not to notice how tense Rome looked across from me. His posture was rigid, his gaze fixed on literally anything that wasn’t me.“Where are we even going?” I asked finally, breaking the silence.Rome turned to me slowly. And before he could even open his mouth, I already knew what he was going to say.So I beat him to it.“No, Rome,” I said quickly. “I did not plan this. No, Rome. I don’t

INDY It turned out there was absolutely nothing to cook in this place.I stood in the small but elegant kitchen, opening cabinet after cabinet, hoping to find something even remotely edible. But all I found were fancy-looking jars filled with things that looked more like decoration than food. Rome leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, watching me with a faint look of amusement. “What did you expect?” he asked. “This place isn’t exactly… lived in.”Just then, I remembered something, making me instantly light up. I rushed back to my suitcase and unzipped the side pocket. Deep inside, buried under clothes and a random scarf Poppy insisted I bring, was my secret stash.Instant noodles.I held them up like they were sacred artifacts.“Poppy, you beautiful, overpacking genius,” I whispered.Rome peered over. “What is that?”I gasped and turned to him with wide eyes. “What do you mean? What is that?”He frowned slightly. “It looks like… plastic food.”“It is not plastic food,” I said

INDY He talked about not liking sweetness, but he ended up eating most of what I had ordered anyway.“You ordered too much,” he said, standing up from the cafe table, already putting his laptop back into his bag. I raised a brow. “I ordered for myself.”“And yet I was forced to help you.” “Forced?” I repeated. “You voluntarily picked up the fork, Your Highness.”He ignored the title, but the corner of his mouth twitched. The more I got to know this guy, the more I realized he was a tsundere. I shook my head to myself as we stepped back outside. The sun had shifted a little higher, warming the streets. He walked beside me, hands in his pockets, expression calm and closed off like always.I didn’t mind.I could talk enough for both of us.“So,” I started, kicking a small pebble along the path, “the beach here is actually really nice, but sand is such a traitor. You think it’s fine, and then suddenly it’s everywhere. In your shoes. In your hair. In places sand should never be.”“Loo

INDY We didn’t talk all the way until we arrived at their mansion. He didn’t even have the opportunity to respond to my suggestion because the driver fetched us before he could say a word. After that, he didn’t talk at all during the ride, making it feel longer than it actually was. By the time we arrived at the large gates of the mansion, it felt like I had gone deaf from the silence. The moment the car came to a stop, he opened his door and stepped out without a word. The door shut with a loud sound, making me flinch slightly. I stared at his back as he walked ahead with a rigid posture. I let out a long breath. I thought we were already making some progress after the trip! I followed after him, grabbing my bags myself. The weight dug into my shoulders, and irritation bubbled up inside me.“Seriously,” I muttered under my breath.I was asking him to reject me. I was asking him to do something that would benefit him! And yet somehow, he was the one acting like I had committed a