Hilary gazed at the crown in the center of the room, his tone cold. “Ryanna, I have seen you grow from a child. You have been the source of my pride, and you are most likely to ascend to the throne. Romantic distractions are something I hope you avoid.”
He gently tapped his finger on the case where the crown rested. A sharp noise echoed.
Hilary sternly added, “If you were not my niece, the person responsible for today’s scheme would be facing grave repercussions!” With those words, he exited the room, his expression severe.
Ryanna’s face remained stern as she approached the case and gazed at the crown on its stand.
She whispered to herself, “Be it the crown or the scepter in the palace, they both belong to me.”
Though her voice was low, her resolve was clear and firm.
In the parking garage
As Katelyn and Ashlyn just entered the car, Vincent approached swiftly. He glanced at Katelyn, who was in the driver’s seat. “I’ll take the wheel. Please move to the passenger side.”
Ashlyn, initially in the passenger seat, graciously exited the vehicle, saying, “You two head back. I’m going to grab some food. See you!” With that, she walked away.
Katelyn was momentarily speechless. Ashlyn certainly had a knack for timely exits. Reluctantly, Katelyn switched to the passenger seat. Before Katelyn could fasten her seatbelt, her phone buzzed with a message from Alfy. Katelyn quickly read it.
Alfy’s message read: “Did you hear that Vincent has broken off his engagement with Princess Ryanna, and it’s gone all the way to the King? What’s happening?!”
Katelyn was left utterly stunned. She turned to look at Vincent, confusion washing over her.
Vincent, about to share something, noticed Katelyn’s expression and asked with concern, “What’s wrong?”
Katelyn, still processing, moistened her lips, hesitated, then asked,
“Vincent, are you really ending the engagement?”
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Vincent carefully secured Katelyn’s seatbelt, his voice subdued as he said, “Yes.”
Katelyn’s confusion deepened. She nearly exclaimed, “Why?” Why would he choose to end the engagement now? From her perspective, calling it off didn’t seem to benefit Vincent at all. Once this issue exploded, things were unlikely to stay calm, both domestically and in Yata. This decision would likely ignite a storm of public and political controversy.
Vincent settled back into his seat after ensuring Katelyn was secure, but he kept his intense gaze on her. “You should know,” he said simply. His cryptic remark left Katelyn even more perplexed. What was she supposed to understand? Could it really be that he…
The day’s revelations had taken her so aback that she felt adrift, unable to even look Vincent in the eye.
Katelyn found herself biting her lip, turning to gaze out the window, murmuring, “You shouldn’t have done this. It’s too risky for you.” A storm of conflicting emotions stirred within her. Her rational mind told her this was unwise. Vincent had built his empire through determination and hard work. Now, breaking off the engagement threatened to destabilize everything he had worked for. How could she remain calm about that?
Vincent’s stare was piercing as he spoke with a depth that resonated. “Do you think staying engaged would keep me out of danger? You’re not a burden; you’re my reason to push forward.”
His statement, though matter-of-fact, carried a heavy significance for Katelyn. They had never really delved into this topic. After all, she didn’t feel it was her place, but now it seemed her very presence was the trigger.
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