She needed the time to recover. Recent events had left her mentally drained, and her thoughts still felt muddled.

Vincent reached out, brushing a hand gently over her hair. “Alright, let’s head back to the hotel now.”

“Yeah.” Katelyn nodded, watching as Vincent started the car. She studied his focused expression as he drove. Despite the subtle shift in their relationship, being with him still felt the same. That familiarity gave her a sense of comfort she didn’t want to lose.

Leaning back in her seat, Katelyn closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep. By the time they reached the hotel, thirty minutes had passed.

As the car came to a stop, Katelyn stirred awake, blinking groggily. Vincent looked at her with a faint smile. “Still tired? Go rest in the hotel. It’s not good sleeping in the car.”

Katelyn nodded, exhaustion tugging at her every step as she followed him inside.

In the room, just as Katelyn was about to sleep, she saw Ashlyn approach her.

Upon seeing Katelyn, Ashlyn’s expression turned anxious. “Katelyn, I need to talk to you,” she said quickly.

Her gaze shifted briefly to Vincent, her eyes hinting at something unsaid.

Vincent glanced at Katelyn. “You rest first. I’ll come find you later.” Katelyn nodded, and Vincent leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead before walking away.

Ashlyn’s jaw dropped, her shock evident.

Wait a second! What had she just witnessed? When had their relationship moved to the next step? They seemed just the same during the meal, didn’t they?

Ashlyn had always sensed a special connection between Vincent and Katelyn, but this? This was something entirely different. She hadn’t seen this level of intimacy before.

Excitedly grabbing Katelyn’s arm, Ashlyn blurted, “What’s going on with you two? Did you finally make it official?”

Her eyes sparkled with curiosity, her enthusiasm barely contained. Katelyn rubbed her forehead, trying to stay composed. “Didn’t you have something urgent to tell me?” she reminded Ashlyn. Snapping back to reality, Ashlyn clapped her hands. “Oh, right!”

“My father just called me. He said there’s something significant going on with my family, and I need to come home,” Ashlyn said.

Katelyn’s brow furrowed at the unexpected news. At that moment, her phone buzzed, breaking the silence. Katelyn glanced down, seeing a message from Khalid.

“I have to leave Yata for a while and head to Miexham.” Miexham?

Katelyn paused, her mind processing the information before she turned to Ashlyn. “Khalid’s heading to Miexham too. I’ll let him know, and you can go with him. How does that sound?”

Her concern for Ashlyn’s safety lingered. She didn’t want Ashlyn traveling alone. However, she was still tied up in matters with Yata, unable to accompany Ashlyn.

Ashlyn’s face showed a trace of hesitation as she whispered, “Do you think he’ll really let me go with him? I’m not so sure he’d agree.” With a resigned sigh, Katelyn glanced at Ashlyn and asked, “Do you want to go with him?”

Taking a moment to weigh her feelings, Ashlyn nodded, a smile breaking across her face. “I do.”

Having idolized Khalid for so long, how could she not jump at the chance? However, a small voice in her mind worried about being a bother to him.

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