“Ryanna!”
The king called out, startled.
Ryanna stumbled and fell toward Vincent.
She would have fallen right into his arms if he hadn’t moved.
If he had caught her, the result would have been the same.
But he chose neither option and simply stepped back.
Ryanna, already falling, couldn’t steady herself in time, crashing hard against the table.
“Ryanna!”
“Ryanna, are you okay?”
Ryanna’s sudden fall frightened both the king and Annie, who rushed to help her.
Ryanna struggled to get up, her chin reddened and tears glistening in her eyes.
“It’s okay, I’m fine.”
Katelyn sat quietly, watching the scene unfold.
She couldn’t tell if Ryanna’s fall was accidental or intentional, but Vincent’s coldness definitely pierced her heart.
Katelyn glanced at Vincent, remembering the text message Ryanna had shown her earlier.
People’s personalities and behaviors tend to remain constant; no one suddenly changes completely.
If there had once been favoritism, what had happened between Ryanna and Vincent that made him treat her so coldly now?
Whatever had caused their rift must have happened before her divorce.
Just then, Vincent looked up and met Katelyn’s gaze. Moments ago, he had seemed like an iceberg, but now there were signs he might be softening. Almost instinctively, Katelyn looked away.
“Barry, call the doctor right away to check on the princess!” the king shouted urgently, before turning his anger toward Vincent.
“Ryanna just had surgery and she’s still weak. You could have helped her earlier—so why didn’t you?” Read full story at find?novel.net
Vincent frowned slightly, a hint of coldness in his eyes. “I didn’t expect her to suddenly fall toward me.”
Annie chimed in, “What you did was unacceptable. You completely ignored my cousin’s feelings. She’s so fragile, yet you couldn’t even reach out to help her.”
Vincent’s eyes grew cold and threatening, like a tidal wave crashing down on Annie in an instant.
The suffocating sensation of not being able to breathe returned, causing Annie to quickly avert her gaze.
Even within the palace, Vincent’s presence remained overwhelming.
“Do you expect me to foresee that the princess would fall toward me?”
Vincent’s voice was icy, his question sharp. Most importantly, he didn’t view the situation as a big deal; he simply hadn’t helped.
As the atmosphere grew awkward and tense, Jaxen stood up to ease the tension.
“Princess Ryanna will be okay. Let’s let the doctor check on her first.”
Ryanna was taken to another room for an examination, and Barry soon returned with the diagnosis.
“Your Majesty, you can relax; Princess Ryanna is fine.”
This reassurance finally relaxed the king’s expression. He cleared his throat and then turned to Vincent.
“Since this involves my daughter, I was a bit too anxious. I hope you won’t take it personally, Mr. Adams.”
Vincent nodded slightly but remained silent. His lips were pressed tightly together, and those who knew him could see he was slightly irritated.
If it weren’t for the king’s constant invitations, he wouldn’t have come here at all.
Katelyn’s eyes darkened for a moment, but Alfy quickly poked her side, typing a message on her phone. “Be careful. This princess is a real piece of work.”
It was probably just a woman’s intuition.
Though Alfy often seemed innocent, she could still recognize the princess’s manipulative tendencies.
It remained unclear whether Ryanna’s fall was intentional or an accident. Katelyn nodded and gave an “OK.”
After that incident, the atmosphere at the dining table became awkward.
The group continued to eat casually for a bit longer, eventually wrapping up the luncheon.
Barry suggested, “How about a walk? The garden has beautiful scenery, with stunning views and a variety of rare plants.”
“Sounds good,” Katelyn replied.
As Barry had described, the garden was indeed lovely, with rare and endangered plants lining the paths.
Katelyn and Vincent walked side by side, while Jaxen tried to catch up with them. However, Alfy firmly grabbed his arm.
With a serious look on her face, she said, “You’re walking with me!”
.
.
.