Chapter 37
Deborah was in an unusually good mood today–even Thomas could tell.
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During breakfast, she didn’t just finish off two pastries in one go; she even picked up another and offered it to Damian. “Your Highness, this pastry is really good. You should try it.”
Thomas hesitated, debating whether tvo remind her that Damian didn’t eat sweets. And he wondered, ‘Hasn’t she always been a little afraid of him? It is rare–almost unheard of–for her to act this friendly.
‘If I interrupted now and ruined the moment, His Highness might kill me on the spot.
As expected, Damian accepted the pastry, just as Thomas had thought.
“What’s got you in such high spirits?” Damian asked, catching the gleam in her eyes. “This girl…‘
“Oh, nothing. I was just hungry, so I ended up eating more than usual.” She picked up another piece of pine
cake and took a bite.
With that bright smile on her face and light in her eyes, she clearly wasn’t just hungry–she was happy.
“Your Highness,” she said suddenly.
Damian raised a brow mid–sip. “What?”
Deborah hesitated for a second, then gave him a genuine smile. “Thank you.”
She was smiling at him. That alone was enough to make the sun rise in the west. But Damian said nothing, just gave a slight nod.
“Your Highness,” she called again.
“Just say what you want to say,” he replied flatly.
“I…” Deborah chewed on her words, trying to find the right way to say it. But the longer she thought about it, the more her cheerful expression began to fade.
Damian’s eyes darkened slightly. “If you’re about to bring up moving out again, I suggest you swallow that idea and keep it there.”
Deborah blinked, wondering, ‘Are he and Simon really that close? Everything I told Damian, Simon would find out. And anything I said to Simon- Simon would tell him?‘
A thought struck her. She sniffed the air once, then again. Slowly, she leaned in closer to Damian.
“Your Highness… this sandalwood scent on you…”
Damian gave her a calm, measured look. “If I hadn’t gone to see Simon last night, would he have come looking for you?”
Realization dawned. The scent–he’d picked it up from Simon. ‘No wonder it is exactly the same.
She smiled again and went back to her pastry. “Your Highness, as long as you don’t bully me, I won’t move out.”
“And what does whether you move out or not have to do with me?” he said dryly. He thought, ‘She is even daring to negotiate with me now. Bold.
Still, a faint, nearly invisible smile tugged at the corners of Damian’s lips. “When have I ever bullied you?”
“You…” Deborah’s face turned red, and she gave him a mildly accusing look.
She thought, ‘He really has the nerve to say that? Just last night, he… saw all of me. Even if he meant
Sell, did he always have to be so rough?
The strangest thing was, after all the awkward “accidents” they’d had, she should be avoiding him by now. But for some reason, she just couldn’t bring herself to hate him.
Why? Maybe it was because Simon loved and trusted Damian so much–so unconditionally–that she’d come to respect and trust him too. It was a strange feeling, but it was real. She couldn’t dislike him.
Still, that didn’t mean she wanted to get too close. Their relationship was just… weird.
“Your Highness, I’m full. I think I’ll head back-”
“Your Highness,” Thomas rushed in, clearly out of breath. “Your Highness, there’s been a wolf sighting at the royal hunting grounds. His Majesty has
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9:23 AM
Chapter 37
ordered several of the princes to deal with it.
“Prince Nigel is calling on all of you to assist. Prince Simon is among those invited.”
Deborah’s heart skipped a beat, a spark of excitement flashing in her eyes. She thought, ‘Does that mean… I might see Simon?‘
She stood up at once, eyes fixed on Damian with anticipation. “Your Highness, I… I want to come too. Let me help.”
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