"What put you in such a foul mood this morning?" Casaio asked with a light chuckle, attempting to ease the tension.
"You did," Gabriel replied sharply. "First, you released a criminal from prison just because he fed you some pathetic sob story. And second, you failed to get Zilia to talk. Instead, you had someone tend to her wounds. Are you working for justice, or running a clinic?"
Casaio fell silent under the weight of his brother’s harsh words. He was already shouldering more than he let on, but explaining that to his younger brother felt like a lost cause. Gabriel had never been the empathetic type, never willing to see things beyond his own rigid view of right and wrong.
Gabriel didn’t touch his espresso. He sat stiffly with arms crossed, waiting in brooding silence until Amelie returned.
"I told you to serve espresso to Brother Casaio," she scolded, casting Gabriel a pointed look as she walked in. She checked the temperature of the untouched cup and sighed in relief, it hadn’t gone cold. She poured the warm espresso into Casaio’s cup first, putting a spoonful of cream on it and handing it to him.
"Thank you," Casaio murmured, offering her a grateful smile.
At Amelie’s insistence, Karmen and Denzel also took their seats, curious to try the espresso she had personally prepared.
As Amelie stirred two spoons of cream into Gabriel’s cup, she glanced up at him and asked, "Why were you lashing out at your older brother like that? And what exactly was this ’sob story’ you mentioned?"
The other three men watched with quiet curiosity, waiting to see how Gabriel would respond.
"Nothing," he said curtly, avoiding Amelie’s gaze.
Amelie tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing. "We are married, yet toh choose to hide things from me," she murmured.
Gabriel’s brows drew together, the crease in his forehead deepening.
"That’s not true," Gabriel said, his tone clipped. "But the matter isn’t your concern."
"Why not? Wasn’t the man you interrogated the same one who tried to kidnap me that night? I was the victim in that case, Gabriel. I have every right to know which direction it’s headed."
Her eyes shifted to Casaio. "So, what was the tragic story he told that moved Brother Casaio so much?" she asked.
Casaio opened his mouth, then hesitated, unsure whether to lie again. But before he could speak, Gabriel cut in.
"He said he wasn’t after you that night," Gabriel muttered, eyes cast downward. "That he was trying to protect his family... and meant no harm to you. He thought kidnapping you can make him demand a good ransom from me."
Amelie looked between the brothers, then slowly nodded. "If he truly meant no harm to me, then I believe Brother Casaio made the right call," she said with a gentle smile.
Gabriel sighed, already knowing that would be her reaction. She was too soft for his kinds of decisions and thoughts. His mind was hard to read and his feelings were hard to understand.
"Amelie, the espresso is excellent," Casaio said with a warm smile.
Denzel and Karmen nodded in agreement. "It’s really good," Denzel added. "You could open a café."
"I’m glad you all liked it," Amelie replied, her eyes briefly flicking to Gabriel. He was sipping his espresso quietly, but she noticed he hadn’t left a single drop behind.
Once everyone had finished, Amelie began collecting the empty cups onto the tray.
Gabriel gestured for a servant to come take it, but before they could approach, Amelie intervened.
"It’s fine. I’ll take care of it," she said, lifting the tray with ease and heading toward the kitchen.
Gabriel hesitated, watching her walk away. He wondered if she was upset with him.
Silently, he followed her down the hallway. He stopped at the kitchen door and leaned slightly against the frame, watching.
Inside, Amelie stood with the maids, calmly discussing the preparations for breakfast.
When the maids saw him, they bowed and emptied the kitchen on their own.
Gabriel walked into the kitchen, his hands casually slipping into the pockets of his trousers. "I really enjoyed the espresso you made," he said, offering a rare, gentle smile. "Denzel’s right. You could open your own café."
"Maybe I will," Amelie replied with a small smile.
Gabriel hesitated for a moment before continuing, "I didn’t mean to speak so harshly to Casaio. It’s just... he gets swayed too easily sometimes."
Amelie turned slightly toward him, stepping closer. "He’s sensitive when it comes to Zilia," she said softly. "And he’s carrying more than you realize."
There was a second’s silence before Amelie spoke again, "Tell me something. What if I turned out to be a spy? How would you react? Would you start hating me instantly? Would you hurt me... or would you still look at me the same way you do now?"
Gabriel’s expression shifted, clearly guarded. "That’s a hypothetical situation. I don’t see the point in answering it."
"No," Amelie said firmly. "You should answer it. Because that’s the only way you’ll start to understand what your brother is going through."
She paused, letting her words settle.
"You know, eldest siblings often bear more than the others can see," she continued. "They make sacrifices no one talks about. The weight they carry, the expectations, they’re far heavier than what you feel now. Sometimes, they have to choose compassion over certainty, forgiveness over justice. That’s not weakness, Gabriel. That’s strength in its most difficult form."
"He’s not just an ordinary elder sibling," Gabriel said. "He has one more duty constantly hovering over his shoulder."
Amelie tilted her head, her brow arching with curiosity. "And what’s that?"
Gabriel looked at her with a firm expression. "He’s going to be the next Alpha King. And for that... he needs to act like one."
"But that doesn’t mean Brother Casaio can’t be kind. I feel people become more loyal to you when you are empathetic," Amelie opined.
"No. You become a soft target. Zilia infiltrated our palace through Casaio because she knew he would never hurt her even if she’d be caught. He may have rejected her, but his heart can never let her go, which makes him weak," Gabriel said sternly.