"Was that a call from the palace?" Samyra asked, her voice laced with concern as she noticed the horrified expression on her husband’s face.
David slowly nodded. "Yes. It was the Luna Queen."
Samyra’s heart dropped. "What did she say?"
"She told me to come to the palace... and take our daughter away," David replied grimly.
"What?" Samyra gasped, her eyes widening. "Don’t tell me Amelie is there."
"She is," David confirmed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "And from the Queen’s tone, she seemed to be furious. I can’t waste any time. I’ll leave for the capital immediately."
"Sure... I just can’t believe Amelie ended up there," Samyra muttered, furrowing her brows in confusion. "But why would she do that?"
"Who knows what was going through her mind?" David said with a heavy sigh as he walked to the cupboard. "This girl has brought nothing but ruin to us. First, she falsely accused Alex, and now this mess..."
He pulled out a duffle bag and glanced at her. "Pack a pair of clothes for me. And please tell the driver to be ready."
Samyra nodded silently, watching her husband disappear into the washroom. She quickly packed the duffle bag while her thoughts raced.
A few minutes later, David emerged in a formal outfit . He picked up his phone from the table, scrolling through the flight options.
"Not a single seat is available," he muttered in frustration. "I’ll have to reach there by car. If I leave now, I should reach the capital by the morning."
"Should I come with you?" Samyra asked.
David shook his head, taking the duffle bag from her hands. "No. Just stay home. I’ll handle everything there."
Samyra hesitated, then quietly handed David his wallet and a neatly folded handkerchief. Together, they made their way to the foyer of the mansion.
At the doorway, she watched as David stepped into the car. Before the engine started, he glanced back and gestured gently. "Go inside. It’s cold," he said with a faint smile.
But Samyra didn’t move. She simply stood there. She lifted her hand and waved slowly as the car pulled away from the driveway.
"I hope everything goes well," Samyra whispered before walking back into the mansion.
~~~~~
Amelie stirred awake to the soft chorus of birds chirping from the balcony. Blinking, she slowly took in her surroundings. A moment later, her eyes drifted down.
Gabriel lay close whose face was resting near her chest. One of her hands was curled protectively above his head, fingers loosely entangled in his hair. A flush of heat crept up her neck as she realized how close they were.
Carefully, Amelie shifted her hand away, inch by inch, making sure not to wake him. Once free, she sat up slowly, brushing a few strands of hair behind her ear as she looked at him.
Just as Amelie turned to quietly slip out of bed when his firm hand caught her wrist. She froze, glancing back to see Gabriel’s fingers wrapped around her gently yet possessively.
"Where are you going?" he murmured as he tugged her back down beside him. Before she could answer, he nestled his face into the crook of her neck.
"To the washroom... it’s morning," Amelie replied. But her words faltered the moment she felt the brush of his nose, and then his lips, grazing the sensitive skin just beneath her jaw.
"Mmm..." The involuntary sound escaped her lips before she could catch it, and her eyes widened. She slapped a hand over her mouth in surprise as her cheeks started burning.
Gabriel’s eyes opened slowly at the sound, amusement glinting in their depths. "Are you..."
"No," Amelie cut him off before he could finish. She didn’t even know what he was about to ask, but her instincts screamed to shut it down.
Gabriel smirked faintly, clearly entertained by her reaction, though he didn’t say another word. He reached his hand to her stomach and felt her body tensing to his touch.
"Hmm... The pup is feeling good. I think your bump will show sooner. Are you excited?" Gabriel asked, the warmth in his tone sending a tingle down her spine.
"That’s good to know," Amelie murmured, a soft smile tugging at her lips. Her gaze lingered on him, eyes filled with curiosity. "But... how can you sense all this?" she asked, tilting her head slightly.
Gabriel’s lips curled into a faint smile as he gently placed his hand over her stomach. "The connection between me and pup is the reason."
Amelie looked down, her fingers unconsciously brushing over her stomach. "Oh. Gabriel, don’t we have to tell your family that I’m carrying someone else’s pup? I mean... it feels wrong to hide it."
"Why? Are you worried they might call you names?" he asked in a calm voice but laced with a quiet protectiveness.
"Yes," she admitted.
"Then ignore them," he said firmly. "You should focus on me, who’s willing to be yours no matter what. I don’t care with whom you have it. What matters is that you’re carrying it... it’s yours. So, you and the pup are mine."
His hand reached for hers, intertwining their fingers. "I know you are worried thinking what will people say. But does it even matter? You don’t owe anyone anything."
Amelie looked up at him, caught in the depth of his gaze. "Gabriel–" she couldn’t finish off as a knock occurred on the door.
"Your Highness, if you are awake, then please send Miss Conley out. Mr. David Conley is here and wants to take her back," Lester said in a loud enough voice.
"Dad is here!?" Amelie gasped in a trembling voice as she sat up on the mattress.
Gabriel was confused too, wondering how David arrived in the palace and how he found out about it.
Amelie quickly headed to the door after tidying her hair and greeted Lester.
"Please wait for ten minutes. I’ll get ready," Amelie requested.
"Sure, Miss Conley." Lester bowed his head slightly before walking away.