The next day, Amelie and Gabriel returned to San Ravendale. The journey had been long and draining, and the moment Amelie sank into the soft mattress, a sigh of relief escaped her lips. Her hand instinctively rested on her stomach, gently caressing it with a serene smile forming on her face.
A gentle knock on the door interrupted the silence, prompting her to sit up quickly. The door creaked open, revealing a maid carrying a tray.
"Good afternoon, Madam," the maid greeted politely, setting the tray on the bedside table. "Here’s some freshly prepared lemonade. Please enjoy."
"Thank you," Amelie replied warmly, watching as the maid gave a slight bow and exited the room.
She reached for the glass, realizing just how parched she was. The cool lemonade was a welcome refreshment, soothing her dry throat and washing away the lingering exhaustion. Once she finished, she placed the glass back on the tray and stood to take it downstairs.
As she descended the staircase, another maid spotted her and rushed forward.
"Madam, please allow me," she said, quickly taking the tray from Amelie’s hands before disappearing toward the kitchen.
"They could just call me by my name," Amelie muttered under her breath, a small amused smile tugging at her lips.
Turning around, she spotted Karmen coming down the stairs. She gave him a soft wave and a polite smile.
Karmen returned the gesture with a warm grin. "What are you doing out of bed already? You should be resting," he said, concerned.
Amelie’s expression sobered slightly. "How’s Gabriel?" she asked. "He barely spoke during the entire journey home. And... his mother didn’t even come to see him off."
Karmen’s smile faded slightly. "He’s fine. He probably has a lot on his mind."
He didn’t share the real reason behind Gabriel’s silence, choosing instead to keep it to himself.
"Hm," Amelie murmured, sensing there was more he wasn’t saying.
"I’ll see you later," Karmen said before turning and walking away, his figure soon disappearing down the corridor.
Amelie climbed the stairs again, her steps quiet, almost hesitant. She paused outside Gabriel’s room, noticing the door was already ajar. She raised her hand to knock but decided to push it gently instead.
"Gabriel? It’s me—Amelie," she called softly, stepping inside.
Her eyes landed on him across the room. He was on a call, his posture rigid, voice low and intense. She instinctively took a step back to leave and give him privacy, but before she could retreat, the door slammed shut behind her.
She froze as she felt Gabriel’s presence directly behind her, his body pressing against her back.
"I wasn’t," Amelie said softly, tilting her head slightly over her shoulder. "You were on a call. I didn’t want to interrupt."
She turned around to face him fully. "I’ll go back to my room then."
"This soon?" Gabriel asked, a teasing smirk forming on his lips. "I thought you came to check on me. Weren’t you worried? I didn’t say a word during the entire trip."
His fingers brushed gently against her cheek, the touch light but enough to make her pulse shift.
Amelie met his eyes. "Were you upset because the Queen didn’t come to see you off?"
"No."
"Then why were you so quiet?"
Gabriel gave a small shrug. "I figured you needed rest. You kept yawning, so I thought I’d give you some peace."
Amelie bit her bottom lip, unconvinced but choosing not to press further. "Oh... By the way, Katelyn said she’s planning to visit us."
"I’ll tell her not to come," Gabriel replied instantly.
"Why? Let her come. She just wants to visit her brother," Amelie reasoned. "Besides, she’s become a friend to me. I told her I’d convince you."
"Then try your best," Gabriel replied without turning, walking further into the room. "Because I’m not letting her step foot in this mansion."
Amelie frowned slightly. "How exactly should I convince you?"
Gabriel turned his head with a sly glint in his eyes. "Maybe... seduce me."
She blinked, surprised. "You think I can’t?"
He let out a quiet chuckle and sank onto the couch, leaning back lazily. "So far, you’ve been pretty hesitant around me. I’m not sure you have it in you."
Amelie folded her arms. "I won’t seduce you. You should let your sister visit. And—" she glanced at the clock "—she must be on her way here already."
Gabriel let out a short laugh, amused and slightly exasperated. He pressed his lips into a thin line, shaking his head. "Unbelievable..." Taking out his phone, he dialed a number.
"Who are you calling?" Amelie asked, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.
"My dear sister, your new best friend," Gabriel replied with a teasing smile, slowly lifting the phone to his ear.
"No!" Amelie gasped and rushed to him, reaching out to snatch the phone. Gabriel leaned back slightly, effortlessly keeping it out of her reach.
"You can’t hurt your own sister," she argued, leaning closer in her attempt.
Gabriel raised a brow. "Says the one trying to tackle me."
Not willing to give up, Amelie shifted and before thinking, plopped herself onto his lap. Her hand gripped his shoulder for balance while the other managed to catch his wrist. With a determined tug, she finally snatched the phone from his grasp.
"I got it," she whispered in triumph, her breath catching as she realized the position they were in. Her body pressed against his, their faces close, and his hot breath fanning her chin.
Gabriel’s smirk returned. "Well... this is an interesting tactic to seduce me."
Amelie tried to move but his hand on her waist tightened, gluing her to his lap. His nose brushed her chin, causing her eyes to blink rapidly while her heart acted the same way.
She felt his hand moving lower to her hip and the moment he gave it a gentle squeeze, Amelie pressed her lips tightly when she felt his bulge hardening beneath her.
"Amelie... I’m hard. What are you going to do about it?" Gabriel murmured against her throat.