"It wasn’t a conversation," Amelie corrected him calmly.
Gabriel gave a slow nod, his gaze narrowing slightly. "And you ended up roasting Kate too," he remarked. "She’s the one who gave your number to Jodie, didn’t she?" His brow arched in suspicion.
"I think so," Amelie admitted with disappointment. "You once said your siblings weren’t what they pretended to be. I thought Kate was different. I thought she was kind and nonjudgmental. But I was wrong." There was a trace of regret in her voice, but it was clear she had already accepted her mistake for trusting too easily.
Gabriel’s expression softened, his sharp features easing as he took a step closer. "What happened?" he asked, his eyes gently searching hers for the truth she hadn’t yet spoken.
Before Amelie could answer, a firm knock came from the door, followed by Albus’s deep voice. "My lord, your meal is here."
Gabriel let out a sigh, then turned back to Amelie. "We’ll talk later," he said gently before heading to the door.
Albus bowed respectfully upon seeing the Alpha Prince and gestured to the maid, who quietly entered and began setting the table for them. The room was filled with the soft clinking of dishes as the maid worked efficiently, placing the meals carefully.
Once everything was in place, Albus nodded subtly and exited with the maid, leaving Gabriel and Amelie in peaceful silence.
"The noodles look delicious!" Amelie exclaimed with a spark of delight in her voice. She picked up her chopsticks and began eating, clearly enjoying the food.
Gabriel watched her with a softened gaze. Seeing her eat with such enthusiasm brought a rare calm to his mind. The tension from earlier began to ease. She was slowly de-stressing, and the fact that her appetite had increased, especially during her pregnancy, was a good sign.
~~~~~
"You called Amelie earlier? Why?" Katelyn asked, straightening up on the recliner as she adjusted the earbud in her ear.
"Yeah, I did," Jodie replied, her tone slightly annoyed. "She sounded irritated. Actually, she told me to let you know not to underestimate her."
Katelyn’s brows knit together in confusion. ’Why would Amelie say something like that?’
"I called her because I thought I should return Gabriel’s bracelet," Jodie continued with a sigh. "But honestly, the way she responded... it felt like she was jealous or something."
Katelyn frowned. "Return the bracelet? What exactly are you trying to do, Jodie?" she asked. "And are you sure you didn’t say anything to upset her?"
Jodie narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "No, why? Did she say I did?"
"No, she didn’t," Katelyn said quickly. "But... my brother was furious about something. Never mind. I should go. Take care, Jodie."
With that, she pulled out the earbud, set it on the table, and ended the call.
She put on the slippers and went out of the room. Her eyes fell upon Karmen, who was in the living room, talking with Albus. After so many days, she finally got to see Karmen.
"Karmen, how have you been?" Katelyn asked, a gentle smile curving her lips.
Karmen turned toward her and offered a respectful bow. "Greetings to Her Highness," he said formally.
Albus, standing nearby, gave a polite nod and excused himself.
"I’ve been well," Karmen added once Albus had left.
Katelyn tilted her head slightly. "If you’re here to see my brother, I’d suggest leaving him be for now. He’s with Amelie."
"I heard," Karmen replied with a nod. "Albus mentioned it."
"Oh." There was a brief pause, then Katelyn, almost without thinking, blurted out, "So... are you seeing anyone these days?"
As soon as the words left her mouth, she blinked, realizing how suddenly she’d asked that could make feel Karmen awkward.
Karmen glanced at her, amusement dancing in his eyes. "No," he replied simply.
Katelyn’s lips curved into a small smile, her heart lifting with quiet hope. For the first time in a long while, she felt a real chance to win Karmen’s heart. In the past, circumstances had always held her back, but now, she was determined to bridge the distance that had quietly grown between them.
"Does Princess Katelyn have something she wishes to say to me?" Karmen asked.
Katelyn let out a soft chuckle, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve. "No. I mean, yes. Sort of," she admitted, slightly flustered.
"One of my friends is performing in a musical the day after Gabriel and Amelie’s wedding," Katelyn began, trying to keep her tone casual despite the nervous flutter in her chest. "She invited me personally, and I’ve been given two tickets."
She paused, gathering her courage before continuing. "I can’t really ask Amelie to come with me, obviously. So... if you’re free, I was wondering if you’d like to accompany me."
’Please say yes,’ she silently pleaded, her fingers tightening slightly at her sides. ’It took me a lot of courage just to ask.’
Karmen glanced at her. Then he gave a small, easy nod. "Sure. I’d be happy to."
Katelyn’s eyes widened in surprise, her breath catching before a delighted smile spread across her face. "That’s wonderful!" she exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement.
Deep within, her wolf, Ashen, let out a joyful cry.
Karmen’s phone rang suddenly and their eye lock broke. He took out the phone and brought it to his ear. "Yes, Ziva?" He turned his back toward Katelyn while conversing with her.
’Ziva? Who’s she? And why Karmen is speaking in such a tone with her?’ Katelyn wondered. ’Are they both friends?’ Her heart sank with the mere thought of not being able to win his heart if there were another woman. ’But he said that he’s not seeing anyone. I shouldn’t overthink.’
Katelyn shook her head while staring at Karmen’s back.
He disconnected the call and turned to gaze at Katelyn. "Your Highness, I need to leave. It’s good to talk to you after such a long time." He bowed and walked away, leaving the princess in her thoughts.