Chapter 762: The Woman You love
"Was that the woman you love? The one who came to pick you up at the airport?"
Kael looked up at the girl standing in front of him, her voice trembling just slightly. He sighed inwardly, already knowing this confrontation was inevitable. He’d been doing everything he could to avoid this moment, dodging her questions and keeping his distance, but it seemed impossible now. As his gaze met hers, he saw the vulnerability in her eyes, the unspoken plea for reassurance, and he felt an instinctive urge to protect her from the truth. Yet, he knew that sparing her feelings would only prolong the pain.
"Yes," he answered, his voice steady but without elaboration. The word hung between them, heavy and unyielding. He held her gaze, refusing to soften the blow or give her any false hope.
She swallowed hard, her lips pressing into a thin line as she processed his admission. "I see," she said quietly, "Are you going to marry her?"
The question caught him off guard. Instinctively, he almost snapped, "It’s too soon to think about marriage." But before the words left his mouth, he realized he wasn’t entirely sure. Could he deny it? He’d already begun to consider the possibility—how could he not? Dora was everything to him. The thought of her was a constant hum in the back of his mind, and the idea of being with her, of making that commitment, felt inevitable.
And the thought of her being with anyone else, made his blood boil. Yes, he was going to marry Dora. Come what may. He could already feel the gears turning in his mind. He had no idea when he’d started seeking out and dismantling any obstacles that might stand in the way of their future. It wasn’t going to be easy—nothing ever was when The Crown was involved—but for her, he was willing to face whatever challenges came.
When he’d been sent away to the university, carted off to "clean up" his ’playboy’ image, he’d made a promise to himself: that he would never again entangle his life like this again, never allow himself to be overshadowed by the weight of a crown. He’d already lived through the burdens once, and had no desire to go through it again.
But with Dora, everything was different. Despite knowing that choosing her meant forever playing second to the nation, to the crown she wore, he found himself willing.
He looked up then," Yes. I do plan to marry her."
The girl’s slumped ever so slightly and Kael knew that maybe she’d finally let go of that one final hope.