The echoes of the royal event still lingered in the grand halls of the palace as Lucia made her way back to her chambers, her mind swirling with the weight of the revelations she had just experienced. The grandeur of the ballroom, the applause of the nobility, the queen’s praise—none of it seemed real anymore. What stood out most was the shocking truth she had learned: Luke, the kind and gentle man she thought she knew, was the crown prince of the Ferastos Empire.
As she entered her chambers, she let out a shaky breath, her hand pressing against her chest as if to steady the rapid beating of her heart. The room, with its luxurious furnishings and soft, inviting bed, felt both comforting and alien to her now. It was a far cry from the simple life she had known before meeting Luke, before s
