Chapter 184: Leaving the Palace
{Third Person}
Beside Amara, Ginger had long grown tired of being ignored. The cat meowed repeatedly, trying to get her attention.
When that failed, Ginger became more persistent, moving directly into Amara’s line of sight and pacing around dramatically. Still, Amara barely noticed. She remained lost in thought.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. That finally pulled her back to reality.
A second later, Mrs. Woods entered with her usual warm smile. "My Lady."
Amara blinked and turned toward her.
Mrs. Woods’s smile widened. "His Highness is asking for you."
Amara looked surprised. "For me?"
"Yes." Mrs. Woods nodded. "He wants you to join him for breakfast."
The surprise in Amara’s eyes deepened. She stared longer than usual before rousing herself up.
Ginger immediately seized the opportunity. The cat let out a loud, demanding meow.
Amara looked down. Ginger stared right back at her with clear expectation. The meaning was obvious. Carry me.
Regardless of her mood, Amara almost smiled. Then, she bent down and lifted Ginger into her arms. The cat settled against her immediately, looking very pleased with herself.
---
By the time Amara arrived at Alexander’s living room with Ginger in her arms, breakfast had already been arranged on the table.
The aroma of freshly prepared dishes filled the room, and from the looks of it, Barron had already made himself very comfortable before her arrival.
And the moment he saw her, a grin spread across his face. His gaze immediately dropped to Ginger, who sat proudly in Amara’s arms as if she belonged there.
"Well," Barron said lazily as he leaned back in his seat, "you even brought a third wheel."
Amara paused for a brief moment and looked at him calmly. There was not even the slightest trace of embarrassment in her expression when she replied.
"You play the same role."
She said it so casually that Barron did not even react at first. Then she simply walked past him and toward the table as though nothing unusual had been said.
Alexander, who had silently witnessed the exchange, gestured toward the seat on his right. "Sit."
Amara nodded and sat down beside him, carefully adjusting Ginger in her arms.
Barron continued staring at her with a strange look on his face, as though his mind was still trying to catch up. It took him several seconds before realization finally dawned on him.
His eyes widened slightly. Then he pointed at himself in disbelief. "Wait a minute."
His expression shifted completely. "You were calling me the third wheel, too?" He asked. "Like I called your little pet?"
That was when Amara finally looked at him again. The confusion on Barron’s face was so genuine that she almost laughed.
Beside her, Alexander remained perfectly calm, but the amusement in his eyes was impossible to miss. Though his expression barely changed, it was clear he found Barron’s delayed reaction entertaining.
At least someone got him so perfectly that he didn’t even grasp it for the first few minutes. Serves him right!
Barron looked from Amara to Alexander, then back again, before shaking his head dramatically.
"Wow." He leaned back in his chair with exaggerated disbelief. "You are slowly becoming like your husband."
For Barron, only Alexander could make a remark that cuts. But right now, it looks like Amara was also learning from him.
This time, Amara genuinely felt embarrassed.
Warmth rose to her face almost immediately. Instinctively, she wanted to deny his words, but strangely, no argument came to mind, so she just lowered her gaze and focused on Ginger, pretending to adjust the cat so she would not have to respond.
That reaction alone amused Barron even more. Alexander, however, had already shifted his attention to Ginger.
The cat had been staring at him ever since Amara sat down. Ginger’s eyes remained fixed on him with unusual focus, as though she had been waiting for him to acknowledge her.
A small meow broke the silence.
Alexander just stared at the cat. Ginger meowed again, this time more insistently.
Barron, who had noticed the entire interaction, looked far too entertained. He liked to see Alexander get teased, even from little animals.
"She really likes you," he stated.
Alexander simply looked away, refusing to respond. Of course, he already knew that. But how does that change anything?
Breakfast began shortly later...
The atmosphere felt surprisingly relaxed. Barron, as expected, spoke the most, filling the room with his usual easy energy. Amara responded from time to time, while Alexander remained mostly quiet, listening more than speaking.
Despite everything that had happened over the past few days, the breakfast felt natural and comfortable.
For a brief while, it almost felt as though the chaos surrounding them had disappeared.
Then Alexander’s gaze slowly settled on Amara. Now that she was seated close to him in proper daylight, he could clearly see the faint redness around her eyes for himself.
Jasper had been right. She had cried.
Without looking away, he asked calmly, "Did you cry?"
The question completely caught Amara off guard. She looked up at him in surprise, and even Barron paused long enough to glance at her.
For a moment, she looked slightly embarrassed. Then she sighed softly and lowered her gaze to Ginger again, gently stroking the cat’s fur.
"A little."
Her voice was quiet. There was no need to explain further. Alexander already understood that fact.
Still, after a moment, Amara spoke again. "I will miss them," she confessed. This time, her voice carried an honesty that was difficult to miss.
She continued softly, "I don’t know when I will see them again."
For a few moments, silence settled over the table. Alexander watched her quietly before finally speaking. "You will."
Amara quickly lifted her eyes to him. A trace of confusion marred her face. "You mean... I will see them again?"
Alexander calmly reached for his cup and took a sip before answering. "Yes."
That only confused her more. She opened her mouth, clearly intending to ask what he meant. However, before the question could leave her lips, Alexander raised a hand slightly.
"Focus on eating."
The words were calm, but firm enough to end the discussion.
Amara blinked. The question remained trapped in her throat. She stared at him for a moment, but Alexander clearly had no intention of explaining further.
Barron, who had been observing everything, narrowed his eyes slightly, but he wisely kept his thoughts to himself. At least for a while.
Unfortunately, Barron’s silence never lasted long.
As breakfast continued, his gaze repeatedly shifted between Alexander and Amara. The more he watched them, the more unbearable the grin on his face became.
Alexander noticed naturally. After tolerating it for long enough, he finally set down his cup and looked at Barron.
"Leave."
Barron blinked. "What?"
Alexander’s expression remained perfectly flat. "You are becoming annoying."
Barron stared at him in disbelief. Then he placed a hand dramatically over his chest. "Becoming?" Then he laughed. "You say that as though I wasn’t annoying from the start."
Alexander let his silence speak for him. His expression alone made his meaning clear.
Barron sighed theatrically and rose from his seat. As he made his way toward the door, he turned back to look at them both with a shameless grin.
"My eyes are on both of you."
Amara could not help but chuckle. There was something strangely funny about Barron. He had an effortless ability to make even serious situations feel lighter.
Barron shot Alexander one final teasing look before leaving. The moment he disappeared, the room became noticeably quieter.
Amara found herself smiling faintly. Barron truly had an unusual relationship with Alexander. Though they were cousins, their bond clearly ran deeper than blood alone.
Barron constantly pushed Alexander’s patience, yet Alexander tolerated far more from him than he would from anyone else.
There was a natural ease between them. A trust. A closeness.
Amara found herself admiring it. But her thoughts were soon interrupted by Ginger.
The cat had resumed staring at Alexander and began meowing again, clearly determined to gain his attention.
This time, Alexander finally looked at her for several long moments. Then, without saying anything, he reached for an empty plate.
Calmly, he picked several dishes from the table and arranged them neatly on the plate. Once he was done, he bent slightly and placed it on the floor beside him before using his foot to push it farther from the table.
Then he turned to Amara. "Put her down."
Amara blinked in surprise before quickly understanding. Carefully, she lowered Ginger to the floor, and the cat immediately rushed toward the plate and began eating with great enthusiasm.
Amara smiled warmly as she watched Ginger happily devour the food. "She likes to eat anything I eat."
There was clear affection in her voice.
Alexander did not respond. He just watched her quietly, lost in thought for a moment before finally speaking.
"Would you like to leave the palace?"
The question was so unexpected that Amara immediately turned toward him. Her eyes widened in surprise.
However, as Alexander watched her reaction carefully, he noticed something unexpected.
The surprise on her face did not look happy. It was almost hesitant. And that immediately caught his attention.