A dangerous encounter

The dimly lit hallway was eerily silent as Amelia Florian pressed herself against the cold stone wall, her heart hammering against her ribcage. Every nerve in her body was on edge, her breath coming in shallow gasps as she peeked around the corner.

She knew this was reckless—standing outside the crown prince's chamber in the dead of night, whispering hurriedly with Lewis Florian, her brother-in-law. The weight of the situation pressed heavily on her shoulders, but she had no choice.

"I knew he was up to something bad," Lewis muttered under her breath, arms crossed as she eyed the massive doors before them.

"Shh… Keep your voice low," Amelia cautioned, gripping her wrist.

Lewis huffed in annoyance. "Why? And why exactly are we hiding here?"

Amelia hesitated for a second before pointing subtly toward the towering figure standing by the chamber doors—Logan Milburn, the prince's ever-diligent aide.

"It's all because of him," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lewis followed her gaze and frowned. "What does he have to do with us hiding here? Don't tell me you're stalking him now."

"Ew… No," Amelia scoffed, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "I need to talk to Caesar."

Lewis stared at her as if she had lost her mind. "Right now? It's the middle of the night! He must be asleep."

"No, he's not," Amelia countered with certainty, shaking her head. (I've never seen him sleep in my past life this early. There's no way he's asleep now.)

Lewis's gaze turned sharp. "How do you know that?"

"Um… Just a hunch."

Lewis gave her a long, knowing look before sighing. "Ame, you're really turning into a stalker."

"I… I'm not," Amelia stammered before scowling. "Shut up."

Lewis smirked, clearly entertained. "Go ahead then. What's your grand plan?"

Amelia turned her attention back to Logan. "See that moron over there?" she whispered, tilting her head toward the royal guard.

Lewis followed her gaze, her expression unreadable.

"He won't let me inside Caesar's room," she explained. "So… I need you to distract him."

Lewis stepped back instantly. "What? No," she said firmly. "That's too dangerous."

"No, it's not," Amelia insisted, determined.

Lewis groaned. "Sneaking into the crown prince's room in the middle of the night is dangerous enough. But we're talking about Caesar here. It would be a miracle if he didn't slice you in two."

Amelia rolled her eyes. "Come on, nothing's going to happen," she reassured her, gripping his sleeve. "I just need to talk to him properly."

"You can talk to him tomorrow."

"He's busy," Amelia argued. "I don't think he'll have time to talk to me during the day."

Lewis crossed her arms. "That still doesn't explain why it has to be now."

Amelia took a deep breath, dropping her voice. "Because… I need to confirm something."

Her words held weight, and for once, Lewis didn't immediately retort.

Still, she shook her head. "I don't like this."

She decided to go for the dramatic approach. Clasping her hands together, she gave him her best pleading eyes. "And besides… sob I've spent my entire life with him in the past. Is it so wrong to want to know him a little in this life?"

Lewis groaned, running a hand through her slick long hair. "Ugh… fine."

"Yes!" Amelia beamed, squeezing her hands in gratitude. "Thank you, Lewi! You're the best."

Lewis shot her a warning glare. "Don't make me regret this."

"I won't," she promised. "Now go distract him."

With a sigh, Lewis walked toward Logan, placing a hand on her baby bump for added effect. As expected, Logan immediately panicked at the sight, his face shifting into an expression of concern.

"Do you need any help, Mrs. Florian?" Logan asked.

Lewis gave a pitiful nod. "Ohh… Can you guide me to the kitchen? I'm craving grapes."

"I will," Logan answered without hesitation. "Please excuse me."

As soon as Logan helped Lewis out of sight, Amelia slipped inside the darkened chamber.

The air inside was heavy with the scent of cedarwood and something distinctly Caesar's. The room was large but sparsely decorated, a reflection of the man himself—imposing, powerful, and unreadable. Moonlight filtered through the tall windows, casting long shadows along the polished floor.

Amelia stepped forward cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest. Her gaze flickered toward the massive bed in the center of the room.

It was empty.

(As expected… he hasn't slept yet.)

Her mind raced. Where was he?

She walked further inside, searching for any signs of him. Her fingers brushed against the fabric of the bed as she took another step forward.

"Then where is—"

Before she could complete her thought, a strong force shoved her onto the bed. A gasp escaped her lips as a shadow loomed over her, pinning her wrists against the mattress.

Her breath caught as her eyes met Caesar Romano's piercing gaze.

He was on top of her in an instant, his grip firm, his golden eyes glowing in the dim light.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, voice laced with icy menace.

A shiver ran down her spine.

Her throat went dry.

"Gulp."