"How!?" I exclaimed as I abruptly rose from my seat. "Did they know it was Xyriel?"
"No, but they're saying you had a rendezvous with an unknown man and rode off on your horse. They claim that since you couldn't secure Grand Duke Zemislav, your heart was stolen by another man," Ade explained.
I leaned back in my chair, exhaling a sigh of relief. "At least they didn't see Xyriel's face. That's a good thing."
"You both left in the middle of the night, ensuring no one saw you, right? Do you have any idea who might be spreading such a rumor?" Ade inquired.
Resting my chin on my desk as I contemplated, I responded, "Ima did see us. She even asked who I was with, but I told her it was a friend seeking advice. She couldn't have guessed it was Xyriel."
"Is she the only one you saw that night?"
"Yes, we hurried to the stables afterward. Do you think she might have followed us?"
