I stood frozen, my eyes fixed on the entrance as the guard's voice boomed through the hall. "The imperial family: His Majesty, Her Majesty, The crown prince, The crown princess, and the Imperial Princess are entering."
The room fell silent, with all heads bowed in respect. I followed suit, my heart sinking as I caught sight of Kieran walking in with Celina by his side. It felt like a punch to the gut, the sight of them together twisting my insides with a mix of emotions.
"Are you okay? If you don't want to be here, we can leave. You don't have to force yourself," Eros whispered, his voice laced with concern.
I murmured a quick reassurance, trying to brush off the feeling of unease. "I'm fine."
But the truth was far from it, I wasn't fine. Being here, watching Kieran with Celina, was a painful reminder of our ambition. And the risk of being discovered, of anyone finding out about our plans, was a constant threat looming over us.
