Selena could relax after Adrien left. She turned to face her aunt and Adrien. She could see that her aunt seemed more relaxed around him too.
The Queen looked at the two one more time and declared, "Alright, I give you my permission. I acknowledge your request to dissolve the engagement and agree to it."
The Queen's nod of approval carried a weight Selena hadn't realized she was holding. Her breath hitched, and before she knew it, she had thrown herself into Alex's arms. She almost squealed 'Yes!'
The hug was warm, impulsive, and completely out of character. Alex stiffened in surprise, his arms awkwardly hovering before resting lightly on her back. The moment felt like an eternity to him, he was very much aware of her touch.
Selena's face flushed a brilliant shade of red, and she pulled away abruptly. She realised what she had just done. In the modern world, this would not be such a big deal but, here... It was a different case.
Selena coughed to cover her embarrassment, brushing invisible dust off her dress to busy her hands.
"It's okay, child. People in love behave that way," the Queen said with a soft chuckle, her gaze warm and understanding.
Selena's embarrassment deepened, but she managed to bow gracefully. "Thank you, Your Majesty," she said, her voice steady despite the heat rushing to her cheeks.
Without missing a beat, she grabbed Alex's arm and practically dragged him out of the royal chambers. The ornate doors closed behind them with a dull thud, leaving the Queen with an amused smile.
Once outside, Selena couldn't contain her excitement. Her steps quickened as she turned to Alex, her eyes sparkling with a mix of triumph and relief. "It's done! Finally, it's done!" she exclaimed, releasing his arm and spinning in a small circle. "I'm free!"
Alex watched her with an amused expression. Her joy was infectious, and despite his usual restraint, a small smile tugged at his lips. "You're taking this rather well," he remarked dryly, though his tone held no real bite.
"Of course, I am!" Selena clapped her hands together. "Do you know how long I've waited for this moment? That deadweight is gone! I can finally live my life without that humiliation hanging over my head."
Her voice bubbled with excitement, and her words came out in a rush. "I'm going shopping. I'm going to buy something nice to celebrate. No, many things. Dresses, jewellery, sweets. Everything!"
Alex raised an eyebrow, his expression softening as he watched her. Selena rarely looked this unguarded, her usual composure replaced by unfiltered happiness. It was... charming, in a way he hadn't expected.
"Well?" she asked, looking at him expectantly. "Are you coming?"
He hesitated. He was not here for a vacation. He was here because of an important task. He wanted to leave and go deal with but seeing her infectiously happy expression, he could not say no.
"Never mind," she cut him off, grabbing his wrist. "You're coming. Don't even think about sneaking off. I need someone to carry my bags."
Before he could protest, she had already started pulling him toward the carriage. Alex sighed, running a hand through his hair, but followed without resistance.
The commercial district was alive with energy, the air buzzing with the sound of chatter and the clink of coins exchanging hands. Vibrant stalls lined the streets, and Selena intended to go to all of them!
Selena's eyes sparkled as she took it all in, her earlier excitement reigniting at the sight of the bustling marketplace. She could never afford any of this in her past life, she wanted to make the most of it in this life.
She made her way down the same path where she had bought her gown, this time moving at a leisurely pace to savour the experience. She paused at a vendor selling brightly coloured scarves, running her fingers over the soft fabric.
Sight, smell, sound, and touch activated almost all of her senses. She truly felt alive at that moment. She was finally stress-free. She worked like a cow her last life and she had nothing to show for it. What did she achieve? Nothing.
The only sense that was left was taste. She wanted to have something yummy, and sweet to celebrate her small victory. With Nicholas gone, she didn't have any threat to her life. She was not going to bother Clara. She did not give a crap about the Northern Duke!
She promised herself that she was going to love herself for once.
Alex stood a few paces behind her, his arms crossed as he observed her with a mix of exasperation and amusement.
He had tried to excuse himself several times during the ride here, but every time he looked at her excited face, the words refused to leave his mouth. He couldn't bring himself to dampen her mood.
She turned back to the stall, where a display of delicate bracelets caught her eye. She picked one up, a thin gold band with a small sapphire embedded in the centre. It sparkled in the sunlight, and Selena couldn't help but smile.
"Do you like it?" Alex asked, stepping closer.
"It's beautiful," she admitted, turning it over in her hands. She glanced at the price tag and winced. "But a bit impractical. I should be saving my money." Her old personality came through. Even though she had the money, she couldn't bring herself to spend it.
She should be saving it! That's what anyone would do, right?
Alex found it odd but didn't question it. The pampered daughter of the Whitlock family does not have enough pocket money? No way. He could see a kind of sadness in her eyes when she said that she should save money.
Was her brother threatening her? Was that why she was keen on saving money? Alex frowned, that would not do.
Alex reached past her and handed the bracelet to the merchant. "We'll take it."
Selena blinked, startled. "Alex, you don't have to—"
"Consider it a gift," he said, his tone matter-of-fact. He handed over the payment, then turned to her with a faint smirk. "You can't celebrate properly without something to mark the occasion."
She stared at him, momentarily speechless. A small, warm feeling bloomed in her chest, though she quickly pushed it aside. "Thank you," she said, her voice quieter than usual.