Nicole’s POV
When I woke up, Nathan’s side of the bed was cold and empty. My heart sank a little. I hated when he disappeared in the mornings without a word. Ever since the coronation was announced, he seemed distant and preoccupied, often leaving me with more questions than answers. There were too many things I didn’t understand about what he was planning or what was going on in his mind.
Then, I remembered the knock from Luca in the early hours of the morning, something that had shaken me awake, leaving me uneasy. Nathan had insisted I go back to sleep, but I couldn’t shake the sense that something serious was happening. Today, I was determined to find out what it was, even if I had to drag the truth out of him.
I slipped out of bed and took a long, hot shower, letting the water wake
