Norman's POV
As I stepped out of the palace hall, the weight of my conversation with my father still lingered in my chest. His words weren’t harsh, but they held something heavier than scolding—expectation. He didn’t care about Riley’s past, her bloodline, or the court’s noise. All he wanted to know was if I truly wanted her… and if I was ready to face everything that would come with choosing her.
I had answered him without hesitation. Yes. Every single time, it was a yes. And to think he had only laughed when I told him about Damon and Kirk also having eyes for Riley totally irks me. I knew he must have heard about the issue but I still deemed it reasonable telling him, but he only laughed it off. But knowing him, he'd still think about the whole issue sometimes later—when alone. He was
