Chapter 17 : An Offer She Can't Refuse
559 Words
The knock was sharp, persistent.
Devorah stirred, her mind still wrapped in the remnants of sleep. Her body ached slightly from last night’s fight, but she had trained herself to ignore discomfort. Another knock followed, this time more hesitant.
With a sigh, she ran a hand through her tousled dark hair before finally speaking.
“Come in.”
The door creaked open, revealing a young servant—his posture stiff, his expression carefully neutral, though she could sense the nervous energy radiating off him. He bowed quickly before straightening.
“His Highness, Crown Prince Sean, requests that you join him on a trip to the imperial family’s vacation estate.”
There was a pause.
Then—
“No.”
The single word was cold, sharp, final.
The servant blinked rapidly, clearly caught off guard. “B-But—”
Devorah’s head snapped in his direction, her royal blue eyes locking onto him with an intensity that made his breath hitch. The sheer weight of her gaze—calm yet utterly terrifying—had him frozen in place.
He swallowed hard, his hands slightly trembling at his sides before he lowered his head hastily. “Y-Yes, my lady,” he stammered before turning and all but fleeing from the room, the door clicking shut behind him.
Devorah exhaled, shaking her head. She barely had time to settle back against the pillows before another knock came—this time softer, more casual.
The door opened without permission.
Sean stepped in as if he owned the place, dressed in a dark tunic embroidered with silver thread, his platinum hair slightly tousled as if he had just woken up himself. He leaned lazily against the doorframe, arms crossed, amusement flickering in his eyes.
“Oh, come on. Don’t tell me you’re still mad at me.”
Silence.
Devorah didn’t even glance his way. She simply folded her arms and stared at the opposite wall, expression unreadable.
Sean let out an exaggerated sigh, stepping further into the room. “C’mon, don’t be like this.”
More silence.
He dragged a hand down his face. “You really hold a grudge, huh?”
Still, she didn’t respond.
Sean stared at her for a long moment before his expression softened slightly. “I know you like nature.”
That got her attention.
Her head turned, royal blue eyes narrowing slightly in suspicion. “How do you know that?”
Sean gave a small, smug smirk. “I overheard you saying something like that to one of the servants.”
Devorah’s eyes flickered with something unreadable, and Sean took that as a small victory. He stepped closer, his voice lower, smoother. “The vacation home is surrounded by nature. So, I thought I’d take you with me.” He held her gaze, his smirk barely visible now. “Besides, you’re my special adviser. It only makes sense.”
She studied him for a moment, searching for some hidden motive in his words. Then, with an exasperated sigh, she side-eyed him. “Fine.”
Sean grinned. “See? That wasn’t so hard.”
She shot him a warning look, and he wisely chose to say nothing more.
But as he turned to leave, she caught something in his expression—something lighter, something almost… pleased.
And for the first time, she found herself slightly curious about the trip ahead.
- Writer
