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“Eve?” Alexander walked closer to his friend and asked, “How’s your father?”

“Umm...” Everard cleared his throat and wiped his nose. “He’s being looked after by the royal physicians.” He looked at Alexander with glistening eyes, but gave a subtle smile to his friend. “He’s going to be fine. I think he’s just overreacting and calling me there because he missed me.”

Alexander nodded and said in a melancholic tone, “I also hope that it’s nothing bad. I wish that he will recover soon.”

He then spread his arms and gave Everard a tight hug.

Everard was trying hard to maintain his composure. But as soon as he felt the warmth of his friend, streams of tears rolled down his eyes. He closed his eyes and buried his face into Alexander’s shoulder.

“It says his health condition is quite serious, Alex...” Everard hugged his friend back and finally broke down. “What am I going to do if something... if something happens to him? I’m not ready!”

Everard wiped his tears but instantly shed more than what he had just wiped. “I’m not ready for anything. I can’t... I don’t want to lose him...”

Alexander was also trying to control his tears. But listening to Everard’s broken voice made him emotional.

.....

However, he controlled himself and consoled his friend while gently stroking his back, “Nothing’s going to happen to your father. You said it yourself, didn’t you? He’s just being a little overdramatic. He’s a strong man. He’ll pull through.”

Alexander then pulled away from the hug because he didn’t want to keep his friend there for long. “Eve,” he pointed his brows at the messengers and then said, “They’ve been waiting here since the morning. I think you should hurry up and leave.”

Everard wiped his wet eyes and sniffled. He glanced at the messengers and said, “Let’s go then.”

One of the messengers glanced at the door to Everard’s room and suggested, “Your Highness, if you need, we can help you pack your belongings.”

Everard ran his fingers through his raven black hair and swiftly replied, “I don’t think I will need anything. Let’s just go.”

He didn’t feel like packing his belongings because he wanted to make himself believe that he was not going to stay there in Xanmar for long. He wanted to believe that he would return as soon as his father recovered.

The messengers bowed to the Crown Prince and led the way.

Everard glanced at Alexander and apologized before following the messengers, “I’m sorry, Alex. I shouldn’t have-”

“It’s alright, Eve. I know.” Alexander gave a sad smile to his friend and gently nudged him, “Now go.”

Everard turned on his heels and began walking down the corridor.

Alexander kept on watching Everard rushing away. ‘Wait!’ Something suddenly struck Alexander’s mind. “Eve, what about Ruby?” he shouted from the other end of the corridor.

Everard suddenly stopped on his path and turned around. “Er... I think I will take her with me. Yeah, I will take her along. So, don’t worry about her.”

“Okay, take care!” Alexander waved his hand and shouted, “And come back soon. I don’t want to stay in the boring lectures without you.”

Everard smiled and waved back. And in an instant, he turned around and ran at the top of his human speed.

The smile on Alexander’s lips immediately faded away. He sighed deeply and whispered, ‘Eve... I really hope that you will come back...’

—

“The Crown Prince is back!”

Everard’s sharp ears caught someone in the capital shouting and running away.

He took a deep breath in and slightly pushed the curtain on the window of his carriage to look outside. His heart always used to warm up when he used to see the familiar streets of his kingdom. He would feel that the fresh air of his kingdom was his escape from all the hardships that he had to endure at his university.

However, this time, he felt as if those streets were his shackles instead of his escape.

Ruby glanced at Everard’s face. She noticed how crestfallen he looked, as though someone had plucked every bit of other emotions from him.

Everard dropped the curtain and then closed his eyes again. He hadn’t spoken a word since they started the journey. And he intended to do so until and unless it was absolutely necessary to speak.

Ruby took a deep breath in and looked away from the Crown Prince. Her gaze happened to land on the messengers.

She could see that even after two whole days of traveling with them, they were still giving her the contemptuous look as if she was a courtesan whom the Crown Prince had picked up somewhere on the street.

Ruby had no other option than to avoid their judgmental glare.

After traveling for a few more minutes, the carriage reached the castle.

Unlike the other times, there was no grand welcome for the Crown Prince. All the guards bowed their heads as the carriage passed, and that was it.

“My Prince.” Jerome came to receive the Crown Prince. He bowed and greeted, “Welcome back. We all have been expecting you.”

Everard walked ahead of Jerome while asking, “Where’s my father? How is he?”

Jerome’s attention was, however, somewhere else. He was looking back at the shy woman who was keeping her head low and following him and the Prince.

“Jerome?”

The beta’s attention was finally back on Everard. And he immediately replied, “His Majesty is in his bedchamber. He is...” He took a deep breath in and replied, “You can see for yourself, Your Highness.”

Everard let out a sigh of frustration and rushed towards his father’s bedchamber.

Ruby was about to follow Everard but Jerome stood in front of her and stopped her.

And he asked with utmost curiosity, “May I get your introduction?”

Ruby gulped with nervousness and then answered while still keeping her head down, “I am Ruby Thompson.”

“And...” Jerome raised his brows and waited for Ruby to speak further. But when she didn’t say anything else, he asked again, “May I know your relationship with the Crown Prince.”

Ruby herself didn’t know what she was to the Crown Prince. She definitely wasn’t his friend, she wasn’t his maid, and she wasn’t his family although he did say that she was.

And in her confusion, she mumbled, “I’m a member of the Crestfire clan.”

Jerome frowned because he was sure that there were no Thompsons in the Crestfire clan. And he was angry at Ruby for lying to him.

He looked down at Ruby and asked in a harsh tone, “Tell me who you really are, Miss. Or else, I don’t care if you came with His Highness. I am going to dump you like trash if you don’t speak the truth this in-”

“Jerome!” Everard shouted from the end of the hallway.

Jerome instantly stepped aside from Ruby and held his head low.

Ruby was already on the verge of breaking into tears. And when she saw Everard, she was greatly relieved.

Everard walked up to them and looked Jerome in the eyes. And he spoke in a commanding tone, “She is a kin of mine. I will explain the details later. But until then, I demand everyone to treat her with respect. Show her to a guest room.”

Jerome didn’t like how Everard easily gave her the status of a family. However, he didn’t want to argue with the Prince at the moment. So, he agreed to the Prince’s request. “I will do as you have asked, Your Highness.”

Everard glanced at Ruby and said in a bit softer tone, “I’m sorry, I was in a hurry and I forgot about you. You should rest while I will go and meet my father.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Ruby gave a bow to Everard, thankful that he came back and saved her from possible humiliation.

After watching Jerome and Ruby head towards another wing of the castle, Everard made his way to the King’s chamber.

He stopped in front of the door to his father’s room and mentally prepared himself. After taking a moment to himself, he finally signaled the guards at the door to announce his presence, although it wasn’t quite necessary to do so.

“His Highness, the Crown Prince has arrived,” one of the guards made the announcement and pushed the door open.

Everard felt a pinch in his heart the moment his eyes fell on the bed.

His father was lying down on the bed, looking all frail and weak. Never in his life had he seen his father in that condition. And it pained him further thinking how his father would have looked like without his stronger immune system.

“Everard, my son.” King Alfred held out his palm and asked in a weak voice, “You came?”

“Yes, Father.” Everard took some heavy steps and went inside. He took his father’s hand and asked after gulping, “What happened to you?”