"Are we not taking the driver?" Alie asked as she fastened her seatbelt.
"No. I’ll be driving tonight," Gabriel replied, glancing her way. "Alie, look at ."
She turned instantly, only to feel the firm press of his lips against hers.
"Strawberry," he murmured.
"What?" she asked, laughing softly.
"The taste of your lipstick," he said with a faint smile, starting the engine.
She noticed the way he licked his lips and quickly averted her gaze, heart skipping a beat.
"Gabriel, I forgot to ask, how’s the case regarding Zilia going? I haven’t seen Prince Casaio around lately." She turned her head toward him, seeking a sincere response.
"Albus ntioned that Casaio had to return to the palace urgently," Gabriel answered. "I haven’t had a chance to look into Zilia’s matter yet. Once we’re back, I’ll follow up. But I have a feeling Casaio may delay things... His feelings for her still linger."
"Hm. It’s not easy to interrogate soone you love," Alie murmured, thoughtful. "They were together for ten years... It must be devastating. I told him he should look forward to a second chance, but he said it was impossible. You should talk to him more, Gabriel. He needs our support."
Gabriel’s grip on the wheel tightened slightly. "He was warned, more than once, when Zilia refused his marriage proposals. He chose to ignore those signs. As for support... I’m not sure how much we can offer. The kingdom demands his full attention. Work might be his only escape now."
"You can be harsh sotis, you know," Alie said, settling more comfortably in her seat.
"Why? Because I speak the truth bluntly?" Gabriel chuckled.
"Give your brother emotional support," she insisted gently. "Prince Casaio may not have stood by you when you were younger, but he does now. I’m sure he loves you deeply. Having an elder brother is a blessing, and you have two."
Gabriel fell silent, his eyes focused on the road ahead.
"Sorry if I upset you with what I said," Alie murmured, watching him carefully.
"I’m not upset," Gabriel said quietly. "It’s just... people often expect to place sentint above responsibility."
Alie studied him for a mont, then turned her gaze to the passing scenery outside the window.
~~~~~~
"Have you ever seen this man in this bar?" Karn asked, sliding a photo of Louis across the counter toward the bartender.
The bartender studied the picture briefly before shaking his head. "No, I haven’t, sir."
Karn leaned in slightly, his voice firr this ti. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes," the bartender replied with a hint of certainty. "I’ve never seen him before."
Karn gave a curt nod and thanked the man before stepping out of the dimly lit bar. He had already called at Louis’s residence earlier, only to find he wasn’t even in the capital.
To make things more confusing, Louis’s phone had been unreachable. So why had that strange ssage co through? Karn had already sent Louis’s number in for tracking, but so far, no updates had co back.
Karn slid back into his car and inserted the key, ready to start the engine. But his hand froze when he spotted a familiar figure stepping out of a black sedan across the street.
"Louis?" he muttered in disbelief with narrowed eyes. "When did he get to San Ravendale? I hope there is no foul play, but he was untraceable."
He watched as Louis, seemingly unaware of being observed, headed straight into the very bar Karn had just left.
Without hesitation, Karn stepped out and followed, keeping a careful distance. Louis was already heading upstairs. Karn moved swiftly, quietly trailing behind him, and watched him enter a private lounge.
Karn pushed the door open, and his eyes locked with Louis.
"Why are you here?" Louis asked. Then, a soft chuckle escaped his mouth. "I asked Gabriel to co, not you. Don’t tell Prince Gabriel has asked you to follow ," he remarked.
"Yes, he did," Karn replied as he walked inside, letting the door shut on its own. "Your phone is unreachable. You were not in San Ravendale. Then, how did you co here?" he asked, sitting across from him.
A soft knock interrupted the mont before the door creaked open. A waiter entered with a tray laden with drinks, setting it carefully on the table without a word. Once he exited and the door clicked shut, silence settled again.
Karn didn’t waste a mont.
"And the fact that you invited the prince to a place like this is suspicious in itself," he said, his eyes fixed on Louis.
Louis let out a slow sigh, reaching for one of the glasses. "I just wanted to have a few drinks with Gabriel, nothing more," he replied, but edged with frustration. "Besides, wasn’t it him who asked for information about that sketch? He still doesn’t trust , and honestly, that makes question whether I should even share what I’ve discovered."
He gave a small shake of his head, as if trying to rid himself of the doubt creeping into his mind.
"You could’ve co to the mansion then," Karn argued. "As for trailing you, it was because you were suddenly off radar. Even now, your phone is unreachable," he asserted.
"I lost my phone," Louis said curtly. "Call Gabriel. If he wants the truth about that tattoo, or mark, or whatever it is, he’ll have to co here himself."
"Prince Gabriel can’t co right now," Karn replied evenly. "You can tell , and I’ll deliver the ssage."
"No," Louis said firmly, shaking his head. "I must speak to Gabriel."
Karn let out a quiet sigh, clicking his tongue in mild irritation as he pulled out his phone. He scrolled quickly, then placed the call, lifting the phone to his ear.
"Yeah?" Gabriel answered on the other end.
In the background, Karn caught a familiar voice saying playfully, "Gabriel, how about this baby picture?"
"Louis is in the bar," Karn said. "He’s asking for you. Said it has to be you."
"Tell him to wait. I’m outside," Gabriel replied shortly before hanging up.
Karn lowered the phone and turned to Louis. "The prince said to wait."
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