Chapter 72: Consider A Divorce
The Crown Prince stood still and bowed elegantly, his hand over his heart as he looked up at her through his golden lashes.
"The rumors did not do you justice, Duchess Evelina," Elian murmured, his voice a smooth baritone. "The Capital is freezing in the dark, yet you have brought the entire night sky with you in northern linen. It seems... my treasury belongs to you tonight."
Before Evelina could offer a polite response, a dark shadow cut directly into her line of sight.
Ace stepped forward, his broad shoulder physically blocking Elian’s view of her. The movement was rough as if it was carrying the terrifying weight of a commander protecting his frontline.
"Your Highness," Ace said, his voice was low, almost like a subtle threat, "The northern linen belongs to the Alvarez estate. If the crown wishes to negotiate, we can discuss it in the morning. Tonight, my wife is way too fatigued to talk business."
The raw jealousy radiating from Ace was thick enough to feel.
Elian’s eyes flicked to Ace, his perfect smile never wavering. Instead, a dangerous spark of challenge lit up his gaze.
"Fatigued?" Elian tilted his head with a soft sigh, "Now that will be a tragedy. But a mind as brilliant as the Duchess’s rarely rests. I heard she brought your entire council to their knees in less than an hour. Surely, a simple dance with the crown wouldn’t be too exhausting?"
Elian gracefully extended his hand toward Evelina, completely ignoring Ace.
Ace’s hand clenched into a tight, white-knuckled fist. The muscles along his jaw leaped violently. Every line of his body screamed that he was a second away from dragging her out of the palace by force.
[System Alert! System Alert!]
[Reboot failed. System logic locked due to extreme target interference.]
[Warning: You are completely on your own. Proceed blind.]
The System should have thanked the heavens that it was not a physical entity because Evelina would have shred it to pieces right there and then.
The red text kept flashing a couple of times before vanishing into total darkness.
Evelina’s chest tightened slightly. She was flying blind in a room full of predators, without any stats or warnings that she had grown accustomed to.
But the lack of a system didn’t make her hesitate. The sudden danger only cleared her mind.
She didn’t look at Elian’s hand. Instead, she turned her head slightly, her emerald eyes looking up to meet Ace’s dark gaze.
For a brief second, the simmering tension between them locked into place. She saw the raw panic and possessive madness in his eyes.
Slowly, she reached out and pressed her palm against Ace’s rigid forearm.
The touch was soft, but the heat of her hand seared through his uniform, sending a sharp jolt straight to his heart.
Ace froze, his breath catching as he looked down at her cool hand resting on his arm. To others, it might have looked like a romantic gesture but the look in her eyes was nothing but a cold command: ’Stand down, don’t ruin my business!’
It only triggered Ace further, increasing his anger. But the gentle touch of her fingers was like the soft kitten scratch on his heart.
So despite everything, he stayed put for a moment.
"Your Highness is far too kind," Evelina said, turning back to the Crown Prince. Instead of taking Elian’s hand, she offered a small curtsy, "But the Duke speaks the truth. The long journey has left me unsuited for the dance floor tonight. However..."
She paused, a beautiful smile touching her lips that caught Elian’s attention.
"...I would be delighted to join Your Highness in the conservatory later this evening to review the initial contract sheets for the business you are so interested in. After all, a proper business discussion should never happen while the music is playing."
Elian stared at her, his hand still in the air.
Then, he let out a soft chuckle, pulling his hand back, "It’s rare I encounter a lady who is more interested in numbers than music."
"Then you probably haven’t met a lot of ladies, I assume," Evelina said in the same light-hearted tone as him, ignoring the constantly spiking heat under Ace’s skin.
Everyone held their breathes, clearly shocked at how Evelina joked with the Crown Prince.
Suddenly, the Crown Prince laughed. The man seemed far from offended, "Very well. I shall have the attendants prepare the tea. Do not keep me waiting long."
With a polite nod, the prince turned on his heel and walked back toward the high ministers.
The heavy pressure in the air lifted slightly, but the tension between Ace and Evelina was far from over.
The moment Elian was out of earshot, Ace turned his entire body toward her, his shadow completely engulfing her again.
His hand shot up, his large fingers wrapping firmly around her wrist, his thumb pressing directly over her racing pulse.
"You are meeting him alone?" Ace whispered, his voice dangerously rough as his breath brushed the top of her head, "I told you what he is, Evelina. Are you truly so blinded by your profits that you would throw yourself to a wolf for profit?"
"I am not throwing myself to anyone, Ace," Evelina frowned, "If you continue to act like a territorial child in front of the court, then we can consider a divorce to give each other the space to breathe."
Ace froze, his eyes narrowing dangerously as his fingers pressed harshly against her wrist, "A divorce, you say?"
"You did not want this marriage in the first place. I am granting your wishes here."
Ace’s grip on her wrist tightened until it was nearly bruising. The word ’divorce’ hung between them instantly freezing the air in their small corner of the ballroom.
His dark eyes, usually reflecting an undeniable anger and desire, went completely hollow. For a terrifying second, the fierce commander of the North looked as if he had been struck by a mortal blow.
