At that moment, hiding behind the wall, it felt as though my heart had stopped.

My face burned with shame, as if I'd been slapped. The humiliation was unbearable.

I fled, stumbling over my own feet in my haste. I tripped and fell, my knees scraping against the rough stone, blood seeping through my skirts.

Later that night, Alexander came to my room.

I turned my back on him, refusing to face him, unwilling even to call him "brother."

The room was silent. Not a sound could be heard.

In the past, Alexander would have coaxed me with gentle words, but now, I could only think of his earlier words. The scene replayed in my mind, and tears flowed uncontrollably, soaking my pillow.

"Are you crying?"

His voice came from behind me, quiet and clear. It startled me.

I turned to look at him, surprised. "I thought you'd already left."

Alexander said nothing. He stepped forward, scooping me up effortlessly and placing me gently on the bed. He knelt beside me, lifting my skirt to inspect the wound on my knee.

His brows furrowed as he saw the swollen, bloody scrape.

"Why are you always so careless?"

I bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears. My voice trembled as I spoke, "This has nothing to do with you."

He didn't respond but continued to carefully clean my wound.

As he worked, I watched him, my gaze lingering on his face, lost in thought. I barely noticed my own staring.

"What are you looking at?"

Alexander cleared his throat awkwardly, catching my gaze with his own. His eyes flickered, betraying a brief moment of uncertainty.

Embarrassed, I quickly turned my head away, feeling the heat rise in my cheeks.

I was grateful for the cover of the night.

Alexander tilted his head, his tone shifting as he asked, "Why are you angry?"

It seemed he wasn't letting me off for ignoring him earlier.

I lowered my head, unwilling to answer.

If he discovered my true feelings for him, would he see me as shameless, disgusting even?

When I remained silent, Alexander leaned in, his presence pressing closer. I could feel his breath against my skin, the warmth of his body making me retreat further until I had no choice but to meet his gaze.

A tear slipped down my cheek.

Before I could react, the world darkened as Alexander's hand covered my eyes.

"Rest," he murmured softly, his voice dropping to a low, husky whisper near my ear.

There was something dangerous in his tone, something that sent a shiver down my spine.

From that day onward, I began to distance myself from Alexander.

But what I didn't realize was that my hidden feelings had already been laid bare for all to see.

My thoughts returned to the present, and before I knew it, Alexander was standing before me, looking down at me with his usual cold gaze.

I glanced up, accidentally locking eyes with him, and a shiver ran through me.

He spoke, his voice steady, "Prepare yourself. You'll be accompanying me to the autumn hunt in a few days."

In previous years, I had always accompanied Alexander on the autumn hunts. But this year, I was determined not to go. I planned to feign illness, hoping to excuse myself, but before long, Alexander brought the royal physician to my chambers.

He gazed at me, his eyes betraying a fleeting hint of amusement. "What ails you? You can tell me."

I had never been good at lying, and now, trapped under his scrutiny, my eyes reddened slightly. Finally, Alexander dismissed the servants, leaving just the two of us alone in the room.

"Brother, I'd like to rest," I said, retreating half a step toward the bed, pretending to be fatigued.

Seeing my resistance, Alexander seemed poised to say something but held back. "Very well, have some rest," he said before turning to leave.

As soon as he was gone, potions and tonics began to flood into my room as though they were on a schedule. Cornered, I had no choice but to announce that my health had miraculously recovered.

"If that's the case, you'll accompany me on the hunt," Alexander replied with a rare smile, the corners of his lips slightly upturned. His mood seemed noticeably improved, though I couldn't help but wonder if it was just my imagination.

"Alexander, finally, you've arrived!" A girl in crimson, expertly mounted on a horse, came to a graceful halt before the carriage.

I had just stepped down and, steadying myself, looked up to meet her gaze. I caught the flicker of surprise in her eyes.

"And this must be Celeste," she said.

The girl in front of me was none other than Princess Arabella. I moved to offer a proper curtsey, but she waved me off with a cheerful smile.

"No need for all the formalities."

Unsure of what to do, I glanced at Alexander for guidance. He smiled faintly, speaking in a gentle tone, "Let's heed the princess's words."

That smile of his felt particularly grating, and I grew even more unwilling to remain. "I don't feel well. Please excuse me," I murmured, eager to leave.

Princess Arabella laughed heartily. "Of course, do let me know if you feel unwell."

Nodding in response, I turned on my heel and hurried away, my pace quickening with each step as frustration gnawed at me. I didn't see the stranger in my path until I collided with him.

"Ow! That was rude!" The boy yelped in shock, and I found myself on the ground, too shaken to get up immediately.

He scolded me at first. "Do you not watch where you're going—" But when he saw the tears streaming down my face, his voice faltered.

"It's… it's alright. It's my fault," he stammered. "I wasn't paying attention."

Offering his arm, he said, "Here, let me help you up."

I nodded, accepting his help to stand. But a sudden noise startled me, and before I could steady myself, I stumbled straight into his arms again.

"What do you think you're doing?" came a low, cold voice from behind us. I turned to see Alexander, his face darkened with fury.