?Chapter 1489:


    Evenings were all glittering gs and moonlit dances. Suddenly, Dani’s voice turned teasing.


    “And yes, I looked up the princess. She’s gorgeous—tall, refined, with that practiced royal poise. I’ll give her that.”


    She said it with easy nonchnce, as if merely filling space with conversation.


    But Cedric’s chest tightened with every word; the fear in his eyes was unmistakable. He wondered if Dani was quietly preparing to let him go—urging him to chase a life of luxury he could never find with her. His eyes brimmed with emotion.


    Dani’s fingers drifted lightly over Cedric’s eyelids, brushing away the tension there.


    Cedric dropped his gaze, shoulders slumping in defeat.


    “Truth be told, if I were living in that kind of luxury, I might just get used to it—and even like it,” Dani mused, her voice calm but unreadable.


    Carol pushed the door open, sensing the tense atmosphere inside. She paused for a moment before asking, “Are you two hungry? I could really use something to eat.”


    Dani set her ss down and offered a gentle nod.


    “Let’s head home and get some dinner,” she said to Cedric, her tone steady.


    But Cedric just sat there, his appetite gone.


    Dani’s words echoed in his mind, each one a fresh wound. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she was preparing to leave him for good.


    They left together, but the drive back was silent—every mile thick with unspoken unease.


    Cedric kept sneaking nces at Dani, desperate for a sign of hope, but she stared nkly out the window, her face asionally lit by the glow of passing streetlights.


    Each sh of light made Cedric’s heart sink further.


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    Dinner was a dismal affair. Cedric didn’t touch his food, lost in his own storm of dread.


    When Dani returned to the dining room after a brief phone call, she immediately noticed his absence.


    “Where’s Cedric?”


    Carol pointed upstairs without looking up, wolfing down her food after having skipped lunch earlier.


    “He said he was full and headed up. I guess he’s done for the night,” she mumbled, mouth full.


    Since Dani wasn’t much for cooking, she simply reheated a sandwich and carried it upstairs.


    She found Cedric sitting on the edge of the bed, looking utterly defeated.


    “What’s going on?” she asked, sitting beside him and offering the warm sandwich.


    Cedric stared at the sandwich for a long moment. He wanted to speak up for himself, but every word caught in his throat.


    Seeking the truth had always been the one thing Dani couldn’t let go of. He knew that, so he couldn’t bring himself to ask her to give up her pursuit and choose him instead.


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