?Chapter 522:


    The atmosphere was tense and awkward. Trying to ease it, I forced a smile and said, “Let’s put her out of our minds for now. Why don’t you all stay for dinner tonight? We can celebrate the good resolution of this issue. You can move out tomorrow.”


    Alice smiled at this and said, “Yes, we should celebrate.”


    “Let’s celebrate tonight. We’ll deal with whatever tomorrow brings, tomorrow,” Evie added.


    The tension in the room finally began to ease. At that moment, the servants returned with the ingredients, and Evie set about preparing the meal.


    Makenna’s POV:


    Evie worked quickly, and soon enough, an array of mouth-watering dishes was ced on the table, each more tantalizing than thest. The aroma of the feast wafted through the air, making us all practically drool with anticipation.


    Barely able to contain our excitement, we moved to sit down, and Dominic brought out a bottle of his prized wine, chuckling as he held it up. “You’re in for a rare treat,” he said with a smirk. “Even my father hasn’t tasted this wine.”


    “Well then, I better savor every drop,” I replied, eagerly pouring myself a ss. But before I could take a sip, a firm hand intervened.


    yton gently took the ss from my hand and reced it with a ss of juice. “You’re carrying a child—no wine for you,” he reminded me, his tone gentle but unyielding.


    “All right, all right,” I replied with a resigned shrug, raising the juice in a toast. “Thank you all for your help and care these past days. I’ll toast to all of you with this juice and to the sess that follows.”


    Everyone raised their sses in return, clinking them together with mine, filling the room with a celebratory spirit.


    “As long as you’re safe and sound, anything we’ve done is more than worth it!” Aliceughed heartily. “And of course, the best news is that Makenna has recovered fully.”


    gα ?η σ ν?? ??s holds great reads


    Withughter and lively conversation, time drifted away, each of us wrapped in the warmth of goodpany.


    Before long, everyone except me was swaying in their seats, thoroughly tipsy and slumped over the chairs or the table. I, who couldn’t drink, was the only sober one.


    With a resigned shake of my head, I instructed the princes’ servants to escort them to their rooms, making sure each one was carefully taken care of.


    Then, I gently helped Alice and Evie to their bedrooms, ensuring they were settled before finally releasing a long sigh of relief. I made my way outside, alone, seeking the calm of the night.


    Despite myughter and smiles at dinner, my heart was tangled in a web of doubts, heavy with confusion and uncertainty.


    I wandered through the garden, slipping my hand into my pocket to retrieve my mother’s ne. Under the soft glow of the moonlight, it shimmered with a calming light, soothing my unsettled spirit.


    Caressing the ne in my palm, I murmured, “Mom, what should I do about my future? If anyone uncovers the truth of who I am… what will be of me?” With a sigh, I continued to wander, my steps slow and my mind a thousand miles away, unaware of where my feet were leading me.


    The garden grew hazy under the moon’s glow, and I soon found myself in an unfamiliar part of the pce grounds. Just as I decided to turn back, I caught the distant sound ofmotion.


    “What’s going on?” I muttered to myself, confused. Noise was strictly forbidden in the pce grounds, especially at thiste hour. Had something serious happened?


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