?Chapter 766:


    Before long, a sleek ck car crept up beside me. I slowed my pace, half-convinced one of the princes wasing to drag me back. Just as I opened my mouth to tell him off, the car window rolled down.


    “Miss Dunn, this area is quite deserted. Let me give you a lift,” came a familiar voice—Amon’s—softened by his gentle smile.


    Relief washed over me at the sight of him, though curiosity quickly followed. “Amon? What are you doing here?”


    Scratching the back of his head, he gave me a sheepish grin. “Prince Bryan asked me to ensure you got home safely.” He hesitated, then added earnestly, “But honestly, I wanted to escort you myself. You’re a good friend to Alice, after all.”


    I couldn’t help butugh at his earnest awkwardness. Opening the car door, I climbed in. “In that case, I’ll take you up on the offer. Thanks.”


    “Don’t mention it—it’s my duty,” Amon said warmly as he started the car and eased it onto the road.


    Seated in the back, I studied Amon’s reflection in the rearview mirror. After a moment, I asked softly, “How’s Alice? Has she been worried about me?”


    The memory of drugging Alice to keep her from following me into danger still lingered ufortably in my mind. We hadn’t seen each other since, and I wasn’t sure if she was angry or hurt.


    Amon’s face lit up at the mention of her. “Alice? Oh, she’s been a bundle of nerves. She’s even tried to storm into the princes’ residences a few times, demanding they hand you over.” He sighed, looking exasperated. “Now she won’t even speak to me—she thinks I’m helping Prince Bryan keep you locked up. I’ve been trying to exin, but she’s not having it.”


    I shook my head, a smile tugging at my lips. “Alice is one of a kind. Honestly, I think she’s the only one in this pce who truly cares about me.”


    Amon hesitated, his lips parting as if to say something, then closing again. After a pause, he seemed to gather his courage. “Actually… Prince Bryan does care about you. He—”


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    “Amon, I don’t want to talk about him!” I cut him off, my tone sharp and frosty.


    Sensing my irritation, Amon cleared his throat awkwardly and shifted the conversation. “Miss Dunn, since you and Alice are so close, would you mind putting in a good word for me? She’s been giving me the cold shoulder.”


    That piqued my interest, and a teasing grin spread across my face. “Oh? Why do you care so much about what Alice thinks? Don’t tell me…” I let the question linger, my eyes sparkling with mischief. “You’ve got a thing for her, don’t you?”


    I’d had my suspicions about Amon harboring feelings for Alice for quite some time. Still, there was a certain thrill in prodding him, hoping he’d confess outright.


    Makenna’s POV:


    Arnon’s face turned as red as a ripe tomato.


    “I…” he stuttered, fumbling over his words like a bird caught in a.


    Unable to resist, I leaned back in my seat and teased him. “Amon, if you’re not into Alice, why are you so desperate for me to put in a good word for you?”


    Amon’s knuckles turned white as his grip tightened on the steering wheel, clearly waging some kind of internal battle. After what felt like an eternity, he finally exhaled deeply, as if gathering every ounce of courage. “Alright, fine. You win. I like Alice.”


    The moment he confessed, his face clouded over, and his gaze dropped, weighed down with a sadness I couldn’t ignore.


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