As I walked out arm in arm with Max, I felt the muscle in his arm. It seemed thinner.


    I hadn''t noticed it so muchst night. I''d thought he had lost weight recently, but not to the point of feeling this gaunt.


    "Max, after a while, let''s go back to Crestview Metropolis. You''ve gotten so thin from all the stress."


    But today, Max didn''t answer me.


    For some reason, an ominous feeling washed over me.


    I finally noticed the ce was filled with people, all from Max''s side of the family. This was his true home.


    For a moment, I thought he must have had a happy childhood.


    "Is Garrett okay now? Since Richard has Lily under control, he should be released, right?"


    But when I asked this question, a dark expression flickered across Max''s face.


    I nced around but didn''t see Garrett anywhere.


    However, I did see many royal guards standing at attention, ready for anything. My heart dropped. Max always had a purpose for everything he did.


    This engagement probably had a purpose too.


    "Besides getting engaged to me, is there another purpose for this ceremony?"


    "Yesterday, no. But today, Babur said Garrett wasn''t actually kidnapped by Lily, so I want to see what he''s nning. I offer him the throne, he doesn''t want it, and instead he just schemes all day."


    Max had a look of deep frustration, as if hating iron for not bing steel. But he wouldn''t meet my eyes. His gaze was full of avoidance.


    "If Garrett doesn''t want the throne but still wants to rebel, then what does he want?"


    Max rubbed the ring on his finger, his expression cold and grim. He said nothing. He''d put on a ring without even telling me.


    "Where''s my ring?" The day we parted in the alley, I had told him I wouldn''t wear it yet, not until everything was settled and we could truly be together.


    I held out my hand to him.


    By all rights, today was the day to wear it.


    But how could Max put his on without telling me?


    "What ring?" Max suddenly turned to ask, a hint of detachment in his eyes.


    A thousand questions flooded my mind. "The one that matches yours."


    Max paused for a noticeable moment. "Ah, it''s in the room. I''ll get it for youter.”


    But we had agreed that when we were together, we would put them on for each other.


    A strange premonition grew inside me. Was the man in front of me really Max?


    But only Max would know that my favorite color was light blue.


    Only Max would know how much


    loved my mother. That''s why he took me to see the poppies yesterday and


    yesterday


    told me the little white cat was a


    a gift left behind by her.  fo


    As I stood there, hesitating, the little


    white cat, Lucky, padded over. "Lucky," I called, bending down to pick him up But Max stepped in, scooping the car up first He cuddled


    it for a moment and said to it, "You can''t be naughty today."


    I remembered what the servant had told me yesterday. Max was allergic to the cat


    and had to take medication whenever he touched it. He never held it.


    But today, he was holding it and ying with it happily. And the cat, unlikest night, wasn''t distant. It was nuzzling against him affectionately.


    He wasn''t Max. He was Garrett.


    The rm bells went off in my head.


    I kept a smile on my face. Thest


    time I saw Garrett, he had


    thinness to him and wore


    a sicklyet


    gold-rimmed sses. Unlike the


    fiery, righteous strength of some, he had a more delicate beauty.


    But today, he looked identical to Max. If it weren''t for the ring and the cat, I never would have known.


    “I''d like some milk. I was so busy with makeup this morning, I didn''t have time to eat."


    Garrett nced at me and smiled faintly. "I''ll go get it for you."


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    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!