Prince Ethan stepped into the courtyard, removing his gloves slowly. The mission had taken longer than expected, but it was finally over.
"You're finally back." Francis leaned against the marble pillar, arms crossed.
Ethan smirked. "Miss me?"
He walked toward the garden.
"Hey, wait up… you can be really irritating sometimes, you know."
"Really? Enlighten me."
Francis caught up with him, shaking his head. "You'll see soon enough. Someone's coming to the capital this weekend."
Ethan glanced at him. "Your girl?"
Francis smiled.
Ethan looked away casually, but the name stayed in his mind.
Aura.
—
The Sinclair estate stood at the edge of the upper district, its white brick and marble walls still too new against the older mansions surrounding it. Servants moved in and out of the gates, carrying crates and polished furniture, while the last of the carriages rolled away.
Aura Sinclair stepped onto the gravel path, her gloved hands lightly clasped before her.
The air in the city center felt different. Lighter… yet heavier with expectation. Conversations here were quieter, but every glance carried meaning.
"Miss Aura, the servants are ready," the head maid said quietly.
Aura nodded, her gaze drifting toward the distant palace. Being closer to the royal district meant many things. More invitations. More expectations.
And less distance.
Her father had been promoted only months ago. Once a low-ranking duke with influence limited to distant territories, he now stood among the upper nobility. Moving to the capital was inevitable.
So was everything that came with it.
"Miss Aura, the main hall is ready," the maid informed gently.
"Thank you."
Aura walked toward the entrance, her steps calm and measured. She never rushed. Even as servants bowed, she acknowledged them with small nods, composed and steady.
The doors opened.
The interior was grand. High ceilings, crystal chandeliers, marble floors polished to a mirror shine. It was meant to impress.
To announce their arrival.
Aura walked through it calmly, as though she had expected nothing less.
This was simply the next step.
Not a dream.
Not a shock.
Just… progression.
Her gaze drifted toward the tall windows overlooking the distant palace. From here, the royal district was no longer far away.
Which also meant…
Francis was no longer far away.
The thought came quietly. No excitement. No anxiety. Just recognition.
Their relationship had existed mostly in letters, calls, and occasional visits. It started as a trial… and just continued. Long distance turned them into a habit.
Francis was attractive, charming, teasing. Confident, slightly arrogant. Warm without trying.
He always called her elegant. Gentle. Cute, sometimes, when he teased her.
Aura didn't dislike it.
But she often wondered if those words belonged to her… or the version of her he preferred.
She paused near the window.
Francis saw her as calm.
And she was.
He saw her as delicate.
And she was not.
There was a difference.
Not one worth correcting. Not one worth arguing. Just something she noticed over time. Like a small crack in glass that never quite spread.
He planned for the future easily. Spoke about distance disappearing. Assumed their relationship would grow stronger simply because time passed.
Aura had never objected.
But she had never fully agreed either.
Now they were in the same city. Close enough to see each other without planning weeks ahead. Close enough for things to change… or stay exactly the same.
She wasn't sure which would happen.
And strangely… she didn't mind either outcome.
"Miss Aura, would you like tea prepared?" the maid asked.
"Yes," she replied softly.
As the maid left, Aura turned away from the window, her expression calm. Moving here meant entering a different world. New expectations. New circles.
New encounters.
Somewhere beyond the estate walls, the capital moved in quiet elegance, unaware that another player had stepped onto the board.
Aura Sinclair walked further into the hall, composed as ever…
Unaware that this calm would soon be tested.
By someone she had never dreamed of meeting.