The Cursed Alpha Prince's Replacement Bride-Chapter 20: Alexander is Suspicious

{Third Person}

A brief silence followed. Alexander’s gaze lingered on him. Then—

"Her family will attend the banquet," he said. "What exactly will she be missing?"

Jasper didn’t answer or argue. He simply stood there, waiting.

A moment passed, then Alexander exhaled lightly and waved his hand dismissively. "Keep it." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Thereafter, he returned his attention to the rabbit, flipping it over the fire as if the matter no longer concerned him.

Jasper felt the tension leave his shoulders. "Understood."

He set the cat down gently. The moment its paws touched the ground, it didn’t run. Instead, it limped straight toward Alexander, then sat beside him.

Alexander frowned. "Get away."

The cat looked up at him and didn’t move. Its eyes shifted briefly to the meat in his hand.

Alexander scoffed. Jasper, watching from the side, shook his head faintly.

A few minutes later, Alexander finished roasting the rabbit. He placed it onto a plate and cut it into pieces before beginning to eat.

He had barely picked up another piece when the cat jumped fast, trying to snatch it from his hand.

Alexander reacted instantly. His free hand shot out and grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck, lifting it effortlessly.

"You filthy little thing," he said coldly.

The cat panicked immediately, letting out frantic, high-pitched sounds.

’At this rate... he’s going to kill his gift to Ms. Caldwell,’ Jasper concluded in his heart and stepped forward quickly.

"Your Highness," he said, reaching out carefully, "allow me."

Alexander didn’t resist. He released it almost immediately.

Jasper took the cat and set it down, then broke off a piece of meat from his own portion and placed it in front of it. He poured some water into a small bowl and pushed it closer.

The cat didn’t hesitate this time. It ate quickly and desperately. Within minutes, it was done, and then it limped back to Alexander.

Jasper’s lips twitched. "...Looks like you don’t plan to live long," he muttered under his breath.

Alexander looked down at the cat that was back at his side again, his frown deepening. The cat met his gaze, then looked at the meat in his hand again.

"Glutton," Alexander muttered. Then, in a colder tone, he asked, "Do you not realize I can eat you too?"

The reaction was immediate. The cat squealed softly and limped backwards, retreating in fear.

Alexander looked away, uninterested. Then his gaze shifted to Jasper. "When we return, have a servant clean it," he said. "And call for a pet doctor in the morning to examine its leg."

Jasper nodded. "Yes, Your Highness."

Alexander added, almost as an afterthought, "I will be having dinner with Ms. Caldwell tonight."

Jasper blinked once, then inclined his head. "I will have the servants prepare."

---

Amara walked into the dining hall quietly.

The long table was already set. A single plate had been laid out for her, accompanied by polished cutlery that reflected the warm glow of the overhead lights.

She paused for a brief moment before taking her seat.

For a second, she only stared at the meal in front of her, then she reached for her fork.

She had learned that no matter how much she didn’t trust this place, starving herself would only make things worse.

Just as her fingers wrapped around the cutlery, a servant stepped forward and placed another plate at the head of the table, then another set of cutlery followed.

Amara’s hand stilled as her brows drew together faintly.

Before she could ask, Mrs. Woods stepped forward with a small, polite smile. "His Highness will be joining you for dinner tonight."

Amara’s fingers tightened slightly around the fork as her appetite vanished almost instantly. Then, she set the cutlery down.

"I’m not hungry," she said, already pushing her chair back as she stood. "I will eat later."

She didn’t wait for a response. But just as she turned—

"The Alpha Prince has arrived."

The announcement stopped her in her steps. A breath caught in her chest.

A second later, Alexander entered. The atmosphere in the room changed instantly. Every servant bowed, lowering their heads.

Amara lowered her head as well, offering a restrained bow, her fingers curling slightly at her sides.

She didn’t look at him. She didn’t want to.

Alexander walked past her, then he took his seat at the head of the table like it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Sit," he said. His voice was calm, yet it left no room for refusal.

The truth is that he already knew of her attempt to escape him, but he pretended to be oblivious to her heart’s desires. He simply said nothing about it.

Amara hesitated just for a fraction of a second, then she sat slowly across from him with a small frown sitting on her face.

He had just arrived, and his presence was already stifling her.

His presence was... suffocating.

Amara kept her gaze lowered, then she noticed something. A servant stepped forward towards Alexander with a separate spoon and plate.

Then she carefully took a portion from each dish set before him and tasted it one after the other. Only after finishing did she step back.

Silence ensued. Then Alexander picked up his cutlery and began to eat, utterly unfazed, as if nothing unusual had just occurred.

Amara stared at her plate. ’So that’s how it works here.’

Slowly, she picked up her fork again. If it was safe enough for him—

She took a bite. The taste was unfamiliar, but good. Annoyingly too good, which made her even more cautious.

For a while, the only sound between them was the faint clink of cutlery against porcelain. Then—

"You heal quickly." Alexander’s voice cut through the quiet.

Amara’s hand paused mid-air, but she didn’t look up.

"I was told your wounds closed in five days." His gaze didn’t leave her. "For a human... that is unusual."

Amara finally understood what had suddenly brought him over. This wasn’t about dinner. He was here to interrogate her. Her appetite disappeared completely.

"I don’t know why. This is my first time experiencing this," she said, then picked up her fork again and forced herself to eat.

’I will not give him the satisfaction of seeing me unsettled,’ she said to herself.

"How convenient." The words were soft, but they struck.

Amara’s expression hardened. "Your Highness, what exactly are you implying?"

Now he set his cutlery down, finally giving her his full attention. "I’m implying that everything about you is... poorly timed," he said with a calm, edged voice.

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"An identity dispute. An anonymous letter. A sudden imprisonment." His gaze sharpened. "And now, remarkable healing."

Silence stretched. Then he added, almost lightly, "It would be careless not to be curious."

Amara felt heat rise in her chest. "So that’s it?" she asked. "I survived what was done to me, and now I become suspicious of it?"