{Third Person}

Alexander’s expression grew colder with every passing second.

Amara had expected anger. She had expected disappointment. What she had not expected was the calm manner in which he began describing the consequences awaiting her and the people she considered family.

"You seem to think that execution is the worst outcome available to you," Alexander said, his voice frighteningly steady. "You are mistaken."

Amara’s heart tightened.

Alexander rose from his chair and slowly walked toward the window. His hands rested behind his back as he stared out across the palace grounds.

"If this matter becomes public, neither kingdom will simply execute those responsible and move on."

His gaze hardened.

"Your family would be arrested. Their titles stripped. Their assets, confiscated. They would be chained and publicly disgraced before judgment is ever passed."

Amara felt her stomach twist.

Alexander continued speaking as though discussing the weather. "The citizens of both kingdoms would demand accountability. They would want someone to blame for the humiliation inflicted upon two nations."

He turned to face her again. "And they would find it."

A chill spread through Amara’s body.

"You, your parents, your sister... all of you would become symbols of that deception."

The image formed vividly in her mind despite her efforts to resist it.

Crowds. Angry faces, shouting. The humiliation and fear.

Alexander showed no sign of stopping. "And contrary to what you may believe, this scandal would not leave me untouched."

His voice sharpened noticeably as a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes. "My enemies spend their lives waiting for opportunities. They search endlessly for weaknesses, mistakes, and scandals they can use against me."

Amara lowered her gaze.

"They would use this." Alexander did not hide his irritation.

"They would question my judgment. They would question my competence. They would drag my name through the mud and present this deception as proof that I was unfit to protect my own interests."

His jaw tightened as he concluded, "And I will not tolerate it."

The room fell silent. Then Alexander looked directly at her and asked, "So tell me, how exactly do you think I would spare you?"

The question struck her like a blow.

Amara opened her mouth, but no words came out. Before she could even attempt an answer, he continued.

"They would chain you." His voice remained calm. "They would chain every member of your family and parade all of you through the streets."

Amara felt her chest tighten painfully.

"The citizens would throw their anger at you." His eyes never left hers. "And they would be encouraged to do so."

The first tear slipped down her cheek. Amara quickly wiped it away, but another followed. Then another.

Soon she could no longer stop them. The tears came faster than she could hide.

She lowered her head, embarrassed by her own weakness, but it made no difference. The more she tried to control herself, the harder it became.

A small broken sound escaped her throat, then another.

Alexander watched her silently at first, then his frown deepened. The crying continued, soft, pathetic and annoyingly persistent.

The sight irritated him far more than it should have.

"Stop crying." His voice was sharp. Unfortunately, the command achieved the exact opposite effect.

Amara pressed her lips together desperately, but the tears continued flowing. Small helpless sounds escaped despite her efforts to suppress them.

Alexander felt his headache worsening. He had wanted her to understand the seriousness of the situation. He had not wanted this.

Finally, unable to tolerate the sight any longer, he waved a dismissive hand. "Leave."

Amara blinked through her tears.

Alexander’s expression remained cold. "Return to your residence."

Amara quickly lowered her head. "Y-Yes, Your Highness."

She rose from her chair, wiped at her eyes, and made her way toward the door. Her hand had just reached for the handle when his voice stopped her.

She froze in her steps. For several seconds, he remained silent before finally speaking.

"At present, only five people know the truth."

Slowly, she turned around to meet his eyes fixed on her.

"Myself. You. Mrs. Woods. Barron. Jasper."

The words felt strangely significant.

"If you still intend to live a long life, make certain that number does not increase."

Amara stared at him. Her mind felt too overwhelmed to process what he was saying, so she merely nodded, then she opened the door and left.

---

The walk back to her residence felt like a blur.

By the time she stepped inside, her thoughts had become so tangled that she could barely think straight.

Mrs. Woods was waiting in the living room for her. The moment she saw her swollen eyes, relief washed over her.

"My Lady." She hurried forward immediately and asked, "Are you alright?"

The question alone nearly made Amara cry again.

Mrs. Woods gently guided her to a chair and tried comforting her, but Amara struggled to respond.

Her mind remained trapped inside Alexander’s study.

Lunch arrived soon afterwards at the dining room, unfortunately, she barely touched it.

Mrs. Woods watched anxiously as she pushed food around her plate without eating much of anything.

"My Lady, you should eat a little more."

Amara forced a weak smile. "I’m not hungry."

The answer only increased Mrs. Woods’s concern. Several times, she nearly asked what had happened inside Alexander’s study, but each time, she stopped herself.

Servants moved in and out of the residence throughout the afternoon. Walls had ears. And some conversations were simply too dangerous to risk.

Eventually, after they were finally alone, Amara spoke first, and Mrs. Woods immediately gave her full attention.

"His Highness asked me many questions, and I told him everything else I knew."

Her voice remained soft as Mrs. Woods remained quiet.

As the conversation continued, she repeated the punishments Alexander had described that awaited her and her family.

By the time she finished, her face had grown pale again. Then she repeated the final thing Alexander had said before she left.

Mrs. Woods listened very carefully.

When Amara finished, confusion became visible in her expression. "I don’t understand." She looked genuinely troubled. "What did he mean by that?"

For several seconds, Mrs. Woods simply stared at her. Then realization dawned, followed immediately by relief. And then something dangerously close to happiness.

"My Lady..." Mrs. Woods could hardly believe what she was hearing. "He is protecting you."

Amara blinked then frowned. "What?"

Mrs. Woods leaned forward. "His Highness is protecting you."

The statement sounded so absurd and impossible that Amara shook her head immediately. "No."

"Yes." Mrs. Woods smiled despite herself. "If he intended to expose you, there would be no reason to limit knowledge of your identity."

Amara fell silent as her thoughts began to shift.

Mrs. Woods continued patiently, "If he planned to punish you publicly, there would be no reason to keep your secret hidden."

The room suddenly became very quiet.

Amara stared at her. Then very slowly, the meaning behind Alexander’s final words began falling into place.

Only five people knew, and he intended to keep it that way.

Her heart skipped as she finally understood the message he had passed across to her.

He had spared her, though not only her, but her family as well. The realization left her stunned.

Her mind immediately returned to that moment in the study.

She remembered standing beside the door, remembered his voice, remembered herself nodding without understanding a thing.

A strange feeling settled in her chest.

She should have thanked him, but she had simply walked away in sheer ignorance. Yet another thought quickly followed.

Why did Alexander truly intend to protect her?

The question refused to leave her mind. After everything she and her family had done, why had he chosen mercy instead of punishment?

Amara found herself desperately wanting an answer.