Ethan stepped out of the study taking a deep breath in and letting out a sigh of relief.
Not because the conversation had been easy_ it hadn't been in the slightest.
The weight of his fathers words still hung around him, they had a traitor. Someone close, most likely nobility. But was their ultimate goal amassing wealth?
Putting that aside, the tea and the time he spent with his dad were warm and precious. It felt like father and son moment, not King and the prince.
His father might not always have time, but when he did, he made it count. It was something people rarely understood. Being king never stopped him from being a father.
Prince Ethan Cole walked down the grand staircase toward the living room.
Everything screamed royalty.
The palace was Modern, elegant, and a little quietly intimidating.
The space opened wide beneath him. Polished white marble reflected soft golden lights. Floor-to-ceiling windows framed the skyline, sheer curtains designed to be masterpieces. Cream sofas sat in perfect balance, gold-lined tables beside them. A grand chandelier hung above, glowing like frozen light.
It was beautiful.
Soft.
Inviting.
And still overwhelming.
Every detail reminded him this wasn't just a home.
It was power dressed in elegance.
No matter how many times he walked through these stairs, he was always reminded that the walls have ears. Every servant who bowed was also a potential informant.
That was the price of being born royal, same as fame, you are never truly alone.
As he reached the last step, Jason appeared.
"Your Highness, your friend is here to see you."
" send him in."
Jason bowed and signaled the guards and servants. One by one, they quietly left, giving the two friends privacy.
Ethan descended the final step.
Francis Marlowe stood close to the entrance looking towards Ethan with a knowing grin. Like he was about to bring in chaos, he really brought them like a whirlwind.
"Hey, so…" Francis said, raising an eyebrow, while stepping in fully. " Not going to greet your buddy?"
"What are you expecting? 'Oh, I missed you?' Ugh," Ethan replied, rolling his eyes but a small smile appeared at the corner of his lips. "you're insufferable."
Francis placed a hand on his chest dramatically. "Oh, my humble prince, accept my prideful apology." He bowed exaggeratedly, sweeping one hand beside him like a theatre performance.
They both burst into laughter, filling the room with a genuinely warm atmosphere. There was never a dull moment with Francis.
"This is ridiculous," Ethan said holding back his laughter. He needed to be serious. "I have to be at Hasen soon. I can't afford to sit around, entertaining your theatrics."
"Then let's move around." Francis said with a grin and mirth in his eyes. "I'll hitch a ride with you. I have a lot to tell you. More importantly… I'll finally introduce you to my girl. Aura, she'llbe coming soon."
Francis smiled, clearly excited.
Aura.
Francis had met her a few months ago during his trip to Victorian. The city wasn't too far from the capital, about seven to nine hours by car. According to Francis, it had been fate.
Ethan was getting a bit curious. Francis was handsome and charming and from a family of considerable influence. He was also the type of person who loved wholly from the heart going all in. Sometimes giving everything in exchange of nothing.
That kind of devotion could be overwhelming. The fact that she could reciprocate it spoke volumes.
But from the description Francis gave about their encounter, it sounded more like Francis seeing a girl, developing a crush, and then boldly introducing himself. She hadn't even known he existed until then.
Still… she chose him, and went along with devoting herself to this.
That alone made Ethan curious.
They had been in a long-distance relationship since Francis returned. Calls, messages, occasional visits and dates. Nothing too intimate from what Ethan knew. Francis was old fashioned, preferring to build something intimate before diving deeper. Ethan was not against it, he understood.
Francis looked really serious about her.
"Okay," Ethan said. "Let's go."
They walked toward the exit, their footsteps in sync. Two handsome gentlemen, friends with high influence in the outside world and school. The maids drooled at this sight.
"He'd been promoted," Francis added talking about Aura's dad as they calmly walked ahead."They're moving to the capital this weekend. She'll be attending our school."
He looked genuinely happy.
Their school was an elite and prestigious institution. Attended by heirs to royal families, heirs to nobility , scions of high society, powerful names and great minds of their generation. If she wasn't used to that environment, it might be difficult.
But Francis would make sure she was comfortable.
And Ethan… for his friend's sake… would help if needed. He won't let anyone from his circle or related to his circle be bullied. Not while he could stop it.
As for the situation in Hansen...whoever is behind this charade should watch their backs, he would not be playing the nice guy.
They stepped outside and headed toward the parking area.
Ethan folded his hands behind him as they walked.
'Aura Sinclair…'
Royal Elite Academy, he pictured her in his mind. 'If she's as demure and pure as Francis says…she might be eaten up without influence. Let's hope she has something worth investing in.'
He wasn't sure what to expect. But for some reason…
He felt this meeting might change more than just introductions.
There was something about the way Francis spoke about her that made Ethan...uneasy.
Not because he doubted his friend's judgement, no...he trusted it implicitly.
But because he knew how easily love could blind a person, how it could make them over look cracks they would have saw without it.
Ethan was trained to seek cracks, so much so it was like a second nature to him now, his curse.
He hoped for Francis sake that she was as demure as he thought, one at least cared for him a bit.
But hope was something else that was dangerous in his dictionary...