Chapter 89: Meant for couples

Caroline woke with a start, her heart pounding after a horrifying nightmare in which she had seen Victor hurting Andrew. The disturbing images lingered in her mind even after she opened her eyes. She quickly sat up and pressed a hand against her forehead, her brows drawing together in a deep frown.

"I shouldn’t think about him," she murmured, trying to push the unpleasant thoughts aside.

She climbed out of bed and headed to the washroom, where she washed her face in an attempt to shake off the remnants of the nightmare. Once she had finished, she went downstairs, expecting to find the usual activity at the estate.

However, the living room was unusually quiet. No one was sitting on the couches, and even the servants seemed to have disappeared. Caroline descended the final steps, looking around with growing curiosity as she tried to figure out where everyone had gone.

"Are you looking for me?"

Andrew’s sudden whisper startled her. She stumbled forward, but before she could lose her balance, he caught her securely in his arms.

Caroline looked up at him, momentarily forgetting her confusion. A mischievous smirk played on his lips as he held her close.

"How was your rest? Are you feeling better?" Andrew asked, studying her face.

Caroline hummed in response as he slowly withdrew his arm from her back. She noticed his gaze lingering on her lips, making her slightly self-conscious. Turning her head to the side, she tried to distract herself from his attention.

"I suppose Emmett is resting at the moment," she whispered.

"Why don’t we have lunch? I’ve been waiting for you to wake up," Andrew said suddenly, deliberately shifting the conversation.

Caroline turned to him in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to wait for her. The realization that he hadn’t touched his lunch until she woke up warmed her heart, leaving her momentarily speechless.

Before she could say anything, Andrew wrapped an arm around her shoulders and gently guided her toward the dining room. Caroline walked beside him, stealing a glance at his face.

"You left your work in the middle because of me. I’m sorry about that," Caroline said as they entered the dining room.

"I had already finished most of my work by then," Andrew replied, dismissing her concern.

"Will Prince Ilias not join us?"

"Edmund sent lunch to his room an hour ago," Andrew answered.

"I see."

Caroline lowered herself into a chair, but she had little appetite. The thought of Emmett and his family’s tragedy still weighed on her mind, making it difficult for her to focus on anything else. However, she knew Andrew would refuse to eat if she skipped her meal. He had already waited for her to wake up, and she didn’t want him to neglect his own meal because of her.

"Eating less won’t solve the problems surrounding us," Andrew advised. "I know you’re feeling terrible about what happened to Emmett and how he has lost his family. But you need to stay strong if you want to keep fighting."

The spoon in Caroline’s hand hovered above her plate as she listened to him quietly.

Before she could respond, Andrew placed a hand gently on top of her head, drawing her attention back to him. Their eyes met, and she found herself looking into his steady gaze.

"Only those with a good heart feel empathy for others," he added, gently running his hand over her hair. "There’s nothing wrong with feeling sad for someone else’s suffering, Caroline. It shows that you care. But you shouldn’t let that sadness break you."

She nodded, feeling even better. After finishing their meals, they sat in the living hall, the staff was entirely dismissed.

"We have to inform the palace too, don’t we?" Caroline asked, resting her head against Andrew’s shoulder.

"No. Why would you want the people living there to know about it?" Andrew lowered his head to look at her.

"I mean..." She hesitated, unsure how to explain herself. "Never mind."

Andrew studied her for a moment but didn’t press her for an answer. Instead, he brought up something else that had been on his mind.

"I was thinking we could visit the market this evening. Did you ever celebrate the Autumn Moonlight Festival back in your pack?" he asked.

"No. Only married couples were allowed to celebrate it, along with those who were about to marry," Caroline replied.

"Then this will be our first festival together," Andrew said with a smile. "And I’m glad you get to experience it for the first time, too."

Caroline lifted her head from his shoulder to look at him. The thought of celebrating a festival with Andrew, especially one meant for couples, brought a small smile to her face.

"Let’s make our own lantern together," Caroline suggested.

"How are we going to do that?" Andrew asked, looking slightly confused. "They sell lanterns in the market. We can simply buy one."

"I can make one for us. I used to make them for my parents," she explained, a hint of nostalgia entering her voice.

"Such a talented woman you are!" Andrew praised, unable to hide his admiration.

He leaned closer, brushing his nose against hers until their lips were barely an inch apart. Caroline’s breath caught as she looked into his eyes, suddenly aware of how little distance remained between them. Andrew paused, giving her a moment to pull away, but she stayed where she was, her gaze drifting toward his lips.

When their lips finally met, a spark passed through them both. It stirred the mate bond between them. The mark on her neck began to glow.

"Why don’t you two go in the room to continue this act?" Ilias’s voice interrupted them. Caroline was quick to pull away, looking away while Andrew turned angry.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he almost barked.

Ilias lowered himself across from them. "The order that our father has given regarding me as the ambassador, do you accept that? If yes, we both have to leave tomorrow in the morning."