enjoyebooks Chapter 14
Chapter 14
KAEL’S POV
I couldn't stay away. Three days after being turned away at the palace gates, I found myself standing once again in the grand foyer of Alvada Palace, facing the same stern guards who had rejected me before. This time, I wouldn't be so easily dismissed.
"Lady Celestina has not requested your presence," one guard stated firmly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
"I don't care," I replied, not bothering to mask my frustration. "I need to see her."
Movement at the top of the grand staircase caught my attention. There she was—Celestina, her elegant blue dress flowing behind her as she paused on the landing.
Our eyes met, and for a moment, time seemed to stop. Her face betrayed nothing, but the slight stiffening of her shoulders told me everything I needed to know. She hadn't forgiven me.
"Celestina," I called up to her, softening my voice. "Please. Let me speak with you."
The guards turned to her, awaiting instruction. She hesitated visibly before giving a curt nod. "Let him in."
Relief washed over me as I followed her into a lavish sitting room. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm glow over the velvet furnishings and gilded frames. She gestured toward a chair, but remained standing herself, arms crossed defensively across her chest.
"What do you want, Kael?" she asked, her tone as cold as winter.
I exhaled deeply, running a hand through my hair as I searched for the right words. "I came to talk. To explain."
"Explain what?" The bitterness in her voice cut straight through me. "How you treated me like a stranger for years? How you discarded me when I was no longer convenient for your ambitions?"
Her words stung because they were true. I had dismissed her, had seen her only as a nuisance when she was Zorina, the nobody. The guilt twisted in my chest like a knife.
"I deserve that," I admitted, meeting her gaze. "But things are different now, Celestina. I see things differently."
She laughed—a sharp, hollow sound that held no warmth. "Do you? Because the Kael I remember wouldn't care about anything beyond himself and his precious family's reputation."
I stood, taking a step toward her. "I was blind," I said, willing her to hear the sincerity in my voice. "I didn't see what I had until it was gone. I didn't see you."
Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but her expression remained hard. "And now that you've realized who I am—what I'm worth—you think you can just walk back into my life?"
"It's not about your title," I insisted, desperate for her to understand. "It's about you, Celestina. I see now how strong, how brilliant, how resilient you are. I want to make things right."
She shook her head, stepping away from me. "You can't. What's done is done, Kael. You had your chance, and you squandered it. I'm not going to let you manipulate me again."
"I'm not trying to manipulate you," I said, my voice breaking. "I just... I want another chance."
Her expression hardened further. "You've had more chances than you deserved. Now, I suggest you leave before I call the guards to escort you out."
Defeat weighed heavy on my shoulders as I turned to leave. At the doorway, I paused.
“There’s something else,” I said quietly, turning back to face her. “Something you need to know.”
Celestina’s brows drew together in a wary frown. “What now, Kael? Another apology?”
“No,” I said firmly, shaking my head. “This isn’t about me. It’s about what’s happening around you. Things aren’t as they seem. Someone close to you wants to hurt you.”
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Are you seriously trying to distract me with conspiracies now? You really are desperate.”
“I’m not making this up,” I said, stepping closer, lowering my voice. “I’ve been looking into it ever since that night at the council. Someone has been pulling strings behind the scenes, and I think they’re targeting you. Your exile wasn’t just political maneuvering—it was orchestrated. Carefully.”
She stared at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then she let out a sharp breath. “Do you have proof?”
“I’m still gathering it,” I admitted.
Celestina raised a hand, stopping me mid-sentence. “So, no actual proof. Just speculation. That’s what you came here with?”
I swallowed hard.
A bitter smile curled her lips. “You expect me to believe the man who abandoned me, who humiliated me, suddenly wants to be my savior?”
“No,” I said softly. “I don’t expect anything. I just hoped you’d hear me out. Maybe let me help.”
She shook her head slowly. “You come here after everything, stir up ghosts, then give me shadows and half-truths to chase. I don’t need saving, Kael. Not from you.”
“But if I’m right—”
“Then bring me proof,” she cut in sharply. “Real proof. Not rumors and guesses. Until then, don’t come back.”
She turned away, her shoulders stiff with anger and pain. I stood there, heart pounding, wanting to say more—but knowing nothing I said now would change her mind.
“I will,” I said quietly. “I’ll find the truth. And when I do, I’ll bring it to you.”
Celestina didn’t respond. She didn’t even turn around. Her silence echoed louder than words as the guards stepped forward once more to escort me out.
But this time, I didn’t fight it. Because I knew what I had to do now. And I wouldn’t fail her again.