(Amaryllis POV)
Amaryllis sat behind her desk, her posture rigid. Across from her, Lucien leaned against the window frame, twirling a silver coin through his fingers. The air between them was heavy with the memory of their kiss in the garden.
"The 'Clause of Neglect'," Lucien said, his voice serious for once. "It requires proof. Public proof that the Crown Prince has failed in his duties as a fiancé."
"He ignored me at the ball," Amaryllis stated coldly. "He saved her."
"That was an incident," Lucien corrected. "To the court, it was an accident. To break a Royal Engagement, we need a pattern. We need to show the world that I am a better suitor than the future Emperor."
Amaryllis narrowed her eyes. "What are you proposing, Lucien?"
He stopped twirling the coin. He walked over to her desk and placed both hands on the polished wood, leaning in close.
