Jasmine's POV
I perched on the edge of my bed, my gaze fixed on the wall but seeing nothing. My fingers worked anxiously at a loose thread from my comforter, twisting it until it threatened to break entirely. Jayden's declaration echoed in my mind, the way he had cut me off before I could even voice my rejection. Why couldn't he just let me walk away?
Now I found myself trapped in an emotional whirlwind, desperately searching for ways to make him reject me instead.
A gentle rap at my door interrupted my spiraling thoughts. Before I could respond, Aunt Naia entered, her expression carefully neutral as she settled beside me on the mattress. In her hands was an ivory envelope bearing the unmistakable royal seal.
"A letter arrived from the palace," she murmured, setting it next to me.
The sight of that official crest sent my stomach plummeting. With trembling hands, I tore open the envelope and unfolded the formal document inside.
My blood turned to ice as I read.
