Can’t Win Me Back

"What's wrong, Jonah? Is something on your mind?" Seeing that they were alone, Jasper seized the chance to approach Jonah.

His gaze was firm as he pressed on, "Did something happen when you were in the palace? "Everyone's overwhelmed by Lyse's situation.

The psychological pressure on you must be just as intense, maybe even more than the rest of us." Jonah met Jasper's concerned gaze, feeling moved.

"Jasper, I really appreciate you noticing how I'm feeling, even at a time like this." "Don't say that, Jonah.

We're family.

To me, you and Lyse are equally important." Since losing contact with Alyssa, Jasper had been restless, plagued by sleepless nights and a constant state of anxiety.

Every shift in the moods of those around him only magnified his own stress, making him hypersensitive and on edge.

"What really happened?" "To be honest, not much." Jonah pursed his lips.

"After entering the palace, I met the king.

He was kind and friendly, giving me a personal tour.

We even dined together and talked about my health and work.

"He felt like a warm-hearted elder, not a king.

Even though I'm not from Kontinia, it made me feel unworthy of all that attention." Jasper understood how Jonah felt.

just

a good thing?" "It is, but it's too

much so that I

to me." Jonah looked into Jasper's dark eyes with a conflicted

first time meeting

and he's the leader

was he so kind to me?" Upon hearing that, Jasper

he gave me this." Jonah retrieved a quaint-looking emerald ornament

carving was of a noble and

enough to tell that this wasn't something from an ordinary

Kontinian

Jasper had

took the ornament from Jonah's hands and examined

seen this in a museum's promotional booklet

ornament is an antique, a

been passed down through generations for about 300-400

that it's only passed down to the heirs to the

for crown princes." "Say what?" Jonah stared at

have given such a significant

to

he just felt a

a king's intentions?"

return it to Yuliana so she can bring it back to His Royal Highness." Jasper looked down at the cold emerald ornament in his