Chapter 73 - An Invite To The Palace

"I'm sorry for making you cry, it won't happen again," he said gently as his hand cupped my cheek, his thumb rubbing against it.

Did Cedric Logan Hartford just apologize to me?

"What?" he asked in my extended silence.

"N-Nothing just..." I didn't know what to say.

"We have both apologized so now we're even," He said in amusement, I blushed and nodded, he always had a way of making me such a shy person.

"Thank you for saving Mi-"

He placed a finger on my lips. "You say his name, he will appear"

I froze, he took his hand away. "I thought he explained that to you"

"H-He did but I didn't know it was every time I said his name,"

"That's how it works, wife"

"Thank you for not killing him"

"Oh I had it in mind"

"Cedric!"

He chuckled, his chest vibrating from the sound, I would never get used to hearing him make sounds like that or smile, it was strange for someone like him but it also made my heart flutter that he was giving in to emotions bit by bit, he still had that quiet nature with him, but whenever he was with me he had that outspoken nature and his emotion becomes more prominent.

"I'm glad you smile more these days, it's almost too good to be true," I said honestly, he took my hand giving it a kiss, his eyes still remained on me.

"Because of you Sylvia".

I felt warmth around my chest when he said those words. "Do you hate me, Sylvia?" he began, I blinked, puzzled by his words.

"W-Why would I hate you?"

"The other day you seemed like you did"

"I was angry but it wasn't because I hate you... I... I don't hate you, Cedric, I don't think I can" I said honestly, my cheeks instantly flushed, the words I said, I knew what it meant, does it mean that I... My eyes trembled, could this be what love feels like, was I... I gulped, was I falling for this man? Despite everything I have experienced him? Was I?

He tilts his head to the side, his lips in amusement.

"Is that so?" he said in amusement, my heart began slamming in a fast rhythm, my grip tightened on his jacket. Does he... my eyes searched his, does Cedric...

His hand moved to my waist holding onto it tightly, the other against my back. My heartbeat quickened, we just had our eyes on each other, none of us saying a word, The silence wasn't awkward but it was like it was registered on both sides, like in that silence our feelings were coming to play, my heart oh my heart it felt light and warm, looking at him right now, I knew it, all these feelings I felt towards him, this unusual pull, unexplained chemistry between us, this profound passionate affection towards him, is this-

The loud knock on the door broke me out of my thought, after the knock came in the door budged but it didn't open, I don't remember locking it.

"What is it?" Cedric retorted.

"Forgive me my lord for interrupting your meal but there's an invite from the palace, a letter"

I turned to Cedric, his eyes remained on the door. "Maybe I should si-"

I gasped because when I tried to move, his hand was firm on my waist keeping me from moving.

"C-Cedric"

"Come in", I froze at his words, the locks automatically opened as the butler of the house walked in, I have only seen him a few times, but not directly. He was around his late 50s or so, dressed formally, a wing white cap that covered his hair. His brown eyes landed on us, but they quickly remained on the floor.

I was beyond embarrassed right now but Cedric wouldn't let me go, his grip remained firm on me and I just remained still. The butler held onto a silver tray with a letter. Cedric took it.

"Leave us"

"Yes my lord," He said with a bow leaving, the doors slamming shut.

"Is it a letter from the Emperor?" I asked to see the goldenseal.

"Mm," Cedric just made a sound, his mood was a bit odd and seemed unreadable, it was like that the moment the Butler said it was from the palace. Cedric opened the letter as he did. I caught notice of our house name.

Cedric's eyes scanned through it, he made a hmm sound, I was becoming more curious because I couldn't read the contents of the letter.

"It seems like the Emperor as invited us to the palace, a general audience for an announcement"

"T-T-To the palace?" I said with wide eyes, come to speak of this Danette mentioned this to me once about the Emperor requesting a general audience soon, could this be it? Was it time for the Emperor to announce Cedric as his heir?

"Yes" he states, dropping the letter on the table, but Cedric seemed bothered by it, I mean he should have suspected this to happen right? But it seemed like it was something else bothering him, so I pondered what it was.

"Scared of going to the palace?" he asked as his eyes fell on me, a faint smile on his lips.

"N-No... just expected something like this but I never thought it would be so soon," I said.

He made a hmm sound. "Everyone seemed to expect it, I will warn you ahead, Mother won't let you hear the end of it"

I rolled my eyes, Mother will once again torture me with etiquette, ugh!

"I will just ha-" I moaned when Cedric trailed a kiss to my neck so suddenly.

"Just listen to everything she says, the palace is worse than society," he said, still kissing my neck.

I just made a hmm sound lost in his kisses, my hand trailed to his hair, I have forgotten how soft it felt against my skin, was it even possible to have such perfect hair?

His head draws backward as his lips find mine.