[ESTELLE]

As the waiter returned, I ordered the pheasant with a sinking feeling in my chest—and a growing awareness of the empty coin pouch in my pocket.@@@@

I think I forgot my gold and withdrew some money.

"Is something the matter?" Damien asked, his smile curving in that infuriatingly calm and charming way.

I cleared my throat, trying to regain some composure. "N-nothing! Just wondering . . . do they accept card here?"

Damien chuckled softly, clearly amused. "Yes, they do."

I exhaled in relief, feeling my nerves ease. "Whew! In that case, we''re all set."

His chuckle turned into a low laugh that sent a warm shiver down my spine. "I''m just messing with you," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I own the cafe?, so order whatever you want."

My jaw nearly hit the floor. He owned the cafe?? Of course he did—because why wouldn''t he? This was Damien we were talking about, the first born of Frizkiel. They own the country.

My shock quickly morphed into pure delight.

"Really?" I gasped, clasping my hands together as if he''d just told me I''d won the lottery. "That''s amazing! See, this is why we''re so perfect together. You''re successful, I''m a rich heiress. You''re capable, I''m gullible. You''re serious, I''m funny. We complement each other! It''s like a match made in heaven! Don''t you think?"

Damien didn''t respond immediately. Instead, he leaned his chin on his hand, watching me with that unreadable expression of his.

But I didn''t let his silence stop me. Oh no, this was my moment. I barreled ahead with enthusiasm. "Think about it! You''re the steady, composed type, and I''m the fun, lively one who keeps things exciting. Opposites attract, right? Plus, we both love good food, which is, like, the cornerstone of any great relationship."

I went on, listing all the reasons we were perfectly compatible—his intelligence, my creativity, his poise, my spontaneity. The words tumbled out of me like a gushing river, unstoppable and brimming with conviction.

Damien just watched, his lips twitching slightly, as though he were fighting back a smile. His silence only encouraged me to keep going.

"We''d make such a power couple," I declared with a flourish, completely caught up in my own enthusiasm. "People would see us and say, ''Wow, they''re so perfect together.'' I can already imagine it—Estelle and Damien, the ultimate duo!"

As I paused to take a breath, Damien finally spoke, his voice steady and cool. "You''ve certainly put a lot of thought into this."

His calm tone should have embarrassed me, but instead, it fueled my determination. "Of course! I''m nothing if not thorough," I said with a grin.

Damien chuckled softly again.

Damien''s brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "Estelle—"

"No, let me finish," I interrupted, leaning forward. "You think this is a silly crush? That I don''t know my own feelings? That I don''t understand what I''m getting into? You''re underestimating me, Damien."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as though preparing for a storm. "Estelle, this isn''t about underestimating your feelings. It''s about warning you while its still early."

"And who decides what''s right?" I challenged. "You? Just because you''ve already made up your mind doesn''t mean I have to accept it. Nothing''s set in stone, Damien. People change, situations change. You say you love someone else? Fine. But that doesn''t mean it''s the end for me."

His expression hardened. "Estelle, I don''t want to hurt you. Clinging to something that won''t work will only make it worse."

I laughed, not out of humor but sheer defiance. "You think I''m fragile? That I can''t handle rejection? I''m not giving up on you just because you think I should. You''re worth fighting for, and I''m willing to take that chance."

"Even if it ends in heartbreak?" he asked, his voice low, almost a warning.

I nodded. "Yes. Because heartbreak is better than regret. And I''d regret it for the rest of my life if I walked away now without giving it my all. Besides, you two aren''t married. You''re not even official, so I say everything is fair game."

For a moment, silence stretched between us. Damien stared at me, his jaw tight, his hands clenched together. I couldn''t tell if he was frustrated, impressed, or both.

"You''re stubborn," he said finally, his tone carrying a mix of exasperation and admiration.

"And you''re infuriatingly cute," I shot back with a small smile, though my heart was pounding.

His lips twitched, as if fighting a smile of his own. But then his expression turned serious again. "Estelle, this isn''t a game."

"It''s not," I agreed, leaning closer. "It''s my heart. And you don''t get to decide what I do with it."

Damien leaned back, running a hand through his hair. "You''re going to make this difficult, aren''t you?"

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I smiled, determination shining in my eyes. "Absolutely."

He sighed, shaking his head with a mix of frustration and something softer—something I couldn''t quite name. "You''re impossible, you know that?"

"Maybe," I said with a shrug, my grin widening. "But I''ve never been one to give up easily."

And just like that, I saw the faintest crack in his resolve—a glimmer of something uncertain, something vulnerable.

It wasn''t a victory, not yet. But it was enough to remind me that nothing truly was set in stone.