Chapter 190: Silent Care (II)

Elara:

Jasper’s expression remained composed as he spoke, "Everyone has moved on to dinner. The guests will probably start leaving within the next half hour, so it wouldn’t be unusual for you to depart before the party officially ends."

He paused, studying me carefully. "You have already made your appearance, delivered your speech, and spent the evening meeting the families. Nobody can reasonably expect you to stay until the last guest leaves."

His words made sense, but uncertainty still lingered. "Would it really be a good idea?" I asked. "The whole point of tonight was to welcome me. Wouldn’t leaving early make it seem as though I don’t appreciate the effort?"

Esme reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone before I could think of another objection. "Fortunately, I know someone who can make sure you leave without anyone turning it into a political discussion."

He rose from his crouch and moved toward the far side of the lounge, placing a call while Jasper and I exchanged a brief glance. I couldn’t hear the conversation, but Esme spoke in a low, measured voice, listening more than he talked.

The call lasted barely two minutes. When he returned, he slipped his phone away and gave me a small nod. "It’s taken care of. You can leave now."

Jasper immediately stepped forward, his attention shifting toward the door. "I’ll have the car brought around to the front gate. We can be ready in a few minutes."

But before he could move away, Esme held out his hand toward me, his green eyes settling on mine with a quiet determination that made me hesitate.

"Let me drive you home, Elara."

My gaze shifted from him to Jasper, and one look at my blood knight told me he was just as surprised by the offer as I was. More importantly, he didn’t look particularly pleased about it.

Before I could even decide how to respond, Jasper straightened and addressed Esme with the calm professionalism he usually reserved for situations involving my security.

"Considering the current security arrangements, I believe it would be better for the Crown Princess to return to the palace with me and the rest of her security team." His tone was respectful, but the implication was unmistakable.

Surprisingly, Esme didn’t argue. He simply nodded, as though he had anticipated the objection, before looking directly at Jasper. "I understand your concerns, and I promise you that I will keep her safe, even if it costs me my own life."

There was no dramatic flourish or attempt to make his words sound impressive. He said them with such quiet certainty that, for a moment, I forgot how complicated things had become between us.

Then he turned toward me, extending his hand again. "May I drive you back to the palace, Princess?"

I should have declined. Even if I put my safety aside, there was the simple fact that Esme and I hadn’t exactly been on the best of terms since I had overheard his conversation with his mother. I had spent weeks convincing myself that his kindness might have been part of some carefully constructed plan, and although the events surrounding my accident had softened something inside me, they hadn’t erased the hurt or answered all my questions.

I opened my mouth intending to refuse, but the words that came out were, "All right."

The moment the permission left my lips, I was just as startled as Jasper, whose eyebrows rose slightly before he studied my face as though checking whether I had accidentally suffered a head injury.

"Are you sure?" he asked quietly.

I almost changed my mind simply because I couldn’t explain why I had agreed in the first place, but I forced myself to meet his gaze. "Yes. I trust Esme to keep me safe."

Jasper didn’t look entirely convinced, but he respected my decision. After a moment, he nodded and explained that he and the other guards would follow at a safe distance, close enough to intervene if anything went wrong but far enough away to give us some privacy. I agreed, and just like that, the decision was made before I could overthink it into oblivion.

Ten minutes later, I found myself sitting in the passenger seat of Esme’s car as we drove away from the Valemont estate and toward the Royal Palace.

The soft hum of the engine filled the space between us, while the lights of Starfall slipped past the windows in streaks of gold and silver.

I had faced an entire ballroom full of influential nobles, delivered a speech without embarrassing myself, and survived a private conversation with Kairo that had nearly reduced me to tears. Yet somehow, sitting beside Esmeray made my heart race all over again, and this time, the reason had nothing to do with anger.

Things between us had changed after I overheard that conversation, and I still wasn’t certain what to believe about his intentions. But ever since the accident, a part of me had softened toward him despite my best efforts.

I remembered how he had stayed near my hospital bed, how he had checked on my injuries, and how he had quietly made sure I ate when I could barely think about food. He had cared for me without turning his concern into a performance, and tonight, he had done it again.

He hadn’t asked me to explain why I had disappeared from the ballroom. He hadn’t demanded to know what had upset me. He had simply noticed my pain and helped me. It was exactly the kind of silent care that made it difficult to keep my heart guarded, and I wasn’t sure whether accepting his offer had been a wise decision or proof that I was far too susceptible to kindness from handsome men who complicated my life.

I was still mentally arguing with myself when Esme’s voice interrupted my thoughts. "Stop giving yourself a headache, Snowdrop."

I turned toward him so quickly that I nearly strained my neck.

"Are you reading my thoughts?" I demanded, immediately slamming a mental wall into place.

My fingers tightened around the gown as I studied him suspiciously, half expecting him to admit that he had been rummaging through my mind while I sat beside him. Instead, he smiled softly, keeping his eyes on the road. "No, I’m not reading your thoughts. You are just not that difficult to read sometimes."

I narrowed my eyes. "That sounds suspiciously like something a mind reader would say."

His quiet chuckle filled the car, but he didn’t argue. For the next few minutes, silence settled between us again, and I watched the city lights pass by while wondering whether I should ask him what he had wanted to say all those times he had tried contacting me.

Eventually, curiosity won over my instinct to avoid another emotionally complicated conversation.

"Is this where you apologize to me or something?" I asked, turning toward him.

Esme’s smile faded into a more serious expression. "No. Well, I suppose I owe you an apology, but that’s not the only reason I wanted to talk to you." He paused briefly before adding, "I wanted to explain."

My stomach tightened. I had given one man the opportunity to explain himself tonight, and he had managed to tear open every wound I had been trying to heal while leaving me with more questions than answers.

So the thought of allowing someone else into that vulnerable space made me want to retreat behind every wall I had ever built. But perhaps it was better to hear Esme out than spend another day wondering what he wanted to tell me. At least then I could decide for myself where Esmeray Ashbourne belonged in my life, rather than letting uncertainty make that decision for me.

With a soft sigh, I turned toward him and met his green eyes. "All right, then. I’m listening."