Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 125: An Apology?

Chapter 125: An Apology?

Evelina hummed, pretending to consider his words. "Mm. So, what you’re saying is, you sort of doubted me?"

Damian sighed. "I—"

"Because that’s definitely what I’m hearing."

"I wouldn’t put it like that."

"Oh, I will."

"You’re insufferable," Damian muttered, but there was a warmth in his tone now.

Evelina smirked. "And yet, you’re still stuck with me."

Damian’s gaze flickered to her, something unreadable passing through his silver eyes. "That I am."

Something about the way he said it sent a small shiver down her spine.

Evelina straightened, trying to ignore the way her heart had just definitely not skipped a beat. "Well, at least you finally realized your mistake."

Damian snorted. "Realized my—" He shook his head. "You really have no shame, do you?"

Evelina grinned. "Not even a little."

Damian let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head again as he focused back on the road ahead.

The palace gates were now visible in the distance, the last rays of sunlight casting long shadows over the stone walls.

For a moment, Evelina simply watched him—watched the way the fading light highlighted the sharp angles of his face, the way he carried himself with that same composed, almost untouchable grace.

It was strange, really.

For so long, she had only seen Damian as her captor, as the prince who had sentenced her to death. And yet...

Now, things were different.

Now, she didn’t just see the crown prince.

She saw the man.

And that was a much more dangerous thing.

With a smirk, she decided to push just a little further.

"So," Evelina mused, nudging her horse closer to his. "If I was so suspicious in your eyes... what changed?"

Damian glanced at her, his silver eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "You really want me to answer that?"

Evelina arched a brow. "Of course."

Damian studied her for a long moment.

Then, with an infuriating smirk of his own, he leaned in just slightly, voice lowering as he said—

"You’re prettier than a liar should be."

Evelina blinked.

Her brain stopped working for a good three seconds.

Damian, apparently satisfied with the effect his words had, sat back in his saddle, looking entirely too smug.

Evelina narrowed her eyes. "Did you just—"

Damian smirked. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

Evelina gaped at him. "Oh, so now you’re the insufferable one."

Damian hummed. "Like you said—I’m stuck with you."

Evelina clenched her jaw, debating between throwing something at him or finding a way to wipe that stupidly attractive smirk off his face.

Instead, she took a deep breath and let her own smirk return.

"Fine," she said sweetly. "Then I guess I’ll just have to make you believe me completely."

Damian raised a brow. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Evelina leaned in slightly, mimicking his earlier movement. "Oh, you’ll see, Your Highness

Damian’s eyes darkened just a fraction.

And for the first time since their conversation began...

He looked like he was the one who had just walked into a trap.

"I hope you aren’t planning something like a payback. I already apologized... which is something I don’t do often."

Evelina gave him a small, teasing smile. "Well, I suppose you could always make it up to me."

Damian narrowed his eyes. "How?"

Evelina smirked. "Oh, I haven’t decided yet. But when I do, I expect full cooperation, Your Highness."

Damian exhaled sharply. "I’ve created a monster."

Evelina batted her lashes. "A very charming one."

Relia purred in her mind. "Ohhh, you’re playing dirty."

Always.

Jasper, who had slowed down to wait for them, glanced over his shoulder. "You two done flirting?"

Evelina grinned. "No."

Damian groaned.

Jasper snorted. "Well, hurry it up. We’ve still got a murderer to find."

Evelina sighed. "Way to ruin the mood."

Jasper grinned. "It’s a talent."

As the palace gates loomed closer, Evelina felt something lighter settle in her chest.

Things were still uncertain. The real culprit was still out there.

But for the first time in a long time...

She wasn’t fighting alone.

*************

The palace was bathed in the last golden rays of sunlight as Evelina, Damian, and Jasper rode through the gates.

Servants and guards went about their evening duties, pausing to offer a bow before resuming their tasks.

"Well, that was fun," Jasper said, stretching as he hopped off his horse. "Nothing like breaking into a nobleman’s house and finding absolutely nothing."

Evelina sighed as she slid off her own horse, handing the reins to a waiting stablehand. "We’ll find something," she muttered. "We have to."

Damian nodded, his expression unreadable. "We’ll regroup in the morning."

Jasper, already a step ahead, stretched his arms dramatically. "I don’t know about you two, but I need food, sleep, and maybe a new career choice."

Evelina snorted. "Too late for that."

Jasper sighed. "Yeah, yeah." He winked at her. "Do you need anything, Your Highness?"

Damian shook his head, "Nothing, Jasper. Get some rest."

Jasper gave him a mock salute. "Thank you, Your Highness." Then he turned to Evelina with a smirk. "And you, milady—don’t have too much fun without me and try not to steal any hearts while I’m gone."

Evelina rolled her eyes. "No promises."

Jasper chuckled and strode off, leaving her alone with Damian as they headed toward the inner palace corridors.

The warm feeling from their earlier conversation was still present, but before Evelina could speak, she heard voices coming from down the hallway.

The voice was sharp and angry.

She frowned slightly, her ears tuning in.

"...I was gone for two days, and I come back to find my item missing?"

Evelina stilled. That was Selene.

Then—

A sharp smack.

Evelina’s breath hitched. She turned the corner just in time to see Selene’s handmaid, Lily, stumbling back, her cheek red from the impact.

Selene stood over her, golden eyes blazing with fury, her elegant silk gown shifting as she stepped closer. "I trusted you," she seethed. "And you stole from me."

Lily was trembling, head bowed, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "M-my lady, I swear, I—"

"That’s enough."