"Em, how are you? Do you want to sightsee with me?" Maxim asked Emmelyn after he knocked on the door. From Horatio, he had heard that Emmelyn went out with Kira after lunch and now she was resting.

Emmelyn immediately opened the door and let Maxim enter. "Hey... sure. But aren't you tired? I heard from Horatio you spent so much time in your study today. I wanted to come to you after Kira and I returned from outside, but I didn't want to bother you."

"You never bother me," Maxim replied with a smile. He entered the chamber and looked around. "Are you happy with your chamber? Do you need anything?"

Emmelyn thought the chamber was really nice and it lacked nothing. So, she shook her head. "No.. everything is perfect."

She noticed his gloomy expression and wondered if something bad happened. Emmelyn touched Maxim's arm and asked him, "Are you okay? You look really sad."

"Do I?" Maxim batted his eyes and looked away, trying to hide his pain.

He was a good liar, but he couldn't really lie to that extent to Emmelyn. Maybe because Emmelyn was really smart, or she knew him too well... she would always know if something was not right with him.

When he remembered Emmelyn confronted him weeks ago about his connection to Myreen as the only connection between her and the Leoraleis, he was wondering about what she would say if he told her that her assumption turned out to be correct?

He was really her only connection with the Leoraleis.

And he was the reason why she was cursed and suffered so much.

Whenever Maxim remembered those facts, he felt like his brain wanted to explode. He turned to look at Emmelyn again and shook his head weakly. "Please allow me not to answer your question this time. So I don't have to lie to you."

Emmelyn was very surprised to hear this response. She looked at Maxim intently and tried to read his expression. She could tell the man was having a really bad day.

Did he... cry?

She didn't know why she could think that way when her fingers touch the young king's damp sleeves. It felt like Maxim was crying earlier and he wiped his tears with his sleeves.

But... was it true? It didn't seem right, Emmelyn thought to herself.

The man before her was a formidable man. He was tall and well-built and with his messy ash hair that sometimes covered half of his eyes, people would think he had no care in the world.

So, it was hard to think that Maxim felt extremely sad today that he cried. Emmelyn chided herself for thinking that way. Maybe she put too much thought into the damp sleeves. They could be from sweat, right?

"Please don't lie to me. I will not be mad if you tell me the truth, no matter how bad. What is it?" Emmelyn asked Maxim.

She kept her expression gentle and not judging. Even though she was really curious to know why Maxim felt the need to lie to her, she didn't push him. "You look really sad. Please... tell me what happened. I want to help you."

Maxim felt his heartstrings tugged when he heard Emmelyn wanted to help him. Wasn't she having such a hard life herself? How could she think about other people's sufferings?

"Well... you can help me and make me feel better if you go out with me and do something fun to relax my mind. That's all I can say," Maxim replied, forcing a smile.

"Uhm... okay." Finally, Emmelyn nodded. She tied her hair into a ponytail and wore her shoes. "Let's go."

They went down from the second floor and went to the massive garden in the middle of the palace compound. Both were quiet.

Maxim wanted to enjoy his time with Emmelyn while she was busy thinking about what happened to him that made him so gloomy.

They walked along the small path lined with blue pebbles that led to the lake and finally stopped under the big jacaranda tree that was blooming with purple flowers. It was a beautiful summer day.

The sun was slowly going down in the western horizon and they could see the water reflecting the many colors of sunset, like orange, purple, and pink.

It felt quite magical especially when several jacaranda petals were falling down from the tree like light rain. Maxim loved this tree because it was planted by his father on the day he was born, as a gift to Queen Maude.

Both Maxim and Emmelyn were mesmerized by the scene and, for a few moments, they looked around and took in the view to their heart.

It was calming and felt so peaceful.

This was a perfect place and perfect moment for a love confession, Maxim thought bitterly.

Being here under the jacaranda trees with Emmelyn surrounded by so much beauty made him feel bliss.

Unfortunately, he already promised Emmelyn that he wouldn't make their situation awkward by pursuing her romantically until after all her problems were resolved.

In his own words, only after they got everything sorted and the dust had settled... would he think about their relationship.

He felt so valiant when he uttered those stupid words. A true gentleman.

Somehow, now, he regretted it. He wished he snatched the opportunity and convinced her immediately to accept him. Maybe now she would already be his.

Well.. she was supposed to be his. He was robbed of the chance because...

He lowered his head dejectedly. He was robbed of the chance not by Mars Strongmoor, but by his mother's and Aunt Catalina's stupid agreement.

No matter what, Maxim would never love that girl they were forcing him to marry. She was responsible for all the sufferings that Emmelyn, the woman he loved, was going through.

Emmelyn looked at the man and wondered what was going on in his mind. She didn't remember ever seeing Maxim sad before. He was a happy-go-lucky man without a care in the world.

So, what could possibly make him so sad today?

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You are all amazing! Thank you for the Golden Tickets in August! This is the second chapter. I will write 3 more.

Let's have a weekly goal for Golden Ranking in September. If we can stay in Top 3 Golden ranking until Sunday, I will publish 3 chapters per day for the whole next week. If we keep our #4 position, I will give 2 bonus chapters on Monday (a total of 4).