The Royal Contract

Chapter 716: Bound by duty

“Have you heard from Amelia?” He finally asked when she opened the door of her apartment.

As much as he wanted to stay away, his body had a mind of his own, disobeying whatever his mind ordered, even disregarding the warning bells that rang in his head.

He still found himself knocking on her door, walking further inside her apartment, and locking his arms around her embrace. He was a man possessed, obsessing about her.

He let his hands hold her by the waist, pulling her closer to his body. Then kissing her on top of her head as he waited for her answer.

“Nope.” She answered, ushering him toward the living room. She wished she had, but until now, she had no luck. “I tried calling her several times, but either her phone was always off, or she might have blocked my number.”

Eida wished her friend would hear her side of the story, but she could not blame her for being mad at her. She deserved it if Amelia would stop talking to her.

She did feel guilty about betraying her trust. She should have admitted to her friend about her relationship or whatever this was she was doing with Lance. Instead of allowing her to discover it in that manner.

.....

She could still remember the shock and hurt that registered on her friend’s face. Amelia came here looking for a friend, then what she found was a snake who betrayed her.

“I also had the same response when I tried calling her,” Lance admitted, sitting down on the sofa with her wrapped around his arms.

He started playing with the tendrils of her hair, entwining the strands around his fingers as he thought of Amelia. He liked Amelia, but only as a friend or maybe a younger sister. But he could not hurt her by marrying her.

“Where can she have possibly gone?” She was clueless since this was the first time she had experienced this scenario.

Amelia was not the kind of friend she hung out with for long periods. They usually saw each other on occasions when they accidentally found themselves in the same place, at the same time.

But other than a few hours of spending some time together and talking about mundane things, they would go on separate ways. Of course, except for some occasions that Amelia confided in her about her father.

“I tried looking for her through our friends and the possible places she frequented back when we were young, but she was not there.” He scratched his nape, wanting to release the tension he felt from his problems.

He shifted his face to her, trying to read what she might be thinking, and judging from her long breath, she must be feeling so horrible about all of this. He could not help but blame himself for putting her in this situation.

But in his defense, he was clueless that the two of them were friends. But he wondered if that would have stopped him from pursuing Eida if he had known.

“Do you think she is ok?” She guiltily asked, looking at him while her hands fidgeted in her lap.

She suddenly wished she was not attracted to this man at her side. But how could she stop seeing him when her mind kept nagging at her to let him in.

She had never done a relationship. That was never her style.

But when she was with him, all she wanted to do was not let him go. As soon as his hands touched her, she melted immediately in his arms. She could not think of anything else but be with him.

“You know her. She is more than capable of taking care of herself.” Lance assured her, holding her hand firmly in his grip.

It was the first time he had seen her out of control of herself. Usually, she had complete command of a situation, but at the moment, she was looking at him for answers.

Her eyes were full of worry about her friend. But all he wanted to do was enveloped her in his arms and take care of her. Provide her with a shoulder that she could rely on in times like this.

“But, this is different. We hurt Amelia.” She finally stood up, away from his arms.

She walked towards the window, gazing at the view of the busy street below them. She hoped that Amelia was ok, just somewhere safe, nursing her broken heart. But she wished to hear from her soon.

“But I will hurt her further if I agree to marry her.” Lance could not do that, not to her friend or anyone. “Amelia did not deserve that.”

He would not force himself to marry someone and subject them to a life of misery with him. He could not compel his heart to love someone.

But was his heart beating for someone? He could only wonder for now. He believed he still had no answer for that at the moment.

“Nobody deserves to be subjected to a lie.” She agreed, but her mind questioned if she had an idea of what she was also doing with him.

Her heart drummed inside her chest, protesting her wisdom in going deeper into this relationship. Was she setting herself up for a heartbreak too? She could not possibly be dreaming that a prince would marry her.

“Yes, I also think that I need to tell you something.” He had been confused about what he felt about her.

His eyes looked around the room, finally realizing that he barely knew this woman, but the effect she already had on him was astronomical.

He had known Amelia all his life, but he could not bear to be with her as her husband. Suddenly, he was thinking of the implication of his thought. Was he falling for her? This woman, presently, with him.

“I...” She was about to tell him something too, but before she could continue, his phone rang, making her stop.

“I am sorry about this.” Lance apologized for the interruption. He quickly grabbed it inside his pocket, wanting it to be Amelia calling.

Seeing his father’s name on the screen made him wish he did not have to answer the call. But it was his duty as his son to answer him when he summoned for him. He still felt bound by duty to oblige as a dutiful son.

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