Chapter 384
Zilia lifted her gaze as soon as she saw Casaio. A radiant smile spread across her lips, and she lowered her feet to the floor.
She ran to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. “Thank you for such a wonderful surprise p>
“How many times are you going to say that?” Casaio asked, gently pushing her back just enough to meet her eyes.
“I don’t know… maybe infinite times,” Zilia replied, smiling. “I never imagined it would feel like this. It was… Dreamlike for a moment. Idris walked me down the aisle, and then you held me, and we p>
Her words faltered, leaving her unfinished as Casaio captured her lips with his. His hand cradled her neck, his own lips craved into a smile. He withdrew slowly before pressing a soft kiss on the center of her forehead.
Keeping his hands firmly on her waist, Casaio guided them to the bed.
“Casaio, your parents forgave me,” Zilia said, lowering herself onto the mattress and tugging him down to sit beside her. “How do you feel about being the next king? You used to tell me you were scared of carrying such a huge responsibility p>
“Honestly… I don’t know,” Casaio admitted. “Dad just… shocked me. It’s nothing I imagined. Soon, there’ll be an official ceremony for my accession. I still feel unprepared. I don’t think I understand the people deeply enough. Honestly, I find Gabriel more capable. I don’t know why, but I feel he could have been a better king p>
Zilia smiled softly. “Because Gabriel has a way of bringing out the unexpected. Even I don’t see myself as a queen. It’s… Something I don’t know if I can pull off. And given my background, if people ever find out, don’t you think it could affect you p>
“It’s never going to come out. And I don’t care,” Casaio said firmly.
“Well, I believe you can be a great Alpha King,” Zilia replied, smiling. “Gabriel may be sharp with his resources, but that doesn’t automatically make him a great king. The reason is simple: he isn’t merciful enough. He helped me because of you, he couldn’t bear to see his brother suffer. Sure, Amelie has softened him a little, but with others, he’s still the same. You… You did so much for someone like me. I don’t think any other man in your place would even have thought about keeping me alive. So don’t doubt yourself. A good king is someone supported and admired by everyone p>
Casaio chuckled, amused. “You really think people admire me… and that makes me a good king p>
“Yes,” Zilia said firmly. “The one loved by the people is the true king. I’m not belittling Gabriel, I know how capable he is, but I don’t want you to see yourself as less worthy. Your father must have chosen you for a reason. Not simply because you’re the eldest p>
Casaio hummed, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Hmm… shall we go to sleep? It’s been a long, tiring day for us.” He rested his head on her shoulder, his fingers intertwining with hers.
“It was a loving day for us,” Zilia replied, a gentle warmth in her voice.
“Yes, it was!” Casaio said, nodding. “Idris was so happy for you,” he added, his tone affectionate.
“Yeah… thanks to you. But you forgave me too easily, don’t you think?” Zilia said, a teasing lilt in her voice. “I thought I was supposed to win your heart p>
Casaio leaned back slightly, his expression softening. “I felt I should let it go,” he said gently. “It wasn’t your fault from the start. You had your own struggles.” He gave her a reassuring glance. “Come… let’s sleep now p>
Zilia nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips, and slid into bed beside him. She rested her head on his arm, snuggling close, feeling the steady warmth of his body.
Mabel set the comb down on the table and tilted her head thoughtfully.
“Casaio looked less confident about his next role,” she began, stepping toward the bed.
Raidan removed his glasses, slipping the diary into the drawer before closing it with a soft click.
“That’s because he’s always been wary of the position,” Raidan explained. “Still, he is the perfect Alpha King. Dominick is too soft, which wouldn’t work, and Gabriel isn’t what the people desire. I debated between Casaio and Nick for a while. Even though Casaio is the eldest and should inherit the throne by default, I wanted to be certain about my choice p>
“I wonder what you based this decision on,” Mabel said, flicking off the main lights. “Casaio seems more confused than ever. I still think he could use another year to prepare himself for this role p>
“Casaio knows politics well. And he has more support of the noble alpha and beta families. That’s my main reason to choose him. I didn’t tell you this before, but I secretly held a poll for the next Alpha King. Casaio won by the majority,” Raidan explained, smiling warmly.
“That’s wonderful. But one thing worries me,” Mabel said, her voice tinged with concern. “Zilia has a background as a spy. Her truth must never come out, if it does, it could backfire on Casaio p>
“Of course it won’t,” Raidan replied, his gaze thoughtful. “None of us in the family would ever reveal such a truth to others. Zilia was caught up in a conspiracy; she never sought this fate. And she’s perfect for Casaio, she loves him deeply p>
“I’m concerned about Juniper, though,” Mabel murmured, frowning. “She didn’t seem happy tonight. Maybe I’m imagining things, but I feel… Something’s off p>
“You worry too much sometimes, dear,” Raidan said gently. He switched off the lamp at the bedside and lay back. “Sleep now. Don’t let your mind dwell on these thoughts p>
Mabel glanced at her husband, who had shut his eyes. A deep furrow formed between her brows.
’I wonder if Juniper will remain a good daughter-in-law of this household. I don’t want fight among my sons,’ she thought.