They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System

Chapter 373: I Won’t Force You

Outside the grand coronation hall, the velvet lined doors closed behind them with a soft, echoing thud, silencing the murmurs and music of nobility within.

The torch lit hallway was quieter, cooler, but the tension between Abel and Jane burned hotter than ever.

Abel didn’t say a word at first. He just kept walking, his grip on Jane’s wrist firm but not rough, his jaw tight. Jane, still fuming, tried to shake him off.

“What are you doing?” she snapped. “You saw how she was eating and hiding, how can that be a princess?!”

Abel finally stopped and turned around, his eyes dark with something Jane rarely saw on his face, disappointment.

“Do you even hear yourself right now?” he said, his voice low but cutting. “That was the second princess. Nnenna. And you humiliated her, in front of the entire continent.”

Jane flinched.

“But, but I thought she was—”

“You thought?” Abel scoffed bitterly. “You thought, so you screamed at her like a market thug? You made a scene in the crown prince’s coronation ball, Jane. Do you even understand what that means?”

“I was just trying to help! I didn’t want anyone to get in trouble for bringing some, some impostor!”

Abel dragged a hand through his hair in frustration. “You weren’t helping anyone. You were loud, rude, and wrong. I regret ever letting you come.”

Jane’s eyes widened, stunned. “You… regret bringing me?”

He looked at her, no longer angry, but tired.

“Yes. I do.”

Jane took a step back, like the words had struck her physically. Her voice was smaller now. “You’ve never said that to me before.”

“Because you’ve never embarrassed me like this before,” Abel said, turning away. “You don’t listen. You never stop to look or think. You just act. And tonight, you humiliated yourself, and me.”

echoing with grandeur. Inside was a world Jane no longer belonged to. And for the first time, she

up her throat like bile. “I… didn’t mean

Abel was already walking away, not cruelly, but clearly done

the dazzling lights sparkled once more as the tension from the earlier commotion melted into

resumed mingling, assuming that whatever the Crown Prince had to deal with had

for Somto, it wasn’t

a slow breath and walked toward her, toward Nnenna. She was standing near a tall, golden pillar lined with climbing roses, clearly ready to disappear again. She hadn’t touched another bite of

sensed him approaching, her eyes

yet far enough not to trap her. “May I have this dance… Princess

was calm, low, almost gentle, but there was something behind it.

instinct screamed run. But before she could bolt again, Somto reached out, not to grab her, but to gently take

Their fingers touched.

was light, respectful. But

momentarily piqued, was that the Crown Prince

was a

stiffened, her nervousness almost drawing

hands, then up at his face. Somto’s expression was

dance

like it

that’s what made

began, voice barely a

began to pull away. The rejection stung more than she meant it to, and

go immediately, as

was even, but clipped.

music to change, waiting for the Crown Prince to

stop at the dance

right

that night, the room fell quiet again, not

was the Crown Prince