134 A MYSTERIOUS REVELATION

Zoe stood up and scratched her head. 

'Should I just confess everything now. That I am his beloved Zoe and he promised to protect me no matter what.'

But she heaved out a sigh as she contradicted herself.

'That will be too ridiculous since he can't remember anything. And if he did…'

She breathed out a sigh again.

'I don't want to be a hindrance to his princeship and in his quest to protect his homeland.'

She shrugged her shoulders as she glanced at Adrian.

She walked towards the previous operation table and arranged the pieces of clean clothes.

Then she got a piece and went to Adrian. She removed the first dressing and changed it to a new one.

Azra observed her every move as he was still there and waiting for her.

'She is indeed an odd woman.'

After changing his dressing, Zoe stepped backward and bowed to Adrian.

"I apologize for all the ruckus that happened in your room. I sincerely hope that you recover well and return to your post as soon as possible."

She then wended her way towards Azra, who bowed at her.

He was about to turn his back and leave when Zoe stopped her.

"Azra… Will he really turn me to prison now?"

Azra froze at Zoe's question. There are times that he cannot figure out what is going on in the Crown Prince's mind. 

But one thing he is sure, he will not let any harm befall upon her. 

"I apologize, milady. I cannot answer that question."

Zoe smiled at him awkwardly. 

"I understand. I am also aware that it is the best option for him. I shouldn't have asked. Uhm, can I ask you a favor, Azra?"

Azra's forehead scrunched up at Zoe's sudden request.

Still, she has saved the Crowned Prince in numerous incidents. 

"I will do my best, milady."

"Please take care of Erin for me. I know it is too much to demand. But she is all alone on this island now."

After the rough-and-tumble in this house, she wonders if she managed to escape and return to their cabin safe and sound.

Azra bowed down to her.

"Affirmative, milady. I will make sure that she will be free from danger and well taken care of. Are you living in the old cabin that I give you directions with?"

He too was worried for Erin. But it is better for her to be absent in the chaos a while ago.

It was just luck that they all managed to come out alive.

Zoe made a curtsy too and beamed.

"Thank you so much, Azra. Yes. Gao Zemin is still checking on us from time to time. But still, I'm anxious about her situation. Please don't tell her what happened here or that I'll be in prison. She will surely be upset. Just tell her that I'm safe and with Raigon to sort things out. I'll be back there very soon."

"Certainly, milady."

Zoe placed her hand on her chest and exhaled a lungful of air.

"I can breathe now. Thank you, Azra. I can now go in peace. By the way, her name is Selena now. And me, you can call me Asha." She beamed at him.

She was about to set off when Azra called her, not with an address but with her name.

"Zoe…"

Zoe pivoted and gave him an incredulous look.

This is the first time that he called her by her first name, as far as she could remember.

"Take care of yourself too."

He then took off without warning, leaving Zoe in a bewildered state.

She followed after him as she placed her finger on her parted lips, thinking about what he had just said.

As she was contemplating, she didn't realize that they were already at the terrace of Lady Liu.

Raigon was having a chat with the ladies of the house. 

Tristan's mother and Lady Dolores were smiling as Raigon discussed something with them.

'I wonder what he is saying to them that makes them smile even at this situation.'

"Oh, there you are. We were just talking about you. Ladies, I want you to meet our heroine of the day, Lady Asha."

Both Lady Liu and Lady Dolores glanced at her. 

Zoe made a formal bow to both of them. 

It was Lady Dolores's first time to see her face as she was masked a while ago.

And as she saw her, her feet unconsciously shuffled back a step.

"A-Asha?!"

She ran to her side, almost stumbling and cupped her face as she studied every detail of her feature.

It seemed as if she was figuring out if she was the person that she knew before or not.

Zoe smiled as she placed her dainty hand over Lady Dolores's.

"I apologize, Madame. But you seemed to be mistaken. I've never been to the Capital before. I usually stay at the mountain with my Uncle Gao -"

Zoe tried to explain how she could not be the person who she thinks she is when Lady Dolores dragged her into the corner.

Everyone was bewildered at the grandmother of the house's unusual action towards her.

But before they could stop her, she whispered into Zoe's ears.

"Do you still have the necklace with you?"

In a fraction of a second, Zoe's hand flew to her chest and stared at Lady Dolores with wide eyes.

"Never take them off as long as you are in this land. And -"

She drew near to Zoe and whispered in her ear again. 

"Never trust the royal family."

Zoe's mouth fell open at Lady Dolores' warning words.

She was about to ask more about it when Lady Liu gently pulled back her mother towards her.

"I made a mistake. I thought she was someone I knew. There's no need to get worked up." 

She smiled at her daughter.

Then afterward, she made a bow to Zoe.

"I didn't get to thank you for treating my grandson earlier. And I apologize for my uncivil behavior towards you."

Zoe bowed back, but her muscles were rigid and stiff as she still cannot move on from her admonition.

"We will take off now, Madam, Milady. I will keep an eye on her until Adrian is completely well."

Raigon bid the Liu's goodbye.

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Self-compassion is simply giving to ourselves the same kindness we give to others.

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