Soraya's POV
The prince's gaze locked on mine the moment Jenny and I stepped out of the hallway.
Jenny greeted him first—too quickly, too loudly.
"Good morning, Your Highness!"
I bowed slightly. "Good morning, Your Highness."
He nodded once… then dismissed the nobles beside him with a flick of his hand.
They immediately bowed and left, leaving the entire corridor painfully too quiet.
His eyes returned to me.
"Can I know you?"
Jenny instantly took it as her cue to disappear.
"Oh! I'll just… leave you two. Maria, don't faint. If he asks you to marry him, tell him you need to ask me first." She whispered the last part loudly and dramatically.
I sighed so hard my soul left my body.
Jenny grinned like a troublemaker and slipped away.
The prince's eyes were still on me.
"Can I know you?" he repeated, his voice gentler this time.
I swallowed, suddenly aware of how close he was… and how intensely he watched me.
"My name is Sor—"
I snapped my mouth shut.
