Chapter Nineteen
Sunlight and Shifting Glances
Saturday arrived with golden sunlight pouring across the park lawns.
Jack came first, dragging a picnic basket dramatically.
"If nobody appreciates this effort, I'm going home," he declared loudly.
Daniel followed behind him calmly. "You volunteered."
"I volunteered to supervise," Jack corrected.
A few minutes later—
Clare arrived with apple mousse carefully packed.
Noah came with vanilla milk bottles clinking softly in a basket.
Alice followed, quieter than usual but smiling.
And finally—
Xavier walked toward them, hands in pockets, observing the chaos already forming.
"Ah, the law scholar joins," Jack said dramatically.
"I came to study human behavior," Xavier replied calmly.
"Then you chose the wrong group," Noah shot back.
They spread a large cloth under a tall tree.
Immediately, food distribution became war.
"That sandwich is mine!" Jack protested.
"You weren't fast enough," Noah replied, already biting into it.
Clare tried to divide the apple mousse evenly, but Daniel silently moved his spoon to take a slightly bigger portion.
She noticed.
"You just did that on purpose."
Daniel shrugged. "Strategic positioning."
Jack pointed. "See? He's already practicing law tactics."
Even Xavier allowed a faint smile.
After eating, Jack suddenly clapped his hands.
"Game."
"No," Daniel said instantly.
"Yes," Noah argued.
"Truth or dare," Jack announced proudly.
Clare groaned. "Why is it always that?"
The bottle spun.
It landed on Daniel.
Jack smirked. "Truth."
Daniel crossed his arms. "Ask."
"Who here runs the fastest?"
Daniel answered calmly, "Me."
Jack stood up immediately. "Race."
And just like that—
Two almost-grown young men were sprinting across the grass like ten-year-olds.
Clare laughed loudly.
Noah shouted, "Jack, don't trip!"
Xavier watched carefully, noting stride length and control.
Daniel won.
Jack collapsed dramatically on the grass. "Unfair."
"You said truth," Daniel replied.
Next game: memory challenge, suggested by Xavier.
"I'll name twelve objects around us. Repeat them in order."
Jack groaned. "We came to relax."
"You'll lose," Xavier said calmly.
Challenge accepted.
Daniel remembered all.
Noah missed one.
Clare missed two.
Jack forgot four and blamed distraction.
Alice did surprisingly well.
Xavier noticed.
He always notices.
For a while, it felt perfect.
Laughter. Grass stains. Wind in their hair. No tension.
Just youth.
Evening came too quickly.
They packed their things and headed toward the guest house to meet Alice's parents.
Inside the hall, introductions began politely.
Her father's gaze sharpened when Jack introduced himself fully.
"Royal family?" he repeated.
"Something like that," Jack replied casually.
Then—
A servant passing by stumbled.
A tray of glasses slipped.
The crash echoed sharply.
Alice flinched.
Instinctively, Jack pulled her toward him to shield her from the falling glass.
It happened in one second.
Her hand in his.
Her balance shifting.
Their faces close.
Silence.
Clare froze.
Noah stiffened.
Daniel watched quietly.
Xavier stepped forward to make sure no glass injured anyone.
But Alice's parents only saw one thing—
Their daughter standing close to a prince.
Protected.
Important.
Valuable.
Their expressions changed.
Pride.
Approval.
Alice felt it immediately.
That look.
The one she had waited years to see.
She didn't step away quickly.
Jack released her hand after a moment. "It was just glass."
But the impression had already settled.
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