Chapter 648: YES, THERE IS

But he was still glad that this was the decision his mother made in the end, as it would lead to personal healing. It meant that she was choosing herself—her peace, her future—over the pain of the past. And for that, Astrid felt a deep sense of relief and admiration for her strength.

“I’m proud of you, Mom,” he could only say at the end. Because what else could he say?

Words felt small in the face of everything she’d been through, everything she’d overcome. He wanted to say so much more—to tell her how much her strength inspired him, how much he admired her resilience—but somehow, all of that seemed to fall short. So, he simply said those few words, hoping she understood what he meant.

His mother paused for a moment, as if letting his words sink in. Then a radiant smile spread across her face. “You… shouldn’t I be the one saying that?”

Hearing his mother’s playful response, Astrid couldn’t help but grin. “Oh? Are kids not allowed to be proud of their parents anymore?” he teased, his tone light but filled with warmth.

They exchanged a glance and, as if on cue, burst into laughter together.

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As Astrid began chopping the vegetables and meat, Emmy sat quietly, watching her son with a soft, thoughtful gaze.

It had been nine months since her children left for the capital to pursue their dreams. Some might say it wasn’t a long time, but for her and Gage, it felt like years. As parents, their concern never wavered, constantly wondering if their kids were safe, if they were eating well, or if they were happy in the path they had chosen.

Every phone call and message reassured them, but it never completely silenced that quiet, lingering worry that only parents truly understand.

In truth, between her two children, it was Reas she worried about the most. Astrid had always been the more mature and responsible one, while Reas, though he often appeared indifferent, had a far more fiery temper. She couldn’t shake the feeling that if trouble were to find one of them, it would likely be him.

Astrid had a way of handling things calmly, but Reas—he had a tendency to act before thinking, and that had made her constantly worry.

But who would have thought that the one to bring trouble, not through his own actions but by attracting the attention of a prince, would be Astrid? Of course, Astrid wasn’t to blame. How could it be his fault for being brilliant, talented, and undeniably beautiful? Honestly, it would have been more surprising if the prince hadn’t been captivated by him.

And so, here they were—the prince, standing in their home, boldly professing his love for her son without the slightest hesitation or stumble. He had even willingly downed an entire cup of what he believed to be poisoned tea, all to prove the depth of his love for her son. If Emmy hadn’t been certain this was all unfolding in real time, she might have thought it was just a fever dream.

“Aren’t you curious about how the conversations your dad and I each had with the prince went?” she asked curiously.

Astrid had asked about her conversation with Casey and the others, but he hadn’t mentioned the prince. That’s why she wondered if Astrid was simply being considerate, thinking that asking about the prince might annoy her. Or he was simply confident that the conversation went well.

Maybe it was a bit of both. Still, Emmy wanted to be sure. She needed to understand her son’s true feelings toward the prince—whether it was merely a platonic connection that would never evolve, or if it had the potential to grow into something deeper.

Regardless of the answer, she had already resolved to respect Astrid’s decision. It certainly helped that the prince’s feelings for her son seemed truly sincere. If that hadn’t been the case, she would have been the first to tell Astrid to cut off all ties with him. Knowing her husband, she was certain that he also felt the same as her.

Of course, this didn’t mean the prince was out of the woods just yet. He was still very much under observation. If he continued to prove the sincerity of his feelings, then that would be wonderful. But if he changed somewhere along the way, and Astrid no longer held the same place in his heart, then she and Gage would do everything in their power to protect their son and distance him from the prince.

After all, both of their children deserved nothing less than the best.

Astrid stopped chopping and turned to his mother, his expression thoughtful for a moment. After a brief pause, he responded, “Well, since he’s still very much alive, I think it went well?”

Emmy chuckled at that. “Yes, considering your dad only gave him one punch, I’d say it actually went quite well.”

Astrid had anticipated there might be some ‘violence’ involved, but hearing that his father had actually punched Wulfric left him feeling conflicted. Surely, with his SSS-level physique, Wulfric wasn’t seriously hurt, right? But still, a part of Astrid couldn’t help but feel a twinge of concern.

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“The prince is fine. It barely scratched him,” his mother said, as if reading his thoughts. Then she looked at him, her expression turning thoughtful and knowing. “So, is there a chance you might return the prince’s feelings?”

Astrid hadn’t expected his mother to be so direct, and the question made him pause, blinking a few times in surprise. He knew this was something he needed to answer thoughtfully. He didn’t want her to think his response was anything less than sincere. So, after a moment, he met her gaze and replied:

“Yes. Yes, there is.”

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