Forbidden Love✧⁠*⁠。

Episode 13

The next morning, Santa woke up feeling weary and restless, the weight of his thoughts about Perth lingering heavily in his mind. He hadn’t slept well, waking up multiple times during the night, haunted by Perth’s face and his own conflicted emotions. With a sigh, he rose from his bed and headed to the bathroom, hoping a long shower might help clear his mind. He filled the bathtub, sinking into the warm water, letting it soothe his aching thoughts.

After a while, he stepped out, dried off, and slipped on a robe, walking into his spacious walk-in closet to get dressed. He chose a simple yet elegant outfit, something comfortable. Just as he finished dressing, a knock came at his door.

"Your Highness, breakfast is ready," Tad called politely from the other side.

Santa sighed, nodding to himself as he left his room, making his way downstairs to the dining hall. His parents, King Adun and Queen Laila, were already seated, their regal presence adding a formal air to the quiet room. As Santa took his seat, his sister Becky arrived, greeting everyone before settling in at the table. The maids served breakfast, and they ate in near silence, each family member caught in their own thoughts.

When they finished, Tad informed them that their tutor was already waiting in the library. Santa and Becky exchanged a quick glance before both rose from the table and made their way down the hall. They entered the library, where their tutor greeted them warmly and began the lesson.

Though Santa tried to focus on the material, his mind kept drifting back to Perth. Every now and then, he caught glimpses of Becky looking unusually distracted, her gaze distant. He could tell she was thinking about something, and at one point, a small smile played on her lips as if she’d just come up with a brilliant idea. He couldn’t help but wonder what was going on in her mind.

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Meanwhile, back at the village, Perth lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts stubbornly circling back to the previous day. The image of Pond handing Santa that flower wouldn’t leave his mind. He scoffed, muttering, "So annoying." Despite everything, he couldn’t ignore the pang of jealousy that still lingered.

A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. "Nong, breakfast is ready! Come on, let’s eat," Freen’s voice called through the door.

Perth pulled himself out of bed and joined Freen and their mother at the wooden dining table, the familiar scene a small comfort amid his tangled emotions. They chatted idly through breakfast, Freen occasionally glancing at her brother, noticing his distant look.

After they finished, Freen leaned over and whispered, "Hey, after you’re done with your work today, do you want to go to the lake?"

Perth nodded, recalling his promise to Santa to meet at the lake every day. Whether he liked it or not, he intended to keep that promise, hoping it might give him some answers about their relationship… or whatever lay between them.

Freen smirked. "Great. Now, shoo! Go to work and earn lots of money for us."

Perth smirked back. "Why don’t you work too, then?"

Freen laughed, giving him a playful nudge. Perth turned to his mother, "Mae, I’m heading out now."

She nodded, offering him a gentle smile. "Alright, be careful."

Perth set off toward Mr. Natt’s house, By the time he arrived, Gemini, Satang, and Mark were already there, chatting amongst themselves as they waited. Mr. Natt greeted them warmly, pointing to the tasks he had for them. Today, they were helping to move stacks of hay bales to the storage shed and repairing a broken fence around the pasture.