Chapter 209

Carissa noticed Rafael coughing immediately after he began eating; his cheeks flushed red from the exertion. Clearly, he wasn't accustomed to spicy food. So why had he chosen this restaurant?

She slid a menu listing non-spicy dishes to his side and said, "Even though you like spicy food, I think your throat is sore today. You should avoid spicy dishes for now and eat something lighter."

"My throat does feel off," Rafael admitted, clearing his throat as he felt the lingering burn from the spices. It was quite uncomfortable.

"I'll have someone bring you a glass of milk," Carissa said, rising to open the door to their private room. She summoned a waiter to bring a cup of milk.

"Milk can help neutralize the spiciness," she said with a reassuring smile, almost as if comforting a child. "Drink up."

Rafael took the glass. The milk had a slightly gamey taste, but it was cool and refreshing, making it palatable. More importantly, it was a gesture of her thoughtfulness.

He appreciated her unspoken understanding—her avoidance of drawing attention to his discomfort or his attempts to please her. She had truly changed since their time in Meadow Ridge.

But a bitter feeling arose. This scene—coaxing him to drink milk—probably mirrored how she had always cared for Rebecca. She had genuinely regarded the Warrens as family and sincerely wanted to spend her life with Barrett. How could such ungrateful wretches deserve her sincerity?

Rafael's eyes darkened with anger. Liam's revenge against Aurora was presumptuous. He had hoped humiliating her would drive her to suicide, like Westhaven's crown prince. However, Aurora was alive and well.

Carissa noticed his sudden coldness and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Rafael's expression remained cold as he shook his head. "It's nothing. We'll talk about it later."

Dylan, sensing Rafael's need for privacy, signaled to Lulu and Pearl. "Let's move to the adjacent room for our meal."

Lulu, understanding the gravity of the situation, called the waiter to help them move the food.

A few minutes later, only Carissa and Rafael remained.

"Is something troubling you, Your Highness?" Carissa asked.

Rafael looked at her. "Seeing how you coaxed me into drinking the milk, I imagine you were equally patient with Rebecca. You once treated the Warren family as your own, yet they all betrayed you. I'm angry on your behalf. And it seems to me that Aurora's punishment was too lenient. Even the military punishment she faced was endured by Barrett on her behalf."

Carissa hadn't expected a simple cup of milk to remind Rafael of her time with the Warren family.

She paused, then said, "Perhaps. But I trust that after careful consideration, the king will have her removed from the Ministry of Defense. She used to look down on women of the inner court. Now, she'll have to settle for being a general's wife and serving her in-laws and husband."

Carissa remembered Aurora's proud declaration that she despised the infighting among women in the household. But in the end, she would inevitably become the very thing she despised. It was a predictable fate.

"Your family was annihilated, and she is indirectly responsible. Don't you want to kill her?" Rafael asked.

This was a question Carissa had pondered many times.

She furrowed her brows. "Killing her would be easy—a single strike. But would it be true revenge? The people of Westhaven won't reveal the evil she committed at Victory Pass. Killing her wouldn't be true revenge."

True revenge would involve exposing the truth. The people of Westhaven chose to conceal it, and Salvador would be even less likely to make it public. Such an action would be detrimental to Starhaven. Moreover, Starhaven soldiers would be branded cruel and ruthless, and it would also implicate her grandfather, Dominic.

So, revenge was unattainable. The cost was too high.

In truth, both understood the situation—it was merely unresolved resentment. Aurora's existence was a thorn embedded in their hearts. It wasn't only the grudge of Carissa's family being killed; Aurora's actions had cast a shadow of shame over Starhaven's soldiers, tarnishing their honor and dignity.

"Eat up," Carissa said, refocusing on the present. She smiled at him, her heart warmed by his concern for the wrongs done to her family.

Rafael returned her smile warmly. He picked up a piece of pepper and offered it to her. "I know you like spicy food, so eat up."

Carissa tilted her head with a playful smile. "When did you find out I like spicy food?"

"When I was at Meadow Ridge, I overheard them mention it," Rafael replied.

"That's odd. Why didn't you ever meet with me when you were there?" Carissa asked, puzzled. They weren't strangers, and since he was already at Meadow Ridge, why hadn't he sought her out?