Love The Way He Lied

Three days remained until Emperor Eyan's grand birthday banquet.

The entire capital buzzed with anticipation. Servants rushed through the palace corridors, nobles exchanged whispers of dresses and dances, and vendors filled the markets with festive decorations, hoping to catch the attention of guests preparing for the celebration.

Inside her home, Eva stood by the window, watching the clouds drift lazily across the sky. Her fingers curled slightly as she thought, her gaze distant.

"What should I give him?" she whispered to herself.

A sigh escaped her lips. Birthdays she never had to think this hard for one. But this wasn't just anyone's birthday. It was Eyan's.

And no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't bring herself to treat it lightly.

She wanted to give him something meaningful.

Later that morning, Eva made her way to the library, thinking perhaps she could learn more about Eyan from the books written about him. She wandered through marble corridors and eventually found herself in the biography section.

She pulled out a thick book titled "The Life of Emperor Eyan Lucien Therald." The leather cover felt cool and ancient beneath her fingertips.

Flipping through the pages, she skimmed over wars, royal decrees, and court politics. It was all so formal, so carefully documented. But when she finally reached the section about his personal life, she was disappointed.

"His likes..." she muttered, scanning the short paragraph.

There was almost nothing written.

"He doesn't share much," she said aloud, closing the book with a sigh. "Of course, he wouldn't."

Resigned, she left the library, her boots lightly tapping against the palace stone floor. As she walked through the bustling street back toward the common district, a warm, buttery scent drifted to her nose.

She turned and noticed a small bakery with its windows fogged from the heat of fresh pastries inside. A child ran out holding a paper bag of cookies, grinning as crumbs fell on the street.

And then it hit her.

"Cookies..." she whispered. "That's it! I'll bake him cookies!"

The idea sparked in her like a flame. But then doubt crept in.

"I've never baked before," she murmured.

Back home, Kyel had always been the one cooking and baking. She had watched him plenty of times, but doing it herself was another matter.

Still, she straightened her back.

"I can do it. It can't be that hard."

She bought all the ingredients that same afternoon—flour, butter, eggs, sugar, and even a pinch of vanilla. She made sure to hide the bags behind the cabinet, worried Kyel might find them and ask questions.

That night, the door creaked open.

Kyel had returned from work, tired but with something in his hands—a small box wrapped carefully in pale silk.

"Princess," he called softly. "I brought something for you."

Eva turned, surprised. She took the box from his hands and carefully unwrapped it.

Inside, nestled on soft cloth, was a ring. with a green stone placed on it.

Her eyes widened.

"You bought me a ring?" she asked, voice touched with disbelief and joy.

Kyel smiled. "You lost yours... I already told you that I'll buy a new for you."

Emotion stirred in her chest as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him in a rare embrace.

"Thank you so much," she whispered.

Kyel hesitated for a breath, then gently hugged her back.

"You like it?" he asked.

Eva pulled away slightly to look at him, her smile soft. "Yes. I love it. But... it looks expensive. Where did you get the money for it?"

Kyel waved it off. "It's not expensive. I bought it from a shop that sells good things for cheap. It only cost one gold coin."

Eva exhaled in relief. "Thank goodness. I was worried you'd spent too much."

Kyel chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

"Eva extended her hand and said put it on my finger with your hands"

kayle took the ring and put it on Eve's ring finger

and then kissed her hand and said "it's suits you princess"

After a moment , he added, "Princess... I have to leave town tomorrow.

For about ten days. It's work-related. Will you be alright staying here alone?"

Eva nodded firmly. "Of course. You can go without worries."

"Alright then," he said with a small smile.

The next morning came with a cool breeze and warm light.

Kyel was dressed for travel, bag slung over his shoulder, ready to depart. Just as he reached the door, Eva called out, "Kyel, wait."

He turned.

She stepped closer, her hand lightly gripping the front of his coat as she rose on her toes and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

"Take care," she said quietly.

Kyel blinked in surprise, then gave her a rare, gentle smile. "You too."

And then he left.

By evening, the house was silent.

Eva stood in the kitchen, sleeves rolled up, hair tied loosely, determination burning in her chest. The ingredients were laid out on the table.

"How hard can it be?"

The first batch burned to a crisp.

The second batch came out flat, more like soggy pancakes than cookies.

The third batch was undercooked, the dough still raw inside.

Eva wiped the sweat from her brow, frustration creeping in. Her hands were starting to sting—one burn here, another there.

But she didn't give up.

Batch after batch failed, but she refused to stop.

Finally, on the seventh try, she pulled out a tray of warm, golden-brown cookies. They weren't perfect—some were uneven, others slightly cracked—but they were hers. Made by her hands, with her heart.

She placed them carefully into a small box and tied it with a red ribbon.

Her hands were bandaged and red, small burn marks visible along her fingers and wrists. But Eva looked at the cookies and smiled.

"My deal with the emperor depends on you," she whispered to them with a grin.

She held the box to her chest.

"Even if he never saw the effort behind them... even if he didn't realize how much it took... she hoped he'd taste the sincerity in each bite."