Chapter 170

Princess Elena’s POV For a second, my mind went completely blank. This was Oliver, my cousin. Same bloodline. Same family crest. And yet the look in his eyes made my skin crawl. He noticed my silence and curled his lips into a mocking smile. “Why are you staring like that?” he asked, voice low and amused. “That wide-eyed act of yours… you use it on men all the time, don’t you? Playing innocent while pretending you don’t know exactly what you’re doing.” Disgust surged through me. “You actually think I was flirting with you?” He scoffed. “You’ve been watching me since I walked in. Don’t pretend you don’t know the rules.” “There are no rules,” I snapped. “And there was no signal.” His laugh was short and cruel. “Denial just makes it more interesting. Playing distant and acting offended…it’s all part of the game.” That was it. I shoved him hard in the shoulder, my voice cutting like ice. “Listen carefully. I wasn’t trying to attract you. I wasn’t inviting anything. The only reason I looked