Chapter 36: Back to the Palace

**Thelma Zane’s POV** “So, are you willing to be this idiot’s girlfriend?” Aldrich's question hung in the air, laced with nervous anticipation and the slightest hint of self-deprecation. I couldn't help but grin widely, my heart brimming with amusement and affection. “Take a guess,” I teased, my tone light yet carrying the weight of my emotions. He tapped my forehead gently and laughed, his laughter warm and genuine, a sound that felt like home. The answer was obvious—crystal clear to me, if not to him. If I had to choose someone to spend the rest of my life with, there was no question in my mind that it would be him. He was the one person I could open my heart to, the only person I could see myself with. And since he wanted this, why not? I shrugged playfully, slipping my hand into his. “Of course.” The words tumbled out, simple yet liberating, as if a heavy weight had been lifted from my chest. For the first time in what felt like forever, my heart was calm—utterly