The Abandoned Luna's Journey to Power (by Emily Reed) novel Chapter 256

Chapter 256 He Also Loves to Show Off

Prince Adam’s POV:

“One hundred gold coins!”

The moment Cindy announced it, the noble hall turned into a chaotic street market.

“I want this one! It’s mine!”

“Hey! I saw it first!”

“I’m a duke! You’re just a count! How dare you try to grab it?”

Seeing these usually composed nobles go red in the face over a few paintings, almost unleashing their wolf power, made me want to laugh.

Baron Reynold was the fiercest of all.

That old man, who always called himself refined, suddenly went full-on aggressive.

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He and his daughter, Alicia, moved like a perfect team, flanking each other like badgers defending food. They snatched three paintings straight from the crowd.

“Alicia! Grab ‘Moon Goddess’s Blessing’! That’s going in our family collection!” Baron Reynold barked as he shoved the finance minister, who was trying to sneak one.

“Got it, Father! If anyone comes near, I’ll bite!” Alicia clutched the scroll, showing her little fangs.

By contrast, Morton looked miserable,

As King Ryken’s Beta, he usually had influence. But when it came to fighting for stuff, he just couldn’t compete with those old foxes.

The painting he wanted got snatched by Count Camden. All he could do was stomp in frustration and glance at his wife, as if saying, “I tried, honey, but I’m outmatched.”

I leaned against a column, arms folded, enjoying the chaos.

“Your Highness, aren’t you going to grab a few?” Chase whispered. “These are Mr. Silva’s works. You don’t get chances like this often!”

“Grab a few?”

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Chapter 256 He Also Loves to Show Off

I snorted, raising my voice just enough for the nearby nobles to catch every word.

“Why rush?”

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I smoothed my cuffs, wearing that smug “winner at life” grin. “Cindy is my fiancée. Mr. Silva is her senior, so that also makes him mine. He dotes on Cindy. Whatever painting I want later, I can just ask. Maybe he’ll even paint a family portrait for me.”

Upon hearing that, the noisy crowd froze for a second.

A dozen pairs of eyes swung toward me, full of envy, annoyance, and a kind of helplessness that said, “He’s shameless, but he’s right.”

“Tsk,” Morton muttered. “Your Highness, you’re not just showing off money-you’re showing off your fiancée.”

“Some people are just born lucky,” Baron Reynold said, hugging his painting and shaking his head. “We fought hard and still can’t compete with a single line from him.”

My mother straightened in her seat, fingers gripping her cup so tightly that it almost cracked.

I could feel her conflict.

As a mother, seeing me admired made her proud.

Everyone was saying, “Prince Adam has good taste.”

But as someone who had opposed this match, she felt stifled.

The more Cindy shone, the sillier her previous objections seemed, and the more out of control she felt.

Just then, soft footsteps came from the side door.

“Your Grace, Mr. Astra has arrived.”

Cindy’s eyes lit up. She left the crowd and rushed toward him.

A slim figure entered, posture upright despite the frailty.

It was Astra.

He had on a dark purple brocade robe, slightly tailored down, with the Silverpeak Pack emblem stitched into it. He leaned on a finely carved ebony cane.

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Chapter 256 He Also Loves to Show Off

A

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He still limped, and his face looked pale, but his head was held high. Those silver-gray eyes showed not a trace of fear.

He didn’t hurry, but every step was firm.

Each

step

sounded like a steady beat, announcing Silverpeak Pack’s return.

“Greetings, Your Majestys.”

Astra stopped in front of King Ryken. His throat hadn’t fully recovered, yet his words came out steady and clear.

He didn’t perform a grand ceremony. Instead, he gave the salute of an equal-more like a noble offering loyalty to his king.

King Ryken put aside his painting and stared at the boy like a hawk.

After a long pause, he gave a small nod, approval flashing briefly in his eyes.

“Good,” he said quietly. “Silverpeak has a good successor. Astra, your leg isn’t healed yet, but your backbone is straighter than most people in this kingdom.”

Those words were the same as publicly recognizing Astra as the future Alpha of Silverpeak Pack.

The nobles who had once sneered at this “crippled orphan” quickly changed their attitudes and nodded to Astra with respect.

Seeing Astra standing beside Cindy, warmth rose in

my chest.

That was my family.

And that was the home I would defend.

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