The brown-eyed man continued, "His Highness has instructed me to tell you that he will be away for two months. If you need anything, please feel free to call his number."
He handed her a slip of paper with the prince's number on it and then departed.
Julia stared after him, stunned. He knew her real name. That revelation struck her like a bolt—had he actually told someone about her true identity? Did he finally believe her? Or had he seen how her life had spiraled from being the daughter of the richest man in all of Korea to someone lacking everything, trapped in a web she couldn't escape?
The thought of Khalil's absence weighed heavily on her, and a thousand anxieties ran through her mind. Did he intend to harm her? The fear gnawed at her so much that she had completely lost her appetite.
By the time the clock struck seven, she knew she had to eat something. She decided to head to the kitchen, hoping the middle-aged woman had returned after she had refused the food Adeline had prepared earlier.
Just as she was about to leave her bed, there was a soft knock on the door. Julia opened it to find Miss Adeline standing there with a gentle, knowing smile.
"You young couples," Adeline said, shaking her head lightly, "I know you miss your husband, but starving yourself isn't the way to show it. He'll be back soon. All you have to do is take care of yourself—food is essential, not just for your health but for looking your best. And when he returns, he's going to be wowed by how fresh and radiant you look."
She placed a neatly packed meal in Julia's fridge. "I won't be coming tomorrow, Saturday. My daughter will be returning from the States; you know she got a scholarship there. But I'll see you on Sunday, Miss."
After she left, Julia felt a small wave of comfort. Somehow, even in the middle of uncertainty and fear, there were these little reminders of care—and the world, she realized, wasn't entirely against her.