Days, weeks, and months passed with astonishing speed. Without realizing it, six months had already gone by since they had all entered the institute, and things had taken an unexpected turn for many.
The situation of Valeria and Diego, for example, had become the best-known secret topic in the hallways. They were closer every day, so much so that they would slip away during class hours to meet alone. After their first time together, the desire they felt for one another could no longer be contained. They always sought out a secluded corner, far from the bustle, to consume themselves in those flames of passion that had become impossible to extinguish.
They were not the only ones to suspect it: several students had seen them entering and leaving rooms, whether it was Diego's or Valeria's. But no one dared to say it openly. After all, Diego was the Crown Prince of the Empire of the Rose and Valeria was his fiancée. Both belonged to families too powerful for anyone to risk insulting or defaming them. The few who knew the secret preferred to keep their mouths shut, and although curious glances were inevitable, everything remained in silence.
For his part, Diego had already spoken with his father about his relationship with Valeria. Of course, he did not confess that they had both taken a much more intimate step, but he did tell him the essentials: that he was in love with her. He explained that at first he refused to accept what he felt, that he resisted for a long time, until Valeria made the decision to break the engagement. It was then that he understood that the girl, who had pursued him tirelessly in their early years, had achieved the unthinkable: stealing his heart. And now, as if destiny were mocking him, it was Diego who ran after her, fearful of losing her.
The emperors celebrated the news with enthusiasm. They had always dreamed of seeing them together, for to them, there existed no one more capable than Valeria to occupy the future position of Empress.
But not everyone shared that joy. Duke Delacroix, Valeria's father, had been convinced for years that his daughter would remain single to dedicate herself to the duchy, the dream he had always harbored. The idea of losing her as his heir was unbearable to him. However, thanks to the intervention of Duchess Renata, who with patience and sweetness helped him accept his daughter's destiny, he gradually began to resign himself.
Despite her responsibilities at the institute, Valeria fulfilled her promise: she traveled every weekend to visit her brothers. When they learned that she was in an official relationship with Prince Diego and that they would soon be engaged again, reactions were divided. Her younger sisters burst with happiness; they could not believe their dear older sister would marry such a handsome and charming prince. Her brothers, on the other hand, seethed with rage. They hated the idea of the Prince coming to snatch her away from them. Remorse tormented them: they blamed themselves for having allowed Valeria to enter the institute. And they swore to themselves, through gritted teeth, that they would never allow the two youngest sisters to follow that same path.
Renata, for her part, felt fulfilled seeing her daughter happy. She had received letters from Clara—Valeria's closest confidante at the institute—where she recounted in great detail the kind of relationship she and Diego maintained. In those letters, Clara also mentioned that Valeria needed her help to obtain contraceptive herbs regularly.
Far from being scandalized, Renata understood the situation. She herself had lived a youth marked by intense passions alongside Maximiliano, and she could not reprimand her daughter for something she herself was unable to control in her time as a student. As the saying goes: "a chip off the old block." So, with discretion, she took it upon herself to obtain the herbs and send them to the institute via messenger, always accompanied by an affectionate note thanking Clara for looking after Valeria with such loyalty.
Meanwhile, Ross—Valeria's sweet and dreamy friend—was going through a confusing stage. Lately, she felt something strange every time she was near Prince Abel. She did not know how to explain it, but a tingling ran through her stomach when he approached her, and an unbearable pressure weighed on her chest every time she saw him smiling at another girl.
Ross had always dreamed of living an epic love story, like those she devoured in the romantic novels she read in secret. But the reality of facing those feelings bewildered her. She had never experienced true love. Unable to recognize what was happening to her, she thought she was ill. And she, who feared setting foot in a hospital more than anything, began to frequent the institute's infirmary, convinced that her "discomfort" had a medical explanation.
Prince Abel, on the contrary, burned with frustration. He felt trapped in a friendship that no longer satisfied him. He had tried everything to make Ross understand what he felt: he invited her for walks through the town, he bought her chocolates, he shared every meal of the day with her, and he even looked for excuses to prolong her company. But nothing seemed to work. To Ross, everything boiled down to simple camaraderie.
In his eyes, she was perfect, even with her lapses and quirks. That distracted girl, who lived in her world of fantasies, had conquered his heart in a way that was as subtle as it was irreversible.
Despite the tensions, something positive had emerged: Abel had become good friends with Diego and Damian. The rivalry that once existed between them disappeared, thanks to the close friendship Valeria and Ross had cultivated. Since the girls spent so much time together, the princes were forced to coexist. At first, the interactions were tense, but little by little, between laughter and training sessions, a true camaraderie was born.
One afternoon, after an intense fencing practice, the three princes were sitting on the grass of the training field, panting from the effort. Damian, as always, had forced them to train even though neither of them had much desire to do so.
It was Abel who broke the silence.
"Emm… Diego, how did you conquer Miss Valeria?"
Diego looked at him in surprise. "Where is this question coming from? I do not know… it just happened."
Damian, who was observing the scene with amusement, intervened:
"Come on, tell us. Could it be that the Prince of Ruby is in love?"
Abel shifted uncomfortably, surprised by how accurate the comment was. He remained silent for a few seconds until, seeing Damian's mocking smile, he finally confessed:
"Yes. I am in love with Miss Ross… but she seems to want nothing to do with me."
Diego arched an eyebrow. "Did you ask her directly?"
"No," Abel responded with a sigh, "but I show my interest all the time. I give her chocolates, I invite her for walks, we share the gardens every afternoon, we eat together… and yet, she still sees me only as a friend."
Damian laughed softly. "She might think you do those things precisely because you are her friend."
Diego nodded. "Something similar happened with Valeria. She did not believe me when I confessed that I was in love."
"And how did you convince her?" Abel asked hopefully.
The Crown Prince smiled with mischief. "I declared myself as many times as was necessary. And on each occasion… I stole a few kisses."
Damian shook his head, amused. "Ignoring the part about the kisses—which I am not sure Ross would take quite as well—Diego is right. You have to declare yourself with clear words."
Abel listened intently to his friends' advice. Although fear gnawed at him, the decision was already made: he would seek out Ross and declare himself to her, in plain words and without beating around the bush.
It was time to stop hiding behind chocolates and walks. If he wanted to conquer the girl who had stolen his heart, he had to face the risk of being rejected.
And as the sun set over the institute's gardens, Abel took a deep breath, ready to take the first step in what he hoped would be the most important love story of his life.