Arabella hoped they would understand, but perhaps they were still too young since they looked at her sadly even more.
'How do I explain this if they keep looking at me with such eyes the more I explain?' Arabella wanted to scratch the back of her head.
"Brother Benjamin said the Emperor seems to really like you. He had been looking at you all the time too since you arrived. Does he love you?" Lei spoke this time.
Arabella smiled at their youngest's observation. "Yes, he likes me a lot. He loves me. A lot."
"But he used his power to marry you. Everyone knows no one could say no to a marriage proposal from him," Nicholas pointed out and Eloisa nodded in agreement.
"Yes, but he had since apologized about it repeatedly and regretted starting our relationship that way. He admitted it was a mistake on his part not to try to woo me and try competing with Andrew as the others did," Arabella clarified.