"What are the two of you doing here alone?" Selina came over with an annoyed look on her face."What do you look like?" Regina replied with a cute smile."What, isn't big sister getting married to the Grand Duke? But, why are you doing something that will cause others to misunderstand?" Selina crossed her arms over her chest, looking worried about Regina."Marriage?" Lion muttered quietly."What could go wrong, Selina? I was only speaking to Lion, as a lady, of course, and as one of the soldiers in his own house. Is that something that would cause others to misunderstand?" Regina walked over to Selina, pressing hard on the woman's shoulder."Ugh, that hurts!" Selina winced in pain, pushing Regina's hand away roughly."I only touched you lightly, Selina. But you're already wincing in pain, like I'm hurting you." Regina covered her mouth with her hand, a faint smile forming on her lips.Regina loved the sound of Selina's pain and mocked the woman at the same time, because she knew that
"You prepared all this for me?" Regina looked up and stared at Hertia."Yes. Because I don't want you to be in danger. Together, we can definitely find the Crown Prince's weakness," Hertia replied, making Regina beam at her."Thank you for helping me get this far. I'm not very good at making plans, and I may even become a burden to you later," Regina said, acknowledging her own shortcomings."If you ever need anything, just ask. Never hesitate," Hertia said gently, tucking a stray lock of hair that nearly fell into Regina's eyes.Regina bowed her head, touched by Hertia’s kindness. Although they hadn’t known each other for long, she felt certain that the Grand Duke's goodwill came without ulterior motives.After all, what could the Grand Duke want from the daughter of a Count? Hertia’s title was far superior to hers, making betrayal unlikely—and even if he did betray her, it wouldn’t be particularly advantageous for him.The sound of someone clearing their throat drew Regina's attenti
"Why don't you support me? I thought it was a good idea, so as not to arouse the Crown Prince's suspicions when I wanted to approach." Regina looked up at the Grand Duke, her face looking very innocent where Hertia was."I don't want to put you in danger. I can't protect you for twenty-four hours, so you'd better not!" Hertia firmly forbade."But, this is the only right way, Duke. Because the Crown Prince will surely seduce Miss Grana to break off the marriage with you," William tried to persuade him that this was the best way.The Count and the Baron nodded their heads as well, confirming William's words that the Grand Duke should now agree to Regina's request by using her engagement."How about this? I'll hold the engagement in private, invite only close relatives, and spread the rumor that I love Miss Grana very much. Then, at the wedding, that bastard Crown Prince will be very curious about my bride," the Grand Duke suggested."That's not too bad. He'll be even more curious to see
Elisabet hugged Regina tightly, then wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes. "Yes, I can't hate you for long either. Because you are my daughter too, just like Selina!"The two of them hugged each other for a long time until Regina decided to let go of her mother's embrace. "Mom, let's eat first. I want to do something first," Regina excused herself.Just as Regina was about to walk away, Elisabet grabbed her hand. "If you really want to make up with Mom, can you return Mom's position?" Her eyes were pleading.Regina shook her head gently, her face as sad as possible. "I'm sorry, Mom. Since this is Father decision, you know yourself when Father has made a decision that cannot be appealed." She wiped the corners of his eyes and left Elisabet.Elisabet hands clenched into fists to hold back the anger in her chest, she continued to stare at Regina's back with a sharp gaze.**Two months had passed, now Regina's wedding day was in sight. Now the woman was trying on her wedding dress
Deptian immediately stood beside Regina, then took her arm and walked into the wedding hall to see her off.The bridal gown was white, studded with gems that made it sparkle even more under the lights of the banquet hall. Not to mention the open bosom, which added to the graceful impression and made Regina even more beautiful, even though she was covered by a veil.Hertia who was already waiting in front of the priest, continued to stare at the bride without blinking. He was so mesmerized by Regina's beauty that he was hypnotized to look at the woman all the time.Deptian gave Regina's hand to Hertia, then left the couple to return to their seats."Do I look strange?" asked Regina in a half-whisper, looking at Hertia with an astonished look."No! You're very beautiful," Hertia replied quickly."Thank goodness. I felt like I looked weird with all those people staring at me," Regina said with a smile.Actually, Regina had been nervous from the start, but she held herself together so as
Regina was visibly upset by the questions being asked of her, she looked away several times, trying to find a way to distract Hertia or get away.'I said what the Crown Prince told her to say,' Regina muttered to herself, still fidgeting with whether or not to answer the man's question.Just as Hertia was about to repeat her question, someone called out to he to approach the group of people who seemed to be congratulating he or just joking around."I'll go there first, if you want to go in first, that's fine. You must be very tired, you haven't rested since this morning." Hertia kissed Regina's forehead, then left the woman alone.Regina was being mistreated by the man, she decided to go inside because she could not stand the stares of many people from earlier and her body was also very tired. Luckily, Hertia was very understanding of her current situation, otherwise she would have stayed there until the party was over, which meant that Regina would have stayed there until late at nig
Regina looked at herself several times in the large mirror, her reflection was very clear in the mirror. This made Regina bite her fingernails. She paced back and forth restlessly."Why do I have to wear clothes like this, Zena? Isn't the Grand Duke notoriously impotent, so there's no way he'd do anything to me," Regina said as she continued to stare at herself in the mirror, with a troubled expression that never left her beautiful face.Zena paused for a moment, then approached the Duchess. "That's right, the Grand Duke is impotent. So why are you afraid to wear this nightgown? Won't the Duke have no reaction to seeing it?" she asked another question instead of answering.Regina's eyebrows went up and down. The woman seemed to be thinking hard over the butler's words. "That's right. Why should I think about it? Because the Grand Duke is..." Regina suddenly stopped her sentence, covering her mouth with one hand.She had just realized that she was not at her residence, but at the Grand
Hertia fell on Regina's body, the man holding his wife tightly so she could not escape. He played with her wet hair. "It's just what people say, but how can you believe what they say?""Because it's what they say." Regina covered her face with a hand, now very red from being so close.Even Regina could hear the sound of Hertia's ragged breathing, not to mention the scent of the man that made her uneasy."Because I have never been with a woman? So you believe what they say?" Hertia raised her eyebrows, her hands still playing faithfully with Regina's hair."For one thing, there was someone, even many, who approached you with their bodies. But you didn't react like..." Regina's words trailed off, unable to explain what she had heard from the people."If I don't respond, it doesn't mean I don't have any lust at all, because one of my principles is to do it with the woman I married. Not some cheap woman who will give up her body for the sake of my power or possessions." Hertia buried he h
"Mom?" Regina stared intently at the beautiful woman who looked familiar to her.The woman stretched out her arms, asking for a hug. "Right, this is Mom. Sorry for making you wait so long."Regina immediately rushed into the arms of Lily, the woman who was her mother. Tears continued to flow because she missed her biological mother for a long time."Are you okay so far? I'm so sad to see you suffering from up there." Lily's eyes glazed over at her daughter, looking very sad."Yes, I'm fine now, Mom. So don't worry about me, and rest in peace." Regina tightened her hug to her mother, a warm embrace that she missed so much."Thank goodness you're okay. Mommy will always try to protect you no matter what, so you don't have to feel alone anymore." Lily stroked Regina's hair lightly, as a mother would treat her young child."Don't tell me Mom made me go back in time?" Regina looked up at her mother, and Lily answered with a nod of her head. "So you turned back time to make me come back to
"This is delicious." Regina was very happy to eat the meal that Mira made for her."I'm glad you like it. Eat more." Hertia supported he chin with one hand as he continued to watch he wife."Didn't you have breakfast?" Regina paused her meal, and looked up at her husband, who had been watching her."Just looking at you fills me up, so I don't need breakfast anymore," Hertia replied. Regina immediately responded with bulging eyes."You have to have breakfast! If you don't, I'll stop eating it." Regina pushed the bowl of soup away from her, even though she glanced at it a few times while she ate quickly, but she still held back so that Hertia would join her for breakfast.Hertia smiled at he wife, knowing that Regina still wanted the soup, so he kept looking at it. "Mira, did you cook a lot of soup? I want to eat only that soup because if I eat something else, I'm afraid it will make my wife no longer eager to eat the soup.""There's plenty, Duje. I'll get some more." Mira walked into t
"No, Duke! Let me stay there. Gera doesn't have to come because I'm the guilty one here." Sira held onto the master's legs, hoping he would forgive he.Gera wanted to say something, but she felt tight in the chest from hitting the wall, and it was hard for he to speak."If that's what you want, I won't stop you. Hurry, and pack your things because I don't want to see you before sunrise tomorrow! But if you realize the mistake you made, I will accept you back here, though I won't restore your position." Hertia approached he wife again, ignoring the two man.Sira immediately carried Gera to be treated, and Mira, who saw this, felt sorry for her and chose to help."I hope you learn from this," Mira said as they left.Hertia stroked his wife's stomach, occasionally kissing Regina's forehead gently. With every kiss, he felt regret for not being stricter with her."I'm sorry, Regina. If I had disciplined her properly, maybe you wouldn't have experienced something like this. Oh, I'm sorry! M
"I only said what needed to be said, Auntie. Because no matter what, Duchess would have found out," Sira argued, not wanting to be blamed."Ugh!" Regina cried out while holding her stomach, causing everyone to look at her."I'll get a doctor, Duchess!" Terri immediately ran out to call the doctor.Regina continued to whimper while holding her stomach, where she felt cramps.Mira, and Sira, who were there, approached the woman, trying to ease her pain."I came with the doctor you requested." Terri came by, holding the doctor's hand, and approached the madam.The doctor examined Regina's condition, asking questions that surprised everyone."Please forgive my lack of thoroughness in examining you, Duchess. I only examined the wound on the outside." The doctor bowed his head in guilt."No problem. What happened to me?" Regina looked at the doctor in surprise. She was now very confused as to what illness she was suffering from."You are pregnant, and I think the baby is only two weeks old.
"Tell me, did you plan all this?" Mira snapped at her niece, causing Sira to nod her head slowly. "I don't know what made you do it, but I'm not going to do anything. I just don't know what the Grand Duke will do to you later. I won't protect you, even though I promised Zena, your mother, that I would."Mira left Sira without saying anything else, not caring that the young woman had said she was sorry for what she had done. In Mira's opinion, now that her niece had done something wrong, it could not be forgiven.Of course, the punishment would wait for the Grand Duke, because no matter what, the victim was Regina. Besides, the culprit was Sira, the butler of the residence itself. Mira could not have made the decision alone without the master."You will send a message to the Grand Duke about Duchess condition, but there's no need to go into too much detail about what happened. I will explain it to the lord personally!" Mira ordered the man who usually delivered messages or letters.In
Sira sat limply on the ground, almost buried in thick snow, but Regina was down there instead. Sira, realizing this, immediately got up from her seat to approach the buried mistress."Duchess, can you still hear me?" Sira dug through the snow with both hands, hoping to get Regina out quickly.But unfortunately, it was impossible to get her out alone, especially without using tools. Even if she could, it would take a long time, and Regina would freeze to death.Sira realized she would have to ask for help from people nearby, hoping someone would help her get the mistress out. Running around looking for people, she came across Mira, her aunt."Auntie, help me!" Sira said in a trembling tone."What's wrong? Tell me what happened?" Mira looked at her niece intently, searching for answers."Duchess was buried by a pile of snow that fell from a tree while she was watching the snow fall." Sira pointed to where the mistress was trembling.Mira was shocked but quickly called for someone to hel
Mira shook her head slightly."No problem, Duchess. You're the Duke wife, after all, so there's no way Duke will be angry that you're here," Mira said, reassuring Regina."Then let's eat this dessert together," Regina invited all the maid present with a sweet smile.Not many servers were present; some were busy, and did not like sweet food. Regina couldn't force them; the most important thing was that the maid came to eat with her.Besides, Sira was there; wasn't it the young butler who disliked her too much? So Regina tried to take the woman's heart slowly, like a sweet dish.Sira seemed reluctant to take the dish, but her eyes kept falling on the chocolate dessert next to Regina. It seemed she wanted the dessert but was embarrassed to say so."Sira, this is for you." Regina handed Sira the dessert, knowing she wanted it.Sira looked embarrassed but finally took the dessert with her usual unfriendly face. Her eyes lit up, and she swallowed a few times, trying to consume it in one bi
An older maid came over to Regina, the woman looking at the mistress with a sombre expression. "Duchess, please forgive Sira for her rude behaviour." The woman prostrated herself at Regina's feet."Why do you prostrate yourself at my feet? Please stand up, it's so dirty in here!" Regina helped the middle-aged woman to her feet."My name is Mira; I apologize for my rudeness. But I only ask you not to punish Sira, even though she's like this; she's a good woman, just too childish," Mira said with a glance at Sira, who was still not bothered by the commotion she had caused."Why are you so sure I will punish her? She was just sleeping," Regina asked, staring at Mira intently, her eyes full of curiosity as to why the servant in front of her was so sure she would do that."Forgive me for making such a bold accusation! It's just that I'm very worried about this child, nothing more," Mira replied, looking very worried."No problem, Mira. I understand your concern, but I won't punish her bec
Sira, and Gera laughed in the dining room, not caring that many ears would hear their conversation now. The most important thing was to say they did not like the newly arrived mistress."Hertia, it seems that some of them don't like me," Regina said when they were in the room."Tell me, who dared to do that to you?" Hertia gritted he teeth, a sign that she was holding back anger."Would you do something to him if I told you who it was?" Regina asked her husband a question instead of answering."Of course, I will punish them all; who would dare to do such a thing to a grand duchess?!" Hertia's voice rose, unable to contain the anger in he chest."Sira, the butler who works here!" replied Regina flatly.Hertia's face was shocked, but then sighed heavily. "I'm sorry! I'll reprimand her tomorrow so she won't do anything to you. Her mother never taught her to be impolite, but why is she acting like that?""Don't! Just let her do what she wants as long as it doesn't hurt me; as long as she