Carissa knew that Helen had not invited her to the tea party, but she was unclear about when exactly Helen planned to host it.She looked at Kyle. "When did you arrive in the capital? This can't be a coincidence, can it?"Kyle smiled. "I've been here for a few days, just strolling around the city to enjoy some peace and quiet. I didn't expect to hear your chatter so soon.""What? You arrived in the capital and didn't come to see me immediately? That's really too much!""Well, go ahead and cry about it," Kyle said, sitting down leisurely with his coffee. After sipping half a cup, he looked up and saw Carissa's eyes had reddened. He couldn't help but sigh. "You never tell us about your problems, so of course I had to come and check on you myself. I needed to see if you were doing well or not. Even if you don't need our help, at least I should be aware of the situation.""Kyle, I'm doing very well now." Carissa said as she sat beside him, still trying to act spoiled like she used
On the day of Helen's gathering, ladies from both inside and outside the capital, as well as the families of high-ranking officials, all arrived at Hell Monarch Estate.Despite the invitation being framed as a snowfall viewing event, it hadn't snowed that day. Furthermore, the garden's orchids had been transplanted to a secluded area. After the relocation, the blossoms hadn't bloomed at all this year. Even with Rafael's return and the meticulous care of a specialist, the garden had only a few blooming flowers.However, whether it was flowers or snow was secondary. Everyone understood well enough that Helen organized this tea party to show off.As expected, today she wore a deep red brocade gown embroidered with large lilies. A pristine white fox fur draped elegantly over her shoulders, and her hair, touched with a few strands of gray, was styled in an elaborate updo. It was adorned with a gold crown set with rubies, giving her an air of undeniable nobility.Eleanor had also dress
When the question was raised, everyone realized that Carissa was absent.It was indeed strange. Given that she was about to marry into the family, she should have been present at Helen's tea party today.In the midst of the confusion, Helen said coolly, "This tea party of mine isn’t an event that just anyone can attend."Her words made everyone understand the situation—Helen clearly did not favor her future daughter-in-law.That made sense.Though Carissa came from a distinguished family and had military achievements, she was a woman who had once divorced. Rafael was a prince, and he was far above her in status.Whispers and murmurs spread among the guests. Margaret felt uncomfortable, and disapproved of Helen's behavior. Even if Helen didn't like Carissa, the marriage had already been confirmed, and a certain level of decorum should be maintained.Margaret glanced at her daughter-in-law, Jessica, who was engaged in conversation with Serena. She shook her head.After all these
With a tearful expression, Serena bowed deeply to thank Helen. She then cast a desperate look towards Jessica.Jessica's face darkened. What was this foolish woman doing today? She had directly embarrassed her!The onlookers suppressed their laughter. Helen was easily flattered—a few compliments could make her open her heart. It was easy to please her or to deceive her out of money, but she took great pride in her son. Anyone who aimed for Rafael was crossing a line that could not be tolerated.Jessica was seething with anger, but had no choice but to maintain silence with a stiff expression.However, Eleanor simply smiled and took a slow sip of her tea. She said, "It was merely a jest. Why would anyone take it seriously? Rafael's princess consort hasn't even married into the family yet, so what talk of a second wife? Jessica, you were too kind-hearted. That girl from the Warren family shed a few tears and you pitied her, so you spoke up for her before Helen. And Helen, how c
Eleanor's casual remark undoubtedly confirmed Jessica's claims."It's no wonder Lady Helen dislikes Carissa—she must have used such underhanded tactics.""It's shocking to think that someone of the duke's direct lineage would resort to such a despicable method.""Lady Heather, now I understand why you've kept your distance. It turns out there's a reason for it."Heather held her cup of tea; she looked as though she wanted to speak, but caught Eleanor's icy gaze. She managed a bitter smile, took a sip of her tea, and remained silent.Helen felt unsettled. The decision not to invite Carissa was meant to show her who was truly in charge, a reminder not to get above herself. Yet, the fact that Carissa was Rafael's future wife was a reality Helen could not change. She didn't want her future daughter-in-law being talked about in such a manner.Eleanor's words, however, left her at a loss. Though Eleanor spoke with apparent sincerity, Helen had no way of disproving the latter’s claims.
Eleanor and Jessica’s expressions turned incredibly sour.Eleanor had always prided herself on her refined taste. She had almost acquired Kyle’s orchid painting, only for it to be torn to shreds. She was ridiculed for it, and since then, she harbored a grudge against Kyle. After all, her love for the arts was just a pretense. She didn’t genuinely appreciate the painting or the painter.Serena awkwardly found a corner to sit in, not daring to speak further. Deep down, she felt indignant. Why should Carissa have such a famous guild senior?Eleanor and Jessica were now silent. Their earlier comments about Carissa seemed like a complete joke. Even the king and the prime minister had personally gone to visit—how grand must that event be? And here they were, hiding and mocking Carissa. It was petty, and showed a severe lack of class.Thinking back to Eleanor and Jessica’s slanderous remarks, Serena realized how she had chimed in as well and had acted like a petty person.Heather's
Margaret's words left Helen feeling both proud and a bit guilty. Helen had deliberately not invited Carissa today to give the latter a hard time, but Carissa didn’t seem to mind at all. Instead, she even sent a masterpiece from her guild senior as a gift.This made Helen realize that Carissa not only knew how to conduct herself, but was also generous and magnanimous. In comparison, Helen now felt she had been petty and narrow-minded.Noticing the envy and jealousy in the eyes of the other concubines, Helen’s opinion of Carissa improved—if only just a little. She wasn't willing to give her too much credit, after all.Eleanor and her daughter walked over to take a look at the painting. While they were indeed impressed, since the painting wasn't theirs, they felt the need to belittle it.Eleanor disregarded her status and past displays of good manners, and said, "Kyle is known for his orchid paintings. If she truly wanted to give you something, it should have been an orchid painti
Eleanor was left speechless by Margaret's sharp retort. She was stunned in anger for a long time. Finally, she stood up with a cold laugh. “You clearly know nothing about art, yet you use this as a pretext to argue. It seems you and I can hardly exchange a single word without clashing. I shall take my leave.”After finishing her sentence, she shot a fierce glare at Helen. Helen was momentarily stunned—what had she done to offend Eleanor? After all, it was Margaret who had crossed her. Why was Eleanor glaring at her?Still, Helen had suffered enough under Eleanor's hand before. Also, given their business dealings, she didn’t want to provoke her further. So, she asked, “Your Highness, won’t you stay a bit longer to enjoy the paintings?”Eleanor walked over to Helen and leaned in close to whisper, though her tone carried a clear hint of threat, “I do intend to enjoy them. After everyone’s finished, you’ll send the paintings to my residence. I expect them delivered by the end of t