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
As Helen stepped into the main hall, she noticed that Salvador, Jeremiah, and many high-ranking officials were already there. Even Rafael was engaged in conversation with a handsome young man dressed in a blue coat.The moment they saw her enter, everyone, including the king, rose to their feet and greeted her.Helen’s mood instantly brightened. While she was accustomed to being revered by the other ladies, she rarely had the chance to interact with the men of the court. Now, with even the king and the prime minister paying their respects to her, she felt a surge of pride, nearly to the point of overwhelming vanity.At that moment, she completely forgot the frustrations she had harbored during the carriage ride. After returning everyone’s greetings and gestures of respect, she was promptly escorted to the seat of honor.It felt amazing.Although Helen had lived a life of unparalleled prestige, never before had she been honored in such a manner—being greeted by the court ministers
Carissa appreciated the sentiment, and joked with a smile, "Since everyone loves Kyle's paintings so much, you'd probably all be complaining about me behind my back if I said I wouldn't sell them.""We wouldn't dare," said Davis, the Defense Minister, with a laugh. Then he said loudly, "Even if you don't sell them, we wouldn't complain about you, General Sinclair. I'll be the first to take issue with whoever dares do that!"What a joke!How could one criticize such a talented young general? Anyone who did would be in trouble with the Ministry of Defense!The noblewomen outside exchanged glances. They were aware that Carissa had achieved military merits, but she was still a woman. How many men truly held her in high regard?Though Davis' words seemed like a joke, his expression was serious.The ladies who had once spoken ill of Carissa with Eleanor now felt a pang of regret. If their disparaging words reached Carissa's ears and offended her, they might have caused trouble for th
The ladies present today all saw how Carissa stole the spotlight. Even though they were envious, they understood that Kyle was protecting her with his reputation.With Kyle's favor, Carissa was bound to be highly regarded by the civil officials. For example, someone like Trevor, who valued art above all else, would likely seek more interaction with Carissa if he wished to maintain a connection with Kyle.As for the king, the prime minister, and the defense minister, their attitudes today showed their high regard for Carissa, and this respect was not solely due to Kyle's influence.Everyone had to admit that Carissa, once dismissed and devalued, had transformed into a favored figure in the capital.After the paintings were purchased, Ryan was brought out to pay his respects to the king and the others. Carissa had deliberately shown Ryan's face, highlighting him as the future head of the Duke of Northwatch's household.Though small in stature, Ryan stood straight and proud, evoking
After the art exhibition concluded, the king, accompanied by the high-ranking officials, left in high spirits. The ladies also took their leave. Given today's events, the Duke of Northwatch's household had likely solidified its position in the capital. Even Salvador himself had attended, which was a considerable honor.As Heather prepared to depart, she felt a pang of dissatisfaction. Carissa had arranged for a painting to be delivered to Helen, but Heather, her maternal aunt, had received none. The king or officials bought the paintings, and since her husband didn't attend, it was difficult for a woman like Heather to compete with the men for one.However, whether she bought one or not was one thing. Carissa should have at least given her a painting to show that bygones were bygones. Yet, until her departure, Carissa had never mentioned it. She only curtsied and said, "Please take care of yourself, Aunt Heather."Heather's smile was strained. "No need to trouble yourself with
Heather was left speechless by Leona's words. After a long pause, she tried to deflect some of the blame onto the Avis. "Avis is also Carissa's aunt, and she was the one who acted as a matchmaker for them. Why hasn't she come back? It shows that it's not just me who's cold-hearted—everyone’s like that!"Leona sighed. "It's not like you're unaware of Aunt Avis's situation. She's been ill, and likely couldn't make the trip. Besides, she doesn't have control over Prince Yuvan's estate. It's managed by his secondary concubine. It's almost like she's been kept under house arrest."Heather sighed in resignation. "Forget it. I won't keep up relations with your cousin in the future. You can maintain contact with her if you wish, as we can't completely sever ties. After all, she is Prince Rafael's future wife. You may think we're both princess consorts, but it's not the same. Your father is ineffectual and cowardly. While Prince Rafael may not hold military authority now, he controls the My
As Carissa escorted Leona to the door, she couldn't help but say, "Don't always sacrifice yourself and try to please others. It doesn't necessarily mean they'll value you more."Leona looked at Carissa, then shook her head and said firmly, "That's not true, Cari. People's hearts are made from flesh, not stone. I can always warm theirs."With that, she was helped into the carriage by her maid.Watching Leona's departing figure, Carissa felt an inexplicable chill. It was as if an ominous premonition had settled over her.Returning inside, Carissa still felt cold and asked Lulu to bring her a hot water bottle.Lily noticed this, and asked, "My lady, are you feeling unwell?""No, I just suddenly feel very cold," Carissa replied.Lily was puzzled since Carissa was wearing a fur cloak, and there was a fire going in the room. How could she be cold?After feeling Carissa's forehead and finding it unusually cool, Lily summoned Rowan from Ryan's quarters to check her.Carissa said it wa