The next day, everyone had returned home. Miranda was in her father’s study, helping him organize some papers as usual. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something, turned to her father and said, “Father, I need to step out for a moment. I just remembered that Prince Zachary has a message for me to pass on to Selena. I’ll go find her.”The Earl of Croyso lifted his head from a stack of documents, looking puzzled. “Prince Zachary? What business does he have with Selena?”Miranda chuckled. “Oh, it’s nothing much. While we were at the villa, Prince Zachary asked me about a garment Selena was embroidering for him. He seemed curious about how it was coming along.”Miranda knew that, with Selena’s ambition and her obsession with power, she would likely reignite her dream of marrying Zachary and becoming future queen now that her chances of becoming the king’s mistress were lost. By bringing this up casually, Miranda hoped her father would step in and quash any illusions Selena might still be
“Foolish!” Earl Croyso erupted in anger when he confirmed that Selena had developed such thoughts. The embroidery was a trivial matter, but now that he had seen Zachary’s true nature, marrying into the royal family would undoubtedly bring unseen dangers. Moreover, the path to the throne is often fraught with uncertainty. If his daughter married Prince Zachary, the whole family would be forced to take sides. He had never wanted to get involved in the cutthroat politics of the royal heirs, preferring to remain neutral. But if Selena had truly entertained such ideas and caused any kind of scandal with Zachary, for the sake of her reputation, he would have no choice but to marry her off to him. With such an alliance, even if he stayed neutral, others would still see him as part of Zachary’s faction.Besides, even if Zachary managed to ascend to the throne, his hypocritical and arrogant nature made him wholly unfit for his daughter!How could Selena be so bewitched?“Selena, you’re still u
“I would love to, but it’s impossible to find anyone as beautiful, gentle, understanding, and tolerant as you, Mother. No one else catches my eye. So, I’ll just have to keep looking,” Reginald said, his tone playful. Yet, as soon as the thought of marriage came up, a fleeting image of Miranda’s charming and ever-changing expressions flashed through his mind.“You! All the children your age have already married. Even Zachary, who’s always been at odds with you, I hear he’s recently taken a liking to a young lady and is planning to propose to the Queen. What about you? When will you let me hold my grandchild?” Lady Liudmila cast him a reproachful glance.“Zachary is getting engaged?” Reginald was momentarily surprised, then chuckled. “That fellow fancies himself the future king, always so high and mighty. I wonder which family’s daughter he’s set his sights on?” Suddenly, a memory of that assassination attempt surfaced—Zachary badmouthing him to Miranda. Reginald’s heart tightened abrup
That day, Lady Langley come to visit Miranda at her home. Just as she arrived, she happened to run into Earl Croyso, who was returning from outside.As a matter of etiquette, Earl Croyso invited Lady Langley to join him in the drawing room. The two sat opposite each other, the room bathed in the soft light of the late afternoon. The air was heavy with unspoken words and lingering tensions from years past. Breaking the silence, Croyso glanced up from his cup, his voice calm but detached. “It seems the Fitzroy family has encountered some difficulties. You’re close with Lady Fitzroy, aren’t you? If you have time, it might be a good idea to take Miranda with you to visit them tomorrow.”Lady Langley, who had been stirring her tea absentmindedly, froze for a second before lifting her head. The news struck her sharply, concern flashing across her face. “What’s happened?” she asked, her voice edged with worry.Croyso leaned back slightly, setting his cup down on the polished mahogany table.
Old Mr. Fitzroy was a very thin and gaunt old man, around fifty years old, with graying hair and beard. He looked somewhat stern and unapproachable. However, he greatly valued Mrs. Fitzroy, his daughter-in-law, and consequently also liked his innocent and sweet granddaughter, Wensley. Hearing that her friend was present, a faint smile appeared on his face, and he suddenly asked, "Miranda? Is she the daughter of Lord Croyso?"Upon hearing her father's name, Miranda quickly stood up and said, "Yes, he is my father.""Oh my, so you're his daughter, and you got injured in my residence. This is terrible! You must speak well of me in front of your father when you return. Don’t let that overprotective man chase me around half the capital with his sword." Old Mr. Fitzroy chuckled, as if remembering something amusing. "These old bones of mine can’t withstand his fuss!" This was because Miranda had accidentally twisted her ankle on the way here."Huh?" Miranda was taken aback, not quite underst
Wensley's father, Marcus, was a scholar in charge of compiling books at the royal palace. He often felt frustrated and unappreciated, leading him to seek solace in drinking and revelry. A few days ago, he encountered a middle-aged man who claimed to be the lord of a southern city, named Steven. The two quickly became acquainted over drinks, and before long, they were spending every day carousing together.A few days ago, in a drunken haze, they somehow decided to arrange a marriage between their children, promising Wensley to Steven's son. They even left a written agreement as proof.Yesterday, Steven showed up at their door with the letter, saying he was there to discuss the marriage.Lady Fitzroy was furious upon hearing this. Not only had Marcus arranged their daughter's marriage without consulting her, but Steven himself seemed highly suspicious. He was a complete stranger, with an unclear background. How could a city lord spend his days drinking with Marcus instead of attending to
"Lady Fitzroy, I think Aunt Langley is right—this whole thing seems very suspicious," Miranda pondered aloud. "Even if Mr. Marcus was careless in handling things, that Steven is questionable too. Putting aside whether his identity is real or not, if he truly wanted to curry favor with Lord Fitzroy, a senior scholar in the Privy Council, he should have made a formal proposal. Acting like this won’t win the Fitzroy family over; it’s more likely to offend them. Isn’t this bringing shame to the Fitzroy name rather than trying to build connections?"Lady Fitzroy angrily agreed, "Exactly! Who does business like this? I think he’s nothing but a swindler!"“If he’s a swindler, it’s likely for money. He’d target wealthy families—why risk deceiving a senior member of the Privy Council?” Miranda asked thoughtfully.Hearing this, Lady Fitzroy began to calm down, her dark brows furrowing deeply.She was usually a sharp and decisive person, but this situation involved her own daughter, and her husba
"But can Miranda, at such a young age, really be so perceptive about court affairs? Could it be that she's overthinking things?" Lady Fitzroy hesitated. This matter involved both Marcus’s foolishness and their daughter’s marriage, and she didn’t want to alarm her in-laws, fearing it would worry them. Still, after thinking it through, she realized the truth would come out eventually. Since Miranda was so certain, she decided to trust her.With that, Lady Fitzroy took Lady Langley, Wensley, and Miranda to meet with the elder Lord Fitzroy.Lord Fitzroy was in his study when he heard that these younger people had come to see him again. Surprised, he made his way to the sitting room, where the group had gathered. Noticing the anxious expressions on their faces, he waved for the servants to leave before asking, "What’s going on?"Lady Fitzroy then recounted the entire incident and Miranda’s suspicions.Outside, the scent of damp earth from the recent rain drift
The servant opened the door, only to find the study completely empty. At this point, it was better to risk Reginald being suspected by the king of deliberately concealing his whereabouts than to let him fall into the hands of the Blackwell family! Lady Liudmila's thoughts raced as she stepped forward and bowed, pleading, "Your Majesty, the Dowager Queen, I believe there is no need to cause such a commotion. I fear young Reginald has been mischievous and slipped away unnoticed. When he returns, I will personally discipline him severely for his unruly behavior that has caused you such worry and anger."“What nonsense are you speaking?” The Dowager Queen frowned deeply, her expression full of disapproval as she retorted, “Reginald may be mischievous, but he has always been measured in his actions. How could he do something as reckless as sneaking out? That’s too dangerous, and he would never disregard the entire family. Something must have happened!” Her gaze, heavy with displea
"I know that child Reginald is rather thin-skinned. Ever since he was publicly reprimanded, he’s been shutting himself away. Who knows if it has affected his health? There’s no need to bother notifying him—I’ll go with you to check on him," the Queen Mother said kindly. With that, she paid no further attention to the shadow guards, leaning on her cane as she slowly and leisurely walked out of the reception hall.The Queen thought to herself, The Queen Mother truly knows how to handle things! She quickly stepped forward to support the Queen Mother’s hand, walking out of the hall with an air of arrogance. Lady Liudmila and Hendrik, unable to intervene, could only follow anxiously. As Hendrik led the way, he silently prayed that they could escape disaster and that the Queen wouldn’t find any incriminating evidence.The group, familiar with the layout, soon arrived at the door to Reginald’s study. They called inside, but no respons
Prince Zachary had recently suffered a scandal at The Heaven Lounge, publicly reprimanded by the king and placed under house arrest. The circumstances reeked of manipulation, as Lila should never have entered the prince’s chambers without outside influence. With Lord Reginald also present, it was all too easy to suspect his involvement in orchestrating the incident. The queen and the Blackwell family directed their anger at Lord Reginald, relentlessly accusing and framing him. In the end, Lord Reginald, due to his arrogance and reckless behavior, was publicly reprimanded by the king during a court assembly. If the queen discovered that Reginald had no legitimate excuse for his current absence, the consequences would be dire.Though reluctant to leave Miranda’s side, Lord Reginald knew how to prioritize. With a sigh, he took one last longing glance around the room before preparing to leave. Suddenly, he paused, retrieved a pouch, and took out a small object. Plac
Miranda prepared the rosewater and brought it over to Lord Reginald, handing it to him.Lord Reginald took it and drank it in one gulp, finally feeling some relief in his stomach. His deep, dark eyes fixed on Miranda as he said slowly, "Miranda, tomorrow I don’t want to see any bitter melon on my plate. Also, stop adding Coptis root to my medicine. And don’t ever drink rosewater in front of me without giving me a cup. Otherwise," he grinned, baring his sharp white teeth, "I’ll bite you!"How did he figure it out? Miranda’s heart skipped a beat, but she feigned ignorance. "Lord Reginald, I don’t know what you’re talking about.""Still playing dumb? If you didn’t know I hated bitterness, when I asked for rosewater earlier, you should have been puzzled, not amused. Clearly, you knew I disliked bitter flavors and were just standing by to enjoy the show!" Lord Reginald snorted, his tone heavy with accusation.Only then did Miranda realize she had given herself away. Feeling a bit guilty, s
If Fulton really was your ideal husband, she could’ve answered me directly, or perhaps even shyly remained silent. But instead, you’re cold and unresponsive, with that same darkness in your eyes I’ve seen before. Reginald thought, narrowing his gaze. The same look her had when confronting her stepmother at that villa by the hot springs—resentment, hatred, anger, and even a desire to drag her down into the depths with herself."Does it matter whether he is or isn’t?" Miranda abruptly raised her head, seemingly irritated by Reginald’s relentless questioning. Her dark eyes burned with a ghostly fire, shadowed by gloom. "Lord Reginald, have you ever witnessed something like this? Two people, seemingly deeply in love, where the woman pours her heart and soul into her husband, offering unreserved devotion, only to be discarded and mercilessly killed once her usefulness runs out! If you’ve seen such a thing, would you still think any of this matters? "True love, mutual devotion, a lifetime
It seemed that Reginald noticed her puzzlement. A bit flustered, he tried to cover it up, saying, “I was just curious. You know, my mother has been pressuring me as well, so perhaps I’ll also need to find a suitable match soon. I wonder what women think about this—what kind of husband would you want, for example?”When Miranda heard him mention marriage, her face showed no hint of emotion, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment.Of course. They hadn’t known each other for long, and he was always teasing, mocking, or scaring her. How could she possibly have feelings for him? Why would she care if he got married?To her surprise, despite his high status and his usual wild and unrestrained behavior, Reginald seemed genuinely interested in understanding what women thought about their ideal husband. This made him seem unexpectedly innocent and endearing. Seeing his sincerity, Miranda decided not to brush him off and thought seriously about what she would want in a husband. “
Molly thought, after drinking that entire bowl, even Lord Reginald’s gut would probably turn bitter. What on earth had he done to upset Miss Miranda so much that she would treat him like this? But perhaps it wasn’t so bad—it at least showed that Miss Miranda didn’t have much affection for Lord Reginald. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have gone to such lengths. Considering Miss Miranda had already experienced one broken engagement with the William family, hopefully, this engagement with the Sheffield family wouldn’t fall apart too.After all, compared to the infamous and wildly arrogant Lord Reginald, the gentle and refined Fulton was undoubtedly a better match.Knowing Reginald must now be suffering from a mouth full of bitterness, Miranda deliberately poured herself a glass of rosewater in front of him. She took a sip and praised, “Fragrant and sweet, delicate but not cloying. No wonder a tiny bottle of this costs hundreds of gold coins. It’s truly worth every penny—so delicious.”Then, as
"Say it again. What do you want to eat?" Miranda fixed her eyes on him, as if trying to bore a hole through his face."Cake... cake. What's wrong with that?" Lord Reginald shrank slightly, baffled. It was just cake. Did she really need to flip out over it?He dared to say it again! Miranda's chest heaved with anger. She no longer cared that the person before her was the unpredictable Lord Reginald. She roared, "Shut up!""What for? I just want some cake! Is that such a big deal?" Lord Reginald was taken aback, having never seen her like this before. More importantly, he inexplicably felt guilty again. His usual arrogance faded, and he mumbled, "Even if the cake from the Croyso household is complicated to make and requires rare ingredients, I’ll pay you double—"Before he could finish, Miranda’s enraged shout interrupted him."Lord Reginald, go to hell!" How dare he bring it up again! Even if he had been feverish and unaware last night, it was still unforgivable! Seething, Miranda grab
“That’s such an innocent question!” Miranda thought to herself, though she kept her expression neutral. Out loud, she replied, “I have no idea. Just as I was about to sleep last night, you suddenly appeared out of nowhere and collapsed with a high fever.” As she spoke, she instinctively stepped forward to check his forehead. Feeling its coolness, she smiled with relief. “The fever has finally gone down.”Last night?Reginald paused, faintly recalling some trouble from the night before. He vaguely remembered walking a long distance, seeing a face that brought him peace, and then everything blurred. So... last night, in his feverish state, he had stumbled into the Croyso estate and ended up in Miranda’s room?It was a miracle he’d managed to evade the estate guards while so out of it. Otherwise, it would’ve caused a huge commotion.And… feeling her soft hand against his skin, Reginald’s gaze deepened.“Lord Reginald, since you were ill, why didn’t you stay home to rest? Why come here in