At that moment, faint but thunderous cheers and the pounding of drums echoed from below—it seemed the first horse race had begun. As time passed, the drumbeats and cheers grew louder and closer, heading swiftly toward the finish line. The riverbanks were packed with onlookers, a sea of people cheering wildly for the horses they had bet on. The deafening noise was so intense it seemed to shake the very ground.
The lively atmosphere below appeared to affect even the dignitaries and nobles in the high pavilions. They, too, began shouting enthusiastically, casting aside their usual decorum.
Even though Miranda wasn’t particularly interested in the outcome of the race, she couldn’t help but be swept up in the excitement. Clutching the window frame tightly, she peered downriver. On the wide track below, a group of horses gradually came into view, racing toward the finish line at breakneck speed. The competition was fierce, each horse vying for the lead.
Reginald’s expression remained calm and composed, a gentle smile playing on his lips. “Miss Quintina, don’t celebrate too soon. I may have won the race, but your cousin lost. Aren’t you worried this might upset him?” Though he knew full well that Zachary would be irritated by the loss, feeling bested, Reginald couldn’t resist repeatedly emphasizing the defeat.Standing nearby, Zachary ground his teeth in frustration but restrained himself from reacting in such a public setting.“My cousin isn’t that petty!” Quintina’s cheeks flushed slightly, her excitement undiminished as she cheerfully said, “Reginald, I knew you would win. Look! To celebrate your victory, I’ve specially embroidered this snow wolf cloak for you. It took me months of hard work to make it by hand. Do you like it?”With that, she opened a box she had been holding, taking out the cloak and unfurling it before them.Zachary, already aware of the cloak’s origins, feigned ignorance and nodded. “Impressive embroidery!”Marj
In the first round of the horse race, His Highness Zachary, Duke Reginald, Blackwell, and Linton participated, seemingly to probe where everyone’s support lay. Thus, the Croyso family all placed their bets on Montfort. However, starting from the second round, those reservations disappeared, and people began betting freely, with wins and losses creating a gradually livelier atmosphere.Lady Fitzroy glanced at Fulton and suddenly let out a soft laugh, the sound drawing the attention of a few nearby.Fulton looked up, his eyes meeting Lady Fitzroy's as she observed him placing his bets with a knowing and almost mischievous expression. He quickly realized that she had seen through his actions. Embarrassment crept up his neck, and his face slowly turned red, the flush deepening as he avoided her gaze.Wensley, puzzled by his mother’s sudden amusement, tilted his head and asked, “Mother, what’s so funny?”“Oh, nothing. I just remembered a joke I heard yesterday,” Lady Fitzroy said lightly, h
Selena pushed the door open and saw Quintina sitting by the window, next to a pot of peonies. She was dressed in a gold-embroidered pleated gown and adorned with a full set of ruby-encrusted jewelry. Her youthful, beautiful face carried an air of arrogance as she turned to scrutinize Selena from head to toe, her slightly upturned eyeliner adding a domineering and haughty edge to her expression.Selena curtsied gracefully and greeted, "Good day, Miss Quintina."Quintina continued to examine her closely. Selena was draped in a soft, pale green chiffon shawl over a nearly white silk dress, which accentuated her slender waist. Though still young, her presence exuded a delicate charm and allure.Such a perfectly shaped figure, such smooth, tender skin—she really is a little vixen!The sight of this radiant beauty only fueled Quintina's hatred, though she forced herself to suppress it for the moment. She waved Selena closer and said, "Come here. Let me have a look at you."As Selena approac
She suddenly stopped dodging, catching Quintina off guard. Hearing her words, all centered around herself and Reginald, Quintina’s suspicion flared. “You’d better give me a clear explanation! If I find out you’re stalling or scheming, I’ll have you dragged away and thrown into a brothel. Don’t think I won’t dare! Don’t even dream of fooling me!”Given Quintina’s status, it was entirely possible she could carry out such a threat.Selena had a sudden flash of inspiration. Knowing Quintina’s possessiveness over Reginald and her ruthless nature, she decided to redirect Quintina’s jealousy and anger toward Miranda. Quickly, she said, “Miss Quintina, you’ve misunderstood me. This cloak wasn’t entirely my work—Miranda embroidered part of it. No one would openly stitch their name onto a garment, leaving such an obvious handle for others. I believe Miranda must have added my name while working on her section, intending to frame me.”“Miranda?” Quintina’s suspicion deepened. “She’s skilled at e
"Selena, listen to me. I'm letting you off lightly today, but if I catch you getting involved with Reginald again, don't expect me to show any mercy!" Quintina shot Selena a furious glare, then gave her a hard kick before lifting her skirt and storming out. The room fell silent, leaving Selena alone. After a long moment, she let out a cold laugh. "Miranda, that little wretch—what does she have over me besides being the eldest daughter?" As she turned to leave, her expression suddenly changed. She quickly turned her back. Outside, a servant’s voice called, “Prince Zachary.” Why would Prince Zachary be here at this hour? Selena’s heart skipped a beat. In her current disheveled state, it would be disastrous if he saw her. The thought made her grit her teeth in hatred for Quintina. If it weren’t for Quintina, she wouldn’t have been humiliated like this. Zachary passed by the doorway and glanced into the room. The mess inside gave him a clear idea of what had happened. He smiled f
Inside the private lounge reserved by the Croyso family, the lively atmosphere brimmed with laughter as the group enjoyed betting on the horse races. Suddenly, a maid entered and whispered that His Highness Zachary and Lord Reginald had come to pay a visit.“Earl Croyso, what a coincidence,” Zachary said with a slight bow after the pleasantries. “Miss Selena was injured by accident while meeting with my cousin. I’ve already sent them to the infirmary for treatment and will ensure they’re safely escorted home afterward.” Skipping over the details, he continued, “It’s really Quintina’s mischief that caused all this, so I’ve come to offer my apologies on her behalf.”The Earl of Croyso assumed it was a minor accident during some outing and, though concerned, did not dwell on it. “Your Highness is too courteous,” he replied. Casting a glance at Reginald standing behind Zachary, he couldn’t help but wonder: why was the Duke here as well?Reginald seemed to catch his drift and smiled lazily
At this moment, the voice of a maid announcing from outside the door broke the silence: "My lord, my lady, Lady Landon and her daughters have arrived to pay their respects."Inside the private chamber, the queen's attendant, the unexpected visit of Prince Zachary and Lord Reginald, and the peculiar atmosphere in the room had already aroused suspicion in both Lord Croyso and Lady Langley. Now, hearing that Lady Landon had come with her daughters, they exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock and confusion mirrored in the other's eyes. Lord Croyso said, "Please, invite Lady Landon and her daughters in."A woman of about forty entered, dressed in a muted blue gown. Her round, fair face was adorned with a warm smile, exuding an air of friendliness. However, the occasional glint in her eyes and her probing gaze hinted that she was not someone to be underestimated.Behind her followed two young ladies, one in red and the other in green, close in age and both remarkably beautiful."Lord Cro
Lady Landon's face flushed red at the remark, but she couldn't retort—it would only confirm that she was the despicable person Lady Fitzroy was insinuating. She had assumed that since Miranda's birth mother had passed away and her stepmother didn’t favor her, no one would care about what she said. But unexpectedly…Seeing that even Prince Zachary didn’t speak up to defend Lady Landon, and Lord Reginald was smiling leisurely as if enjoying the spectacle, Fiona and Lila felt thoroughly humiliated. They silently blamed Lady Landon for stirring up trouble with her sharp tongue.The atmosphere in the room suddenly became awkward."Miss Miranda truly is delightful; no wonder even Lady Fitzroy is so protective of her," Lady Landon hurriedly tried to remedy the situation, realizing she had offended the crowd. She quickly added, "I must admit, I was remiss. I didn’t realize there were other gentlemen present here. How inappropriate of me."Her implication, however, was clear: the Croysos lacke
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