The Blackwell family, Prince Zachary, and the Queen?Miranda's heart sank—no wonder Broad Loft was so arrogant; with a background like that, it all made sense! Yet her expression remained skeptical as she said, “Don’t try to fool me with random names! Who are Prince Zachary and the Queen? Would they really concern themselves with a small shop like Broad Loft?”“Broad Loft may be small, but Caleb’s ambitions are grand. The street where Jovanna is located is the most prosperous district in the capital. Caleb wants to buy out every shop on that street and turn it into a hub exclusively selling silk threads and clothing, gradually monopolizing the entire silk and garment trade of the capital, driving other shops and brands out of business.”Miranda’s heart jolted. Others might not grasp the full significance of those words, but she understood perfectly well—because she had done the same thing in her past life while managing the Hans family business.Although they were not conducting busin
Lady Sheffield, however, wore a radiant smile. Uncharacteristically, she took Miranda’s hand and examined her closely, chuckling as she said, “I never realized before just how stunning Miss Miranda is. Look at that face, that figure, those hands—and the grace you carry yourself with. Such elegance is truly rare among the young ladies of the capital. I must have been blind to have overlooked it before! Even the Dowager Queen, with her discerning eye, is utterly fond of you—how could I possibly compare? Lord Croyso is truly blessed to have such a daughter!”Hearing this, both the Earl of Croyso and Miranda exchanged a glance of surprise.Lady Sheffield praising Miranda? Did the sun rise from the west today?There’s always something suspicious about unusual kindness. Miranda grew wary but maintained her smile as she gracefully curtsied and replied, “You flatter me, madam.”“No, no! I speak nothing but the truth—every word is sincere!” The thought of soon being able to dissolve Miranda’s
"Rest assured, even though the engagement between Fulton and Miss Miranda fell through, the marriage alliance between our two families still stands. We can switch to Miss Selena instead. But I must say, Lord Croyso, I’m particularly fond of your niece, Miss Rose. Let’s settle the engagement with your niece as the future daughter-in-law of the Sheffield family! My husband values old friendships and has always cherished the bond with you, Lord Croyso. We truly wish to strengthen this connection through marriage. Once Miss Rose joins our family, I will treat her as my own daughter and ensure she is never mistreated!" Lady Sheffield prattled on without the slightest regard for the dark expression on Earl Croyso’s face.Miranda, however, after the initial shock, gradually regained her composure. Her expression grew calm as she quietly observed Lady Sheffield.For some reason, meeting Miranda’s gaze sent a jolt through Lady Sheffield’s heart. The lengthy speech she had planned suddenly stuc
Earl Croyso fixed his gaze on Rose. "Rose, what do you say?"Rose's heart pounded violently. As a member of the Croyso family’s collateral branch, marrying into the Sheffield family as the future mistress would secure her future and elevate her status overnight. When Lady Sheffield had hinted at the possibility before, it had seemed as distant and unattainable as clouds in the sky. But now, the temptation stood vividly before her—her uncle was a man of his word, never one to make empty promises.Lowering her head, Rose’s lips trembled slightly, and her eyes flickered with conflicting emotions, as if she were engaged in a fierce internal struggle.Lady Sheffield, however, smiled smugly. A girl with no favor or standing—how could she refuse such a marriage? At least the Croyso family knew how to show proper respect. Treat me well, and I’ll return the favor. Since that was the case, there was no need to expose Miranda’s matter and cause further trouble.Earl Croyso said nothing, simply w
"Oh? I'd love to hear what you have to say!" Earl Croyso roared. "I refuse to believe that anyone could find fault with my Miranda! I won't waste words with an ignorant woman like you—call your husband here! I'll speak only to him!""Father, why call Lord Sheffield over again? If he was unwilling, how could Lady Sheffield have come to the Croyso estate?" Miranda finally spoke, her cold gaze fixed on Lady Sheffield, her voice as chilling as ice. "Do you still not understand? They’re afraid that I'll drag the Sheffield family down, afraid that the King and the Queen Dowager will make things difficult for them and harm their prospects. That’s why they’re in such a hurry to break off the engagement! Who would have thought—just one remark from the Queen Dowager at the birthday banquet was enough to scare the Sheffield family into such a state?"Recalling the recent rumors he had heard, Earl Croyso suddenly understood, and his fury erupted.There had been talk circulating that the Sheffield
Miranda remained as composed as ever, her delicate features unchanged. Only her eyes—deep and void of light—seemed to burn with an eerie fire, like ghostly flames from the underworld, both searing and chilling at the same time, sending a shiver down one’s spine.Lady Sheffield clutched her aching right cheek, staring at Miranda in disbelief. “You dare slap me?”“So what if I did?” Miranda asked coldly.Lady Sheffield was stunned for a moment before she finally reacted, stomping her foot in rage. “How dare you lay a hand on me? You insolent little harlot—”Smack!Before she could utter the next words, Miranda’s hand landed another slap, this time on her left cheek. Her brows furrowed in defiance, and she sneered, “A senior? You think you’re worthy of my respect? If you want my deference, at least act like someone deserving of it! I’ve endured and tolerated you out of respect, but you mistook my patience for weakness, daring to slander me and even tarnish my reputation! If you dare utte
“You actually believe this nonsense?” Earl Croyso roared. “The William family called off the engagement because June Blackwell set her sights on Andrew! They wanted to climb their way up to the Blackwell family, so they discarded the marriage with Croyso. Don’t you know this? How could you possibly believe such absurd rumors? You and I have been through life and death together, and yet even you believe this nonsense?”As he spoke, rage surged through him with nowhere to go. He grabbed the black lacquered chair beside him and hurled it to the ground, shattering it into pieces.“This is not a rumor. It was the William family themselves who sent someone to inform my wife,” Earl Sheffield snapped, irritation creeping into his tone. “When that man arrived at William Manor, every single person in the estate saw him clearly. Anyone who was there can vouch for it. And if you truly wish to investigate, Edric, you will certainly be able to find this man!”“Im-pos-si-ble!” Earl Croyso refused to
"It was merely a jest from the Queen Dowager, yet you all assumed the King had taken a liking to me, without considering that I’m just an immature girl—how could I have such influence? But then you realized your son was engaged to me, meaning he’d be competing with the King for a woman. You feared the King’s wrath would harm Sheffield’s future, so you sought to annul the engagement. Yet, breaking it off now might make you seem weak, as if your son were abandoning his fiancée for personal gain. To avoid that, you shifted the blame onto me."Miranda scoffed. "That’s why you want me to admit it. If I confess, then it’s my indiscretion, my fault, while Sheffield remains the innocent victim. You wouldn’t dare say it outright, so you let Lady Sheffield stir up trouble for you. Am I wrong?"Such hypocrisy—far more despicable than Lady Sheffield herself!Exposed so plainly, Earl Sheffield’s face reddened. For a moment, he was speechless before snapping, "Miss Miranda, it’s your own misconduct
Hearing those words, Miranda finally let out a breath of relief.The fact that the King was willing to assign her tasks meant he had accepted her explanation.Of course, the King would not so easily trust her loyalty; she would still need to prove herself through her future actions. But at least, for someone like her—cornered by the Queen Mother with no way out—there was now a glimmer of hope ahead.As long as the King truly intended to oppose the Queen Mother, and as long as she could assist him in bringing her down, Miranda would be able to regain her freedom and no longer live under the Queen Mother's control."I understand. I will strictly follow Your Majesty's instructions," Miranda replied. "I used an excuse to leave earlier, and I cannot be away for too long. If there are no further orders, I shall take my leave."The King watched Miranda’s retreating figure in silence.Because of that familiar face, he couldn’t help but pay her a little more attention, though he did not show i
"Miranda?"The King, who had just risen to his feet, slowly sat back down, frowning slightly. After a moment, he said, "Let her come forward."Guided by Giles, Miranda approached gracefully and knelt in salute. "Greetings, Your Majesty."The King studied her closely, trying to guess her intentions. "You asked to see me. What is it you wish to say?""I..." Miranda hesitated, carefully choosing her words."Your Majesty's teachings remain engraved in my heart. Yet, in this world, eight or nine out of ten things do not go as one wishes," Miranda answered calmly, her head bowed. Slowly, she lifted her gaze and caught sight of a sheet of paper on the table. Daringly, she picked it up with a gentle motion. The King silently watched her actions."For a piece of paper," she said softly, "its greatest wish would be to remain pure and untouched — neither stained by ink nor creased by water. Yet once a hand reaches out and soaks it in ink or water, the paper has no strength to resist."She did no
That day, the King came to pay his respects at the Queen Dowager’s palace. The Queen Dowager ordered tea to be served.A young lady stepped forward, dressed in a gown of pale blue silk—the soft, mist-like color seemed steeped in delicate light, graceful and ethereal. Her hair ornaments matched in hue, adorned with teardrop-shaped tassels that swayed gently with her movements, catching the light like liquid glass. Her skin was fair as porcelain, her features fresh and luminous, like a lotus emerging from clear waters.Her simple attire, serene beauty, and quiet elegance gave the impression of a cool spring flowing through a sweltering day—soothing and refreshing.When the King saw that the one serving tea was Miranda, he paused. His gaze lingered briefly on her attire, on her calm expression, on the faint scent of perfume that wafted near. His eyes flickered with a shadowed gleam as he said with a faint smile, “I heard Miss Miranda fell ill shortly after entering the palace, and has be
Miranda was filled with doubts.Zachary had taken a liking to her and, without even asking her opinion, went straight to the Queen to request a royal marriage decree. The Queen Dowager fancied her and instantly ordered her into the palace as a companion. They were all powerful figures—so why was it that when Reginald liked her, he remained so silent? So composed? Why hadn’t she sensed even the slightest hint of his feelings?Even after hearing about her engagement to Sheffield, he simply vanished from her world. Aside from that one moment—when he stumbled into her chambers feverish and disoriented—he never once made a move. He didn’t even try to interfere with the betrothal between the Croyso family and Sheffield.Weren’t people like them always forceful and self-indulgent in love and power alike? And Reginald, with his flamboyant and unrestrained nature—why had he acted so differently?Her head throbbed. With a shake, she tried to banish the thoughts. There was a clear disparity in s
In that faintly charged, ambiguous atmosphere, Reginald’s ears suddenly twitched. He had caught the faint sound of footsteps approaching. His expression changed instantly. He gave Miranda a small nod, pulled up his hood, and with a light, soundless leap, landed on the windowsill. With one hand gripping the ledge, he gave a pull—and in the next breath, his figure vanished from sight.Miranda understood at once and quietly closed the window.***It was deep into the night. No stars, no moon—only utter darkness.Miranda lay upon soft pillows, her eyes shut tightly. Beads of sweat gathered on her pale, smooth forehead, soaking into her hairline. Her head moved slightly from side to side, as if trying to shake something off. Her sleep was uneasy.She dreamt of many things from the past.Foolishness from a previous life. The days in the Croyso household, sharing what felt like a mother-daughter bond with her stepmother. Hans’s sweet lies after she married with him—and her naïve, wholehearte
“Although His Majesty shows great respect and deference to the Queen Dowager, and her position in the palace seems untouchable,” Miranda said firmly, “if their relationship were truly as unshakable as it appears, then why would she need to use me as a pawn? That alone tells me—they don’t fully trust each other. I’m convinced there’s a rift between them.”Her eyes gleamed with quiet intelligence.“Besides, the Queen Dowager is from House Blackwell. So is the Queen. If Prince Zachary ascends the throne, the maternal family’s power will be overwhelming. Lord Reginald, tell me—could the King possibly feel at ease with that? Don’t you think he might also want to bring down the Queen Dowager and the Blackwell family?”If the answer to all of those questions was yes—then that was her opportunity.Especially when she recalled that moment at the Croyso estate—how the King, upon first seeing her, had lost his composure and shattered his teacup. Yet in the Queen Dowager’s hall, he had greeted he
“Miranda, what do you intend to do?” he asked cautiously, probing her thoughts.Miranda didn’t answer directly. Instead, she returned the question, “What do you think I should do, Lord Reginald?”“Just as you said, the Queen Dowager is ruthless and cunning. She doesn’t care if she destroys you in the process. So, Miranda, don’t confront her head-on. Evade her, pretend even, let her think she’s won—just don’t suffer for nothing!” That was the real reason Reginald had come today—to warn her. Earlier, he’d gone to the palace to attend council with the King and was granted leave to walk in the royal gardens afterwards. That gave him the opportunity to send Miranda a message, even now, to meet her here in person.Though he’d already passed along a warning through a young eunuch, he had still worried something might go wrong. That’s why he had been hiding near the gazebo all along, ready to intervene if needed.He had seen everything with his own eyes.In the end, it was Selena who suffered
A pair of soft, deep-set eyes turned to Miranda, glittering with charm as a smile curled across his lips.Miranda turned and saw him, immediately realizing that this man had probably climbed in through a window again.He was putting on an act as usual. With a trace of exasperation, she stepped forward and curtsied: “Lord Reginald.”Reginald glanced at Molly and waved his hand, motioning for her to leave.Molly hesitated—how could she dare leave?Reginald gave her a half-smile, half-sneer: “What are you frozen for? Do you think I’m going to devour your miss?”Miranda gave a subtle nod, and Molly reluctantly backed out.“Lord Reginald, sneaking into the Queen Dowager’s territory? Aren’t you worried that by tomorrow, rumors about the two of us will be all over the capital?” Miranda smiled once the room was clear.R
The three of them chatted for a while longer.More precisely, it was Selena and the Queen Dowager laughing cheerfully together like close kin, while Miranda seemed to be silently lost in thought, her mind elsewhere.The Queen Dowager humored Selena while occasionally casting a glance at Miranda, a knowing smile flickering in her eyes.Although today's "accident" had originally been prepared for Miranda and ended up landing on Selena by chance, the message it conveyed—and all that needed to be said—had already been delivered through Selena.If Miranda was truly clever, she should understand what path she needed to take from now on.Having just entered the palace and experienced such an event, the Queen Dowager, showing concern for the girls’ fatigue, did not keep them much longer and arranged for them to rest.As the two left together, Miranda could tell from Selena’s expression that she had likely already taken the Queen Dowager to heart—as someone she could rely on completely.Mirand