"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
Lady Langley had already approached Miranda, glancing sideways at Earl Croyso’s retreating figure. In a voice so low that only she could hear, she murmured, “What sense of righteousness and morality can one expect from noble families…”Then she turned to Miranda and said, “You’ve merely escaped a den of fire. No need to concern yourself with those shameless people.”Rose, standing nearby, watched the scene unfold and felt secretly relieved. Thankfully, she had not accepted the match—otherwise, with such in-laws, how could she ever hope for a good life?“There’s no need for you to worry about me, Aunt.” Miranda straightened her posture and said firmly, “Just as you said, not marrying into such a family is actually a blessing! If I didn’t understand that, I wouldn’t have raised my hand against Lady Sheffield.”She had never held high expectations for this marriage. Even when the Queen Dowager suddenly intended for her to enter the palace to accompany His Majesty the King, her only thoug
The Croyso family's guards were momentarily stunned by his roar but quickly resumed their destruction.Upon witnessing the scene, Marquess William was utterly furious, nearly exploding with rage. He rushed forward, commanding his own guards to drive Croyso's men back.Earl Croyso sneered. “Lord William, what’s the point of flaunting your power before my guards? If you want a fight, come at me directly!”“Croyso, you’ve gone too far!” Marquess William's anger flared again at these words. He stormed up to him, pointing a finger in his face. “Bringing a band of thugs to wreck my estate—what do you mean by this? Have you lost your mind?”“And do you think I, Croyso, am so easy to trample on?” Earl Croyso puffed out his chest and bellowed, his commanding presence as a battle-hardened man utterly overwhelming. “Breaking off our long-standing engagement just to climb your way up to the Blackwell family—I let that slide because I never thought much of your son anyway. But when my daughter fou
The king rubbed his temples with a hint of a headache, his brows furrowed as he gazed down at the two men below.Earl Croyso turned around and bowed deeply to the king. "Your Majesty, please seek justice for my daughter, Miranda. This old scoundrel—" He pointed a trembling finger at Marquis William, his voice shaking with fury. "He wanted to climb the social ladder by securing a marriage with the Blackwell family and so broke off the engagement that had long been arranged with my Croyso family. That alone would have been tolerable, but now he has even ordered people to slander my Miranda’s reputation, accusing her of an illicit affair. Your Majesty!"Earl Croyso suddenly called out, his voice tinged with emotion.Such a rare display of vulnerability from a man known for his toughness only made his words all the more striking."The William family’s actions are nothing short of destroying my daughter’s future happiness! Miranda is only thirteen years old—still a child! To use such despi
With a splash, the garden pond erupted, scattering water droplets into the air and startling the birds skimming its surface."Oh, the paragon of gentleness and virtue, the esteemed lady of the Dickson family, the dignified countess by imperial decree."Selena stood on the bank, looking down with a smug, seductive smile at Miranda struggling in the water."Look at you now, how pitifully bedraggled you are—truly heartbreaking!""Why?" Miranda gasped as she surfaced, only for the murky pond water to rush into her mouth.She had come despite her recent grief of losing her child, to comfort her sister, who had divorced.Fearing that even the slightest glamour might offend, Miranda had chosen her attire with care—plain, understated, without a hint of gold.Such thoughtfulness, such affection, she never imagined it would end with Selena pushing her into the water."Why?" Selena peered down at the disheveled Miranda, whose hair clung to her pale, desperate face.A giggle broke from her lips, "
The king rubbed his temples with a hint of a headache, his brows furrowed as he gazed down at the two men below.Earl Croyso turned around and bowed deeply to the king. "Your Majesty, please seek justice for my daughter, Miranda. This old scoundrel—" He pointed a trembling finger at Marquis William, his voice shaking with fury. "He wanted to climb the social ladder by securing a marriage with the Blackwell family and so broke off the engagement that had long been arranged with my Croyso family. That alone would have been tolerable, but now he has even ordered people to slander my Miranda’s reputation, accusing her of an illicit affair. Your Majesty!"Earl Croyso suddenly called out, his voice tinged with emotion.Such a rare display of vulnerability from a man known for his toughness only made his words all the more striking."The William family’s actions are nothing short of destroying my daughter’s future happiness! Miranda is only thirteen years old—still a child! To use such despi
The Croyso family's guards were momentarily stunned by his roar but quickly resumed their destruction.Upon witnessing the scene, Marquess William was utterly furious, nearly exploding with rage. He rushed forward, commanding his own guards to drive Croyso's men back.Earl Croyso sneered. “Lord William, what’s the point of flaunting your power before my guards? If you want a fight, come at me directly!”“Croyso, you’ve gone too far!” Marquess William's anger flared again at these words. He stormed up to him, pointing a finger in his face. “Bringing a band of thugs to wreck my estate—what do you mean by this? Have you lost your mind?”“And do you think I, Croyso, am so easy to trample on?” Earl Croyso puffed out his chest and bellowed, his commanding presence as a battle-hardened man utterly overwhelming. “Breaking off our long-standing engagement just to climb your way up to the Blackwell family—I let that slide because I never thought much of your son anyway. But when my daughter fou
Lady Langley had already approached Miranda, glancing sideways at Earl Croyso’s retreating figure. In a voice so low that only she could hear, she murmured, “What sense of righteousness and morality can one expect from noble families…”Then she turned to Miranda and said, “You’ve merely escaped a den of fire. No need to concern yourself with those shameless people.”Rose, standing nearby, watched the scene unfold and felt secretly relieved. Thankfully, she had not accepted the match—otherwise, with such in-laws, how could she ever hope for a good life?“There’s no need for you to worry about me, Aunt.” Miranda straightened her posture and said firmly, “Just as you said, not marrying into such a family is actually a blessing! If I didn’t understand that, I wouldn’t have raised my hand against Lady Sheffield.”She had never held high expectations for this marriage. Even when the Queen Dowager suddenly intended for her to enter the palace to accompany His Majesty the King, her only thoug
"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
“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
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
"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
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
"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