Share

Chapter 226

Author: Sunara
last update Last Updated: 2025-03-08 12:19:05

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
Continue to read this book for free
Scan code to download App
Locked Chapter

Related chapters

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 227: The Protagonist of the Scandal Appears

    A servant entered the hall and respectfully announced, “Your Majesty, Miss Miranda has arrived.”The king did not lift his head and simply said, “Let her in.”A young woman gracefully stepped into the hall. She had delicate features and a composed expression. She wore an ivory silk gown with pale yellow trim, and a sprig of winter jasmine in soft yellow adorned her neckline. A long, flowing sash draped from her waist, swaying gently with each step, giving her an air of light elegance. Behind her followed a maid in a plain blue dress, head lowered and hands clasped demurely.The two approached and curtsied gracefully. “Greetings, Your Majesty.”The king cast a casual glance at them before briefly shifting his gaze to Earl Croyso. Only then did he say, “Rise.”Without further preamble, he asked, “Miss Miranda, do you know why I have summoned you here?”Miranda lowered her voice and replied, “Your Majesty, I do. The chamberlain who delivered the decree has already explained the matter to

    Last Updated : 2025-03-09
  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 228

    "Hans Dickson, since you already know why I have summoned you, there is no need for unnecessary words," the king said unhurriedly, his expression calm. "Marquis William claims that you and Miss Miranda share mutual affection and that you once brought a handkerchief to the William estate to seek his blessing. Now, tell the truth of the matter. If there is even a single falsehood in your words, you shall not be spared!""Yes, I would not dare utter a single lie!" Hans Dickson replied earnestly, speaking with confidence. "My family is that of a fallen noble house, long without lands of our own. Last year, I came to the capital to participate in the knight selection. During my free time, I often went on excursions to the nearby mountains with friends. It was during one such outing, in September of last year, that I happened to encounter Miss Miranda of House Croyso. "Our conversation was most agreeable, and despite my lowly status, Miss Miranda never looked down on me. Instead, she encou

    Last Updated : 2025-03-10
  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 229: A Sudden Turn

    Marquis William’s eyes widened in astonishment, completely unable to grasp the meaning behind Hans Dickson’s words.A sudden turn of events occurred—just as William was relying on Hans Dickson’s smug accusations against Earl Croyso and Miranda, Hans Dickson unexpectedly uttered these words, causing the situation to take a sharp turn. For a moment, everyone present was bewildered by his statement, staring at both Hans Dickson and Marquis William in confusion.“That statement alone is worth two thousand gold Pieces, wouldn’t you say? It’s enough to be remembered as a remarkable tale.” Hans Dickson smiled, but his expression was as cold as ice. Suddenly, he turned around and made a deep bow to Miranda. “My words earlier were offensive, and I ask for Miss Miranda’s forgiveness.”After Miranda returned the courtesy, Hans Dickson turned toward the king, knelt deeply, and said solemnly, “Your Majesty, the words I spoke earlier were at the instruction of another. In truth, I am completely una

    Last Updated : 2025-03-12
  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 230: The Lady in the Purple Gown

    Hans Dickson raised an eyebrow and smirked. “You claim that Miss Miranda and I met in secret multiple times? As the eldest daughter of an earl, Miss Miranda is always accompanied by maids and attendants. Even if she were careless, wouldn’t her nurse have noticed and intervened? How could she possibly have met with me frequently in private?”Earl Croyso nodded approvingly at these words, secretly cheering, Well said!Hans Dickson continued, “Even if we assume, for argument’s sake, that I did have feelings for Miss Miranda, since she is engaged, I would have withdrawn. Would I really be so selfish as to ruin her reputation? And would I have done something as absurd as bringing a handkerchief to her fiancé’s residence to demand a broken engagement? House William is a noble family—if such an incident had truly occurred, wouldn’t they have had me thrown out at once? How could they possibly have broken off the engagement with the Croyso family over such a ridiculous claim? Isn’t that laughab

    Last Updated : 2025-03-12
  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 231

    Hearing these words, everyone except the king, Earl Croyso, the lady in the purple dress, and her maid was utterly shocked. “She…” Marquis William was dumbfounded. “If she’s not Miranda, then who is?” “This is my niece, Rose! Stop staring. The maid beside her isn’t Miranda either—she’s just a maid!” Earl Croyso scoffed. “I knew you’d try to bribe someone to make false accusations!” Clearly, this was a trap set by Earl Croyso and the king. If Hans Dickson truly had a relationship with Miranda, he should at least have met her in person and recognized that this woman wasn’t Miranda. But if he had been bribed and was merely fabricating claims, he would naturally assume that the lady in the purple dress was Miranda upon hearing her introduce herself as such, with Earl Croyso repeatedly calling her by that name and offering his reassurances. Given the circumstances, anyone would believe it. Marquis William had only seen Miranda when she was a very young child. Later, due to Sophie

    Last Updated : 2025-03-14
  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 232: Reginald in a Fury

    "What did you say? Sheffield and the Croyso family have broken off the engagement?"Inside the manor, upon receiving the news, Reginald stared fixedly at Harland, who had just delivered the message. The letter he had been reading was clenched in his palm, crumpled into a ball. His shimmering eyes narrowed slightly, revealing a chill colder than ever before—an icy aura that was both piercing and oppressive.An illicit affair… a broken engagement…"Exactly. I heard that Sheffield had a fierce argument with the Croyso family over this. On the way back to their estate, Sheffield and Lady Sheffield were cursing the entire time, making no attempt to keep their voices down. It seemed as if they wanted to make a public spectacle of it. I overheard them saying that Miss Miranda was… was improper, that at such a young age she was already entangled with a man. They claimed the engagement could not proceed and must be called off. The moment I heard it, I rushed back to report."Harland had alread

    Last Updated : 2025-03-15
  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 233: A Small Repayment.

    Even though the Dowager Queen and His Majesty have spoken as they did, the engagement between the Sheffield family and the Croyso family was established first—it is only natural. Is the esteemed Sheffield family truly incapable of weathering such minor turbulence? To break off the engagement at this moment, merely to curry favor with the King and the Dowager Queen—playing the whore while still trying to feign virtue. And worse, they want to brand Miranda with the crime of secret dealings, shifting all the blame onto her, completely disregarding her!No, something isn’t right. Perhaps Sheffield did this on purpose.By proposing the annulment first, they were bound to offend Miranda. Fearing that if she truly entered the palace to serve His Majesty, she might rise in power and seek retribution, they made their move in advance. This way, they could shift the blame onto Miranda, avoiding the disgrace of selling out their fiancée for royal favor. At the same time, they could tarnish Mirand

    Last Updated : 2025-03-16
  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 234: Reduced to A Count

    The great hall fell into a heavy silence, with nearly all eyes fixed on the trembling Marquis William.At this moment, Marquis William was filled with bitter regret.Had he known it would come to this, he would never have been so eager to sever ties with the Croyso family and use June to climb up to the Blackwell lineage. Though he had successfully secured the marriage with June, the outcome was far from glorious—June had been publicly humiliated by Lord Reginald, and the Queen Mother had ordered her out of the palace. What was supposed to be an honorable alliance had turned into an unbearable burden. Yet, the marriage had been decreed by the Queen herself, making it impossible to annul. And now, to make matters worse, Hans had seized the opportunity to turn the previous broken engagement with Miranda against him, shifting all blame onto the William family while painting himself as righteous and virtuous.Now, the entire court likely believed that the William family had betrayed their

    Last Updated : 2025-03-17

Latest chapter

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 267: Playing Chess with the King

    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

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 266

    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

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 265: How Could He Possibly Like Her

    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

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 264: No Path Is Without Danger

    “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

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 263: You Mean… The King?!

    “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

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 262: No Room to Retreat

    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

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 261: The True Intention

    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

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 260: Soft Words, Sharpened Claws

    Since the king had made his decision, the matter was settled. The queen cast one final glance at Selena, then looked over at Miranda before curtseying to the Queen Dowager and taking her leave.The Queen Dowager had Selena helped to her feet and brought back to her own palace. There, she offered soothing salves for the bruises, showering Selena with gentle concern and comfort.Already full of grievance, Selena was moved by such kindness, and her sorrow burst forth. She broke into tears, crying uncontrollably in the Queen Dowager’s arms.The Queen Dowager lightly patted her shoulder, letting her cry it out.It took some time before Selena calmed down. She slowly recounted the events.After she and Miranda parted ways, the guiding maid noticed Miranda had gone missing and panicked. After all, she had been entrusted with Miranda's care, and if something happened, she would surely be punished. So she asked Selena to wait at the gazebo while she went to look for Miranda.Selena sat for a w

  • Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me   Chapter 259: The Gazebo Incident

    Before entering the palace, Miranda had once asked Molly about the events surrounding her mother’s death. Molly had said that it all began with some kind of incident involving Miranda herself. Could it have been her sudden illness? Her father, perhaps out of concern for her young age, had merely told her that her mother had passed from illness, never elaborating. After all she had been through in her past life, Miranda was certain—her stepmother had been behind her mother’s death. That much was undeniable. But how had she done it? If Miranda could uncover the truth, Sophie would be utterly ruined.Despite her inner thoughts, Miranda wore a gentle smile. “The royal physician’s skills are indeed remarkable.”Just as the physician was taking his leave, the maid who had led Miranda and Selena earlier came running in, breathless and pale.“Your Majesty the Queen Dowager, something terrible has happened! Lady Selena ran into Her Majesty the Queen over by the gazebo and, for some reason, of

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on GoodNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
SCAN CODE TO READ ON APP
DMCA.com Protection Status