"My name is Yoder, and this is my wife, Zoe. We have no sons, only a daughter named Jenny, whom we’ve cherished dearly. A few months ago, a group of well-dressed people passed by our home. A noblewoman in the group saw our daughter and was struck by her resemblance to someone. I didn’t know what was going on, but then the woman approached us and asked if we were willing to send our daughter to live with a wealthy family. She even gave us a lot of gold coins, saying our daughter looked very much like the daughter of a noble family and that she could help our daughter take that place, allowing her to bring wealth and honor to our family."
At this point, Zoe pushed Yoder and cried, "It’s all your fault for sending our daughter away!"
The Earl of Croyso, frowning even more, interrupted them, "I think you’ve come to the wrong place!"
"No, we haven’t! Even if I were blind, I would recognize my own daughter!" Yoder suddenly shouted passionately.
The Earl's frown
Earl Croyso frowned and immediately rebuked, “Nonsense! To conduct an inspection on the daughter of an earl just because of the ramblings of two lunatics—doesn’t that imply we doubt Miranda's identity? Such an act would only hand others a weapon to use against us! Moreover, what an insult this would be! Miranda is my daughter, my flesh and blood. I would never mistake her for anyone else—she is Miranda, not some Jenny! Do you really think I can’t recognize my own daughter?”To be reprimanded under these circumstances was entirely unexpected, and the Countess's initial anger flared up instantly.“But, my lord…,” the Countess began, swallowing her indignation. She cast a seemingly timid glance at the gathered crowd, her expression laden with concern. “Of course, I care deeply about Miss Miranda's honor. But look at the expressions on the faces of these stewards and housekeepers. I fear they all ha
Zoe, momentarily stunned by Miranda’s noble and composed demeanor, quickly resumed her tearful outcry, “Jenny! Your mother can’t live without you! How can you deny me like this?” Her face was streaked with tears, a picture of utter despair.Yoder, half regretful, half enraged, chimed in, “Lian’er, I know we wronged you. We shouldn’t have agreed to give you away to that woman. Now I regret it. Come home with your father! Our house may be poor, but it’s where you were born and raised, and we are your real parents! You can’t forget your roots and deny your own parents just for the sake of wealth!”With a slight wave of her hand, Miranda halted the servants who were ready to step forward. Her gaze grew dark and intense as she fixed her eyes on them. "Anyone close to me could know about the mole behind my ear, but why would they share such a private detail with you? This can only mean that someone in the estate is conspiring with you to frame me. Remember, my father is the
The startling revelation caused everyone to frown in disbelief, especially the Earl of Croyso and Lady Langley."She's not Miranda?" The Earl's voice was laced with incredulous anger, nearly on the verge of laughter. "Sophie, have you lost your mind? If she's not Miranda, then who is? I think you're the one who's ill!" His words were sharp, underlined with anger, yet there was a measure of restraint in his tone."She's not!" The Countess, having gone this far, was ready to risk everything. She had the evidence to prove that Miranda was an imposter and wasn’t afraid to confront her. "And think about it—since this false Miranda appeared, the biggest beneficiary has been Lady Langley! I cannot help but suspect there’s something fishy about all this. Did you really believe that Miranda was unaware of the true cause of Anna's death?""Enough, Sophie! What nonsense are you spouting?" The Earl’s voice boomed with fury. He had always avoided discussing Anna’s death in f
"Look at this face, my lord," Sophie declared passionately. "The Miranda we once knew, the Miranda everyone in this estate has seen, never looked like this. A plain, unremarkable girl suddenly transforming into a beauty of such grace and elegance—this alone should raise suspicion. They dared to deceive us all, to switch one person for another, solely because this girl shares the same face as Lady Anna!"Her voice quivered with righteous indignation before softening into sorrow. "My lord, they are exploiting your deepest feelings! Using your love to achieve their hidden, sinister goals!"Sophie knew Croyso too well. She was certain that invoking Anna would unsettle him deeply.With every piece of evidence laid out, each accusation seemed increasingly plausible. It was enough to make anyone doubt whether the young woman before them was truly Miranda. All eyes turned to Miranda, their gazes sharp and probing.Miranda drew in a deep breath, maintaining her co
"Enough! Sophie, this charade must end here and now! Never mind how absurd your claims are; the fact remains that Miranda is my daughter by blood, and as her stepmother, you should never treat her with such disrespect. I always thought you were a woman of propriety and sound judgment. But now, it seems that ten years of being a Countess has made you arrogant. Sophie, you have deeply disappointed me!" Earl Croyso could no longer tolerate the situation. He slammed his hand on the table, rising with a voice full of fury. "Miranda is my flesh and blood; I would never mistake my own daughter! From now on, the management of this estate will be entrusted to Miranda! You need to cool down and reflect on who you used to be, and who you've become!""My lord!" The Countess could hardly believe her ears.Could it be that Earl Croyso hadn’t noticed the fear in Miranda's eyes when she had questioned her earlier? Had he not seen the panic in Miranda's gaze when she mentioned the examination? She had
If she truly is Miranda, then all of this—every bit of it—was deliberately orchestrated by that wretched girl. She set the trap with care, intentionally provoking her, purposefully choosing those dishes, and ensuring that she would see her back, carefully concealing the mark... And it wasn’t enough. Just now, she even feigned fear, pretended to be terrified of being exposed, making her believe she held all the cards, goading her into losing all sense of reason.Otherwise, with her usual cunning, if she had been calm, as soon as she noticed something off about that girl’s expression, she would have stopped. She wouldn’t have allowed things to spiral into such utter chaos!But now? Now... Is it all over?“Have you not done enough? To push her this far, to humiliate her to this extent—has it still not satisfied you? What more do you want? Do you wish for her to die here?” Earl Croyso roared in fury.Miranda sai
Since the Countess had been stripped of her managerial duties within the estate, life had to go on as usual. Selena, having learned from her failed attempts to intercede, had wisely chosen to remain silent about her mother recently—likely with some prompting from the Countess herself.One day, Selena brought some pastries to her father's study."Miranda, you are truly a thoughtful daughter, cheering me up with your presence! Well, enough of pleasantries. I have official matters to attend to, so come and help me!"Seeing the harmony between father and daughter before her, Selena felt a pang of discomfort. Especially since Miranda was allowed to stay in the study to assist her father with his work, while she herself was not afforded such privilege.Placing the pastries on the desk, she approached and said, "Father, are there troubles weighing on your mind? Even if I cannot relieve your burdens, perhaps talking about them might ease your mind!"The Earl sighed again, his expression troubl
Seeing that her father also agreed with Miranda, Selena had no choice but to cease her objections. Yet, she wanted to pose a challenge to Miranda: “Miranda makes a valid point. However, even if it’s certain that Ivan should be saved, how exactly should we go about it? He is undeniably guilty of accepting bribes, with irrefutable evidence. This cannot be disputed. If Father were to rashly declare him innocent, it would be difficult to justify.”The mention of this was like a bucket of cold water poured over Earl Croyso.Indeed, Ivan needed saving, but how could it be done? The bribery was a deadlock, and although Miranda’s earlier arguments were sound, such discussions could only serve to persuade in private. In the court, such arguments could not justify leniency or release for Ivan. What was needed now was a legitimate reason, a reason that would justly allow his release.Selena mean to set her up with a dilemma.Miranda pondered and then a
At this point, the delivery captain naturally understood that after the counterfeit goods incident was exposed, the young miss had already begun to suspect those responsible for procurement. She had simply bided her time, allowing them to lower their guard before catching them red-handed this time. Her composure and tactics were truly alarming. Trembling, he confessed, “The steward from Broad Loft promised that once the job was done, the mansion and all its furnishings and servants would be mine. Additionally, they promised to make me the deputy manager of their shop…” Miranda continued to swirl her tea calmly, her dark eyes fixed in contemplation. After a moment, she furrowed her brows and said, “Jovanna may be prosperous, but even if it were driven out of business, how much profit could Broad Loft really gain? Yet they went to such great lengths—offering so many beautiful women, a grand mansion, and even a managerial position. Such elaborate scheming… aren't they afraid it’ll all
The men in black immediately carried out the order, not allowing those people to utter a word before binding them tightly. At this moment, the shop attendants who had been eating and drinking merrily inside the hall were also alerted and rushed out, only to be stunned at the sight of Miranda, the shop manager, and a circle of black-clad guards. Some of them, who were already aware of Jovanna’s counterfeit goods scandal, immediately understood what was happening. Frightened, they hurriedly knelt down and pleaded, “Miss, please have mercy! We truly had no idea that the captain… that he would betray Jovanna like this! We are innocent! We didn’t…” Thinking about how they had been indulging themselves while the captain took advantage of the distraction to swap the goods, and then recalling what others said about this keen and capable young miss, they were terrified, breaking out in a cold sweat. “Oh?” Miranda’s voice betrayed no emotion. “And what exactly is your crime?” “We… we sh
Seeing the shock in the eyes of the newcomers, Captain chuckled indifferently. “Isn’t it all thanks to our boss’s kindness? Generous and fair, never stingy with wages or bonuses—otherwise, how could I afford this estate?”After unloading the truck into the warehouse, according to Jovanna’s rules, someone had to stay behind to guard the goods.“You two, you’ve been here before. This time, you’ll have to take one for the team and keep watch while the others enjoy themselves,” Captain said with a hearty laugh, clapping them on the shoulders and shooting them a meaningful glance. Seeing them nod in agreement, he grinned and led the rest toward the main hall.The two young men left behind exchanged a glance, their expressions bright with amusement. Everyone knew that guarding the goods came with generous perks!The wine was fine, the food exquisite, and beautiful maids performed songs and dances, filling the hall with a captivating atmosphere. The revelry quickly escalated, cups clinking a
The visitor affirmed confidently, “There’s no mistake. Why else do you think our master insisted on having Young Master Andrew annul the engagement? Our young master is kind-hearted and worried that you and the Earl of Sheffield might not be aware of the truth, so he specifically sent me to inform you—lest you be deceived!” After exchanging a few more words, the Countess of Sheffield had the visitor sent away and hurried off to find the Earl. “Is this true?” The Earl of Sheffield rose abruptly, almost unable to believe it. “Of course it is! We absolutely cannot have this girl as a daughter-in-law! I doubt Lord Croyso is entirely unaware of this either. Otherwise, given his temperament, wouldn’t he have stormed over to the William family to demand an explanation? Instead, he quietly allowed them to annul the engagement without making a fuss!” The Countess had not expected such a stroke of luck—she had been wishing for a way out, and now it had been handed to her on a silver platt
“Enough, stop crying!” The Earl of Sheffield, both frustrated by her tears and exasperated by the situation, waved his hand. “What’s the point of discussing this now? The engagement has already been set. Calling it off now would be a disgrace. Besides, Miranda is still young—if we endure this for a couple of years, perhaps His Majesty will lose interest, and this matter will be forgotten.” Despite these words, deep down, his dissatisfaction with Miranda as a daughter-in-law grew. Even though this situation had arisen due to the Dowager Queen’s proposal and could not be blamed on Miranda, it was, after all, centered around her. There was no doubt that Fulton—and by extension, the Sheffield family’s future—would be affected. “It’s easy for you to say.” The Countess of Sheffield scoffed. “Men are always like this—the more they can’t have something, the more they desire it. Who’s to say the King won’t become even more fixated on Miranda precisel
The Dowager Queen publicly expressed her desire for Miranda to enter the palace as a companion, and the news spread quickly. However, following this event, it became widely known that Miranda was already betrothed to Fulton. Moreover, the topic was not pursued further during the birthday banquet, leaving the matter of her palace residency in question.The only ones who truly found this situation troublesome were the Sheffields, who were engaged to Miranda.Furthermore, rumors emerged from unknown sources claiming that the Dowager Queen was already aware of the engagement but still favored Miranda and wanted her to visit the palace frequently. Normally, gaining the Dowager Queen’s favor would be a good thing and could benefit Fulton's future prospects. However, since the Dowager Queen had previously mentioned that she wished for Miranda to remain by the King’s side once she was older, this supposed honor became rather awkward. Worse yet, there were also rumors suggesting that the King
Miranda left the Queen Dowager’s chambers with a heavy heart, following a maid. Though her expression remained calm, her mind was in turmoil. This banquet felt like a trap—perhaps just the beginning.Lost in thought and unfamiliar with the palace, she failed to notice she had been led astray.Reaching a secluded spot, she caught sight of a distinguished figure and froze. Her face paled as she hastily curtsied, unease weighing heavier. Any lingering doubt vanished—this was only the beginning."Your Majesty!"***Amidst a lush, verdant corner of the palace, the king stood beside a stone table, dressed in a deep green robe. His gaze was lowered, his expression unreadable, his presence so subdued that he nearly blended into the dense greenery behind him—unassuming, almost invisible.Had Miranda not seen him before at the Croyso estate, she might not have even recognized him as the king."Come closer," he said impassively, not even glancing her way.Miranda straightened and stood at a resp
"How could something like this happen?"The birthday banquet ended, and the Croyso family was preparing to board their carriage and return home. When the count did a headcount, he realized Miranda was missing, and his heart immediately sank. After hearing Selena recount the details of what had happened, he was utterly shocked. The dowager queen had openly suggested that Miranda enter the palace to serve as a royal companion?And His Majesty the King seemed willing..."Yes, at that time, the dowager said it publicly in front of many people, and His Majesty didn’t show any sign of refusal. Miranda probably didn’t want to offend both the dowager and the king in public, so she requested a private audience with the dowager. After the banquet ended, she went to the dowager queen's chambers," Selena explained softly.As she spoke, a wave of resentment welled up inside her.The most infuriating part was that Miranda didn’t even have to do anything, and yet the dowager queen adored her so much
From beginning to end, Zachary paid no attention to the situation here—not even a single glance in their direction.Earlier, upon seeing how much the Queen Dowager favored Miranda, he had felt a sense of joy, thinking there might be an opportunity to win Miranda back through her support. After all, the Queen Dowager was very fond of him. But now, after hearing that the Queen Dowager intended for Miranda to be chosen by his father and observing his father’s interest, cold sweat broke out across his back.Fortunately, he hadn't said anything. Otherwise, wouldn’t he have been competing with his father over a woman?The scandal with Landon’s daughter had already caused an uproar throughout the capital, and for the first time, his father had reprimanded him. With so many beautiful women in the world, there was no need to provoke his father over someone like Miranda! Although Miranda was engaged to Fulton, that was never a real obstacle when it came to entering the royal court. Affairs were