"Eh? There's a little maid here!" A voice of surprise came from the side, followed by the appearance of a shadowy figure clad in black.Under the dappled moonlight, the girl before him had an ethereal beauty, as if she were a fairy. Her exposed skin shimmered faintly, almost translucent, while her tear-streaked face, delicate as white jade, exuded a sorrowful yet enchanting allure. A lewd glint flickered in the man's eyes as he licked his dry lips and chuckled, "I didn't expect to be this lucky, catching such a pretty little maid. Hmph, since the credit never goes to me, I might as well have a little fun with this maid!"He swaggered towards her.Miranda, dressed in a maid's uniform borrowed from Molly, was mistaken for a servant. She was in a daze until the black-clad man appeared in front of her, snapping her back to reality. She took two steps back, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear, "What do you think you're doing?" Her watery eyes flashed with three parts anger and
As the mountain wind blew, the man's fur cloak billowed behind him like wings. Standing there with his clothes fluttering in the air, his strikingly handsome features appeared out of nowhere, eerily silent, like a bewitching demon. Even though the bright moonlight illuminated his form, casting a long shadow, he seemed less human—an unsettling chill settled in one’s heart, yet it was hard to ignore his excessively captivating appearance."You... Duke of Veylar?!" The scarred man swallowed nervously."Oh? You recognize me?" Reginald smiled slightly, casually plucking a leaf and slowly walking forward. "That makes things easier. Since you know who I am, you should be aware of my methods. Will you confess willingly, or must I force it out of you? Who sent you to tail Ma—"Suddenly, something felt wrong. The night obscured his view of the woman hidden by the trees, but as he approached, his heart skipped a beat.The woman’s long hair was disheveled, fluttering wildly in the mountain breeze.
Miranda weakly waved her hand, taking in deep breaths of fresh air, hoping to dispel the strong scent of blood in her nose.Reginald was about to speak when he suddenly noticed Miranda's delicate hands were covered with large scratches, mixed with dirt and grass, making her look quite pitiful. His expression immediately changed as he grabbed her hand to examine it. Then, upon looking closer, he saw several scratches on her face, and her clothes around her knees appeared torn, revealing numerous bruises and scrapes. Seeing these obvious injuries, Reginald's face grew darker and darker. "What happened?""Huh?" Miranda looked back in confusion. Following his gaze to her own injuries, she said, "I tripped."Before she finished speaking, Miranda suddenly remembered Molly, who had gotten separated from her. Thinking back to what she had just gone through, she realized that the men in black must have caught up.Miranda dared not dwell on the thought any further.Her sudden anxiety surprised R
The underlying meaning was clear: you want me to save someone? Sure! Just entertain me, and I'll go rescue them!Miranda frowned slightly, staring at Reginald’s devilishly handsome face, feeling even more agitated. She had urgent matters to deal with, and she herself couldn’t even manage to be in a good mood—how was she supposed to amuse him? Moreover, this man had a strange, unpredictable nature, and figuring out what would please him was as hard as making the sun rise in the west. On top of that, who refuses to save lives for such a reason? It was obviously just an excuse!She had the distinct feeling that Reginald was once again toying with her, using this situation for his own amusement.“Reginald, if you want to make fun of me, can we do that after you’ve saved everyone? You can tease me all you want, and I won’t get mad, okay?” Miranda, suppressing her irritation, tried to calm her tone, forcing herself to remain composed. “But right now, I—” she stammered, her frustration mount
Miranda was in a state of anxiety, but she had no choice but to suppress her emotions and think of ways to amuse Reginald. Yet, as time passed, Reginald maintained his lazy, ambiguous smile, showing no trace of any real emotion. Miranda began to suspect that the Duke Reginald had no intention of saving people at all and was merely toying with her. However, she couldn’t think of any other solutions and grew increasingly agitated.Reginald’s eyes twinkled with amusement as he watched Miranda’s growing frustration.“Duke Reginald,” Miranda suddenly stopped, biting her lip before speaking again after a long pause. “I need a straight answer from you. Do you intend to help, or not? If we delay any longer, it might be too late. If you don't want to help, just say it.”Reginald looked at her, his smile unchanging. "What do you think?"“…” He’s definitely toying with me! Miranda sprang to her feet. “In that case, I'll figure something out on my own!”Just as she turned to leave, she suddenly h
A tall figure rushed in from outside, clad in a dark green clothes. His delicate face was full of anxiety and worry. Only after seeing Martha standing unharmed next to Miranda did he finally let out a long sigh of relief. He rushed over, looking Martha up and down, repeatedly asking, "Martha, are you alright? You nearly scared me to death!" Normally calm and composed, he only showed such anxiety when it came to Martha.Seeing him, Martha's face lit up with a genuine smile. She walked over, took his hand, and shook her head. "I'm fine. Thanks to Miranda. Their guards arrived just in time and saved me. Also, Miranda was very clever. She hid me behind the fireplace in the main hall and carefully arranged everything. Nina and I were behind it, hearing people come and go, but no one discovered me.""Miranda? Could it be Miranda from the Croyso family?" The man in green guessed, his eyes sweeping the crowd. Sure enough, he saw that familiar face he had once met. Holding Martha’s hand, he le
"Miss Miranda, you don't need to be so formal," Zachary lightly gestured for her to rise, his smile becoming even softer.Miranda responded with a faint, polite smile, her expression carefully controlled. If she was frustrated by Reginald's unpredictable temper and fondness for teasing her, she found Zachary’s commanding demeanor—disguised under a veneer of elegance—downright repulsive. His polite demeanor often felt forced, and there was something about the way he looked at her that she deeply disliked. However, as much as she disliked his attitude, there was little she could do. After all, Zachary was still a prince. No matter how much she might loathe his behavior, she had to maintain her composure and mask her true feelings behind a facade of polite detachment. She could not afford to let her disdain show.Zachary, however, remained oblivious. With a trace of concern, he said, "Earlier, I saw Duke Reginald storming away from your quarters. He wasn't causing you trouble, was he?"Mi
Zachary’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that Miranda had feelings for Reginald? The more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Although Reginald’s status was slightly lower than his, he was still a duke, and his striking looks made him easily appealing to women. Moreover, he had just played the hero by saving Miranda from a terrifying chase. It wouldn’t be surprising if she developed feelings for him because of that.At this thought, a wave of irritation surged in his chest—not just toward Miranda, but toward Reginald as well.After a moment of reflection, Zachary didn’t express his anger. Instead, he softened his expression and smiled slightly, saying, “Miss Miranda, there are some things I ordinarily wouldn’t mention, especially since Duke Reginald is your savior. However, I’m truly concerned that you might not know his true nature and could be deceived by him, so I must speak up. Duke Reginald is widely known for his erratic and frivolous behavior. Beyond that, he’s a
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