As they approached the dining table, the maids all curtsied before the Queen. Melissa looked across the table and saw a handsome young man and a beautiful woman were already seated. As they saw the Queen, they went over and greeted the Queen affectionately. 'This must be the Queen's children'.
Queen Serina introduced the young prince and princess to Melissa. The friendly young man was the Queen's younger son, Prince Xander while the arrogant looking girl was Princess Katherine. Melissa extended her curtsies to both the royals when Princess Katherine suddenly said loudly, "So, you're the famous Lady Melissa? The one that went into hiding for years without seeing other people?" Princess Katherine was in fact boiling in anger when she saw how affectionate Duke Kensington was with Lady Melissa moments ago. 'Zachary never smiled at me like that before! How dare this bitch try to seduce him!'
Melissa was in the middle of curtsying when Princess Katherine said that. She almost lost her composure if not for Duke Kensington's support. 'Eh? Why is she so hostile towards me? Did the original Lady Melissa offend her in the past?' Not one to be bullied, Melissa looked at the Princess and smiled.
Before anyone could intervene, Melissa retorted by saying, "Your Highness, you're too kind. I don't think anyone can become famous if they're not out flaunting themselves in public, could they? I think you're contradicting yourself."
"You insolent girl! How dare you talk back to me!" Princess Katherine roared in anger.
"Katherine! Mind your manners. Is this how you greet your future cousin-in-law?! If you can't behave, please leave the room." Queen Serina said while looking at her daughter angrily. How dare she threw tantrums here for no reason! Queen Serina quickly glanced at Duke Kensington, afraid he would take offense of Katherine's unruly behaviour.
"But Mother, what I said was the truth. Everyone knows she suddenly disappeared and no one saw her for a few years! She'd probably contracted some unknown diseases for all we know. And now she suddenly reappeared and going to marry Zachary. Who knows what is she planning to do? This is utterly ridiculous!" Princess Katherine whined at her mother, all the while looking at Duke Kensington adoringly.
Melissa caught her act and it all clicked! 'Oh, this girl likes my future husband. This is a real jealousy rage. What a drama! If I'm not the main character I would get some popcorn and watch this from the sideline.' With this thought, Melissa looked up at Duke Kensington and realized he was staring ahead, not even sparing the Princess a glance. 'Oh, oh, it's a one-sided love.'
"Katherine!!" The Queen lost her patience after listening to her daughter's spiteful remarks about Lady Melissa.
"Your Highness, ridiculous or not, I will decide on that. Melissa is my chosen wife. No one can interfere in this matter. I hope you can refrain from saying anything hurtful to her. We're here on Her Majesty's invite, please respect that." Duke Kensington finally said after witnessing this utterly ridiculous outbursts by the Princess.
At that, Princess Katherine pouted her lips and didn't say anything. She was afraid of both her mother and Duke Kensington. This man was known for his decisive temperament. She's afraid that if she continues to offend Lady Melissa, Duke Kensington would not forgive her at all, not to mention the punishment she would get from her mother. Princess Katherine was so frustrated. She wished she had kill this useless bitch when they met 5 years ago!
Princess Katherine remained quiet during the meal and only threw occasional glances at Duke Kensington. When her gaze landed on Melissa, it turned deadly as if she wanted to kill her with her looks. Melissa merely ignored the Princess and continued eating her sumptuous lunch.
'What a pity, with her good looks, she could've gotten any man she wants. Why bother with this stone-cold man?' Melissa wondered in her heart.Prince Xander on the hand, appeared friendly and he chatted casually with Duke Kensington during the meal. Both men seemed to share a close bond with one another. From her observation, Prince Xander looked like he was about 16 years old, while Princess Katherine seemed to be around Melissa's age. Both siblings were very good looking, although Prince Xander seemed to have inherited his mother's dark brown hair, while Princess Katherine had long blonde hair. Both of them however, had similar light brown eyes. One thought crossed Melissa's mind, 'The Queen said Prince Xander is her younger son, does that mean there's another prince?'
After the meal, Duke Kensington sent Lord William to the guest chamber to take a nap. Although the young boy protested at first, he eventually succumb to his father's instruction. In order to fulfil her expanding curiosity as to how big the palace was, Lady Melissa seek permission from the Queen to take a stroll in the royal garden. Queen Serina readily obliged her request and asked Duke Kensington to escort her. As much as she wanted to wander alone, she couldn't possibly drive Duke Kensington away. Therefore, she walked with her hand looped around the Duke's arm, proceeding to the royal garden. In one hand, she held the white rose which was placed on her plate earlier.This was the first time he held her so close to him and he could smell a faint flowery fragrance coming from her. His body instinctively grew rigid and he found it hard to concentrate. He kept stealing glances at her from time to time, sensing her obvious curiosity on her surroundings. Duke Kensington was slightly puz
When Lady Melissa stepped into the main banquet hall, almost everyone was captivated by her beauty. The young ladies eyed her with envy and jealousy, some even sneered at her appearance. Prince Xavier who was standing with a few close acquaintances of his, all of them young men from the aristocratic families, couldn't help but smirked at the sight of his beloved. As expected of the woman of his choice, she could stunned everyone just by standing there doing nothing. Prince Xavier was further pleased when he realized that the troublesome Lord Melvin Knight wasn't present tonight. It was only Lady Melissa and her mother, Duchess Rose Knight. "Isn't that Lady Melissa? The one who fought with the Princess a few years ago?" Lord Benjamin Blackwell said, while keeping his gaze on the lovely girl."Yes, I see that time has done her great service. She has blossomed well indeed." This suggestive remark from Lord Davis caused the rest of the noblemen around him to look appreciatively at Lady M
Prince Xavier waited, and waited for days but no news came from Lady Melissa after that. Days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months. After waiting for such a long time but still didn't hear from her, he was worried that something had happened to her. After the last palace banquet, Lady Melissa seemed to have vanished and she never appear in any social events anymore. No one knew what happened to her. Prince Xavier had tried to get information but everyone from the Knights' Estates was tight lipped and no news were leaked on their Lady's wellbeing. Prince Xavier nearly went crazy trying to find out the truth. She had clearly promised to give him an answer, and he knew she wasn't the type to forget about it easily.Unpleasant rumours started to spread about Lady Melissa after that. Some said she was disfigured and became so ugly that she didn't dare to show herself in public. Some said she was embarrassed as she had no friends so staying home was the best option. Some even went as far
For the next few days, Prince Xavier waited for the Queen to approach him with great anticipation in his heart. His mood was much better as well, thinking of the impending marriage between him and Lady Melissa. However, after much wait, there was no sign of the Queen nor was there any summon for him to see her. After much thought, Prince Xavier decided to meet the Queen himself. His marriage was much more important than his pride anyway. When he reached his mother's chambers, he knocked and was summoned in."Xavier, my son! What brings you here today? Is something wrong?" Queen Serina was surprised to see her normally aloof son appeared before her today. "How do you do Mother?" Prince Xavier went to hug his mother. "I'm very well, thank you. Is everything alright, Son?" Queen Serina probed again. "Well, yes I'm doing well. Mother, I heard you've been busy choosing brides these past few days. How's that going?" Prince Xavier asked casually."That's a surprise! I thought you didn't
After few days of being in what could be described as hell, when he was calmed enough, Prince Xavier began to organize his thoughts and found it hard to believe that Lady Melissa would forget about him easily. Something must've made her accepted this ridiculous arrangement. Yes that's right, someone or something forced her into this marriage. He needed to speak with her, but how? He couldn't just barge into the Knights mansion, could he?Prince Xavier spent the whole day thinking about his predicament. He harboured resentment towards his cousin, Duke Kensington. The Queen had always favoured Duke Kensington since they were young. Growing up, whatever he had, his mother would make sure Duke Kensington was given the same as well. The only difference between them was that he's of royal blood, destined to inherit the throne, while Duke Kensington would forever be his subject. That's the only consolation he had for this 'sibling rivalry' between them.However, he would never imagine that h
THUD! A loud sound could be heard as she fell to the ground.When Prince Xavier reached to where Melissa was, he could see her lying face down on the ground motionless, a big boulder could be seen next to her. She must've knocked her head on it when she fell! Panic seeped into his heart and he quickly turned her over to check on her injuries. What greeted him caused him to tear up instantly. There was a big cut on her forehead and she was bleeding profusely. Not wanting to waste any more time lest her life could be in danger, Prince Xavier quickly carried her up and headed towards the main palace, all the while blaming himself for what had happened. The whole palace was in chaos. The sight of Prince Xavier carrying a lady in his arms was too extraordinary! This was the first time anyone had seen Prince Xavier being so close to a woman, other than the Queen. Prince Xavier couldn't be bothered with the watchful eyes of the people around him. When he reached the main entrance, he saw D
"Aren't you afraid that the Princess would complain about you to the Queen?" Prince Xavier asked her while guiding her around the royal garden."Why should I? She's in the wrong, not me. How dare she called me ugly and asked me to fetch her a glass of water? Do I look like a maid to her?" Lady Melissa pouted her lips, not feeling the slightest guilt."Haha! Yes, you're right! How dare she! You're definitely not ugly at all." Prince Xavier replied, with a smile on his handsome face. "Of course, my mother is so beautiful, and I look like her. That means, I'm beautiful too, am I not?" Lady Melissa said proudly.Prince Xavier nodded repeatedly, indulging her vanity. "By the way Your Highness, why did you save me? I think you're in more trouble now than me." Lady Melissa said, puzzled as to why this Prince would rescue her from his own sister."I think you and I can be great friends. So, I saved you. Friends should look out for one another." With that, they reached to where his garden wa
Melissa's own heart tightened at this revelation. She felt Lady Melissa's longing, expectation, desires and love towards Prince Xavier, as if they were her own. It was truly overwhelming. She was speechless. Then she remembered something happened to Lady Melissa when she turned 16. It was at this palace banquet! In order to unravel this mystery, Melissa cast aside her own thoughts and concentrated on the memory of Lady Melissa. While she was admiring the roses, Lady Melissa heard a light cough and a voice saying, "I remember those are your favourites." Lady Melissa was startled and almost fell backwards. She felt a man's hands holding her steady and she felt shy at his touch. She quickly stood up and turned to face him. At first glance, Lady Melissa seemed uncertain as he looked somehow different with longer hair, but she would not mistake the warm blue eyes staring back at her. It was Prince Xavier! She exclaimed excitedly, "Your Highness!" "Do you still remember me?" Prince Xavie
Duke Kensington woke up in a daze, feeling restless and unsure what the dream was about. He was covered in cold sweat and tried to recall the details of the dream. In the dream, he saw his son and beside him, there was another person. It was a woman but Duke Kensington couldn't see her face clearly. She was laughing and playing with William, while he watched them from afar. When she saw him, she beckoned him near and following her gesture, he walked towards them, hoping to see her face. There's something about her that made his heart swelled with love and happiness. He didn't want to let go of that moment.He never had any contact with any women ever since his wife passed away a few years ago, leaving him with a son to care for. However, due to the Queen's pressure lately, he had agreed to remarry and the candidate was chosen by the Queen herself. The dream he had last night was unexpected and something he couldn't decipher.Duke Kensington shook his head and cleared his mind. He ne
"Ms Hall! Ms Hall! What are your inspirations behind these wonderful paintings? Can you share it with us?" "Ms Hall, now that you've inherited the Graden Arts Hall, do you plan to expand it?""Ms Hall, when will your next exhibition be?" "Can you comment on the rumours that you've secretly gotten married?"A throng of reporters swarmed around Melissa, asking her a barrage of questions which she couldn't keep up. She smiled politely and held up her hand to the reporters before answering them calmly."Do you believe me if I say that I painted these art pieces based on the dreams I have had over the years?" Before the reporters could clarify, she continued,"I plan to keep the Graden Hall as it is, to honour the memory of my late Master. I will continue to hold exhibitions here and when the time comes, you all will be invited."She looked at the reporters who were busy writing down their contents and some were filming her."As for my so-called secret marriage, it's not true. I do not
Beep, beep, beep, beep...The sound of the machine echoed in the spacious room. Melissa felt something sharp poking into her hand and she winched. She slowly opened her eyes and was confused. The white room seemed foreign to her and she didn't remember any white room in the Kensington Estates. Her eyes scanned the room and she saw mechanical instruments by the bed, and an IV drip attached to her hand. Wait a minute, is this the hospital?Before she could process her thoughts, the door to the room opened and a young lady dressed like a nurse walked in. The nurse went straight to the IV drip and checked it before proceeding to adjust something on the machine next to the bed. She seemed oblivious to the fact that Melissa was staring at her intently. The nurse turned to check the patient next and the moment she saw Melissa's bright eyes looking at her, she screamed in shock."You're awake!!! Oh my God!! Wait, I need to call the doctor!!" She said excitedly. Melissa had a guess on w
Lady Sophia was shocked beyond words. The maids dragged her to the dungeons and mercilessly threw her on the hard cold floor before locking her in. They looked at her in disgust before walking away, leaving her alone to process what the hell just happened. One minute she was in the room with him, ready to carry out her plan but suddenly the Duke had woken up and ordered for her to be imprisoned!Realization dawned upon Lady Sophia that the tide had turned. Her plan had backfired and she had been tricked by him! He knew all along that the tea was laced with sleeping pill and he had come prepared for her. He even had the cook, Mrs Queen hiding in the room, waiting to ambush her! Lady Sophia suddenly laughed. She laughed and laughed until her laughter turned to sobs and eventually into an uncontrollable cries of anguish.She hated the man, she hated him for humiliating her like this. She looked down at her body and realized she was still in her inner wear. Ashamed, she covered herself
"Your Grace, the Duke has returned to the Estates." Carrie notified Melissa, who was in William's room at the moment. Young William was still recuperating and had gone to sleep after the doctor's visit. Melissa turned to Carrie and promptly asked,"Where is he now?""His Grace is in his study. Lady Sophia was summoned to see him earlier." Carrie explained.Melissa who had walked to the door to meet her husband stopped when she heard the name."Lady Sophia?" "Yes, Your Grace."Somehow this news didn't sit well with Melissa.Why did he meet her? He didn't even find me or William when he came back. Melissa bit her lip and thought for a moment before she finally decided to stay put. She had yet to come up with an idea on how to send Lady Sophia packing. Now is really not the time to dwell on useless presumptions about her husband. The last thing she wanted was to have any misunderstandings with the Duke. William's wellbeing is her focus now.After making sure William was comfortable,
Duke Kensington sat by William and held his son's hand. He didn't say anything about the cookies, which made Melissa nervous for some reason. The silence was utterly uncomfortable for her. "I didn't send them to William." She finally said, breaking the silence in the room.Duke Kensington finally looked up and smiled at his wife. "I know you didn't." He replied calmly.Melissa nodded and the room fell into silence again. Both Melissa and the Duke stayed with the little boy throughout the night, observing his condition. Young William woke up a few times in the middle of the night due to discomfort in his stomach but Melissa managed to coax him back to sleep after giving him his medication. When dawn approached, she finally collapsed on the bed next to William due to exhaustion.Looking at his wife sleeping soundly after tending to his son the whole night, Duke Kensington's gaze darkened and he clenched his fist in anger. Something's needed to be done about this, he would not let hi
Melissa smiled at the staffs before she addressed them all."Good day, everyone. Thank you for meeting with me today. I will get to know each and everyone of you in due time so there's no rush today. You can go back to your work. But before you leave, I want to remind you that I do not like to use a third person to convey any message, instruction, order or request to anyone at all. As such, every instruction given to you would be communicated to you personally by me, with no medium in between. If you do not receive the order directly from me, please be reminded that you will suffer the consequences should you act on it. With that said, should you receive any instruction from another party on my name, you must come to me directly. It would only mean that someone is trying to undermine my authority as the Duchess of Kensington and I will not tolerate that. Understood?"All the staffs were stunned and could only nod their heads in understanding. However, some of the older staffs looked d
The next morning, the sun had risen in the sky when Melissa woke up. A warm hand was placed on her back, making her movements restricted. The warm hand suddenly moved and pulled her into a hug. Melissa looked at the handsome guy in front of her and sighed.She traced her finger on his forehead, his nose and finally his lips. Duke Kensington kissed her finger, his eyes still closed. Melissa giggled and pulled her hand back. In a swift movement, Duke Kensington got up and pinned her under his body, making her giggled more. "Running away? Not a chance!" The Duke kissed her, while she stroke his back. Melissa could feel her husband's cock hardened and pressed against her legs. She instinctively spread her legs apart, inviting him in.He groaned and placed his hard cock against her vagina, before he slowly moved it up and down her wet slit. She moaned in his mouth, prompting him to move faster and eventually, he slide his manhood into her tight cave.Melissa's insides squeezed him hard
"Don't worry, I'll be gentle with you." The Duke whispered in Melissa's ear, comforting her.Melissa nodded slightly and she ran her fingers through the Duke's hair, while enjoying his touch and kisses. The Duke seemed to be under the impression that she's young and naive in this area, and had taken the lead in their first night together. Melissa had allowed the man to do whatever he wanted, especially when she was inexperienced herself. However, she had read and watched enough movies in her previous life to know what to expect and therefore she braced herself for her first time. The Duke's kisses travelled down from her breasts to her stomach, and eventually his lips ended up kissing her most intimate area. He parted her legs slightly, giving him more access to her body and started sucking her cunt. His movements were slow at first but they gradually became faster and her moans became louder with each action he took. "Aaahhh! Zachary!" Hearing his name coming out of her sweet l