All Chapters of The Return of the Disgraced Daughter: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

It was none other than Consort Darling, the marquise's close friend.Seeing that someone finally stopped Rupert's rampage, the maids of the washhouse were promptly bursting into tears."Milady…""Please, you have to help us!"However, a dozen maids crying a fit together was certainly a ruckus, and Consort Darling frowned as she turned toward the senior maid at her side.Nodding in understanding, the senior maid promptly snapped, "Get changed already! Or perhaps you prefer to get sick and cause inconvenience for the palace? Would you get to keep your heads, I wonder?"The maids finally stopped crying at that, all of them scrambling to get out of the laundry pool and running indoors.Once everyone was gone, Consort Darling finally turned to Rupert, frowning when she saw that he was still holding a pole."What?" She demanded coolly. "Are you going to bludgeon me too?"Rupert finally dropped the pole and bowed her head. "I would never dare.""You would never dare? When you alread

Unease gnawed at Lilian's heart even as she stood in the courtyard of Consort Darling's pavilion.She had never been here in the three years she worked in the washhouse, but it was just as suffocating as it was there.And she was deeply terrified that she wouldn't be able to leave, just as she couldn't three years ago…She had no idea how long she stood there, only that she was starting to lose sensation in the tip of her toes when someone finally called for her.Warmth seemed to hit her in the face as soon as the doors opened, leaving her nose runny.Even as she sniffled, Consort Darling spoke even before she entered. "I've seen your laundry work. Well done."Finally seeing the imperial consort just then, Lilian promptly knelt, "Greetings, Your Grace."She was used to being a servant at the washhouse and kneeling, even after she had been taken back to the marquis' residence.Consort Darling appeared surprised, but soon smiled, shaking her head. "You really are the way your mot

Lilian was surprised that Madam Lestrade would ask that.Then, seeing the hopeful look in Madam Lestrade's eyes, she realized she was trying to get her together with Henry.Even if she told Madam Lestrade in no uncertain terms that she wasn't interested in Henry, Madam Lestrade still saw them as childhood friends. Plus with Henry gaining the emperor's favor, he was the best marriage candidate for Lilian.However, not only were things never working out between Lilian and Henry, Henry and Evelyn had long since fallen in love with each other. As such, Lilian had neither the disposition nor the intention to intervene.Shaking her head, she said, "General Stark just bid me to deliver some dessert to Evelyn. They are about to marry, so you shouldn't worry about it."Madam Lestrade was not all that stubborn, so she merely sighed. "Oh, I just thought you've been close together since childhood… it's a shame you have to be apart."Lilian smiled, leaning on her shoulder and sighed. "I just

Henry's heart skipped a beat at Rupert's sudden suggestion, but before he could say a word, Rupert's fist shot toward his face!Henry simply sidestepped it with his quick reflexes, while Rupert missed and collapsed over the table, knocking several plates of food to the floor.Still, Rupert handily picked up a plate and threw it at Henry, who promptly leaped backward, avoiding it by inches."What's gotten into you?" He growled, frowning in annoyance.He deliberately left Rupert's drunken state unmentioned, because Rupert had never lost his mind like this even on occasions when he got drunk before.If anything, it was obvious that something was weighing heavily on his mind.Rupert finally stood up, not noticing the many stains all over his clothes as he pointed at Henry and snapped, "I'm warning you… If you hurt Eve, I will hurt you!"Henry's expression remained cool, flicking nonexistent lint off his clothes as he chucked, "You said the same thing before, my friend."Though at t

Lilian was acquainted with Prince Michael, as the marquise and Consort Darling were close friends and got their children together on play dates.Still, as Prince Michael was an offspring of the emperor, his status meant the other children had to be careful even when they played with him.And as they grew, the prince was bogged down by his duties and therefore left the palace less often, rarely joining their play dates.As such, Lilian was at best an acquaintance with him and hardly close.Still, there was once when she met him after being sent to the washhouse.She was in her servant garb, kneeling with the madame—it was likely Prince Michael never saw her at all.And now, there he was—sitting at Consort Darling's side, his clean brocaded coat accentuating his elegant appearance.He was tall, too. Even as they sat, he was heads and shoulders above his mother.His stern facial features resembled the emperor's, while his eyes were Consort Darling's.Anyone could feel a tendernes