* * *
“What have you done?”
It was on the way back from the party.
“What did you do?!” Danae’s aunt, Sandra Windsor, rushed to me, seething with anger. “Answer me! What did you do to Allice!”
“What did I do?”
“You ruined Allice’s engagement ceremony!” Sandra, pale with rage, shouted. “How could you ruin her once-in-a-lifetime engagement like that?”
“I guess you didn’t consider that it was originally my medal award ceremony, right?”
“Is that more important than an engagement? Being the older sister, instead of yielding to your sister, you only care about your own desires!”
In her fury, Sandra grabbed my hair. “You greedy thing!”
This insane woman!
“Calm down, Madam!”
“Stop her! Hold her back!”
Thankfully, the servants rushed to restrain the raving Sandra.
“Sister Sandra! Please calm down!” And amidst the chaos, Sandra’s younger brother also ran out.
“Huan! How can I calm down! How!”
“Sister! Please!”
She’s completely agitated.
I looked at Sandra with contempt. Sandra often loses control like this once or twice a year. But it’s the first time it’s been directed at me.
Perhaps because she comes from a military family with >H(*the motto ‘Be patient only after annihilating the enemy,” Sandra really didn’t know how to hold back.
“Aunt Sandra.”
But I knew.
“Uncle Carl will be disappointed if he finds out.”
The magic word to control Sandra.
“Does Uncle Carl know about how you’re behaving so savagely with me?”
The moment I mentioned Carl, Sandra’s favorite name, she froze like a broken doll.
Carl. The name of the man Sandra adored. It brought back her sanity.
“I-I just…”
“I will talk about it with Uncle Carl. As for you, Aunt, it might be better to converse with beasts rather than humans.”
With that, I promptly turned away. Fortunately, Sandra didn’t scream anymore. But.
What? Why is he following me?
Her younger brother, Huan Rolland, was following me. He spoke with a tone of pity. “You must be very upset.”
“Yes?”
“It’s understandable. Nothing is more painful than your lover’s change of heart.”
“…”
“His Highness gave the Moonlight Flower intended for you to Allice. He bought it from me at a very high price.”
“Ah…”
I finally felt it was worth responding. “So, you were in charge of that business.”
“Yes. Brother-in-law Carl entrusted it to me.”
More like Carl stuffed his incompetent brother-in-law into it. Even a good-for-nothing like him is cherished as a brother-in-law.
Huan Rolland. Sandra’s younger brother. Almost expelled from the Rolland family, he was like excess baggage brought to the Windsor family by Sandra.
“If you need Moonlight Flowers, just say it. I’ll gladly give them as a gift.”
“I don’t need them.”
“Geez, don’t be so wary, Danae. I’m different from other men.”
Huan looked around furtively. Assured they were alone, he whispered. “I can only have eyes for you. I’m not like the crown prince, who cheats around.”
“…”
So annoying. I glared at him with disgust.
Huan had been courting me secretly all this time, spouting nonsense about love, marriage, and running away together. I had already rejected him multiple times, but he was unrelenting.
It’s obvious. He’s after my fortune. His greedy intent was transparent, but I endured it, telling no one.
If Raios found out, Huan’s life would be in danger. I wasn’t exaggerating, but it’s literally like that. Raios would have killed Huan by any means necessary. It would have saddened Sandra and disappointed Uncle Carl. That’s why I had kept it secret for their sake.
“Moonlight Flowers are hard to get, even for high nobility. You know it’s a symbol of wealth and power in the empire.”
Oblivious to my thoughts, Huan continued boasting. “Even the crown prince personally asked me to procure them.”
I know. Moonlight Flowers. The precious flowers I traded with the emperor for. A life-risking deal.
“Within a month, reduce the value of Moonlight Flowers to garbage, Danae Windsor.”
Ouch. Suddenly, my neck, where the emperor had choked me, throbbed again. I unconsciously rubbed my neck.
“Do you know the origin of Moonlight Flowers?”
Huan grabbed my wrist.
“A flower symbolizing the moon god.” He lightly stroked my skin with his thumb. “Said to bloom once and not wither for a hundred years. It’s used to prove eternal love or faith.” Just like a slithering snake.
Disgusted, I violently shook off his hand. “Back off. And don’t touch me without permission.”
But Huan just grinned. “Think about it, Danae. I’m your last option.”
“Pardon?”
“How badly has the crown prince treated you so far? No one dared to approach you, fearing him. Look. You came alone today, didn’t you?”
“…”
“What will you do? You’re twenty-three, right? A woman’s value declines after twenty-three.”
Huan clicked his tongue, looking at me with pity. “But I’m different. I’ll love you even after twenty-three. And I’m not afraid of the crown prince.”
“…”
“I wouldn’t have expressed my feelings if I feared the crown prince.”
His greed for money overshadowed his fear. He might also have some confidence that ‘kind’ Danae wouldn’t expose him because she didn’t want to have conflict between the family members.
This maggot-like man.
There is no longer any reason to spare him. I would ruthlessly crush him. It just so happens to work out well. After all, isn’t he nominally in charge of the Moonlight Flower business?
“Then prove it.”
I initiated the first line to set the stage for what I wanted. To achieve that…
“Try making a garden of Moonlight Flowers as a gift. That’s something even the crown prince hasn’t done, right?” I turned around after saying those words.
Huan, taken aback, watched Danae leave. He certainly didn’t expect to receive such a positive response. Has my sincerity finally reached her?
Surely, the story about being twenty-three scared her. She must have agreed in a moment of desperation.
Indeed, talking about age is the best way to break a woman’s spirit.
A woman on the verge of turning twenty-three, especially right after being cheated. Isn’t this target too easy? He just needs to coax her a bit more to win over.
Huan Rolland smirked as he walked away, unaware he was being watched.
Thank you Ella and Krim for the cake. (◍•ڡ•◍)❤
Thank you so much for the great chapter!❤️🔥