* * *
“What have you done?”
It was on the way back from the banquet hall.
“What did you do?!” Danae’s aunt, Sandra Windsor, came rushing over, grabbing her. “Answer me! What did you do to Allice!”
“What did I do?”
“You ruined Allice’s engagement ceremony!” Sandra shouted, her face pale with rage. “How could you ruin the one and only engagement ceremony she’ll ever have in her life like that?”
“It seems Aunt didn’t think it was originally supposed to be my medal-awarding ceremony, right?”
“Is that more important than the engagement? Being the older sister, instead of yielding to your sister, you only care about your own desires!” As she spoke, Sandra, seemingly losing control, grabbed Dana’s hair. “You selfish little—!”
This insane woman!
“Calm down, Madam!”
“What are you just standing there! Stop her!”
Thankfully, the servants rushed to restrain the hysterical Sandra.
“Sister Sandra! Please calm down!”
Even Sandra’s younger brother rushed out to the commotion.
“Huan! How can I calm down! How!”
“Sister! Please!”
She was completely out of control.
Dana looked at Sandra with disdain. Sandra had these fits once or twice a year, where she’d lose her temper like this. Though it’s the first time I’ve been the target.
Maybe because she came from a military family with the family motto, ‘Be patient only after annihilating the enemy,’ Sandra really didn’t know how to hold back.
“Aunt Sandra.”
But Dana knew.
“Uncle Carl will be disappointed if he finds out.”
The magic word to control Sandra.
“Does Uncle Carl know you’re treating me roughly like this, Aunt Sandra?”
In an instant, Sandra stopped struggling, like a broken doll.
Carl. The name of the man Sandra worshipped. That name brought her back to her senses.
“I-I just…”
“I’ll talk about it with Uncle Carl. As for you, Aunt Sandra, maybe you’d be better off talking to animals instead of people.”
With that, Dana turned on her heel and walked away. Fortunately, Sandra didn’t scream. However,
What is this? Why is he following me?
Sandra’s younger brother, Huan Rolland, was following her. He spoke in a voice dripping with pity. “You must be very upset.”
“Pardon?”
“Well, it’s understandable. Nothing is more painful than a 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…” Only then did Dana feel it was worth responding. “So, you were the one 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 his 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, Dana. 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.”
“…”
This was exhausting. Dana glared at him with utter contempt.
Huan Rolland had been courting her secretly all this time, spouting nonsense about loving her, wanting to marry her, and wanting to run away together. She had already rejected him multiple times, but he remained undeterred.
It’s obvious. He’s after my wealth. His greedy intent was transparent, but Dana endured it, telling no one about it.
If Raios finds out, Huan’s life will be on the line. It wasn’t an exaggeration—it would really happen. Raios would kill Huan no matter what it took. And that would make Sandra and Uncle Carl grieve. Dana had kept quite out of consideration for them.
“Moonlight Flowers are hard to get, even for high nobility. You know it’s a symbol of wealth and power in the empire.”
Unaware of Dana’s thoughts, Huan continued to boast.
“Even the crown prince personally asked me to procure them.”
She knew.
Moonlight Flowers. She made a deal with the emperor using that extraordinary flower. It was a deal that risked my life.
“One month. Within one month, reduce the value of Moonlight Flowers into garbage, Danae Windsor.”
Throb. Suddenly, Dana’s neck, where the emperor had choked her, throbbed again. She unconsciously rubbed her neck.
“Do you know the origin of Moonlight Flowers?”
At that moment, Huan grabbed her wrist.
“A flower symbolizing the moon god.”
He lightly stroked her 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, Dana roughly shook off his hand. “Get away from me. And don’t touch me without permission.”
But Huan just grinned. “Think about it, Danae. I’m your last option.”
“What do you mean?”
“How badly has the crown prince treated you so far? No one dared to approach you, fearing him. Look. You came alone today without an escort, didn’t you?”
“…”
“What will you do? You’re twenty-three, right? You know what they say—once a woman is past twenty-three, she starts to fade.” Huan clicked his tongue and gave her a pitiful look. “But I’m different. I’ll love you even after you’re past twenty-three. And I’m not afraid of the crown prince.”
“…”
“If I were scared of him, how could I have been confessing my feelings to you all this time?”
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 was no longer any reason to hold back. She would crush him ruthlessly without hesitation. It just happened to work out well. After all, isn’t he the one in charge of the Moonlight Flower business, even just in a name?
“Then prove it.”
Dana spoke her first line to set the stage for what she desired. To achieve that…
“Create a Moonlight Flower garden and give it to me as a gift. That’s something even the crown prince hasn’t done, right?” With that, she turned around and walked away.
Huan stood dumbfounded, watching her back. He certainly didn’t expect to receive such a positive response.
Finally, my devotion has paid off!
Surely, the story about being twenty-three scared her. She must have agreed in a moment of desperation.
As expected, 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 she an easy target? Surely, with just a little more coaxing, she would fall into his grasp.
Huan Rolland smirked as he walked away, unaware of the eyes silently watching him.
Thank you so much for the great chapter!❤️🔥