LOGINAs each finger was cruelly broken, the agony that surged through her body revealed the truth—her nanny and maids had betrayed her long ago. When her sister confessed to carrying her husband's child, Miranda realized that their prior kindness had been nothing but an act in a sinister play. When her gentle husband, a man she had once loved, directed his new lover to claim her life, she understood she had been nothing more than a stepping stone to his ascent to power... Twenty years in this mortal world, and she was merely a puppet manipulated by others. Yet, fate, in its mercy, offered her a second chance. This time, it was her turn to consign those deceivers to hell! Although she returned only to exact vengeance, how did she unwittingly capture the interest of a powerful magnate this time around? Watching the delicate yet resilient girl, the Duke turned to his subordinate and said “Remove the filth that marred her eyes. Feed it to the dogs."
View MoreReginald? How could he appear at such a moment? And what could his presence possibly have to do with Lady Lark’s death?Miranda narrowed her eyes, and—together with the bewildered courtiers—turned toward the great doors.Twilight was settling; the light dimmed, casting a somber pall across the hall. Yet when Reginald entered, clad in the last rays of the sun, it was as though the dusk itself had parted. The brilliance of his presence outshone even the gilded splendor of the chamber, and those assembled could not help but draw breath at the sight of him.With such striking beauty, no wonder that once… Lady Liudmila shook her head with a quiet sigh.As he stepped into the royal apartments, Reginald’s eyes at once found Miranda. Seeing her face serene and composed, he allowed himself a fleeting measure of relief. Then, with a sweep of his gaze across the company, he cast back his cloak and bowed.“Your Majesty,” he said gravely, “word has reached me of Lady Lark’s sudden death. Forgive m
Miranda fixed her gaze on the Queen and said coolly,“Your Majesty, surely you don’t mean to suggest that even the scullery maids have long since been bribed by me, and are now all speaking in concert to cover up my lies?”Of course, that was impossible. If Miranda had been able to buy off the entire kitchen staff, she could have easily ordered them to tamper with Lady Lark’s meals long ago, sparing herself the risk of acting directly and falling under suspicion as she had now.Lady Liudmila mused aloud,“If Miss Miranda never had the chance to meddle, then this toxin of the black orchid…”“The dessert, from the moment it was brought out until Lady Lark partook of it, was under my eyes the whole time. I can vouch for that. But once Lady Lark had finished, it was this maid who cleared the dish away. From the moment she carried off the remains until now—what may have happened in between, I cannot say.”Miranda’s words were measured, but the implication was clear enough to everyone: the
The Queen Dowager’s expression grew sharper, her gaze hardening as she fixed it heavily upon the Queen, silently waiting for her reply.“Hmph. This servant may once have been Mother’s trusted attendant, but ever since Miss Miranda entered the palace, he has followed you constantly, showing you the utmost deference and obedience. No doubt you have long since bought him over to your side. A few words, a nod here and there, to help you cover a lie—such things are hardly difficult! How could such a man possibly prove your innocence?”The Queen hesitated between dragging the Queen Dowager down with her or striking only at the eunuch. In the end, she chose to distance herself from the Queen Dowager for now—better to deal with Miranda first.“Your Majesty, you should take care with your words,” Miranda replied coolly, her eyes gleaming with a cutting light. “He is the Queen Dowager’s most trusted servant. What right or power could I possibly have to bribe one who belongs to Her Majesty the Q
The Queen Dowager understood very clearly: she herself knew how to place the greater good above personal feelings. If necessary, she was willing to sacrifice Miranda in order to preserve the Queen’s position. But would the Queen, in turn, ever do the same for her? She recalled how, only moments ago, she had considered the Queen’s interests first, weighing how best to shield her should their scheme collapse. And yet, the Queen had responded with relentless aggression, pressing harder and harder, even to the point of dragging the Queen Dowager herself into suspicion.At that moment, the Queen Dowager had her answer: if matters truly came to this, the Queen would never feel gratitude for her sacrifice of Miranda. On the contrary, she would scorn the Queen Dowager as weak and ineffectual, unable even to protect her own ward. Worse still, the Queen would seize upon Miranda’s downfall as the very lever with which to topple the Queen Dowager herself.If preserving the Queen came at the price












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