Chapter 4

Arissa had soaked in the icy lake for quite some time before being dragged out. She was almost unconscious by the time she was brought up.

She suffered a high fever for 3 days, yet the imperial physicians of the Crown Prince's residence had all been transferred to care for Nicola, who was having pregnancy complications.

Arissa survived. The first thing she did when she woke up was continue embroidering the unfinished wedding dress.

When Louis entered her bedchamber, he saw her bending over and threading the needle. The candlelight illuminated her pale side profile. His expression softened a little as he walked to her side. "I'll have the staff arrange the wedding dress for you. Why did you embroider it yourself?"

Arissa did not look up. "If I embroider the wedding dress myself, my marriage will last long."

Louis' heart softened. He held her in his arms. "Do you still blame me for punishing you last time? Nicola is pregnant. I hate her, so I also want to take revenge on her and the child together. This child must be born. Nothing can go wrong. Once the child is born, I'll make her wish she were dead. Don't be jealous, alright?"

Arissa closed her eyes. Her heart throbbed painfully.

His lies were natural. Everyone could see that he loved Nicola deeply.

Louis kissed her forehead and coaxed softly, "My dear, today is the Grand Lantern Banquet. I hosted a banquet at the Crown Prince's residence. Don't you love lively occasions?"

He clapped his hands, and a maid brought in a magnificent dress. "This is your attire for the banquet. Join us after you have changed."

Night fell, and the Crown Prince's residence was brightly lit.

Nicola sat beside Louis, while the future Crown Princess herself sat in the second seat.

The guests whispered among themselves. "Isn't Miss Mullery only a concubine? How dare she sit with His Highness?"

A guard hurried over to explain, "His Highness said that Miss Jerryton dislikes being in the limelight, so it is inappropriate for her to sit with him."

Arissa remained silent and calmly took her seat.

At the banquet, she watched Louis peel grapes for Nicola, pour her wine, and even publicly suck on her fingertips when she acted coquettishly.

When the singer caught Louis' brief attention, Nicola immediately pouted.

Louis cautiously glanced at Arissa and only took Nicola's hand. He held it tightly when he saw Arissa eating with her gaze lowered. "You're the only one I love. I only glanced at the singer because her eyes resembled yours," he coaxed in a low voice.

He thought no one was watching. Arissa saw everything out of the corner of her eye. Perhaps her love for him had faded, so she felt no pain.

Halfway through the banquet, Nicola suddenly suggested, "Your Highness, these songs and dances are boring. Why not have Arissa play a tune to liven things up? Her cinderwood harp is renowned throughout the capital."

All focus turned to her.

Arissa did not want to play and was about to decline politely, yet Louis looked at her and softly ordered, "Arissa, in that case, please play a tune."

Arissa could not refuse. She walked silently to the cinderwood harp, which was a family heirloom, and caressed it.

The music began, plaintive and sorrowful.

Amidst the cheers, Nicola suddenly clutched her stomach and cried out in agony. "Ah... It hurts so much..."

"Your Highness... This music disturbed my pregnancy."

Louis' expression changed drastically. He abruptly drew his sword and slashed the harp strings.

Clang.

The heirloom cinderwood harp snapped in two. A flying splinter pierced Arissa's right eye like an arrow.

Arissa clutched her eye as blood streamed down her face. She collapsed onto the harp and felt excruciating pain.

Through her blood‑blurred vision, the last thing she saw was Louis' retreating figure. He carried Nicola and ran away without looking back.