Chapter 2

Serena returned to her chambers and was about to have her maids pack her things when the doors suddenly opened. Gwendolyn entered with several palace maids in tow.

Gwendolyn wore a bright-red dress and exquisite makeup, looking like a picture of perfection. However, the unkind look in her eyes and the glint of glee within them marred her demure beauty. She walked straight to Serena's bedside and looked down at her.

"You had five children in five years, Serena. Do you admit your mistake?"

Serena lowered her eyes and replied obediently, "I do admit my mistake."

"Then tell me your mistake." Gwendolyn's voice was shrill and sharp.

Serena understood exactly what Gwendolyn wanted. She wanted Serena to admit that all those awful rumors were true, so she repeated numbly, "I am a temptress who did everything I could to seduce His Highness into sharing my bed, and I'm utterly shameless."

Gwendolyn smirked.

"Look at you, so proud of your shamelessness, Serena. Let me remind you that I'm the only woman His Highness loves. He wouldn't have married you if Her Majesty hadn't threatened him with my life. He had so many children with you because he was obligated to produce heirs, not because he was seduced by you. You're nothing more than a tool to give him children!"

"Yes, Your Highness," Serena replied calmly. "Your Highness is the love of the Crown Prince's life, and I would never harbor such delusions."

All Serena wanted was to end this pointless harassment and get Gwendolyn to leave as quickly as possible. However, Gwendolyn seemed to be in an even worse mood than usual.

Perhaps she was jealous because she had heard that Cedric bestowed several expensive tonics upon Serena. Or perhaps she simply hated how meek Serena appeared while still managing to remain dainty and elegant despite being bullied so cruelly.

Without warning, Gwendolyn raised her hand and slapped Serena hard.

Serena's head snapped to the side. Her cheek quickly swelled, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Yet she did not make a sound. She merely turned her head back and looked at Gwendolyn.

"I knew you weren't truly repentant." Gwendolyn sneered. "Lady Consort Serena behaved improperly, acted like a shameless seductress unworthy of her status, and showed disrespect toward me. Give her 20 slaps and make her remember her place. She needs to learn respect!"

Two palace maids immediately stepped forward and grabbed Serena by the arms.

"Your Highness, please have mercy!" Serena's personal maid, Greta, fell to her knees, crying and begging. "Lady Serena has just given birth, and her body is weak. She won't be able to withstand the punishment. Please have mercy!"

Gwendolyn did not even look at Greta as she kicked her squarely in the chest.

"Worthless thing! This is no place for you to speak! Drag her away and beat her to death!"

Greta cried out from the blow and collapsed to the ground.

Ignoring the burning pain in her cheek, Serena struggled to look at Gwendolyn.

"Your Highness, this is all my fault. Please forgive Greta. She's innocent. If you're willing to show her mercy, you may slap me until you're appeased."

Compared to Greta, Gwendolyn preferred tormenting Serena.

She snorted coldly.

"How touching, seeing the two of you so devoted to each other. Fine. Since you asked for it, I'll grant your request. Slap her. Slap her until I tell you to stop!"

"Please don't, Your Highness! I'm not afraid to die, Your Highness!" Greta cried hysterically as she was dragged out of the room.

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Serena endured slap after slap. At first, each strike burned with pain. Eventually, however, all she felt was a dull numbness. The taste of blood filled her mouth. Her vision began to blur, and the ringing in her ears grew louder and louder.

Gradually, she began to lose consciousness.

In her daze, Serena thought she saw a tall, familiar figure standing outside the doors in the shadows of the corridor. The man wore black robes embroidered with gold thread and stood straight and still.

It was Cedric.

He stood right outside, silently watching Serena being slapped. He watched her plead for Greta while Gwendolyn threw her weight around arrogantly, yet he neither stepped through the doors nor stopped Gwendolyn.

When the final slap landed, Serena coughed up blood and blacked out completely.

It was already dark when she woke up.

Her mind was groggy, but she could feel someone applying ointment to her face. The cool sensation eased the burning pain. Although she could not open her eyes, she could hear voices nearby.

Cedric and his Chief Steward, Godfrey, were talking.

"Your Highness, you've been here all night. The physician said Lady Consort Serena is fine. You should return to your chambers and rest."

"I'm fine." Cedric sounded slightly hoarse and tired. "I'll wait for her to wake up."

Godfrey hesitated before lowering his voice.

"Your Highness, forgive me for being blunt, but if you were worried about Lady Consort Serena, why didn't you stop Her Highness when you saw what she was doing outside the doors?"

So she had not imagined it.

Cedric really had been standing outside.

It felt as though a pair of ice-cold hands had clenched around Serena's heart, and she wanted to know the answer as well. Cedric had stood outside and watched her being slapped until she coughed up blood.

Why hadn't he said a single word?

Soon, she heard Cedric's answer.

His voice was deep and calm, but every word felt like a knife stabbing into her heart.

"I promised Gwendolyn that she would be the only woman I love. Marrying Serena meant I had already hurt her by breaking that promise. If I didn't allow her to vent her anger, forcing her to keep it bottled up would only harm her health. That's why I pretended not to see anything."

A chill ran through Serena's body.

It seeped into her bones and spread through every limb.

He had watched Gwendolyn hit her while she was weak from childbirth. He had stood by silently as she coughed up blood and lost consciousness from the beating.

All because he did not want to hurt Gwendolyn's feelings.

Serena had never realized that a person could ignore right and wrong, ignore another person's suffering, and ignore another person's dignity and life simply because he loved someone so much that he was willing to excuse every cruelty she committed.