Semua Bab Revenge of the Betrayed: The Domineering Duke Falls for Me: Bab 301 - Bab 310

In the royal palace gardens, the lotus leaves spread broad and green like shields upon the water, and from among them rose blossoms of white and the softest pink—graceful, unsullied, and proud. Their delicate fragrance mingled with the fresh scent of the leaves, carried on the gentle mist rising from the pond, filling the air with a sweetness that lingered on the breeze and stirred the heart.The summer wind bore that fragrance to the shaded arcade, where Reginald reclined amid the dappled light, hidden by trees. With animated gestures and dry wit, he recounted to Miranda the splendid array of expressions that had played across the Eldridge envoy’s face. His tale brought bright laughter from her lips, a sound so rare and pure that it swept the usual calculation from her gaze. In that moment, her eyes shone clear as a mountain spring, and her face, lovely beyond compare, seemed to glow with a light of its own—as though a thousand blooms had burst into flower, or a perfect pearl caught t

The Queen could bear it no longer. She raised her hand and struck Miranda across the face. Miranda did not move, did not flinch—she took the blow without a word. Four red finger marks soon rose on her fair, delicate skin, as if the blood beneath might break through. The sight was stark, yet Miranda’s expression remained calm. A faint smile touched her lips as she gestured to the mark on her cheek and said,"Your Majesty, I shall see this repaid.""Insolent girl!" the Queen cried, her fury clouding her reason."Seize her! Strike her at once!"The Queen’s ladies-in-waiting and attendants, well-practised in their mistress’s tempers, rushed forward and held Miranda fast. One of the maids stepped up, hand raised to strike.But Miranda’s eyes, cold and sharp as steel, met hers."Lay a hand on me—if you dare."The maid froze. The chill of that gaze seemed to pierce to her very bones, and her hand faltered, suspended in the air.The Queen, seeing her order defied, grew all the more enraged."

Hearing the King’s question, the young eunuch quickly stepped forward and said,"Your Majesty, it is no grave matter. Earlier, I was following the Dowager Queen’s orders to guide Miss Miranda through the palace grounds. When we came across Her Majesty the Queen, a servant approached me in haste, saying that the Dowager Queen required me at once for some urgent matter. But as I followed him towards the Dowager Queen’s residence, I noticed he tried to slip away. Sensing something was wrong, I seized him and brought him before the Dowager Queen. Only then did I learn that Her Majesty the Dowager had sent no such summons."The eunuch continued steadily,"Upon hearing this, the Dowager Queen was greatly angered and ordered the man questioned on the spot. It was soon discovered that he was a minor servant from the Queen’s household. The Dowager Queen said it could not have been done at Her Majesty’s bidding, and concluded that it must have been the man’s own wicked plot for some hidden purp

That day, while Miranda was in the palace keeping the Queen Dowager company in casual conversation, a royal attendant came running toward them, breathless and anxious. His face was pale with worry as he said, “My lady Miranda, His Lordship, the Earl of Croyso, collapsed this morning during the council meeting. Even in his unconscious state, he kept murmuring your name. His Majesty the King commands that you come at once to see him!”At these words, Miranda felt as though her mind had gone completely blank.“My father… collapsed?” she murmured, rising to her feet in a daze, her eyes unfocused. “How could my father have collapsed?”Seeing her pale and shaken, the Queen Dowager quickly ordered the attendant to explain everything in detail.“I do not know exactly what happened,” the man said, still catching his breath. “All I know is that during this morning’s council, His Lordship had just risen to speak when he suddenly fell to the ground. The lords were greatly alarmed. His Majesty ord

Lord Croyso returned to the estate in a royal carriage, accompanied by his two daughters.When Miranda stepped back into the house with Molly, the maids who had once served her came rushing out to greet her, laughing and weeping all at once. After so long apart, their reunion brought with it a flood of concern and affection.Seeing the familiar faces and hearing their voices again, a faint smile touched Miranda’s lips.She let down her guard at last, shedding the caution she had worn for weeks. After a warm bath that washed away the dust and fatigue of palace life, she fell into a deep, undisturbed sleep. When she awoke in the afternoon, Miranda felt lighter than she had in a long time. The soft scent of herbs and flowers filled the room, making the very air feel gentle and soothing.She opened the window, and a fresh breeze poured in. Even the air itself seemed free and relaxed.At that moment, she suddenly thought of Reginald—of that night when he had a high fever and, despite his d