Eugene’s gaze landed on the simple yellow petals, a flower he recognized from his own garden.
Helena’s garden, filled with flowers she nurtured.
Without much hesitation, Eugene responded.
“Let’s go with that.”
A gold coin dropped into the owner’s hand. The owner hurriedly wrapped the bouquet in premium paper.
Eugene secured the large bouquet to his saddle and headed to his destination.
‘…This is it.’
Arriving at the cemetery, he found it deserted, save for an old man and a child weeding around a gravestone.
Eugene dismissed his knights and approached Basil’s grave. As he was about to lay down the flowers he had brought, he paused, startled. There was already a bouquet at the grave, identical to his.
‘Helena!’
Instinctively, Eugene scanned the surroundings. The flowers were slightly wilted but not old. It was highly likely she was still in the area if she hadn’t left.
As he was about to search the area, he overheard a conversation between a passing child and an old man.
“The man’s efforts made sure Theo could rest in peace, right, Paul?”
“He seemed like a good man. I wonder if Helena married someone like him…”
“Hel… who?”
“You know, the sister who used to live in our neighborhood. Remember how I cried a lot on the day she moved?”
The old man hesitated before speaking.
“Uh… Ah, yes, I remember. She had beautiful blue eyes. But why her?”
“Well, she’s not a kid anymore. I saw her in Putoa when we went to find a funeral home. I was worried because she used to get scolded a lot, but she seemed to be living better than before. She’s grown a lot and looks like a pretty porcelain doll you’d see in upscale stores.”
What? Helena?
Eugene, skeptical yet curious, grabbed the boy.
“Wait a minute.”
“Sorry! Did I do something wrong…?”
“Are you talking about Helena Ever… I mean, Helena Owen?”
“Yeah, but… do you know her?”
The boy looked up at Eugene, surprised. Eugene stood motionless, as if he had lost his voice.
Know Helena?
He didn’t even understand why this question seemed so challenging.
He moistened his dry lips and finally answered.
“She’s my wife.”
Evening had fallen, and in a secluded room, a man with a crestfallen face pulled out a small, rectangular device – a communication tool primarily used by high-ranking officials of the royal court.
While people of his stature would typically be enjoying a pleasant dinner at this hour, he couldn’t even sit still, let alone enjoy a peaceful evening. His master was missing, and he had lost the money pouch he carried.
Dion let out a deep sigh and sent a signal somewhere.
“Please pick up…”
Fortunately, the device didn’t ignore his desperate plea. A reasonably sized screen appeared on the device, showing a woman with neatly tied silver hair – a stark contrast to her usual appearance.
Dion was about to spill his worries, but the woman beat him to it.
“Good you called! I had something to tell you too!”
“Pre… Ah… What’s up?”
Dion’s mouth, which had opened wide in anticipation, slowly closed as he asked hesitantly. Heidi continued without paying him much heed.
“It’s nothing big, just that there was a poisoning attempt the other day.”
“Oh, I see. A poisoning attempt… What?!”
Dion’s eyes widened in disbelief. He was about to dismiss it as unimportant, but the seriousness of her words struck him.
“Apparently, someone craftily added poison to a dessert my brother often enjoys. Such petty methods.”
Poisoning attempt? Not a breakfast menu item?
Heidi’s nonchalant tone was enough to cause cognitive dissonance in Dion. He momentarily froze with wide eyes, then suddenly burst out like a person released from a statue.
“Are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?”
“If I were hurt, do you think I’d be here chatting with you while peeling a banana?”
“But still…!”
Dion was about to breathe out a tirade of worry. Of course, Heidi had no intention of subjecting her precious ears to his tiresome admonishments.
She took another bite of her banana and waved her hand dismissively.
“Don’t worry, my tastes are the complete opposite of my brother’s. I don’t even touch that stuff. But the cat that ate it died, you know. The one that often came into the garden, with black front paws. I just buried it in the garden. To be honest, it’s a bit sad.”
“That’s why you’re peeling a banana, right? You always eat them when you’re feeling down.”
“You really pay a lot of attention to me.”
“Have to, if I want to eat and live.”
“Very smart of you.”
It seemed she had successfully diverted her insistent assistant’s concern. Satisfied, Heidi finished peeling her banana, a smile on her lips.
“Anyway, my brother is lucky. How did he know to leave just in time? If he’d stayed, it would’ve been a disaster.”
“It just happened to avoid trouble.”
“That damn guy, he must be waiting with bated breath. Thinking about the news reaching his ears, I can’t help but giggle even in my sleep. I’m always indebted to that woman.”
Heidi, looking thrilled, swallowed the pulp and reached for a new banana. Then, she suddenly turned to Dion.
“Oh, but why did you contact me?”
Dion, suddenly reminded of his reason, began to look increasingly gloomy.
After Being Cheated On, She Picked Up a Treasure (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: The husband I married on a whim had been secretly in love with me for a long time.
On the day when Jun Shao finally obtained the imperial decree for her marriage, Lan Qu, the person she had admired for six years, defied the decree and ran away.
Her gentleness and devotion, her promise of a lifetime together, were all disregarded by him. Instead, he dreamed of entering the palace to serve the Emperor’s sister as a sixth-rank attendant.
News of this incident spread throughout the capital, and the alleys in front of and behind the Lan mansion were crowded with people who came to watch the commotion.
Jun Shao should have been embarrassed and angry.
But someone stepped in to protect her dignity.
The figure was in a miserable state, yet still possessed an undeniable elegance and handsomeness.
The young lord struggled to climb the wall of the Lan mansion and shouted to her, “If he won’t marry you, I will!”
So, Jun Shao took advantage of the situation and married the person.
She thought the young lord did it to save the Lan family from the crime of defying the imperial decree, but never imagined that from beginning to end, what he coveted was her.
*
After the wedding, Jun Shao felt like she was living in a dream.
Her Wife-master was as beautiful as a fairy in a painting, skilled in the six arts, well-versed in poetry and literature, capable of being gentle and attentive, and also grand and dignified. Most importantly, she was the only one in his heart and eyes.
Jun Shao didn’t know how Lan Shiwu, as a illegitimate son without a father and blessed with beauty, had managed to preserve his purity, recklessly escape, and use his last ounce of strength to ruin his own reputation, all because of his love for her, just to stand before her.
She could only see him gazing at her with eyes full of love, and when she bestowed a name upon him, his eyes shone like stars.
“You have come to me like a weary bird perching on a branch. I shall call you A Qi.”
