Having survived the family tragedy was a miracle in itself. Letitia couldn’t help but click her tongue at the thought of the Emperor’s Palace.

Such a thing should never have happened. Especially if he claimed to love the Empress.

When Letitia first met Illyriad for counseling, the change since then was miraculous. Illyriad’s eyes had regained some life, and she managed her daily life without major issues.

However, the sparkle in her eyes did not belong to someone chasing life.

All three women were tensed with their own concerns during the examination results. Illyriad about the union, Linette about the Empress’s health and future, and Letitia about delivering the results to the Emperor.

There’s nothing more dreadful than a forced marital relationship. Letitia understood the Empress’s feelings, but no one knew what would happen if she kept lying to the Emperor.

The man who cruelly killed the members of the Empress’s family. What more could he be capable of?

Deciding, Letitia approached Illyriad and knelt beside her, whispering with feigned tenderness.

“Your Majesty’s health isn’t well, so we’ll observe for another month. I’ll convey this to His Majesty.”

“Thank you…”

“Is that what the Empress wants to say?”

“No, Your Majesty. It’s my professional opinion as a physician. We must wait until the Empress is more stable.”

Claudius was not one for waiting. He showed his displeasure plainly as he listened to Letitia’s words.

“What about the Empress’s symptoms?”

“Her body is still weak, and she has lost weight since the last checkup. Also… the mental trauma cannot be ignored. She frequently takes painkillers, possibly for stress-induced headaches.”

“What about sleeping pills?”

“I’ve prescribed them, but she hesitates to take them. She is very anxious about falling asleep.”

Claudius tapped his fingers on the desk.

The lack of an heir for a long time had become a significant weakness among the nobles. Many saw Illyriad as a thorn in their side. Claudius had barely been holding off their desperate efforts, but it couldn’t be postponed indefinitely.

To keep Illyriad by his side, he needed a child born of her. A legitimate heir would firmly secure the Empress’s position.
And it was the only way Claudius could possess Illyriad in their shattered relationship.

Letitia, after delivering the diagnosis, did not forget to add a final piece of advice.

“Please prioritize Empress Illyriad’s health over the royal heir.”

Indeed, a royal heir could be born by any consort including the Empress. But Illyriad was one of a kind in this world. Whether Claudius understood this or not was uncertain.

As soon as the physician left, Claudius called the steward.

“Go to the Empress’s palace and tell her to choose a date for the union and bring it to the Emperor’s palace.”

It was an order. And with the Emperor’s added words, a chill ran down the steward’s spine.

“Also tell her this: if she disobeys, remember she has only one life left.”

That life didn’t just refer to Illyriad. It was also a threat to Linette, still serving by her side.

Illyriad was not afraid of death, even in front of Claudius or perhaps even in front of the reaper himself.

However, she was sensitive to others’ deaths. She always thought that her becoming the crown princess led to her family’s annihilation. Living in guilt and withering away day by day.

But it was Claudius who changed that thought.

Everything was because of Claudius. He was the one who annihilated her family.

He wasn’t there when her child was born, and when he knew of the child’s death, he hurt her with his harsh words instead of comfort. He openly humiliated Illyriad by bringing in a consort.

The eyes of someone living on hate didn’t shine with life, but with a killing intent. But that didn’t matter. Hopefully, she would fight with all her might.

‘But after all… a wing-clipped Empress can do nothing.’

Even if she fought with all her strength, Claudius would remain unscathed. It was clear that it would be the Empress who would fall.

And Claudius would be the one to pick her up.

In the empty office, a tick-tock sound echoed. Claudius had a habit of cracking his finger joints when he was bothered.

The union would probably happen after his campaign, upon his victorious return. He now had a reason to ensure his victory. A vile desire began to spread across his lips.

Selina enjoyed her afternoon tea time, savoring a languid mood. The small resting area in the Empress’s palace was filled with vibrant flowers.

The name of the flower, made up of layers of pink petals, was ironically ‘Selina.’ A secretive flower that was said to grow only in the imperial greenhouse.

‘You resemble this flower, Selina. Perhaps it’s similar to our relationship.’

Claudius’s whispering voice from that day still lingered in her ears. A beauty shrouded in secrecy, much like the relationship between the Emperor and ‘the shadow’. Selina was very fond of this pink flower.

From her time as ‘the shadow’ to her current days in the Empress’s palace, the ‘Selina’ flower always accompanied her.

The flowers brought in at dawn remained vibrant until the afternoon, delighting the Empress.

The empty teacup was refilled with a fragrant tea. The red-hued tea exuded a sweet aroma, complementing the surrounding Selina flowers.

This tea was very special. It was a black tea personally bestowed by Claudius.

‘A tea just for me… He said never to give it to anyone else.’

The words ‘for you alone’ were as sweet as any language could be.
From the teacup emanated a pleasant warmth. Selina took a sip of the tea, feeling its cozy warmth. A satisfied smile curved on her lips as she savored the fragrant liquid.

“The Empress must be enjoying such luxury,” she murmured initially. The maids pretended not to hear, bowing their heads and staring at their own cups of tea. Although Selina mentioned the Empress without any honorifics, they assumed she wouldn’t cross any lines.

However, more words spilled out as Selina finished her tea.

“The Empress, who carries the blood of a traitor, what’s so good about her that His Majesty would gift her something so precious? Barely surviving as a pitiable person… and yet, she dares to hold her head high in front of His Majesty.”

Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.

The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…

Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.

Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.

The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”

When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…

The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced