Selina lay languidly on her bed, barely managing to contain her overwhelming emotions.

Every breath she exhaled seemed to carry a whisper of laughter. The slightest movement made the white lace-adorned duvet ripple in rhythm.

This was the second most exhilarating moment in her life.

The first was when Claudius accepted her as his ‘shadow’. The joy and excitement of that moment still tickled a corner of her heart.

‘Right before our family’s downfall…’

Her father, the Count Diove, was originally a nobleman from another country but survived by offering his lands to the Empire after the war.

Though left with only a tiny estate, Count Diove never gave up his ambitions. He aimed to introduce his two daughters into high society, hoping to infiltrate the aristocratic circles of the Empire’s capital.

The move to the capital under the pretext of ‘for the daughters’ sake’ was the root cause of their troubles. Her mother’s illness worsened, and her father fretted, blaming his lack of business acumen. Selina busied herself in salons, trying to impress noblewomen.

With no income and escalating expenses, it was inevitable for their family finances to crumble.

‘How hard I worked to preserve our lineage, even crawling on the ground if needed!’

Selina vividly remembered her father agonizing over whether to sell his noble title.

And how miserably a person could be reduced when money ran out.

Days of paying servants’ wages while anxiously watching, fretting about appearing too plain at her social debut, selling household items for monthly expenses…

“…No more of that.”

Muffling her laughter with her hand, Selina whispered reassurances to herself, savoring her happiness.

The grim days of destitution would never return. Selina scanned her room.

Artworks and ceramics gifted by Claudius. Even a vase had been crafted by a master artisan.

The flowers in the vase were special too, grown in a secret greenhouse within the palace. The pink blooms, vibrant and fresh, made a striking presence.

‘Selina, they’re like you.’

She had never been compared to a flower before. His sweet words almost melted her.

Now, she could tire herself looking at those pink flowers. At the slightest sign of wilting, maids from the Emperor’s palace would rush to replace them.

Selina recalled the starkly decorated Queen’s palace. No flowers, hardly any glittering ornaments. Even the office was modest, unbecoming of a Queen.

‘The unloved, pitiable Queen.’

Although no news had come yet, someday she would bear Claudius’s child, drive Illyad out, and become the Queen herself.

As her emotions swelled, someone knocked on the door. Selina frowned slightly, disrupting her languid state.

“Miss Selina, Count Diove is here to see you.”

The Count’s visit came sooner than expected, evident of his eagerness.

Unenthusiastically, Selina responded in a curt tone.

“Come in.”

Count Diove stood at the door, his face flushed with excitement. Instead of rushing to greet him, Selina remained seated on the bed.

“Your Highness, the Queen.”

Upon entering, Count Diove immediately bowed deeply before Selina. She watched him with a stern face, casting a glance at the maid behind him.
“Count Diove, I am not officially the Queen yet. Please refrain from addressing me as such.”

Selina didn’t want to face any trouble before her role as Queen even began. Realizing his mistake, Count Diove hunched in remorse, apologizing.

“My apologies. I got overly excited and…”

Selina subtly signaled to her maid.

“Could you give us a moment? I need to speak with the Count.”

Once the maid hastily left the room, Selina and her father relaxed their stiff posture.

“Almost being the Queen and being called one early isn’t going to wear out the title, will it?”

“Father.”

“You know, royal protocols are quite strict. Wasn’t it better when you were just the Emperor’s hidden mistress?”

“How dare you say that…”

“Just kidding, a silly joke from an old man. Don’t mind me.”

Count Diove looked at his daughter, the apple of his eye. Sitting primly on the plush bed, she was the epitome of royalty.

Already adapting to her soon-to-be role as Queen, she didn’t even offer her father a seat. Count Diove sighed and sat down in a nearby chair.

Slightly irritated, he thought, ‘What does it matter, after all?’

Being the beloved of the Emperor, Selina’s future was secured. She was paying back her upbringing well.

“When I think of my shock… it’s all because of my sincere service to His Majesty. I was so moved I couldn’t sleep.”

Count Diove’s voice trembled, wiping away a tear. Watching him, Selina let out an incredulous laugh.

‘How much I tiptoed around my father before becoming a shadow.’

‘I gave up everything and came to the capital for your future. And you can’t even find a proper man?’

Meeting the broker who was scouting for a ‘shadow’ was a stroke of luck. Claudius had welcomed her without hesitation.

“…It’s all thanks to your help.”

‘Such a fussy daughter.’

Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me

One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.

Synopsis:

Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.

But this is still far from enough.

He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.

_____

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