Evelia Caroline, hesitating for a moment, nodded her head. Then, as if she had been waiting, Lilia continued her words.
“Her Majesty the Empress deeply regrets not being able to attend the tea party today and has asked me to take on the role of hostess in her stead, without lacking in any way.”
A voice, as clear as could be, spat out words that seemed completely out of place without hesitation. And then, Evelia Caroline involuntarily let out a sigh of disappointment.
In the end, what Lilia wanted to say was that the seat of the Empress, rightfully belonging to the Crown Princess in the Empress’s absence, was, for today, Lilia’s place.
Evelia Caroline stared at Lilia, forgetting what she wanted to say.
Even though the Crown Princess was present to replace the absent Empress, the request was made to Lilia.
Was this the ultimate goal?
To make herself a laughingstock in front of the other young ladies, did the Empress have to suffer from a headache from early morning?
A fake laugh slipped out in an instant. Here and there, even though pretending otherwise, the sound of obvious ridicule was heard.
The notsoloud sounds gathered and in an instant confused Evelia Caroline’s heart. Her hand, clutching the hem of her dress, trembled, and her eyes welled up with tears.
As this happened, the tea party, practically their private gathering, became even more joyful and harmonious.
“Sigh…….”
Evelia Caroline lowered her head and exhaled the breath that had risen to her throat.
The place where the breath had passed was excessively hot.
This kind of humiliation had been endured countless times, but today it was unbearable.
Was it because today started particularly tiresome? Or was it…….
“The ladies are having a good time.”
Perhaps it was because of Liurian Petrov, who appeared at this very timing.
Evelia Caroline did not turn around at the familiar voice. She just stared at her toes and clenched her eyes, filled with anger.
“Your Highness!”
Lilia, who had been mingling with the young ladies, ran toward Liurian Petrov without hesitation.
She hastened her steps and even patted Evelia Caroline’s shoulder, but she did not make a proper apology.
To that extent, Evelia Caroline was utterly disheartened.
“Oh, Lilia. What would you have done if you had tripped while running?”
“That is, I was so pleased to see Your Highness unexpectedly that I didn’t realize…….”
Lilia looked up at Liurian Petrov and smiled shyly. Then, Liurian Petrov looked down at Lilia with tender eyes.
“But where is Mother, and why is Lilia taking her place?”
“Ah, Her Majesty could not attend today due to a sudden headache.”
“So Lilia is hosting the ladies on Mother’s behalf? Oh, thank you.”
Liurian Petrov affectionately stroked Lilia’s cheek as if he was proud. The place where the affectionate touch brushed turned red in an instant.
Lellia narrowed her eyes, unable to hide her emotions.
“No, I’m just doing what I have to do.”
There was no hesitation in saying that. It was a statement that completely ignored the presence of Evelia behind her.
But no one pointed out Lellia’s attitude.
Not even Liurian, who, more than anyone, had to keep his composure as the only husband of the future Empress and the Crown Princess.
“Anyway, the dessert is much depleted.”
“Oh, I didn’t even realize that the dishes were so empty, enjoying the dessert Her Majesty the Empress prepared, which was so sweet, with the children.”
The voice faithfully answering was consistently playful. Each time, Liurian’s smile only deepened. It was a loving figure of lovers that no one could deny.
No one noticed that it was shattering Evelia’s heart to pieces.
“Serve the ladies generously with the sweet dessert they will love. Especially the dessert that Lellia often looks for, you must take extra care.”
“Yes, I will prepare it, Your Majesty.”
A maid bowed her head to Liurian’s command and promptly turned her back and moved away.
Only then did he turn his gaze to Lellia, with an even more affectionate smile on his lips.
“I can’t bother the ladies’ time any longer. Have a pleasant time, Lellia.”
It could not have been anything but an extremely kind treatment to a tacitly known lover of infidelity. That made the already dull eyes of Lellia even more distant.
Lellia nodded her head with a joyful face. Her sparkling, shining eyes revealed her joyous and ecstatic emotions without concealment.
Liurian replaced the goodbye with a gentle stroke of Lellia’s hair, and soon passed by her.
The reason he suddenly stopped was…
“Shall we go then?”
It was in front of Evelia.
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
