“Lord Creighton is currently out. If you tell me what you want to convey, I’ll pass it on to him.”
“It’s a matter that needs to be discussed in person, so that will be difficult. When is the Lord Creighton coming back?”
“He’s gone to inspect the outskirts, so he won’t be back until the evening at the earliest.”
“Is that so?”
“If you leave, as soon as he returns, I will contact you immediately.”
Instead of answering the bowing servant, Calix pulled out his watch from his pocket.
“It’s almost evening in an hour or two anyway, so I’ll just wait.”
“I only gave you an estimated time, I don’t know exactly when he will be back. Are you still okay with that?”
Of all things, a big shot like Duke Pieren would come looking while Beke was away.
The young servant gritted his teeth more and more.
He was a man with a bad reputation. He didn’t know when he might get caught in that knife around his waist. He could only hope he’d leave as soon as possible.
“It doesn’t matter. The Creighton mansion is large, so it might be nice to take a look around while I wait. The fountain was pretty impressive when I saw it last time.”
“….”
It was an unexpected answer. The servant smiled awkwardly, raising both hands.
The young Duke looking at the garden had unenthusiastic eyes to anyone.
“Why? Am I not allowed to look around?”
“No! Not at all! I’ll guide you.”
Although Beke instructed not to let outsiders in when he was not present, Calix was in a vague position.
Even if they were hushing Riviana’s health problems, the fact that Lord Creighton’s daughter was dead was true.
Creighton and the royal family needed to discuss the responsibility and compensation issues, and the emperor chose Calix as his proxy.
There were few as audacious as to refuse a man carrying a letter stamped by the emperor himself, let alone Duke Pieren.
“I’ve been here a few times, so no need for guidance. Contact the Lord directly.”
As expected, it seemed the garden was an excuse and the real purpose was to hasten things.
The servant hurriedly walked, wondering whether he should be grateful that he didn’t have to spend time with the difficult man, or worried about how long Calix would wait.
This time he let it slide, but he never knew when Calix’s mood might change. It seemed best to contact Beke as soon as possible.
Calix, indifferent to the servant scurrying away like a chicken with its tail cut off, moved his steps.
The carefully maintained garden of the Creighton mansion had not changed much since a few days ago, but the man’s steps were faster than before.
He knew that if he walked, he would eventually reach a certain place.
Calix stopped when he spotted Riviana sitting on the bench next to the fountain.
He had been urging him to hurry up until a moment ago, but now that the distance was narrowed, he couldn’t approach any further.
“….”
Calix took a small breath and finally took another step.
Whether it was because of the soundless footsteps or because she was lost in thought, Riviana did not notice Calix’s approach until the shadow fell on her head.
Swoosh.
At that moment, the wind blew.
The book pages on Riviana’s lap fluttered roughly and quickly turned, and her tousled hair flew in the wind. Between the soft golden hair that seemed to melt the spring sunshine, a face without makeup appeared.
Calix clenched his jaw.
He almost called her name out loud.
“You’re later than I thought.”
In the time that Calix took a step, Riviana, who had lifted her head, smiled faintly.
Not knowing what expression to make, Calix simply stared down at Riviana.
The woman he saw for the first time since the funeral in the distance had visibly lost weight. It was funny that this was the first thing that caught his eye in this situation.
Calix paused for a moment to choose his words, then slowly opened his mouth. In truth, he still didn’t know what he wanted.
Whether the woman in front of him really wished to lose her memory, or the opposite.
“You took a dangerous gamble.”
“Because it’s dangerous, it’s the safest method.”
“That woman had no intention of helping you.”
“I know. That’s why I deliberately used her as a contact. No one knows the Duke of Creighton’s schedule better than her, so I figured she would find the safest timeslot on her own, without me having to exert any effort.”
“How could you trust that woman and do such a thing?”
“She managed to connect me with His Highness somehow, even while telling lies that could be found out quickly. I just thought this wouldn’t be much different.”
Liviana smiled faintly. She looked excessively relaxed, even while calmly closing her book in the midst of this.
“……As I suspected, you haven’t lost your memory.”
“Yes. I haven’t forgotten anything. Not a thing.”
Liviana briefly bowed her head, then soon raised it again.
Her fallen blonde hair softly flowed down her bare shoulders. Her wellmaintained hair lacked nothing compared to highquality fabric.
“But, why are you looking for me?”
“I want to ask for His Highness’s help.”
“……Are you asking me?”
Calix’s voice suddenly dropped.
Even when he went to convey the news of the fire at Merial, she was a woman who showed hostility. Now he couldn’t understand her intention of reaching out to him.
Even Cheshire, who said he would confess, insisted he would not answer anything until Liviana allowed it, even more so.
But even with Calix’s doubtful gaze, Liviana didn’t care a bit.
“My daughter is dead. She wasn’t just dead, she was murdered. Not by Rose Hamilton, who is being singled out as the culprit of the current incident, but by other people.”
“So you want to take revenge?”
“Yes.”
Despite her hesitationfree answer, Liviana’s expression looked peaceful.
Calix frowned at the refined woman’s face, which did not match the word “revenge”.
“Then you’ve made a mistake. I’m not on your side.”
Calix firmly shook his head.
“I know. Our relationship is not good enough to have this kind of conversation. But sometimes the enemy of an enemy becomes a friend.”
Although nobles are not used to being rejected and blush at small things, Liviana’s face did not change even when she was outright rejected.
From the start, her straight gaze was fixed on only one thing.
Liviana took a short breath, then opened her delicate lips.
“I’ll give you what you want.”
“……”
“Whatever you want, Your Highness, everything.”
The man’s Adam’s apple twitched at the gaze looking straight up at him.
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.”
