Russel didn’t know how to react to his daughter, who was asking for forgiveness for never having celebrated a birthday. He was at a loss for words, looking at his petite daughter burying her face in her birthday present, trembling.
Is it okay to hug her? How dare I? How could I, the father who abandoned her?
The more he learned about Ariana’s life in Serion, the worse it got. Just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, something unimaginable would come up.
The fact that his daughter was still asking for forgiveness in this situation made his heart sink; he wanted to kill himself.
While she’s turned out this way, what have you done as a father?
It felt like Ariana’s slender shoulders were accusing him.
So, Russel couldn’t do anything. He could only stand there dumbfounded until other family members burst in with gifts in both hands.
+++
“I wanted to throw a grand party, but since the princess’s return hasn’t been officially announced yet, we decided to have a small family gathering,” Aiberstar said.
The ‘small party’ that Aiberstar spoke of was incredibly grand by Ariana’s standards. Although it was a family affair, nobles who knew of Ariana’s return and their families also attended.
The pile of gifts and the pouring congratulations were overwhelming.
She had decided to live differently than her previous life after coming back from the dead, but she had never dreamed of things like this.
Such sweet, tender, and warm things.
Things that were not allowed in Ariana’s life.
Throughout the party, she wore a calm smile, but by the end of it, she was completely drained.
When Ariana returned to her room, there were gifts that the servants had moved. She unwrapped each one, checking what was inside.
Most were jewelry, shoes, hats, but there were also small, beautiful daggers, books, personalized teacups, and perfumes.
After asking the maid to tidy up the gifts, Ariana, who went into her bedroom, realized there was one more gift she hadn’t unwrapped yet.
The first gift she received, from Russel.
She reached out for the gift on her bed.
After undoing the ribbon and taking off the shiny wrapper, a fluffy green teddy bear appeared. It was unusual since teddy bears are usually pink, brown, or white.
Suddenly, Isabel’s cheerful voice came to mind.
“Who wears pink these days? Green is perfect for this weather. Your Highness, I hope her room isn’t still pink?”
Ariana quietly buried her face in the teddy bear.
It may have been too childish a gift for a 16-year-old, but Ariana liked this green teddy bear very much.
+++
Seo Jihu stared out of the window with cold eyes.
There had been no news from Dongryeong for several days now.
“The head of the investigation will leave for the Empire early tomorrow morning,” Seo Jihu’s confidant reported.
“Kill him. Make sure he disappears without a trace.”
“Yes.”
After his confidant left, Seo Jihu headed to Duke Bronthe’s estate to meet Rachel.
The atmosphere at the Bronthe residence was not good. It was only natural, considering the various rumors flying around about Ariana’s disappearance.
After Ariana disappeared, the people of the Bronthe family had not been invited to any parties, big or small. Whenever a carriage bearing the Bronthe crest went out, people murmured and looked on with disdain.
So the Bronthe family members could only stay indoors, waiting for the rumors to die down.
“Father.”
Rachel’s face was severely bruised as she greeted Seojehoo. Her hair was disheveled, and dark circles marred the skin under her eyes. The gaze Seojehoo leveled at her was utterly cold.
“You wretch. Is all this because of some idle gossip among lowlifes? What have you been doing cooped up in the mansion?”
“The situation is not good. Victoria is still troubling me, and…”
“What is Victoria doing?”
“She doesn’t come out of her room. The child doesn’t speak, doesn’t eat properly… I’m worried.”
“Tsk, tsk.”
Seojehoo was particularly fond of Victoria and was displeased to hear she had come to such a state.
“Ariana is with Dongjehoo.”
“Really? Is that true?”
“Yes. I sent people after her, but judging by the lack of news, it seems they botched an attempt to kidnap Ariana. A few assassins are no match for Dongjehoo.”
“How did things go so wrong?”
“How should I know? What have you been doing to manage our children?”
Chastised by Seojehoo, Rachel bit her lower lip.
“Dongjehoo has been relentless in trying to meet my daughter, likely intending to start a custody battle. Ariana will testify that she was abused by you.”
“What should I do?”
“I’ve sent someone to kill any potential witnesses. Helena and Victoria are too young, and Jacob can’t leave the mansion, so make sure none of them end up before the judge.”
“Can’t we bribe the judge? Or have the trial in our jurisdiction?”
“Do you think Dongjehoo hasn’t thought of that? He will surely request a trial in the empire.”
Rachel’s face turned pale.
“But that’s impossible. Dongjehoo has fallen out of favor with the Emperor; he wouldn’t dare set foot in the empire.”
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.”
