SMR 93

~Chapter 93~ 

John looked restless and uneasy, unable to sit still. He seemed deeply troubled, as if something dark was hanging over him.

Seeing how nervous her father was, Bella came and sat beside him. She placed her hand gently on his shoulder and rubbed it with a comforting smile.

“It’s just Harriet, Father. What are you so scared of?”

John let out a frustrated sigh. “It’s not just her. That girl now has the Countess of Pellon on her side.”

Bella didn’t even blink at that. “Then we just need to separate them. There’s always a way to fix these things, right? Like we always do.”

Her calm, confident attitude started to ease John’s tension. Her words worked like magic, slowly untangling the knot in his chest.

“Yes… there’s always a way,” he murmured.

Bella leaned in a little closer and smiled, her expression innocent and sweet—just like it had been eleven years ago when she first whispered dangerous ideas to him.

“Of course. Just place a few people around the Countess. I’m sure we’ll hear something useful soon.”

Her voice was soft but firm. It gave John a strange sense of comfort.

He nodded slowly. “Yes. You’re right, my dear. We’ll find a way.”

***

A Royal Tea Gathering

Elsewhere in the royal palace, Empress Anastasia was having tea with her sister-in-law Jeremia and her nephew Cedric.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty,” Jeremia said, bowing slightly.

“Yes, it has,” the Empress replied warmly. “I hope you’ve been well. Cedric, you look healthy.”

The Empress always enjoyed Jeremia’s company. The two women were more than just in-laws—they were old friends who had grown closer over time. They met regularly for tea, sharing updates on family, politics, and society.

It was because of their strong bond that the royal family began using soap from Cedric’s company, Clarissa.

As usual, today’s conversation began with praise.

“Since switching to Clarissa’s soap, my skin has improved a lot. I didn’t expect much at first, but it’s really good.”

“Your Majesty, your skin has always been lovely,” Jeremia said with a gentle smile.

Anastasia chuckled. “You’re too kind, Jeremia. But I really do like the product. Of course, it’s no surprise—Cedric wouldn’t invest in anything unless it was excellent.”

Jeremia beamed with pride at the mention of her son. She looked at Cedric with admiration, clearly proud of him.

But Cedric didn’t show any emotion. His face remained calm, and he replied in a flat voice, “The products are made by nuns and monks. I’m sure the divine blesses their work.”

His dry tone made both women laugh.

But in truth, the business really was growing like it had divine luck. Even though most beauty products lost popularity over time, Clarissa was thriving. Since changing its name from “Saint Clarissa Soap & Herb,” its popularity had only grown.

They had released more herbal products and new soap varieties, each with unique scents and natural oils. And more importantly, their products had gained fame because they were used by “The White Rose of Genoa,” the most beautiful and talked-about woman in the social scene.

“That company is really lucky,” Anastasia remarked. “Getting chosen by the most beautiful lady in society.”

“We owe much more to Your Majesty for naming it the royal supplier,” Cedric replied humbly.

“You’re very polite, Cedric. But I know how it works. A beautiful young woman is a better advertisement than an old empress like me,” Anastasia said with a shrug, accepting the truth with a smile.

Jeremia, who had been holding back, now leaned in with a little gossip.

“The original model, Miss Harriet, is also quite pretty. And it was because of her that Lady Daphne began using Clarissa’s products.”

“Oh? Were the two girls friends?” Anastasia asked, intrigued.

“There’s a rumor among the younger ones,” Jeremia said, lowering her voice. “Lady Bella Listerwell stole Daphne’s fiancé. And Harriet… was thrown out of the Listerwell family.”

“She was abandoned,” Cedric suddenly said, correcting them without much thought.

The moment he spoke, both women looked at him with teasing smiles, their eyes lighting up.

“You seem to care a lot about that young lady,” the Empress said, amused.

“As a businesswoman, she’s reliable. Better than those who demand investment without offering anything in return.”

He tried to downplay it, but Jeremia didn’t miss a beat.

“She’s the first young woman Cedric has shown any personal interest in,” she said with a playful grin. “But I did hear something a bit disappointing about her… at the recent Laurel Count’s party.”

“What happened?” Anastasia asked, curious.

“She was seen with a man, alone, in the garden. Very privately. And she’s not even engaged. I guess she doesn’t care much about rumors.”

Both women looked directly at Cedric, waiting for him to explain. Their eyes sparkled with interest.

Cedric sighed lightly, just enough not to seem rude.

“That’s not what happened,” he said calmly.

“What do you mean?” Anastasia asked, raising her eyebrows.

They weren’t going to let this go. Cedric could tell they already knew the truth. They just wanted him to say it himself.

They know, but they want me to say it out loud.

Usually, he hated playing along. But this time, he owed Harriet something. And earning the Empress’s favor could help repay that debt.

“She got that bad reputation because of me,” he said. “The man in the garden… was me.”

Jeremia gasped. “It was you?”

Cedric nodded again, sighing.

“Oh my! What a surprise!” Anastasia exclaimed.

The two noble women—always elegant and graceful—were now acting like excited schoolgirls, clapping and whispering. Normally, they weren’t easily impressed. But this was different.

Cedric didn’t really understand what was so exciting, but it was clear that they were fully interested in the story now.

The Empress even put down her cookie and leaned in closer.

“So… how far did it go?”

“Excuse me?” Cedric blinked.

Before he could recover, Jeremia jumped in.

“I hope you treated her with the respect a lady deserves. Please say you did.”

“What kind of question is that?” Cedric asked, exasperated.

“You didn’t just take what you wanted, did you?”

“Mother, please,” Cedric muttered, embarrassed. He seriously wanted to leave the room.

People often thought he and Jeremia had a cold relationship. And in truth, he didn’t feel close to her. No matter how loving she pretended to be, she had once betrayed his father—the man Cedric loved and respected most.

Still, when it came to Cedric’s romantic life, Jeremia always got overly involved. And with Anastasia around, she became even more enthusiastic.

He took a long drink of water, trying to stay composed.

“Nothing happened,” he said. “She just covered me with her shawl so I wouldn’t be recognized.”

“For no reason?”

“I wasn’t feeling well that day.”

“Hmm. Still… it’s strange. Could such a big rumor spread from just that?”

They clearly wanted something more to have happened between him and Harriet.

“There were people snooping around. She used her bad reputation to make it seem like she was meeting someone else. It was a trick to protect me. But because of that, she took the blame.”

“Oh, how brave! That girl has guts,” Jeremia said, clapping her hands.

“So you were in such a bad state that she had to go that far to protect you,” she continued, now serious again.

Then her smile faded.

“So… who put you in that condition?”

Her question sounded innocent, but Cedric knew better. Jeremia already knew the answer. She was just waiting to hear it from him.

He had tried to keep things quiet, but he couldn’t guarantee that Jeremia didn’t have a spy among his attendants.

Still, he didn’t mind her knowing. If they were going to take down Albert, she had to be part of it.

But right now, saying Albert’s name in front of the Empress wasn’t wise.

Anastasia had a fondness for Albert, especially since he was close to the second prince, Michael. It wasn’t the right time for risk.

“I’m still investigating. Once I’m sure, I’ll tell you,” Cedric said.

Jeremia understood the message and smiled, letting it go for now.

Anastasia, picking up the conversation again, asked, “So Harriet took the blame to help you. How are you planning to repay her?”

That was exactly the question Cedric had been waiting for.

He paused to sip his tea, then looked at the Empress seriously.

“Well… I was wondering, Your Majesty, if this unworthy nephew could ask for the royal favor of your support.”

With that one sentence, Anastasia immediately understood the true reason for today’s tea.

“You sly fox. You only come to visit your aunt when you want something,” she teased.

Still, she smiled fondly. She found his rare awkwardness rather cute.

“I was curious about the girl anyway. This is perfect. I’ll invite her to the palace next week.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“I hope she won’t embarrass me.”

“She won’t. I promise.”

The confidence in Cedric’s voice made both women smile once again—smiles full of hidden meaning.

Cedric, meanwhile, couldn’t understand why he kept defending Harriet so much today.

Maybe… someone should stop him before it goes too far.