Anneblin was outraged.
“It wasn’t me! I swear to God—it wasn’t!”
Crown Prince of Britte, Alex, let out a long sigh.
“Just because you say it wasn’t you doesn’t make it true. If Johan believes it, then that’s what matters. I told you, Anne. Don’t act recklessly.”
“Why are you like this? I told you—it wasn’t me.”
“Then why did you meet with Seymour’s daughter?”
“……”
Anneblin fell silent at the unusually cold tone.
“Don’t even think of denying it. Someone saw you in the west palace.”
A shockwave ran through Anneblin’s entire body.
She had secretly summoned the girl through a hidden passage connected to the outside. Even if someone had seen them, she had worn a hood. Her identity should’ve been impossible to confirm.
And it had been the middle of the night.
So how?
Anneblin began mentally reviewing the faces of her maids, her secretary, the court ladies of the west palace—one by one.
There was a spy.
There had to be. Otherwise…
Who?
Who dared?
“Anne.”
Alex’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts. Composing herself, Anneblin answered nonchalantly.
“She’s someone who’s long asked to join our circle.”
“And you chose now of all times to bring her in?”
“So now that’s a problem too?”
“Anne.”
“I wasn’t alone! Kayla was with me. Ask her yourself. Ask Miss Seymour directly too.”
Her eyes brimmed with transparent tears, turning red.
“I know what my fault is. My fault is… loving Ed too much.”
Anneblin’s voice trembled with emotion.
“That’s why every time something happens to that woman, everyone suspects me. Isn’t that right? I only met someone I was allowed to in my position—why must I suffer such insulting accusations?”
An anguished sigh slipped from Alex’s tightly sealed lips.
He looked at his sister sobbing sorrowfully in front of him.
“Don’t lay a finger on that woman, Anne.”
“What is she, that everyone treats her like this?!”
Anneblin shouted hysterically.
His sister, who had lived a life where everything was prepared for her, had no idea how to cope when denied what she wanted.
It was one of the many things neither their father nor Alex had taught her.
“Alex, if you truly love the princess, don’t go soft. That’s not what’s best for your sister.”
“Stay out of public view unless it’s for your matches—for the time being.”
“O-Older brother…”
Anneblin, tears falling in droplets, widened her eyes.
“I can’t.”
This wasn’t the kind of thing the crown prince she knew would say. Her mind went blank.
To her—who grew up without a mother—Alex was both a brother and a mother figure. Always gentle. Always warm.
“This isn’t a request from your brother. It’s an order from the Crown Prince of this nation. Don’t disappoint me, Anne.”
“Brother!!!”
Her scream echoed through the halls as Alex exited Anneblin’s bedroom.
Even with the door shut, her broken sobs thudded against his chest.
He wanted to go back in and comfort her right away, but Louise’s voice held him back.
“The world has changed, Alex. A royal family without the people’s trust will have no place left. What you have to protect isn’t just the princess.”
Gently, she took his arm and laid it across her belly.
That’s how his wife told him she was pregnant. He clenched his jaw.
“Kayla.”
Anneblin’s friend—and cousin—Kayla Johannsen looked up at the crown prince.
“Take care of Anne.”
“Yes.”
Clenching his fist, Alex turned to leave.
“Don’t cry, Anne.”
Kayla gently stroked Anneblin’s back as she gazed at her quietly.
“He’s changed. He’s never been like this with me before.”
Anneblin sobbed endlessly.
“He’s just trying to protect you. You know how much His Highness cares about you.”
As always, Kayla offered comforting words. She ordered the maid to bring warm tea.
Then she calmly looked at Anneblin, who was still trembling.
That could’ve been my position.
Her mother had been the late king’s eldest daughter—a noble princess.
But because she was a woman, she had never ascended the throne. Instead, she lived the life of an ordinary noblewoman. A pitiable fate.
Even though Kayla and Anneblin were both granddaughters of the late king, their statuses were worlds apart.
Companion. Playmate.
Anneblin always claimed they were friends, but they had never truly stood as equals.
“Calm down, Anne. Take a breath and drink this.”
Kayla poured tea into a delicate blue cup and placed it in front of her.
A bitter herbal scent rose from the cup. Anneblin’s tear-soaked eyes stared blankly at the tea.
Since childhood, Kayla had never been allowed to outshine Anneblin.
Even at her debutante ball—a once-in-a-lifetime event—she wasn’t allowed to wear a prettier dress than the princess. The number of accessories she could wear was limited too.
She was never to walk ahead of Anneblin. If she fancied a man, she had to back down if the princess showed interest.
Kayla had always envied Rondos—a nation ruled by a queen.
If Britte had been such a country, she would’ve been the princess instead of Anneblin.
She lifted the cup and placed it gently into Anneblin’s hand. Anneblin’s unfocused amber eyes looked up at her.
The once-radiant Anneblin now seemed as fragile as a flickering gaslight.
At that moment, Kayla thought: This might be the first time the princess’s perfect life actually begins to fall apart.
“Don’t worry. You and that woman will never be on the same stage. I promise you.”
Kayla spoke gently, watching Anneblin’s face slowly regain its color.
“No. Don’t do anything, Kayla.”
Anneblin wasn’t stupid.
“I appreciate the thought, Kayla. But even if that woman tripped walking alone, people would blame me. So don’t do anything.”
“You’re right. That was careless of me. I won’t.”
Kayla softly stroked Anneblin’s back. She looked down at Anneblin’s red hair with a seemingly tender gaze and whispered:
“I won’t do anything.”
Anneblin, resting her head on Kayla’s chest, didn’t see the dark gleam in her friend’s eyes.
Since Anneblin’s withdrawal from public view, Olivia was cruising smoothly toward the finals.
Praising articles about the rising star constantly graced the front pages. The public perception of the “cold-blooded seductress” was changing fast.
Olivia Blanchet, dancing on the green court, was so captivating that anyone who saw her couldn’t help but fall for her.
“Where’s Olivia?”
Edgar entered the top-floor VIP suite of the Lancelot Hotel and asked the maid, Marie, who was tidying up the room.
“She went to the tennis court with the Countess of Elaine.”
Marie responded politely.
Olivia’s previous residence on Riverside Street had been compromised.
With reporters camping out day and night, complaints from neighbors piled up, and she had no choice but to relocate.
Edgar gave a short nod and headed toward the court.
Crossing the lobby, he strode confidently through the corridor connecting the hotel to the gardens.
Down the terrace stairs, past the neatly manicured hedges and fountains, the tennis court gradually came into view.
Edgar stopped in his tracks and frowned. The court was empty. His gaze fixed on a groundskeeper.
“Where’s Olivia?”
“She went to the lounge with her companions.”
Bright midday sunlight poured over the deserted green field.
Edgar squinted and turned back toward the main building.
The hotel grounds felt unnecessarily large.
Upon entering the lobby, soft piano music echoed through the grand marble space, floating in from the lounge.
As Edgar scanned the lounge filled with the rich aroma of freshly ground coffee, the hotel manager hurried over.
“Olivia?”
Edgar’s patience was wearing thin. This was the third time he’d asked the same question.
“S-She left, as it was too crowded.”
Another evasive answer, no different than before.
“Do you know where she went?”
“That… I’m not sure. I’ll look into it—”
“Forget it. Go back to work.”
So once again, he ended up back at the beginning.
Now, Edgar stood in front of Olivia’s hotel room door. He lifted his hand to knock, then clenched it into a fist.
From inside came the obnoxious, boisterous laughter of that idiot Russell Jr.
Right after that, a woman’s laughter followed. Thankfully, it wasn’t Olivia.
Edgar let out a frustrated sigh and knocked politely.
As expected, it was the maid who opened the door.
When Edgar entered, Olivia, seated at a round table, stood up in surprise.
“Edgar!”
Her blue eyes, wide like a startled rabbit, quickly lit up with joy.
Meeting her gaze, Edgar felt his drained patience being refilled.
Olivia quickly walked over with a smiling face and stood before him.
“You’re here?”
“Looks like you were having quite a good time?”
Though his tone was scolding, Olivia simply smiled and replied cheerfully.
“Coach was just telling us stories from his playing days after practice.”
Still the same pathetic fool.
All he did was spew disorganized nonsense, and Olivia had actually listened to him enthusiastically. The thought was deeply annoying.
“I see.”
Edgar glanced sharply at Russell Jr., who flinched slightly.
“We meet again,” said Countess Elaine, standing beside Russell Jr.
Her gaze was far from friendly. Edgar offered a nod, ignoring her attitude.
“I need to talk to you.”
He wanted to throw the others out immediately—but Olivia wouldn’t like that. So instead, he tilted his chin toward the balcony.
“Excuse me. I’ll be right back.”
Olivia apologized as if committing some great rudeness and followed Edgar onto the balcony.
“Is something wrong?”
Standing before him, Olivia looked up. The sunlight reflected in her blue eyes, making them shine.
