***

After concluding their business in Hetar’s capital city, they moved on to the next one. As the days passed, Edric spent more and more time with Noah, leaving Yuis to enjoy her honeymoon mostly with Laura.

Today was no exception.

Yuis had a simple breakfast with Laura, and then they had tea together before preparing for the day’s outing.

As Laura carefully gathered Yuis’s hair into a half-up style and adorned it with a ribboned hairpin, she cheerfully asked, glancing at Yuis’s reflection in the mirror.

“My lady! Where shall we go today?”

Her bright voice blended with the morning breeze that blew in through the open windows, bringing with it golden sunlight.

Yuis narrowed her eyes slightly, feigning thoughtfulness, though she suspected that Laura had already decided where to go.

“Hmm… Do you have somewhere in mind?”

As if she had been waiting for that question, Laura eagerly began listing suggestions.

Yuis couldn’t help but smile as she listened.

“There’s a park here, my lady — the most famous one in all of Hetar.”

The park was said to be the site of an ancient treasure: the Golden Head of Christ. It was said to be the largest and most beautiful in Hetar.

“They say it has a botanical garden, a zoo, a lake, a rose garden, and an orange conservatory, which I know you’ll love!”

“Is that so? Then let’s visit today, Laura.”

Once they were ready, Yuis and Laura stepped out of the hotel, naturally followed by Isaac.

The weather was gentler than in Kalang, welcoming the ladies with warmth. As they walked, the midday sun cast a soft orange glow.

Yuis was captivated by the park from the moment she entered it.

As she strolled with Laura, she admired the vast grounds, which included botanical gardens and a zoo.

“My lady! Look — a squirrel!’

Although Laura had shown little reaction when they saw deer, giraffes or even crocodiles, she couldn’t hide her childlike excitement at the sight of the squirrel.

Seeing Laura’s innocent delight filled Yuis heart with warmth.

Their next destination was the rose garden.

Unlike in Kalang, where the roses had only just begun to bloom, this garden was already in full bloom. Yuis couldn’t take her eyes off the countless blooming roses.

The playful wind, carrying the sweet scent of the roses, felt wonderful, too.

They eventually arrived at a pergola at the end of a path lined with vibrant yellow roses. They sat there for quite some time, gazing out at the breathtaking garden.

Under the clear blue sky, golden sunlight filtered through the lush green leaves and bathed the sea of yellow roses in brilliant light.

Yuis was entirely entranced by the scene before her.

‘It would be lovely to plant yellow roses in the glass conservatory, too.’

She made a mental note to gently suggest this to the gardener once they returned to the estate; her gaze never left the blooms.

Finally, they arrived at a large lake. Yuis and Laura both let out small gasps of admiration.

The lake was almost as big as the park itself, its surface sparkling in the sunlight.

They spread out a picnic mat on the shaded grass by the lake and sat down. They had spent hours wandering through the enormous park and were now feeling hungry.

Laura quickly rose and approached Isaac, who had been quietly following behind. Taking the large picnic bag from him, she began laying out the meal she had carefully prepared.

Despite Yuis’s protests about eating outside without the hassle of heavy luggage, Laura had prepared a lavish feast that practically mocked her earlier concerns.

There was smoked salmon, crisp vegetables, and sandwiches filled with capers and pickles — all of Yuis’s favourites — as well as fresh fruit for dessert and fruit wine.

As Laura proudly presented the fruit wine, beaming, Yuis let out a soft chuckle.

The breeze carried her laughter as it danced through the rustling leaves and floated towards the sky.

Smiling brightly at her mistress, Laura suddenly jumped up and approached the tall man standing behind a large tree.

“Major, would you like to join us?”

Isaac’s gaze shifted towards Yuis, as though seeking permission.

Without losing her gentle smile, Yuis nodded slightly.

Encouraged by her silent consent, Isaac joined them on the picnic rug.

Their outing finally came to an end after they had shared a meal and a bottle of fruit wine with Laura and Isaac.

By the time they reached the park entrance, the sun had set, painting the sky with shades of crimson and violet. Laura was captivated by this beautiful sight and couldn’t help but exclaim once more.

“My lady, the sunset is so beautiful!”

“It really is.”

As Yuis admired the breathtaking view, a thought crossed her mind: was Edric seeing this beautiful sunset too?

At that moment, her gaze lowered and landed on a tall figure approaching in the distance. The impeccably dressed man appeared to have come straight from work and walked towards Yuis with steady, purposeful strides.

“Did you enjoy yourself?”

It was her husband, Edric.

At his question, Yuis instinctively lifted the corners of her lips and smiled softly.

“Yes, thanks to you. It was truly beautiful.”

Edric’s gaze flicked from Yuis to Laura, then finally settled on Isaac—his stare cold and unreadable. But as his eyes lingered on Isaac, something in them softened, if only slightly.

After all, this was supposed to be their honeymoon. However, the fact that his wife was spending more and more time away from him was beginning to irritate him.

Having cleared his afternoon schedule, he had come all the way to the park where she was, only to find that she was not alone.

A crooked smile tugged at the corner of Edric’s lips.

‘So this is what people in Darec meant when they spoke of married couples openly having affairs with each other’s consent.’

As the faint smile on his face faded, Edric’s gaze grew even colder.

Yuis sensed the subtle shift in his demeanour and saw a hint of unease flash across his face. Isaac gave Edric a polite nod before quietly withdrawing. Laura also took a step back.

It wasn’t until the two figures had disappeared from sight that Edric finally spoke.

“So it seems.”

His tone was noticeably different from when he had asked his earlier question. Realising this, Yuis began to study his face more closely.

The smile that had once tugged at the corners of his lips was now gone. Though his expression remained as refined as ever, it was cold, like a sculpture carved from ice.

‘If I had known he was waiting, I would have returned sooner.’

Yuis hurriedly retraced the day’s events in her mind, wondering if she had unwittingly done something wrong. The smile that had lit up her face moments earlier disappeared.

The soft blush on her cheeks, the bright curve of her eyes, and the gentle lift of her lips all vanished in an instant.

Edric silently watched her as he extended his arm towards her. Yuis stared at his outstretched hand for a moment before stepping closer and taking it.

‘Has he ever been here before?’

As she walked beside him, moving in sync with his confident stride, she was suddenly overcome with curiosity.

One thought led to another, and before long, the joy she had felt earlier was replaced by the image of the princess she had seen the day before, with her arrogant demeanour and air of entitlement.

Amidst the tangled thoughts swirling in her mind, unease crept into her heart once again.

Uncertain what to say, Yuis remained silent and matched his pace. She didn’t want to make a mistake.

The cheerful laughter that had filled the air throughout the picnic had long since faded away on the breeze. Edric, too, walked on in silence.

As the sky deepened to an even darker shade of violet, Yuis felt its weight pressing down on her throat, making it harder to breathe. Before long, they arrived at the carriage.

After helping her in, Edric followed and sat opposite her. He immediately immersed himself in the stack of documents, not glancing her way once.

Taking in a quiet breath, Yuis leaned back and closed her eyes. The soft rhythm of her breathing blended with the steady rustling of Edric flipping through the papers.

The consistent sound stopped when Edric shifted his gaze towards Yuis.

He was displeased by the sight of her sitting there with her lips tightly sealed and a clouded expression on her face.

‘If anyone should be hurt, it should be me — why does she look wounded?’

The way she stiffened the moment she saw him and forced herself to match his pace irritated him even more.

The bright laughter that had filled the air when she left the park with her maid and Isaac had disappeared now that she was standing beside him.

Eventually, Edric returned to the papers Noah had left behind, staring at Yuis as she leaned back with her eyes closed.

Arguing with her would be pointless. He might as well focus on work.

As his gaze fell on the neatly printed words once more, thoughts of her quietly slipped from his mind.