After returning from Conercio to the capital, Mel had cut her social activities in half. Invitations continued to pour in, but no one in the capital didn’t know of her past. Attending such events would only make her a spectacle or a trophy for others to display.

As such, attending a party was something she hadn’t done in quite some time. The occasion was the second wedding celebration of Beckers Redbirds, a childhood friend of Harriet and Damian.

When Mel stepped out of her carriage at the Redbirds estate, a cheerful voice called her name.

“Mel!”

It was Harriet. Mel greeted her with a radiant smile.

“My lady shines as brightly as ever today,” Harriet remarked.

“And you, how about Brother?” Mel replied with a playful grin.

“He’ll be here after putting Angelica to bed. But what about your husband? Didn’t he say he’d come with you?”

“He had some business to attend to. He’ll join us later.”

“That man! Always acting busy when there aren’t even any children to put to bed,” Harriet quipped, a bite in her words.

Mel offered an awkward smile. “Do you still dislike Gopher that much?”

“It’s going to take a while. He stole away the treasure of our house.”

“Your estate has treasures of its own.”

“You mean the smallest and loudest treasure in the world? That one’s glued to Heaven, so no one can steal it.”

They laughed as they handed their invitations to the butler and were escorted into the party.

“So, what is it?” Harriet asked as they walked.

“What do you mean?”

“You mentioned in your letter you had something to ask.”

Mel glanced around and, lowering her voice, said, “I wanted some advice.”

The Redbirds couple greeted their guests with radiant smiles. Delighted, Harriet enthusiastically congratulated them. Seeing they seemed to have much to catch up on, Mel offered polite greetings and stepped aside.

The air was noticeably dry, with autumn just around the corner. Feeling thirsty, Mel looked around but found only alcoholic drinks on the tables. She signaled a passing servant.

“Please bring me some water.”

Just as the servant turned to fetch it, an unfamiliar voice interrupted.

“Here’s water for you.”

A flamboyantly dressed young man handed her a glass, his smile unnaturally polished.

Though she’d never met him, his reddish-golden hair matched the Redbirds family’s. Mel accepted the glass but set it down on a nearby table without taking a sip.

“And you are?”

“A pleasure to meet you, Madam Melodie. I’m Louis Mute from Defiem.”

Ah, the notorious rake.

She recalled hearing about him—a cousin of the Redbirds count and infamous for his scandals with women. Though it was unfair to judge someone solely by rumors, Harriet had mentioned the same.

Perhaps he had come to the empire for the count’s wedding. Either way, he wasn’t someone worth engaging with. Mel replied indifferently, not even glancing at the glass she’d set down.

“I see. It was nice meeting you.”

“Leaving already?” Louis stepped in her path, visibly unsettled. Mel frowned slightly, about to say something, when a third voice joined the conversation.

“My, meeting you here, Duchess Allnight.”

This time, it was someone familiar—Emera Clover. It was the first time Mel had seen her up close since returning to the capital.

“It’s been a while, Lady Emera,” Mel greeted her.

“Indeed, it has. Far too long, wouldn’t you say? And you, Louis?”

Emera narrowed her eyes at Louis Mute, extending her hand. Despite seeming slightly reluctant, Louis greeted her with a kiss on her hand.

“I heard you were in the empire but received no word from you. I was quite disappointed,” Emera said in a sweet yet pointed tone.

“My apologies, Lady. Come to think of it, I also missed your wedding,” Louis replied.

“Did you ever care about such things?” Emera’s voice grew sharper as Louis attempted to retreat from the conversation.

Feeling caught in what seemed like a lovers’ quarrel, Mel grew tired. Just as she was about to excuse herself, the topic unexpectedly turned to her.

“It’s surprising to see you here, Madam. I wouldn’t have guessed you’d be socializing with Louis.”

“We only just met,” Mel replied curtly.

“Of course. I suppose you must be seeking his advice on finding a good fountain pen, then?”

A fountain pen?

The remark, meant as a jab, piqued her interest. Defiem was indeed famous for its fountain pens. Unconsciously, Mel glanced at Louis, who spoke up.

“Are you interested in fountain pens?”

From that moment on, Emera Clover was effectively ignored as the two delved into a discussion. Louis passionately shared stories about master penmakers, and Mel listened keenly.

No matter what Emera said, they only gave her short, uninterested responses. Feeling slighted, Emera eventually left the scene.

How could this happen? Every time Louis visited the empire, I played the role of his lover.

Even if it wasn’t a serious relationship, being pushed aside hurt her pride. What made it worse was that the person taking her place was Melodie Allnight. She scowled as her thoughts churned.

“Wasn’t the fountain pen just an excuse?”

Louis Mute’s face was well-known. Though not on the same level as Gopher Allnight, even the best things lose their charm when seen for too long. People are always drawn to something new—that was Emera’s philosophy.

Of course, the marriage of the Duke and Duchess Allnight had been a grand affair. A woman of common birth, once accused of impersonating nobility, pardoned and officially adopted into Heaven’s lineage, and finally married Gopher Allnight—it was a story the public was eager to frame as the romance of the century.

But Emera didn’t believe in such a gaudy love story. She vented her grievances to her friend Georgiana, who had accompanied her to the party.

“Even if they truly loved each other at first, how can emotions last forever? People can barely maintain their feelings for three years.”

“That’s true, Emera. Marriage is about reality, after all.”

“In my view, their love has surely faded. The Duke must be regretting the marriage…”

She wanted to say this outright but hesitated, her tongue momentarily frozen. Glancing around to make sure no one was listening, she caught herself feeling pathetic and clenched her teeth in frustration.

Emera grabbed a passing servant and downed several glasses of champagne quickly. Her vision briefly blurred, but the euphoria gave her the courage to continue.

“Besides, the fact they still don’t have children says it all. At least one of them must be taking contraceptives, don’t you think?”

“Pardon?”

“The Duchess isn’t in a position to be picky about having children, so it must be the Duke who’s preventing it.”

As Emera’s remarks became increasingly bold, Georgiana appeared alarmed, but Emera didn’t stop—nor did she feel the need to.

Though she bore the title of Duchess, everyone knew Melodie was a commoner and a fraud. Even before knowing the truth, Emera had disliked her.

The way Melodie looked at people, her expressionless gaze seemed to look down on everyone. Even when hearing gossip about herself right in front of her, she acted aloof and pretended not to care. Emera found it unbearable. Learning of Melodie’s true origins only made her disdain more intense.

“So what if she pretends to be noble? She’ll always have lowly blood!”

Georgiana, who had been nodding in agreement, began glancing around nervously and tugging on Emera’s arm.

“Emera, you’re drunk.”

“I’m perfectly fine. What? Do you think I’m saying something I shouldn’t?”

“Not exactly, but… how about we move to the balcony?”

Emera’s mood soured further at Georgiana’s attempt to stop her. She raised her voice deliberately.

“You know, maybe Melodie really is interested in Louis.”

“What? Wait, hold on…”

“She’s usually too afraid of her husband’s suspicions to even speak to another man. But with Louis, she’s different. Even when I approached, her eyes stayed glued to him. She acts all high and mighty, but in the end, she’s no different from me—or anyone else.”

“Please, Emera…”

“If it were me, I’d probably do the same. No matter how great the Duke might be, he’s clueless about women, right? Romantic feelings always fade eventually, and that boring man…”

Emera, carried away by her own tirade, suddenly felt a chill that silenced her. Instinctively, her head turned, and she saw him.

Gopher Allnight.

Melodie’s husband. Their eyes met, and her chest tightened, the alcohol’s warmth evaporating in an instant.

“I’ve made a huge mistake.”

How much had he heard? What exactly had she said? She tried to retrace her words, but her mind went blank.

The man who always masked his intentions with a smile now looked down at her with a cold, expressionless face. Without his usual smile, his features appeared like a wax mask—chilling and detached. He didn’t yell or attempt to intimidate her, but the weight of his gaze made it hard for her to breathe.

He stood still, his eyes moving between her and Georgiana, who now stood frozen in fear. The atmosphere was so tense that those nearby subtly backed away. But that was all.

Without a word, the Duke walked past them, and Emera finally exhaled the breath she had been holding. Clutching her pounding chest, she watched him walk away.

He seemed angry, but why didn’t he say anything?

“Was his anger directed elsewhere?”

The thought replaced her fear and unease with a strange, excited anticipation. She watched intently as the Duke approached the count and his wife before heading toward Melodie.

Melodie was still conversing with Louis Mute, and Emera’s expectations soared even higher.

“What will he do?”

But the Duke disappointed her. His face, which had been so cold moments ago, softened into a smile. He greeted his wife warmly, just as he always did. He didn’t even confront Louis Mute.

It was as if nothing had happened.

“Was I imagining his anger?”

As Emera narrowed her eyes, about to ask Georgiana’s opinion, the Duke suddenly turned his head.

Once more, their eyes met. Though the distance between them was more significant now, Emera felt a shiver run down her spine.