Unwelcomed 01

Duke Grandis flipped over the documents he has been reviewing for the past week. It was about the proposed changes that the Emperor's children came up with. He couldn't openly decline the additional work, as the Emperor asked him personally. 

If these royal children would take their status seriously, it would lessen his work. He sighed as he took a sip of the tea. 

What could he expect? They were from different mothers, unity among the children would be an impossible dream.

His wife soon disrupted the peace he enjoyed. He held the urge to show annoyance as his lovely wife would give him another endless scolding. 

"Yes?" he said, his eyes focused on the paper.

Duchess Grandis crossed her arms; she appeared as someone that would explode in anger any time. 

"You allowed our daughter to go out? She even went fishing!" 

Her knitted brows and sharp gaze cause Duke Grandis to put down his work. He looked at her with patience. He learned the hard way that it was best to say nothing rather than matching his wife's anger.

"Why aren't you saying anything?" 

Duke Grandis sighed, "She wanted to, so I permitted it."

Duchess Grandis clenched her fist. Counting in her heart, and resisting to raise her voice. She was shaking from her husband's answer. She took a deep breath; it was the Temple's instructions not to let Cailina near any body of water. 

Whatever her husband's plans, he shouldn't put his own daughter in any danger.

The fear that washed over her as the Envoy declared her daughter bestowed the title upon her head. She knew the price of marrying an Imperial Noble, but she wasn't prepared for such responsibility. 

Being the mother of the favored brought benefits to her. She enjoyed them with all her heart. 

The recognition she received from the social circle, their praises and adoration were music to her ears. She deeply cared for her daughter. She mustn't let anything happen to Cailina.

"Have you forgotten the Temple's warnings, Yaegar?"

She despised the idea of her daughter going out, especially with the dog that she wanted to be gone from the moment another child of an Imperial Noble almost discovered him.

Noble children were naturally pampered. Being groomed in a place where everything goes one's way, noble children were quick to do whatever they please. 

Dogs were frowned upon by the entire Empire. They carried the label of the traitor's kin. The capital was the place a dog must never set foot in. 

"Cailina returned safely. What news have you retrieved?" Duke Grandis asked. 

He stood from his chair and dismissed the servants. Although his wife was attending social gatherings and participating in gossips, her ability to return confidential news about another Imperial Noble's home was something to be acknowledged.

Duchess Grandis took a sip of the tea and smiled, "Well, I'm not in the mood to enlighten you with such trivial matters."

Indeed, his wife was clearly mad about Cailina going out. He couldn't tell her that he wanted to see if there was some truth to the Temple's declaration. 

To his surprise, nothing happened. His daughter came back free from any scratches or wounds on her body. 

"Don't show an appearance like this, my wife," he smiled and kissed Duchess Grandis' hand, "whatever story you tell me, I am willing to listen."

Duchess Grandis flicked her hand away from his grasp. He has always been a smooth talker; he knew what words and actions to use to get what he wanted.

Her father must be in great need of money for selling his own daughter to a man like him. She was a naïve young woman back then. 

If she had known that this man's smile was only a pretense to hide his viciousness. It was useless mulling over her husband's plans. She wouldn't deny his sweet actions lightened her mood. 

In return, she would say whatever she had heard and seen.

At the party of Marchioness Thyne, the topic of marriage was the one that annoyed her the most. It was not that her daughter was being neglected by the Royal Family, but she couldn't tell that Cailina was engaged to the Crown Prince. 

She was strictly told not to share the good news, even if she did, the Royal Family itself would deny the rumor. It was a frustrating arrangement for her.

The sister of the second rank concubine bragged about her daughter being one of the Crown Prince's prospect fiancée. The statement alone made her blood boiled and the urge to snap the delusional woman was close to becoming a reality. 

There were rumors about the Prince's delay. She narrated to Duke Grandis without missing a detail. 

Duke Grandis smiled as he looked at his wife's retreating figure. His wife's news wasn't helpful to him at all. He guessed that the wives were careful of their words as it was Marchioness Thyne's party. 

He stared at the table where the tea sets were previously placed. His eyes failed to spill the thoughts in his mind.

Duchess Grandis barged into her daughter's room and immediately embraced her. Her tight hug made it impossible for Cailina to move. 

Shocked by her mother's sudden return, she remained silent. Cailina was long prepared for what was about to happen.

"Did you know how worried I was?" Duchess Grandis' high-pitched voice floated in the air. 

Cailina pursed her lips and averted her gaze from her mother's burning ones. 

"Don't you dare give me silence!" 

Her mother examined her from head to toe. Her brows knitted with worry. Duchess Grandis missed not a spot on her daughter. She cupped Cailina's face with her hand.

"Must you always make my heart worry?" 

"I apologize for my irrational actions, mother," Cailina said in a whisper. 

She couldn't say anything against her mother. In her heart, she was glad that Duchess Grandis was worried about her. It was a feeling she wanted to always feel. 

"You are the Crown Prince's fiancée," her mother patted her hair, "it will put you in a situation if other nobles saw you keeping a dog."

She sighed. Another reminder to get rid of Aris. Cailina knew that her father delayed her return to the capital because of her obvious loss of interest in anything. 

"You are the favored one of the Gods and Goddesses," Duchess Grandis said.

Cailina met her mother's gaze, her eyes glowed with anger…