[Bonus chapter]

He stared at her cold face and then at her hands that were stained red with a raised brow as if asking what it was then when she looked away.

She did not want herself to lose in her emotions and show him that he still affected her.

She soon found Jenna coming towards her with a first aid box in her hands. She was looking worried, so was Lia standing beside her.

"Then it must be normal for you to break cutleries. Your maids looked too adaptive with the treatment." the nerve of this man! Was he here to pass comments on her.

"Yes, a mage has so much power that a slight hand could be slipped anytime. I am glad that it was just the cup that broke." and you are still alive to blabber in front of me' if not for luci taking her as a cold and vicious woman, she had taught him a lesson too.

He understood the meaning behind her words too. But instead of fear and anger, he showed no emotion. As if a kid, that was babbling nonsense, he did not pay much attention to her words. They all were hollow just to gain his attention.

She could see the disdain in his eyes as if she was a kid who was babbling nonsense. Since then a lion believes in the threat of ants.

"May I know the reasons for your visit, your majesty. You should have sent a messenger if you needed anything.`` She did not want to waste much of her time on him, when she could have a good time with her kids.

"Like you have sent them empty handed twice, telling them that you are sick?" he raised a brow but his eyes were blaming her. They both know that she was not sick even once but used this paltry excuse to avoid meeting him.

Or to give him the explanation he desired. She stayed with a serene look and nodded her head.

Picking up the water, she took a swig of it slowly. Wetting her mouth softly, she whispered,

"Yes, I apologize. I was not able to meet you.`` The conversation was not going anywhere. He continued to stare at her, thinking she would bow down and cower with fear but she continued to look at the flowers leisurely from the window and enjoy her snacks.

"You have all the time to play games Katherine but I am busy. So, cut your chase." he stared at her intensely using his authoritative aura that demanded complete obedience but she just sat there nonchalantly that fumed him.

The cold in his eyes cracked when he felt that she was being difficult for no reason. She was trying to gain his attention but if she continued to behave like that, she would only gain his wrath.

"Katherine, I want you to stay away from Lennox's education and his upbringing. You are no his mother and you would never be.'' The cold and harsh words were spoken without any empathy.

As if cold water was poured over the girl who was already shivering in the weather. Her eyes turned gloomy when she saw his cold face.

He was a monster who had never cared about his son and now that she was caring about him, he was against it too.

"My lord, you are forgetting that I handle all the duties of the empress. And the education of princes is part of it.

If you want to take it with me, you have to give me proper written notice with the reason and also point out my past mistakes with all the required forms.

I will not make it very difficult for you, so giving all the details in two copies and confirming with the prince would do."

"@@@@@@@" he stared at her face when she smiled warmly while giving him details of all the papers he needed to sign and complete.

"You are making it difficult intentionally. Aren't you?" that marquis would continue to nag that he was not allowed to meet his nephew and it was all the plan of the empress for making the crown prince isolated.

He knew that if he would not listen to him, soon his sister could come and start nagging and she was a tough fly to get rid of.

"And you are challenging my position. I am only following the procedures, my lord.

If you have any grievances, you have to go through proper order. That is what I have learned from his majesty.`` Haven't you asked me to write all the forms and follow the rules of the palace when I was in a life and death situation and asked you to help?

"Since rules matter more than life, then you have to follow them too. After all, you have to set an example for others." she replied in a stern tone with a smile on her face.

Christian gritted his teeth. He knew that the woman was playing with him. She was taking advantage of her position to get what she wanted.

"Now I understand." he nodded his head when she finally took a breath of relief. If he understood then he would leave and then she could breathe again.

"It is about going on the ball with you right? You are making all the fuss to pressure me so that I will attend the winter ball with you! How impudent."

"......" the forming smile on her face turned stiff while her eyes twitched. Was he deaf? Or over imaginative. When did she even name the word ball!

"No! Instead of a ball, I am worried that you should go and visit somewhere else but I would not be able to accompany you, your majesty." she replied with the same smile on her face when a knowing smile formed his face that was saying 'see, i knew that!'

"And where is that?"

"To the physician, your majesty."