Hypocrite

"My husband, you have only told me about our daughter's marriage; you have said nothing about the groom," the Duchess said, not in a hurry to leave. It did not matter which prince Anastasia married; in her opinion, Anastasia was bound to suffer. She only asked because she did not want to waste her time guessing. After all, each prince would bring a different set of troubles.

"The Crown Prince," Duke Thomason answered.

"What?" The Duchess felt as if her ears were playing tricks on her. Her anxious heart, which had just begun to relax, started pounding again.

He is definitely joking with me, the Duchess comforted herself.

"You said the King wants the Crown Prince to marry our daughter?" the Duchess asked, her voice no longer as calm as when she had entered.

The Duke nodded in response. He could guess what was going through her mind. He knew that once she learned the full truth, there would be a heated argument.

"Does he want to marry her as his concubine?" the Duchess asked. Although the position of a concubine was lower than that of a wife, the royal family was different from other nobles. Even as a Duchess, she would have to show respect to the King's concubine. Still, she felt Anastasia was not qualified for such a role. In her heart, only her daughter deserved such a prestigious marriage.

If her daughter were lucky enough to bear the first male heir, she might become the grandmother of the future king.

"No," Duke Thomason shook his head. When the Duchess heard this, she felt as if there was a communication problem.

It was not that she looked down on the Duke of Malay, but since Anastasia was involved, her expectations were low.

"What do you mean, no?" The Duchess could no longer maintain her composure. She began to suspect the Duke was deliberately toying with her. He could easily explain everything without making her so anxious.

"The Crown Prince will marry our daughter as his wife," Duke Thomason replied. He wondered where the Duchess's intelligence had gone. Parents did not arrange mistresses for their sons; such decisions were left to the sons themselves. He could not understand why the Duchess thought the King would choose a mistress for the Prince.

"By 'our daughter,' you mean Anastasia?" The Duchess felt her head spinning. She could not believe her husband would consider Anastasia for such a marriage. At that moment the Duchess felt that she had misunderstood 'our daughter ' in her husband L's lips. As a stepmother, she could not openly voice her doubts, so she asked the question. In her heart, however, only her daughter was worthy of becoming the Crown Princess and future Queen.

"Yes," the Duke affirmed, his gaze indifferent.

"How could you?" the Duchess exclaimed, slamming her hand on the table as she stood up. No amount of etiquette training could have prepared her for this moment. She had completely lost control.

"Anita, compose yourself," Duke Thomason said sharply, angered by her behavior. Regardless of the situation, she was not expected to address her husband so rudely.

Duchess Anita realized she had misbehaved. She sat down and took a deep breath to regain her composure.

"My husband, I know Lady Maureen was your first wife, but from the moment she stepped down to become a mistress, her daughter's status also fell. I think the royal family would see it as disrespectful for the Crown Prince to marry the daughter of a mistress," Duchess Anita argued. She adopted the tone of a rational wife concerned about the family's reputation.

"The King is aware of this and still agrees they are a good match," the Duke said, understanding that his wife wanted the marriage for her own daughter.

"How could the King agree?" Duchess Anita was stunned. She felt the King had grown old and foolish but dared not voice such thoughts.

"My husband, you must speak to His Majesty. As a mother, it pains me to say this, but Anastasia has only worsened since her mother's death. Despite attending lessons, she is slow, and her teachers complain about her poor attitude toward her studies. How could such a girl become the mother of our empire?" Duchess Anita paused, trying to sound composed.

"I am afraid that if she joins the royal family in this state, she will bring shame upon our household," she added, careful not to sound like a biased stepmother.

"If you knew all this, what have you done as a mother to correct her?" the Duke asked coldly.

The Duchess was speechless. She had said so much, but her husband only found fault with her.

The Duke was unsurprised by her silence. "Arrange for better teachers to guide her. Anastasia must learn properly. If she disgraces the Duke's family, your reputation will bear the brunt of it. As her mother, you would have failed in your duty. And if that happens, what noble family would dare to marry Elisabeth?" Duke Thomason said, showing no concern for his wife's feelings.

"But my husband, Anastasia is turning eighteen in a few weeks. Talk to the..." Duchess Anita began, but the Duke interrupted her.

"Who do you think the King is? Do you think he will change his mind just because I ask? If you think it's so easy, go ahead and try," Duke Thomason said harshly.

The Duchess was taken aback by his sudden outburst. Since their marriage, he had always treated her with respect.

"How can I speak to His Majesty? Have you forgotten what you promised my father when he agreed to our marriage?" Duchess Anita brought up her family. Over the years, she had frequently used this tactic to get her way.

"No, I remember clearly. I promised you and your children the best treatment. I promised you would not suffer any grievances, and I have fulfilled that promise," the Duke replied, his anger rising. He had grown tired of her constant threats involving her family.

"Best treatment?" the Duchess scoffed, her anger raising. "If that's the case, why is Anastasia becoming the Crown Princess? In what way is Elisabeth inferior?" She questioned.

"Anastasia is my first daughter. According to tradition, her younger sister cannot marry before her," Duke Thomason explained.

"That's just an excuse. If she must marry first, find her another husband so my daughter can marry the Crown Prince! You are nothing but a hypocrite," Duchess Anita argued, furious that her husband did not yield to her threats as he usually did.