270

***

Time continued to pass by as nonchalantly as it had before. Inés had returned to Mendoza and resumed her daily visits to Empress Cayetana's palace-a routine she had maintained before her sudden journey to Calztela.

It was now summer, and the crown prince's marriage ceremony was only four days away. Cayetana remained as exacting as ever, scrutinizing every detail of the ceremony, no matter how insignificant. Just a few days ago, she had summoned her most trusted vassals to serve as her very own audience, offering dutiful nods to everything she said. However, she soon decided that she would only be accompanied by members of her own family, seeking peace for her own restless mind. Her decision placed the burden squarely on Isabella to "support" the empress. As a result, Isabella had been struggling to mask her exhaustion for the past few hours.

Inés felt an uncharacteristic twinge of sympathy for her mother-in-law. She strove to draw Cayetana's scrutiny away from Isabella's waning composure, agreeing with the empress's statements with renewed vigor. She even made an effort to occasionally participate in the discussion and come up with a better alternative for some small tradition. It wasn't too difficult of a task. After all, Oscar's marriage was the sole aspect of his life that brought her any semblance of joy.

Cayetana had a curious talent for ordering something to be altered dozens of times, only to finally decide it had been much better in the very beginning, which happened to be exactly what she was doing at the moment.

"I fail to see any improvement," she sighed. "The initial arrangement was far more suitable."

Inés sat with her chin resting on her palm and watched as the minister and his underlings bore Cayetana's rebuke once again. She was mostly satisfied with the situation-it had been much more stressful in the days when she was Oscar's bride-to-be. In fact, she harbored little pity for the minister when she thought about how he had tried to pressure her with the budget near the end.

"I wholeheartedly agree, Your Majesty," she chimed in. "It is indeed regrettable that there has been no progress, even after you mentioned this issue on six separate occasions..."

The old minister glared at her discreetly with a fair amount of venom, but she didn't particularly care. When it came to being disliked, the minister was much more successful than her.

Cayetana hummed thoughtfully then said, "I want the bride to remain on her knees until the archbishop pronounces the marriage. It shall lend her an air of humility."

"As for His Highness-" the minister began, but he was immediately interrupted by the empress.

"There is no need for my son to kneel. What is so honorable about being married to that bland woman? He shall rise to his feet as soon as he makes his signature."

"Of course, Your Majesty."

"Hmm... Perhaps it will not work in Oscar's favor..."

Inés suppressed a derisive scoff and gave a very slight nod. "If I may, Your Majesty... Surely, everyone in Mendoza recognizes what a great honor it is for Lady Alicia to marry His Highness. She has shown her devotion to him for many years, and with His Highness destined to become the Father of the Empire, her humility is already beyond question. In fact, it might be more fitting for His Highness to demonstrate his modesty and respect." Although she did not say it out loud, her message was clear-there was no need for the bride to prostrate herself throughout the ceremony like a penitent seeking absolution.

The empress furrowed her brows, presumably understanding the implication of her words. "Even now, I cannot find it in my heart to bestow my blessing on this union. My dear Oscar deserves a far worthier match. It pains me to think that he will be bound to such a woman for life..."

It took a great deal of effort for Inés to hide her derision. "Your Majesty, it is only natural that no woman seems a suitable match for His Highness. But may I remind you that you have been generous enough to personally oversee every aspect of the ceremony, from the morning mass to their first night as husband and wife. His marriage, in essence, will be a masterpiece of your making, a tribute to your exquisite taste. Do not concern yourself with matters unworthy of your attention. Let this be a time to celebrate your achievements."

Of course, the bride was a significant part of the marriage ceremony. For Cayetana, however, the world only revolved around her regardless of the circumstances. Even Oscar would have suffered the same fate as Alicia if he hadn't been Cayetana's own son. Inés, long inured to the empress's repulsive attitude, found herself impervious to her remarks.

Cayetana nodded thoughtfully. "Indeed... You are quite right."

"And I believe the two of them were made for each other."

Truly, there couldn't be a more perfect union: one a disgusting shameless creature to ever walk the earth, and the other a zealous devotee, ready to embrace his revolting existence with boundless adoration.

After a short pause, Cayetana remarked, "You do not seem to be bothered by the girl."

"How could I harbor any ill will against the lady who is to marry the crown prince of this great empire?" Inés replied smoothly.

At this, Cayetana shook her head. "Do not be fooled by her coy facade. She has considered you a thorn in her side ever since she was a child, knowing Oscar wanted nobody else but you. She tries her best to hide it, but I have seen the way she bristles at the sight of you."

"Lady Alicia has shown me nothing but kindness, Your Majesty," Inés responded with courteous neutrality.

"Perhaps you are feigning ignorance, perhaps not... But I have long known her for the viper that she is."

It was an interesting thing to say about a woman who would soon become her daughter-in-law, especially considering she was still in the presence of the minister and his men. Inés interpreted it as an extension of Cayetana's sickening, obsessive love for her son. However, she also recognized a bitter discontent in her words that held a sharper edge than usual.

Cayetana continued, "I have always thought Oscar was wasting precious time. But I still find myself dissatisfied with this... arrangement, even though it is something I have been waiting for many years."

"Surely, Lady Alicia will conduct herself with wisdom and grace. She only has his best interests in mind, after all," Inés said, her voice laced with feigned reassurance.

The empress raised an eyebrow, glancing at Isabella, who was sitting by herself near the window. "Take a look at Isabella's face and see if she seems to agree."

Isabella shifted her attention to the empress. "Does my opinion truly matter? I suspect that nothing will stop you from resenting the woman who will take your son from you," she quipped.

Cayetana turned to Inés and whispered slyly, "Do not be fooled, for your mother-in-law was the first to warn me against Alicia."

Isabella chuckled under her breath. "My, my...I would not wish for the future matriarch of the empire to hold a grudge against me, Your Majesty."

Inés added, "I am certain there was no oversight in your wise judgment, Your Majesty. I understand how worried you must be, considering the importance of this matter..." She trailed off, suppressing her desire to remind the empress that the current predicament was the result of her own doing.

"Even I am not infallible," Cayetana responded. "Every time I see that girl pretending to be an innocent rabbit while silently baring her fangs at me, I cannot help but suspect I erred in my choice."

"Your Majesty," Isabella interjected softly, her eyes darting to the others present in the room-a silent request for Cayetana to be more mindful of her audience.

The empress simply shrugged. "It is hardly a secret that I find her lacking in many respects."

"I understand, but still..."

"There is no cause for concern, Isabella. I am more than aware of who has heard my words today, and those present know better than to let their tongues wag. Is that not so, Pablo?"

The minister, who had been standing like an ornamental statue, bowed politely. "Of course, Your Majesty."

Cayetana nodded in satisfaction and turned back to Isabella. "Even Alicia knows of her own flaws. If she remains ignorant after all the times I have told her, her intellect must be called into question."

Isabella lowered her eyes respectfully. "As Inés wisely observed... it would be impossible to find a woman truly worthy of His Highness."

"I liked her much better when she was younger, back when she was just a quiet, pitiable girl," Cayetana said with a dismayed sigh. "She could never hide her greed for Oscar, but she couldn't bring herself to meet his eyes either. But now... she is no longer that naive little child. There is something unnervingly peculiar about her."

At this point, you may as well be looking for a harlot to serve him in bed, Inés thought mockingly, but her outward expression remained serious as she regarded Cayetana's pensive expression. Although she was sick and tired of the empress's relentless criticism of Alicia as if Oscar were perfect in every single way, she had to agree with her last observation.

"I cast her away in my heart when Marquess Barca's father perished in that unfortunate accident. It seemed an ideal excuse to dissolve the betrothal... You must understand, His Majesty and I felt nothing but pure reluctance in choosing Alicia as the match for Oscar. There is something amiss with that girl. In fact, I would advise anybody against marrying her, even if it was the son of a distant acquaintance."

"I understand, Your Majesty," Inés said with a nod.

"It is sheer agony, allowing this marriage to proceed despite knowing full well how gravely mistaken it is."

Now that Inés thought about it, there was something strange about Cayetana's long-standing disdain for Alicia ever since she was a little child, well before she might have shown any of the traits the empress now claimed to see in her. In Inés's past life, the empress had revealed her true colors only after Inés had suffered multiple miscarriages. Moreover, Alicia was the daughter of House Barca, one of the most esteemed families among the Grandes de Ortega.

If Alicia being orphaned was not the root of Cayetana's disdain, was there something more hidden beneath the surface?

Inés could easily imagine how far Alicia could fall into the depths of madness as a result of her obsessive love, as with Alicia Ijar. However, she also knew Alicia's madness stemmed from Oscar. It would be improbable for Alicia to ever hurt the crown prince; in fact, she would do anything-anything-to please him. Even if it meant allowing another woman to take her place as the bride, Alicia would comply if it were Oscar's wish. Although some would mock the holy union, it posed no threat to Cayetana's own interests, who wanted an obedient daughter-in-law. Truthfully, Alicia was perfect for the position of crown princess.

Cayetana released a heavy sigh and continued, "Oscar is the only reason this travesty has progressed so far. None of us imagined he would choose Alicia after postponing his marriage for so long like a willful child... His Majesty and I both tried to dissuade him, but he insisted it mattered not who he married if he couldn't have you."

The words struck Inés like a sudden blow, and she felt her composure fracture. A scowl of disgust twisted her features before she could suppress it, and she swiftly turned her face away, feigning concern for what Isabella might think of the comment.

"Even His Majesty could not sway Oscar's obstinate will," Cayetana grumbled. "Fortunately, His Majesty shares my distaste for the girl. He fully intends to nullify the marriage should the opportunity presents itself."

Nullify the marriage? Inés blinked in shock and disgust. She quickly bowed her head to hide the insolent expression, wondering if Oscar had used his puny wits to foresee such an outcome. "My apologies, Your Majesty. I did not recognize the extent of your concerns."

"Isabella is truly fortunate to have you as Cárcel's wife," Cayetana muttered, then her expression brightened with intrigue as if she had just remembered something. "Ah! Speaking of nullifying this whole ordeal..." She abruptly waved a dismissive hand at the minister and his entourage.

Once the men obediently filed out of the room, she turned back to the duchess, her eyes sharp with intent. "There is something I must discuss regarding Miguel with you, Isabella."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I believe the third daughter of Count Castagnary would make a suitable match for him."

A moment of shocked silence hung in the air. Then Isabella replied politely, "I regret to say such an arrangement would not be possible."

Inés stole a discreet glance at Isabella as the empress continued, her voice laced with aloof disdain.

"Viviana was never a suitable match for Miguel. She was far too jealous-the kind that men find exhausting. It is a relief that the betrothal was dissolved."

"She was only a child then," Isabella murmured softly, but Cayetana seemed to pay her no mind.

"While Castagnarys pale in comparison to Escalantes, the count's loyalty to my brother has been quite useful. Arranging another match may be the only way to maintain this alliance."

"Miguel cannot marry the sister of a woman who was once betrothed to him," Isabella said firmly. "Such a union would render both our houses the subject of ridicule throughout the empire."

Cayetana's gaze shifted to Inés like a vulture selecting her next prey. "Perhaps he could be matched with someone from your family, Inés."

As Inés struggled to form an appropriate response, Isabella swiftly intervened. "With all due respect, Your Majesty, Miguel is in no state to consider marriage."

"Weakling," Cayetana grumbled with a click of her tongue. "He grieves as though he has lost a woman he was wed for a lifetime when he is scarcely twenty years old. What is there to mourn in the death of a girl he played with as a child?"

Isabella quickly bowed her head, and Inés knew intuitively that she had done so to hide the contempt in her eyes. It was the same reaction that Inés had displayed only a moment ago, except it seemed to be a well-practiced habit for Isabella, honed over years.

Cayetana paused, leisurely resting her chin on one hand and fluttering her silk fan with the other hand. She looked as if she was contemplating the matter, but Inés knew from experience that the empress had already reached a conclusion.

Just as she had expected, Cayetana's voice came again, slow and calculated. "It is a delicate situation, indeed. Now then... I believe the best course would be for Miguel to marry Dolores. It is not uncommon among the Grandes de Ortega for cousins to marry each other."

Dolores shared no blood relation with Miguel since she was the love child of the emperor. And while Cayetana presented Dolores as though she were Miguel's cousin, she was in fact offering the latter to House Escalante as the empress's daughter.

"Sometimes, the most advantageous alliances arise from the unlikeliest circumstances," Cayetana mused, her lips curling up in satisfaction. "I must thank Viviana for her untimely demise-her absence has paved the way for Miguel to become the son-in-law of the emperor himself."

It seemed Isabella's opinion and Miguel's crippling anguish did not mean anything to her. For Cayetana, Viviana's death carried no greater significance than the loss of a mere trinket.