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Inés was keenly aware that Empress Cayetana harbored far more affection for Dolores than anyone thought. In her past life, it was around this time that Dolores's relationship with the empress began to sour, a rift sparked when Dolores realized that she was a Signorelli in an exchange with Inés. The empress had taken ill several times as the rift between her and Dolores deepened.

Empress Cayetana, sorely disappointed by her son, Oscar, and having lost the only other child she could rely on, had caused considerable friction after her patience ran out with her son. As much as each member of this family had devils dancing on hellfire or the flames of hell itself raging within them, they had still maintained an impeccable facade. It was impossible not to enjoy watching their relationships crumble.

The fact that Dolores had remained blissfully unaware of her status as a Signorelli before Inés had told her about it spoke to Cayetana's affection for her. That Dolores could bemoan her lack of a surname was a testament to the empress's efforts to shelter her lowly stepdaughter in a world full of comfort and opulence. The empress had first reluctantly taken Dolores in to use as a pawn, yet over time, she had grown fond of her and eventually loved her like her own child.

A sneer curled Inés's lips as disappointment settled in. The mighty empress, who had seemed to fear nothing in the world, actually had a fatal weakness: her husband's illegitimate daughter. That such a little, unworthy girl had weakened the proud empress's iron heart so completely was unbelievable.

"Should I not have done that?" asked Regina.

Inés frowned, her gaze sharp and accusing. "Do you truly need to ask?"

"I must pretend to follow Her Majesty's orders, so I had little choice but to convince Lady Dolores... to an extent."

"To an extent, eh?"

"But when she considered giving birth to the heir of House Escalante, that lowborn mongrel's eyes gleamed with ambition. She really has no sense of her place," Regina said, her blue eyes glinting with amusement. Her expression showed that she was simply stating the truth without any trace of malice.

Inés gave her an incredulous look.

"Lady Inés, would you reconsider? A union between Lord Miguel and Lady Dolores could serve your interests in the future. And the interests of House Escalante as well."

"A marriage to a Signorelli? A mockery of a marriage that wouldn't even be sanctioned by the Church if not for the empress's threats?"

"Still, it is a union devised by Her Majesty. Even if an exceptional arrangement must be made, it would be no different from a legitimate union. Lady Dolores would then be completely under your control, and-"

"I have no desire for that, and this is not about me. Miguel would be the one getting married."

"It is unfortunate for Lord Miguel... but given his state, it would not matter who his new bride is."

"Unless that bride happens to be the very one who had tormented his deceased betrothed for years. Dolores should never have accepted this match."

The emperor had been a silent observer of this play. He was indifferent to his only daughter, but he wasn't blind to the status she had gained in high society. Illegitimate as she might be, Dolores was still the emperor's daughter, the closest thing to a princess. Now that she had agreed to the match, it fell to House Escalante to break this arrangement-an act that would make them disloyal subjects for daring to reject the emperor's daughter. This was no ordinary rejection, like how other noble houses had refused her outright, saying that a Signorelli was not an acceptable bride. The circumstances now were far more nuanced; the stakes were higher. First of all, Empress Cayetana, formerly of House Escalante herself, had declared the match one between cousins, neatly dismissing Dolores's lowly origins. Second, Duke Escalante was currently being tested by the emperor, with little right to refuse the union.

Were House Escalante to refuse now, they would be criticized for being so arrogant as to believe themselves too noble for the emperor's daughter, a dangerous presumption for a family already walking a fine line. Instead of proving their loyalty to the emperor to dissuade him from his doubts, such disobedience would only fuel the notion that they saw themselves as above the imperial family.

Inés let out a small sigh, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Make her change her mind again."

"It would be difficult, as Lady Dolores despises making herself look like a fool. And even if she does change her mind, would Her Majesty accept her opinion?"

"That girl has been very susceptible to you for many years."

"I practically raised her since she was a child, so that is only natural."

"Then correct this situation," Inés said, her voice firm.

Regina eyed her for a moment before smiling. "You seem to be genuinely concerned for Lord Miguel."

"He is my husband's only sibling."

Regina's smile deepened, as if to signal that she would consider helping if this was the case. Inés wasn't sure whether to be grateful that Regina took her feelings into consideration, or to take offense at her presumptuous attitude. Even in her past life, Regina Merillo had shown her such dubious favors at times. She had warned Inés before Empress Cayetana could get her into trouble and had even lied to the empress to protect her.

But Inés knew better than to take such kindness at face value. In the treacherous world of court politics, many attendants feigned loyalty to gain trust, only to dig up any information they could before returning to their old masters. It wasn't until she had turned twenty-three in her past life that she came to understand the reason behind Regina's favors after hearing about the woman's life from her own mother.

"You will do as you see fit," Regina said, "Still, you might want to bear in mind Lady Dolores has only just realized her potential to bear the future heir of House Escalante. She despises being seen as a mere substitute, so I pried a little, but... once she's married into the family, all it will take is a small nudge for her to act against you."

Inés lifted her brow. "What could she possibly do?"

"Whatever she attempts, I can help you find a way to turn it to your advantage, my lady."

Regina's demeanor turned servile again, leaving the decision up to Inés. The strange animosity she held toward Dolores-the girl she had practically raised- was technically not aimed toward Dolores alone. Her venom ran much deeper.

One of Empress Cayetana's longest-serving ladies-in-waiting, Regina Merillo despised the empress more than anyone in the world. She had allied herself with Inés long ago, drawn by the common enemy they shared. When Inés Valenza had suffered relentless persecution at the hands of the empress, Regina had felt an instant bond of sympathy and pity toward the crown princess.

"Lady Dolores is incredibly foolish," Regina continued, "which makes her easy to manipulate. She can be quite clever when it comes to tormenting others, but whenever she finds herself in the smallest bind, she becomes an utter dimwit. Her wit deserts her entirely. She takes pleasure in making others uneasy, but as soon as the tables turn, she is as fragile as a glass cannon. The only reason she hasn't shattered is because the empress has protected her. If you were to separate them and place Lady Dolores under your domain, she will undoubtedly be of use to you."

"She would be of use to you," Inés replied. She had separated Dolores from the empress in her past life, so she knew exactly what Regina Merillo meant. It was not Dolores who Regina sought to ruin-her real target lay elsewhere.

Regina Merillo had once been the emperor's woman for a very short time, though no one remembered it now. This was nothing special, as the emperor had dallied with countless women, and the empress had not only turned a blind eye but had even encouraged such affairs at times, granting herself the same freedom. And so, several of the empress's ladies-in-waiting had been led to the emperor's bed in the past.

Regina Merillo had been one of them. She had felt no guilt at technically betraying her master. Empress Cayetana's temper had evened out a lot in her later years, meaning that she had been entirely unmanageable in her youth, according to Isabella.

For the precious young lady of House Merillo, who had been forced into the position of the empress's lady-in-waiting for political reasons, nothing could have been sweeter revenge against the humiliation she had to bear under Cayetana's service than a night with the emperor. It was clear that Regina had been eager to jump at the chance to betray the empress who insulted her day after day.

But the emperor's interest passed by Regina quite quickly. As regretful as it was, this kind of thing usually made for a great tale for young ladies her age so that it was not a bad ending for her. On the contrary, she was not tied to the position of the emperor's, which allowed her to live in peace. Things were different, however, for the young woman who had dared to bear the emperor's child, when the emperor himself was notoriously unsuccessful in getting anyone pregnant.

Inés eyed the woman before her as she attempted to guess how old she must have been when she became a mother for the first and last time twenty-seven years ago now. Seventeen or eighteen? She must have only been sixteen when she had gone through a few glorious days as the emperor's mistress, which would explain why she barely looked over forty now.

Regina gave her a slightly offended look. "None of this is for my sake, of course. All I do is for your-"

"For your son's sake. Do not forget that your son is in my hands. Always," Inés warned her coldly.

All traces of her smile left Regina's face. "I am forever grateful to you for providing him with a place to sleep and food to eat, Lady Inés. It feels like only yesterday instead of nine years ago that I heard, to my great shock, that the boy had returned to Mendoza as if he had nothing to fear... I was so shocked at first that it took me a while to realize that he had survived. I was so touched. You took in that foolish and pitiful child and hid him out of sight, far away from Mendoza. I will always remember what you have done for us. And the day you sent him to Bilbao was the first time I was able to rest easy at night."

Regina went down on her knees in the carriage and pressed her forehead against the back of Inés's hand as a sign of gratitude to the one who had saved her. This was a gesture done by anyone, regardless of status, to show a benefactor respect. Inés did not react surprised in the least and looked down at the woman with narrowed eyes.

"Ever since that day, I have never regarded you as an immature young lady. I would never dare to look down on you, my lady."

"And yet you seem defiant at times," Inés said, her voice edged with suspicion.

"Please do not mistake my actions. I have never wavered in my loyalty to you... I was simply glad to have found a way to repay you, even if only in the smallest way. I am your humble servant. I will never forget what you did for me nine years ago. Whatever you command, I will always obey."