I had not intended to follow Eric's pace, but receiving the peach trees and becoming involved with Reinhardt increased my discomfort.
Especially since he deceived me about the amount of peach trees.
So, this time I decided to follow Eric's lead.
“In the current situation, there is no need to donate peach trees.”
In response to my answer, Reinhardt smiled as usual, raising the corners of his mouth.
But his eyes did not reflect his smile.
“I see.
By the way, I didn’t know the Duke thought of Her Highness that way.”
There seems to be a big misunderstanding here.
The reason the man bought the greenhouse orchard was simply to prevent any decline in the Duke's reputation.
At that moment, Eric spoke calmly and with a gentle smile.
“Archduke, won’t you be late for dinner?”
Eric's sudden comment made me check the time.
Hmm, it's still a bit early for dinner.
It was four o'clock, a bit early to suggest dinner.
I couldn't understand why Eric said that.
But I soon realized his intention.
It will take about an hour to return to the Archduke's house.
Ah, he meant it was time to go home.
Surely, it would be better for Reinhardt to leave now, given the mysterious hour.
“And I need to bid farewell to the guest and have a conversation with the Duchess...”
So, I followed Eric's lead again.
“Okay, so, shall we go back now?”
Reinhardt, with a face of disappointment, sighed deeply before saying, “I will see you soon, Your Highness.”
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As Reinhardt walked out of the Duke's palace, his servant approached him.
“Young Master, I have delivered the gifts to the princess,” he began, but he could not finish it, noticing Reinhardt’s behavior.
It was because of Reinhardt's sharp gaze.
“Burn all the prepared trees,” Reinhardt ordered.
Although he felt remorse deep inside, he did not dare to show it, for fear of what Reinhardt might do if he revealed his thoughts.
The servant bowed and replied: “Yes, I understand.”
When Reinhardt got into the cart, he clenched and then unclenched his fist.
“It's not easy.”
Cornelia's defenses were formidable.
He wondered if it was because of her affection for her husband, but her gaze towards Eric was cold.
He quickly clenched his fist tightly.
After a while, a crooked smile appeared on his face.
“Yes, it wouldn't be fun if it were easy.”
With a rift in their relationship, the pressure on it could cause it to collapse.
Today may have seemed like a retreat, but it was a preparation for the future.
“Now that I know his weak point, I have to go back and plan.”
After a while, Archduke Tarrant's carriage left the ducal palace.
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After Reinhardt left, there was an awkward silence in the reception room, and only Eric and I remained.
The fruit must be delicious.
It looks bright and smells good.
The delicious fruity smell in the reception room made me drool involuntarily.
However, out of self-respect, I couldn't eat the fruit he brought in front of Eric, especially since our relationship was strained.
There's no point in staying here with him.
I have to go.
“I'll go up to my room then.”
And I'm about to get up from my seat,
“Wait, wait”
He called me.
“Do you have anything to say?”
As he looked at me in silence, he finally spoke.
“Why did you refuse the gift?”
Wait, he warned me not to accept it, and now he's asking me this?
Honestly, it was confusing.
“I felt uncomfortable”
“Uncomfortable?”
“Yes, I didn't understand why Reinhardt suddenly wanted to give him all these gifts.”
When Eric heard this, he laughed lightly.
“Either you're thick or sensitive; I don't know.”
His smiling face, which I once looked at as if enchanted, no longer captivated me.
I realized that my survival and the survival of my child was more important.
“But why are you so curious about it?”
“There was no specific reason.
You just mentioned it...”
Eric started to speak, but his expression turned to astonishment, and he quickly lowered his head deeply.
Why is he acting so strange?
Why is his head lowered like that? , I thought to myself.
“I'll go then.”
He quickly got up from his seat and left the room before I could respond.
I was left alone, so I sat there with a confused expression, and my eyebrows furrowed shortly afterwards.
“What's wrong?”
After a moment, I realized that I was alone in the reception room.
The tempting fruits caught my eye irresistibly.
Well, fruits are innocent, right?
I picked a ripe plum from the basket, wiped it on my sleeve, then took a bite.
As the sweet and sour juice spread into my mouth, a natural smile spread across my face.
“It must have been grown in the greenhouse.
It is so sweet.”
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After Eric left the reception room, he walked quickly towards the office room.
Then, when he saw someone he didn't want to meet on the stairs, he frowned.
“Ma’am”
“Resume the contract.
Don’t talk too much about Madeleine coming to our palace.”
Since that day, the Grand Madame has not stopped talking to Eric about the contract and banning Madeleine from entering the palace.
For this reason, Eric had no intention of engaging in lengthy conversations.
“Shall we go to dinner?”
“Who knows, right?”
Despite the mother's coldness, Eric remained firm and answered:
“Come in.
I have some documents to prepare, so I'll go upstairs first.”
The mother frowned, but Eric paid no attention and left.
Eric arrived at his office shortly, closed the door and looked in the mirror.
His face slowly started to blush.
“I almost made a mistake”
Because of his long experience, he thought he had become insensitive in dealing with Cornelia.
However, his heart reacted whenever he looked at her, and his face flushed whenever their eyes met.
Moreover, he couldn't help but feel relieved that she had moved away from Reinhardt earlier, and seemed to be on his side.
Although she seemed uncomfortable mixing words with him just now.
But soon Eric's blue eyes darkened.
Yes, I must not deceive myself.
She didn't stand by him.
The person he remembered as a good person was his brother, and the person who had the chance to choose again was his brother.
And he...
“I don't mean anything to her.”
Finally, when he sensed someone's presence, his blue eyes sparkled.
A moment later, Janet, one of his trusted subordinates, entered through the open window.
“Sir, I have something to tell you.”
Eric thought it was going to be another report on her, so he opened his mouth.
"Let's go."
Then Janet got down on one knee.
“I want to guard the Duchess in public.”
Eric frowned at the unexpected request.
“Why?”
Given Janet's background as a former assassin, it would be easier to guard her discreetly rather than openly.
Therefore, Eric couldn't understand the reason for her sudden request.
“The lady personally requested it.”
This statement revealed the secret guarding.
But what surprised Eric was something else.
“Did you?”
Cornelia had previously insisted on not appointing guards for her.
So, her voluntary request was unfathomable, and Eric couldn't refuse.
Eric nodded reluctantly, “Okay, understood.
Starting tomorrow, you will be responsible for guarding her.”
“After eating just one prune, I feel refreshed.”
After completing a satisfactory taste test, I planned to leave the reception room and return to my room.
“Maybe I should try building a greenhouse later?
Growing fruits and flowers might be good for the child’s mental health...”
However, I came across the eldest lady standing in front of the stairwell.
Did she just come from the dining room?
But why does she look so surprised?
Although I thought it was best to ignore her, I couldn't help but talk to her.
“Ma’am, have you eaten?”
She stared at me as if she found me repulsive, frowning.
She quickly ignored me, and seemed to be heading towards the annex.
Quickly, I took out the gift I had put in my pocket.
Then she asked me, with a frown on her face: “What are these?”
“I went out today and thought this gift would suit you.”
“Is that true?
Show it to me then.”
The essence of the gift lies in unwrapping it, but perhaps you found even unwrapping annoying, as she instructed me to do.
Well, it's her loss.
And I thought about this, so I unwrapped the beautiful ribbon and unwrapped the box.
Well, I'm almost done.
As I slowly opened the jewelry box, she muttered softly, looking at me.
“I don't understand.
Why would someone give something like that...”
Normally, I would have thought she was addressing me, but it was the “piece” in my hand.
With a bright smile, I held up the ruby pendant.
“Ma’am, what do you think?
Do you like it?”