Chapter 4The Dream Wife

The smile froze on Julian’s face.

At the mention of Eva’s name, he instinctively turned his head away, his breathing suddenly heavy. This reluctance to speak of her surprised me. She was supposed to be the woman he cherished above all else. For her, he had ruined his reputation, lost a powerful alliance, and even defied his own family. Why was he now so unwilling to even mention her name?

I glanced at the group who had spoken up for him. They had all sunk back into their seats, their faces showing awkward, half-formed smiles. Isabelle gestured for a servant to lead Julian to an empty seat.

He sat in silence, then raised his cup and drained it in one go.

Isabelle snorted. “A little late for regrets.”

I didn’t reply. Julian was a faded memory, no longer worthy of my attention.

I turned to my friends and began talking about my time in Lyria. While not as grand as the capital, it possessed a freedom and vibrancy all its own. There was no nightly curfew; the markets remained open and alive all night, illuminated by thousands of lanterns.

As I spoke with a smile, I noticed Julian listening intently. Suddenly, he cut in.

“The southern air certainly suits you, Seraphina. You’re far more radiant and lively than before.”

“In all those years we were together, you always maintained that prim and proper facade. It made a man want to tease you.”

The undisguised intimacy in his tone brought the lively atmosphere to a halt once again.

Under the weight of everyone’s speculative gazes, Julian seemed oblivious to his impropriety and continued reminiscing. “One year, on a spring outing, your kite got caught in a tree in my family’s garden. You could have reached it on your tiptoes, but instead you came running to me in tears…”

Everyone’s eyes darted between Julian and me.

I looked up and met his smiling gaze.

A cold smirk touched my lips. I had no time for his sentimental recollections. “These are old stories, my lord. I’m afraid I don’t recall them. If you enjoy flying kites so much, perhaps you and your wife could go on an outing together. You could fly kites and whisper sweet nothings to each other.”

I paused, letting the sting hang in the air. “Oh? Why didn’t you bring your lady wife today? You insisted on bringing her to my coming-of-age ceremony, yet now that you’re married, you hide her away? Are you afraid someone might steal her from you?”

With that, I covered my mouth with my hand in a gesture of light laughter and turned to Isabelle. “What has the Lady of Blackwood become like? After captivating the young lord so completely three years ago, I imagine she must be even more beautiful and charming now.”

Julian’s once-gentle expression instantly turned to ice. A chill fell over the room. But Isabelle, a royal princess, had no reason to fear him. She was clearly enjoying his discomfort.

“Oh, she is quite a vision!” Isabelle declared. “It’s as if she’s tried to wear every last piece of gold and silver from the Blackwood vaults all at once.”

A few of the ladies, remembering something, couldn’t help but let out a snicker.