Previously
During the Empress Dowager's birthday party, Duke Gabriel attempts to undermine Liliana's charity work and pressures Helio to marry Vesty, but Helio deflects by entrusting Liliana with the National Festival.
As soon as Lucia walked in, she shut the door behind her, leaving Sophia and Terenz trapped inside with nowhere to slip away. Pinned against the door, the two folded their hands respectfully, exchanging anxious glances.
Unbothered, Lucia planted her hands on her hips and glared sternly at Helio. Her sleek, impeccably tailored gown traced her slender waistline perfectly, lending her an even more commanding presence.
Lucia’s rebuke made Liliana shrink inward.
If anyone was at fault, it was Liliana for knocking on the door and hurrying inside before getting an answer.
Yet soaked in wine as she was, her dress had been an absolute mess, and she could not have lingered out in the corridor any longer.
Helio merely shrugged in the face of Lucia's fury.
Liliana’s shoulders flinched at the sharp snap of Lucia's voice. She had never expected such an explosive temper from a woman she had previously viewed only as a cold, composed tutor.
Liliana looked at Helio with pleading eyes, but he was fixing a piercing glare onto Lucia. Then, his voice dropped, heavy and low.
Lucia scowled, biting her lower lip in frustration. Terrified that an outright brawl might erupt between the two, Liliana tugged lightly at Helio’s sleeve. In that instant, his gaze shifted toward her.
Lucia let out a deep sigh, her tone moderating.
Helio gave Liliana’s shoulder a dismissive, reassuring pat as though it were nothing, then turned his gaze back to Lucia.
Crossing her arms, Lucia asked in an unconcerned drawl,
Liliana was just as curious.
Forgetting the sticky wine clinging to her skin, she hung on every word between Helio and Lucia, given that the matter revolved squarely around her.
Duke Gabriel would inevitably become wary of her and launch an attack, yet Helio seemed unperturbed on her behalf. At the same time, he did not appear to have abandoned her either, which only deepened her confusion.
Helio let out a brief laugh before turning back toward Liliana.
Liliana stared in bewilderment as he approached with the handkerchief. She froze just as she had earlier, her fingers locked together tight, when an ivory-smooth hand cut between them. It was Lucia stepping in.
Helio arched an eyebrow, complaining under his breath.
Helio tried to brush off the accusation with a lie, but it fell apart immediately as Liliana’s jaw dropped in absolute shock.
Lucia gave her a knowing look.
Helio let out a long sigh and pressed a palm to his forehead.
Liliana scrambled to compose her features, clapping both hands over her mouth.
It was already too late. Lucia pulled Liliana by the arm, tucking her behind her back, and gestured toward the door with a triumphant smirk.
Helio grumbled under his breath, shaking his head without further argument.
Helio waved a hand over his face, motioning up and down as a silent reminder for her to keep her expressions in check. With Liliana offering a faint smile in response, the master of the room stepped out toward the banquet hall.
The moment Helio stepped out, Lucia ordered her maids to prepare fresh clothes and warm water.
Slipping out of her damp dress, Liliana left herself in Sophia's capable hands. Sophia gently wiped Liliana’s skin down with a warm towel.
Watching quietly from the side, Lucia broke the silence.
Liliana tilted her head back to let Sophia clean her shoulders and asked,
Liliana wanted to be prepared more than anyone.
Having observed Vesty, she was far from the immense threat she had posed in the original novel, but Duke Gabriel was an entirely different matter.
Helio’s growing interest in her had likely put her life in even greater jeopardy.
Liliana could not help feeling a pang of resentment toward him.
Had she not explicitly stated she wanted a quiet life? Yet he was always dragging her straight into the heart of trouble.
Liliana looked at Lucia with a conflicted expression. Lucia sat beside her and took her hand, her eyes turning earnest.
A faint smile touched Lucia’s lips.
Leaning in close to Liliana’s ear, Lucia whispered something. Liliana’s eyes went wide, stunned by what she heard.
Lucia patted Liliana's shoulder and walked out of the room.
Her maids followed closely behind, leaving only Liliana and Sophia in the room.
Just as Liliana made to rise, Sophia stepped close and whispered carefully,
Liliana understood immediately what she meant.
The Contraceptive Pills.
Once she had them in hand, she would no longer need to avoid sleeping with Helio, and she could finally earn his trust.
Letting out a breath of relief, Liliana smoothed a hand over her chest.
Yet what was this surge of guilt washing over a corner of her heart like a wave?
Liliana shook her head.
Guilt was a luxury she could not afford when her very life was on the line.
❈❈❈
The Empress Dowager's birthday banquet drew quietly to a close despite its boisterous start. After showering her with all manner of lavish gifts, the guests trickled out one by one until only the Empress Dowager, Helio, and Lucia remained in the hall.
The Empress Dowager spoke with understanding, yet a touch of sadness lingered on her face. She seemed to have hoped to conclude the festivities alongside Liliana.
With a smile, Lucia remarked,
The Empress Dowager made no effort to hide her fondness for Liliana.
Helio sat in silence, listening to the conversation between the Empress Dowager and Lucia.
A servant standing nearby stepped forward and filled Helio’s glass with wine, but he merely swirled the liquid idly, showing no intention of drinking.
As Helio kept his silence, the chatter between the Empress Dowager and Lucia gradually tapered off. His stillness weighed so heavily upon the room that the atmosphere stifled any further casual talk.
The Empress Dowager finally broke the silence. Helio stopped swirling the wine and shifted his gaze toward her.
His blue eyes were utterly devoid of readable emotion.
The tone in which Helio addressed his mother was flat and level, carrying no inflection from which to guess his intent.
No one could have anticipated those words. Both the Empress Dowager and Lucia stared in stark disbelief, unable to mask their shock.
Everyone remembered what Helio had declared when he placed the Empress Dowager in that seat. He had avenged her neglect by binding her to the empire for the rest of her days.
Yet now, Helio was telling his mother that she was free to go home.
The Empress Dowager asked, her voice trembling as though she could not believe her ears.
They were words she had not heard since she was first shackled under the late Emperor's rule. She had long since given up even dreaming of returning to her homeland.
Helio said, tapping his fingers against the table before adding impassively,
With that, Helio rose from his seat.
He showed not a shred of hesitation, walking away without glancing back at the Empress Dowager, who sat frozen, staring at his cold, unbothered back.
In that fleeting moment, the Empress Dowager made up her mind.
Helio came to an abrupt halt and turned toward her.
Looking at his silhouette, the Empress Dowager spoke.
Helio’s face darkened as he turned back to face her, while the Empress Dowager offered a gentle smile.
Recalling that moment, the Empress Dowager laughed aloud, her expression melting with profound relief.
Her conduct defied all court etiquette and protocol, yet no one in the room dared raise an objection, for anyone could see she was genuinely content.
Helio looked as though he had no desire to prolong the exchange and turned to leave. Undeterred, the Empress Dowager spoke on.
“Even if I returned to my homeland, I would never be happy anyway.”
A bitter smile graced the Empress Dowager's lips.
No one would have believed that a woman who had always maintained
such an immaculate, poised composure could ever lay her emotions bare like this.
Yet the Empress Dowager showed no hesitation.
Helio paused, seeming to waver for a fraction of a second.
Leaving only those words behind, he turned and walked away.
The Empress Dowager stared after the spot where Helio had vanished for a long while, her features crumpling. It was not resentment that surfaced on her face, but a deep, aching regret.
Lucia approached and wrapped her arms around her, and leaning against the shoulder of a princess who shared not a drop of her blood, the Empress Dowager wept quietly.