Family talk (Serena POV)

"The Ashford family is quite silent nowadays. Seems like they have a hard time raising from their last fall." My father cut his steak into a small piece with a knife and fork then ate it after he talked.

It was dinner time in Gordson's mansion, where My father, my older cousin, and I had a meal together. Only the best child of this house could have a meal together with father, the head of Gordson duchy.

"I can't even believe that they were betrayed by their most potential servant." I responded as I put a piece of meat in my mouth.

Davis, my older cousin, cut his steak, "you mean, Olivia Whitley?" I only nodded. "She really is something isn't she? She started to work for Ashford when she was nine years old, then she became their advisor and engaged to Rowan. I wonder if they actually have killed her." He continued.

"Isn't it a good thing for us? They lost their most valuable servant, and at the same time Prince Roosevelt also lost at the sparing. It's only time for them to completely fall." I state my opinion.

It had been a month since the sparring between the princes and since that time, the Ashford family started to lose their influence. Roosevelt, the second prince, lost to Francis, the first prince who everyone despised at first. It was such a great loss since everyone watched that match.

Davis smirked as he finished the meat in his mouth. "You're right. Since the last annual evaluation Prince Francis has caught a lot of attention. I wonder why Ashford sent a proposal to us, but it seems like it because they need more support."

Why did he talk about the proposal? It just made me feel so uncomfortable! So I just smiled politely and ate in silence, to hide my actual feeling.

"Prince Roosevelt lost in sparring with Prince Francis. There's no reason for us to support them. Prince Francis is more promising." My father spoke with a deep voice. "Serena, I'm thinking of marrying you to Prince Francis and supporting him. What's your opinion?"

Davis made me feel uncomfortable by talking about the proposal sent by Ashford and after that my father talked about marriage. What a tiring dinner. I sighed as I couldn't protest.

I put my knife and fork back on the table, "if I can help to support this family, then I'm okay with it." I smiled.

"Alright. I will talk about it with his majesty then." My father put his knife and fork back on the table and wiped his mouth. "Serena, I have something to discuss with Davis. Can you give us some space?"

"Yes, father." I left the dining room and returned back to my room.

Davis, Davis, and Davis. Father always talked and discussed a lot with him in private without me. He was just his nephew, but how come he favored Davis more?! I walked fastly in a bad mood.

Inside my room, I changed my gown into a nightgown. "Ugh…" I sat on my bed, thinking about the discussion before. Ashford and Gordson both were a strong family and netral to each other.

When the Ashford family suddenly sent a proposal to the Gordson family to marry me and Prince Roosevelt, my father and I were confused. But since Prince Roosevelt had a higher chance to be the crown prince, my father thought to consider it.

But I guessed that family was corrupted from the core. At the almost same time Prince Roosevelt lost in the sparring, Olivia betrayed them and ran away. They, who were unprepared, faced a hard time for the past one month, and no one knew when and how they could rise again to their prime condition.

My father, who was considered to talk more about the proposal, ended up refusing the proposal. 'They aren't in good condition. How can we support them?' said my father as he wrote a rejection letter. He thought to choose to support Prince Francis, who won at the sparring. He even prepared to get me engaged and married him.

Those marriage things made me tired and I didn't want to get married or engaged yet. Getting married meant my power came from my husband and then my child. All I wanted was my own power that came from me, myself, not anyone else.

I wanted to be the heir of the family or at least a high rank official at the academy. But, but why was it so hard for me to get it?! Why did my father never look at me as his useful daughter?

I had tried my best in every way to get more of my father's attention. I studied so hard and graduated from the academy when I was fifteen, much younger than most people with a perfect score. I even helped him in managing the academy since I graduated and never made a fatal mistake. Beside those, I also started a new family business in fashion and it was a good succeed compared with other Gordson's family business.

But still, father, he valued Davis more than me. He gave Davis a position of an official in the academy. While me, father even did not allow me to be a professor and only let me help from the mansion.

Not only in the academy, Davis was more likely to be the heir who would continue father's position. By law, I could be the heir of Gordson duchy since I am also part of this family. But with the reason that father valued Davis more, Davis got a better chance than me.

Should I find something about the Ashford family? If I found their weakness and a way to expand Gordson's influence, father would look at me right?

I had to learn about Olivia then. She was quite suspicious in my eyes, in the last one year. Prince Francis' annual evaluation's score increased a lot once she entered the palace as his study partner. She also betrayed the Ashford family. I wonder what she wanted and how she did it.

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Hello everyone!!!

Finally I publish a chapter here. I'm sorry for the extended hiatus, but don't worry because I will try my best to publish new chapter everyday.

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