The Wedding (1)

Different rumors circulated around the capital of the Asterian empire every day. They could be about nobles ladies' good and bad reputations, politics, the imperial family, and noble families, but one...one event shook the entire nobility, and it did not take few minutes for the entire capital to know about it.

First, the commoners discussed about it;

''A wedding invitation?''

''Yes, duke hayes invited nobles to his wedding.''

''But I thought he married the grand duke's only daughter five years ago.''

''Idiot not her...he is getting married to a commoner, his mistress.''

''He is getting a second wife?!''

''Yes, that annalise cromwell is becoming the second wife of the duke, and their wedding is at noon.''

''But why? He is not divorced from the duchess yet?''

''I heard it is because of that.''

''What?''

''I heard annalise cromwell is pregnant with the duke's first child.''

—-

''My lady, H-How...could the duke..'' Stuttering on her words, Amelia's eyes became teary as she stared at her lady sitting sideways by her usual spot in the room.

''Amelia,'' Isla turned away from the commotion outside the window and smiled at her crying maid, ''I am okay.''

Those three words made the inner thread that held Amelia together, to snap.

''My lady! You can't live like this! How dare he!'' She yelled her grievance, ''I have to let his excellency know about this. He should see his imperial majesty for a divorce. You are pregnant with the duke's child, and yet that mistress is also…'' She did not complete as if the mention of the illegitimate child disgusted her.

''Amelia,'' Isla sighed. Her gaze and smile still remained as she assured her maid, ''I am truly fine.''

Amelia looked at her lady's smile as her tears finally dropped to the ground one by one. Her knees gave out as she knelt at Isla's side. Her sobs occupied the entire room as if she was the one in Isla's place.

''How could he?''

''How could he?''

As she continued to weep, she repeated those words at the same time.

''You were becoming happy with his excellency, my lady..but he...the d-duke..'' Amelia did not stop her grievance from spilling from her mouth. She hated the duke. She hated him for making her lady suffer. She hated him for not appreciating her lady's efforts. She hated him for cheating on her lady. She hated him for having another child, even when her lady was finally blessed with one.

Amelia hated the duke, and Isla could see it in her eyes.

''Amelia,'' Isla was also teary not because of her husband but for Amelia. She behaved exactly the same way as in her second life.

Amelia, the only person who stood by her side, when she felt many turned away from her existence, shed tears for her. Amelia, who had never hated someone, loathed the duke for her when she couldn't do it, as she still loved the latter.

''Amelia, thank you for your tears,'' Tears also trickled down Isla's cheeks. Her lips were still in a smile, as she was happy. The heavens that she thought were not on her side, did give her something precious apart from her son.

Amelia was truly a gift from them.

''It's okay now. Stop crying, Amelia. I am truly fine.'' Isla tilted a bit and stretched her hands to cup Amelia's cheeks. She wiped the glistening tears.

''My lady..''

''Amelia, I am truly fine,'' Isla said, a little firmly this time. ''There is no point in crying because it would not solve anything.''

''I have come to terms that I can never receive the duke's love. I persisted for years and this is what happens. '' Isla turned her gaze to the window and stared at the wedding ceremony that was taking place in her garden.

The garden that she brought up with so much love, her husband dared to use it for something like this.

''They even uprooted some flowers,'' Isla murmured sadly, hoping to see them bloom before she leaves this duchy.

''My lady..'' With dried tears, Amelia watched the sadness in Isla's eyes. She gritted her teeth and clenched her hands, wishing that she could inflict the same pain and misery on the duke and that mistress.

But she couldn't and that thought made her release her hands.

She knew that if she did anything out of line, her lady would be the one to suffer for her actions. The duke could also dismiss her, and her lady would be alone in this duchy without anyone on her side.

''His excellency still takes care of her excellency's greenhouse,'' Amelia said after calming her raging emotions. She then stood up with a growing smile on her face, ''When my lady is ready to go back to the south with the baby. The flowers, the greenhouse, will always be waiting for their rightful owner.''

Isla's gaze went back to Amelia, who kept on talking.

''Until then, I would do my best to make sure that my lady remains happy even when that woman and her child are in this place.'' Amelia respectfully bowed and vowed in her heart. Her lady must always be happy with her child.

''But my lady..don't wait too long to leave this place.'' Amelia stood with outright disgust on her face. ''The Hayes duchy is not worthy of my lady's kindness.''

Isla chuckled at her with dried tears, ''Okay then, I won't wait long, Amelia.''

However, if Amelia had looked closely at Isla, she would have seen the latter's eyes flash with sadness for a few seconds.

'Sorry for lying to you, Amelia,' Isla sadly thought, then turned to watch her husband and Annalise sealing their marriage with a kiss on the lips. The same lips that she kissed, another woman landed her lips there.

How nauseating… Isla sneered in her heart, wishing she could wash her lips till she felt they were clean and free of her husband's touch.

''I should bring a refreshing snack for you, my lady.'' Amelia wished to make her lady happy, and decided to bring foods that her lady had taken a liking to since the beginning of her pregnancy.

''hmm..'' Isla hummed in response. Amelia bowed and left her alone in the bedroom.

Once the door closed, Isla did not move from the sitting position. She remained on the chair, deeply watching the smiles on her husband's and annalise's face.

''They look happy,'' she mumbled with her hand on her belly, and gave her unborn child a gentle rub.

''And we will be happy too, my son. Mother promises you that.''

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