Chapter 9
Ethan left before the wedding ceremony was over.
He couldn’t quite explain the emptiness in his heart. In his past life, even after marrying the princess, he had never truly let go of Flora. He had risked exposure and execution just to fake his death and be with her. Now that he knew the princess had chosen Linden–no longer standing in the way of him and Flora–he should’ve felt relieved. But instead, it felt as though something vital had been torn away.
He returned to Sterling Castle and sat alone at the stone table.
Flora soon followed him and sat beside him, her face glowing with a shy smile.
“Ethan, there’s no one standing between us anymore. Shouldn’t we start making plans for our own marriage?”
Seeing the woman he loved looking so sweet and cheerful, Ethan forced a smile and tried to convince himself he was simply overthinking things.
“You’re right, Flora. I’ll propose to you in the coming days. We should make it official before the princess changes her mind and starts clinging to me again.”
Flora immediately nodded in delight.
But several days passed, and Ethan still hadn’t made any preparations for their engagement.
He kept thinking Lena would come back to him.
In his previous life, after he faked his death, Lena had remained widowed for the rest of her days. She had never once blamed him, not even at the end.
So how could she truly have married Linden in this life? It had to be a ploy to provoke him. She’d come back–surely within a day or two.
But he waited and waited, only to hear the news that Lena and Linden were leaving the country to travel together.
Unable to hold back any longer, Ethan went to confront them before their departure. With a cold expression, he stepped in front of Lena.
“Your Highness, I urge you to reconsider. If you leave now, then even if you beg me to marry you in the future, I will no longer agree.”
Lena was baffled. She had already publicly read the royal decree and formally married Linden. Why was Ethan acting as though this were all some elaborate joke?
She furrowed her delicate brows and was about to respond when Linden stepped in, gently stopping her with a glance before stepping forward on his own.
“Earl Sterling, you are in the presence of a princess and a prince. Why do you not kneel in greeting? Once, we were both considered suitors for the princess, and our families were well–matched, so perhaps the rules were more relaxed. But now that I am her husband, and you no longer have any ties to her, it would be improper for you to behave as if nothing has changed.”
Though Linden smiled as he spoke, every word cut deep. Ethan’s face darkened.
He wasn’t wrong. In the past, Lena had never cared for court etiquette, which was why she had spent her days teasing and bickering with Linden. But now, being told to kneel felt like an admission of inferiority.
Ethan had always been arrogant. He had only ever knelt before Flora. Now, his expression turned grim as he ignored Linden and looked straight at Lena. “If this is truly the princess’s will, then I shall kneel.”
He didn’t believe Lena would actually allow him to kneel to Linden.
Lena sighed. Ever since their marriage, Linden had changed in ways she hadn’t expected. He had grown more possessive, sticking by her side constantly. He no longer talked about traveling abroad or going on adventures. Instead, he spent his days in the castle with her, like a completely different man.
And surprisingly, she didn’t mind the change. In fact, she found his company quite pleasant.
Linden might be reckless by nature, but he never did anything to embarrass or upset her. Even their usual squabbles had taken on a more flirtatious tone. He couldn’t go a few sentences without slipping in something suggestive, leaving her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She hadn’t remembered him being this shameless before!
And now, once again, his words were deliberately provocative.
Seeing Linden standing protectively in front of her, Lena couldn’t help feeling a sweet sort of helplessness.
“Linden speaks for me. He’s my husband–and a prince. You really should kneel.”
She indulged Linden’s little tantrum, and in response, Ethan looked at her in disbelief, as though she had said something utterly outrageous.
Linden grinned triumphantly, tapping his folded fan against his palm.
Chapter 9
“Go ahead, Earl Sterling. Pay your respects.”
Ethan pressed his lips together tightly.
“Your Highness, even if it is a jokes, it should also have a limit ”
Lena cast him a disinterested glance. She had already given him and Flora everything they wanted–what more did he want from her?
She was running out of patience.
“This is no joke. I’ve made myself perfectly clear, Ethan. I did love you once, but I’m married to Linden now. In every way, we have no business with each other anymore.”
Ethan froze, his entire body trembling.
His knee sank to the ground as he lowered himself into a one–knee bow, forcing the words through gritted teeth.
“Your Highness, I overstepped. I will be formally engaged to Miss Vivian in three days‘ time. I hope you’ll do us the honor of attending.”
With that, he flicked his cloak and turned to leave without another word.
