Sold to My Killer Husband: His Concubine's Dilemma
Chapter 36: Always been sensitive

Chapter 36: Always been sensitive

Edgar’s brows knit together. This was unlike her. Lilian had always been quietly concerned for Lucien, despite his fall from grace. Even in her coldest moments, there had been a flicker of motherly worry in her actions just now.

Before he could respond, Belle gently placed her cup down and turned toward Lilian. "But Your Majesty, is everything not fine with Lucien now?" She asked, tilting her head,

Lilian’s gaze flicked to Belle. "Certainly," she said smoothly, nodding as if the conversation was already over before it even began.

But not everyone was so easily satisfied.

The wife of the Vice Minister, Lady Dorothy, who was also there sipping her tea, set her own cup aside, her delicate fingers lingering on the handle. Unlike the others, she rarely showered Lilian with praise. Instead, she seemed to take quiet pleasure in watching the Queen Dowager and her webs of courtly politics.

"But Your Majesty," Dorothy said, "surely you will go to him? He is your only son, after all."

For the briefest second, Lilian’s fingers tensed against the armrest of her chair. But the moment passed quickly.

She turned to Dorothy with a soft chuckle, shaking her head. "Why do you think I arranged a concubine for him?"

Dorothy blinked just as did many others in the room.

Lilian continued, sighing as she lifted her tea once more. "She will act in my place. As Queen Dowager, I am not expected to concern myself with a criminal." She paused, her lashes lowering just slightly to hide the sorrow in her eyes; after all, Lucien was her only son. "But as a mother... I can only hope for his well-being."

And with that, she let a single tear slip down her cheek. As a Queen Dowager, even she was asked not to meet him; thus, no one could fault her for not going. After all, she had given Lucien a caretaker. A wife in all but name.

But before he could think on it further, Lilian gracefully rose to her feet. "Come, Edgar," she announced. "Take me to the estate."

Just as she turned, "Mother," Roseria’s voice carried, smooth and poised. "Do you have a moment before you leave?"

Roseria walked towards her mother and stood beside her, clutching the hem of her pink dress, her honey-colored long hair falling over her shoulders in waves. She had the same luminous green eyes as Lilian, though Roseria’s held a misty sheen of tears.

"Mother," Roseria pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let me go with you. I want to see Brother."

Lilian’s jaw tensed as she exhaled sharply. "Roseria," she warned, "look around you."

Roseria hesitated, then shifted her gaze, finally taking a look around at the women seated around them. They were all watching.

"What do you think will happen?" Lilian continued, keeping her face neutral, "If you insist on making a scene here?" This made Roseria flinched.

"His estate is far, child," Lilian’s stern gaze softened at her daughter’s innoncent face. "What would you do there?"

Before Roseria could answer, Dorothy snorted, and this captured Lilian’s attention.

"How naïve," Dorothy said, shaking her head. "Madam, you are a woman of great wisdom, yet your daughter... she does not seem to understand her duties."

Lilian’s eyes snapped to Dorothy, sharp as a blade. Edgar, sensing the tension in the air, stepped forward, likely to diffuse the situation, but Lilian lifted a hand, stopping him in his tracks.

A slow smile curled on her lips as she smoothed the sleeve of her golden dress.

"Why is it, Lady Dorothy?" Lilian asked with sweetness covering her anger, "Do you think my daughter is a fool?"

Dorothy’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she mask her reaction with another chuckle. "Madam, do not take offense," she said, tilting her head. "I only meant that with Prince Lucien’s... current status, it will already be difficult enough for Princess Roseria to find a good match."

The other women exchanged glances, although they found this interesting; thus, the hall fell into silence, which made Lilian’s soft words reach everyone’s ears.

Lilian’s fingers curled slightly against her dress, though she kept her composure; the smile on her lips never disappeared.

"Lady Dorothy, you seem to have quite a lot of interest in my daughter’s future."

Dorothy smiled tightly. "Only out of concern, of course. Every mother wishes to see her daughter well-settled."

Lilian tilted her head to look at the woman. "Then, perhaps, you should focus on securing your own daughter’s future instead of worrying about mine."

A ripple of suppressed laughter spread through the room as Dorothy’s daughter had married a peasant a few years ago, which made her look like a joke in nobles but still Dorothy always held her head high. Before the tension could stretch further, the sound of footsteps could be heard, drawing all eyes toward the entrance.

Ellora entered the hall in her golden dress flowing behind her. Beside her, Layla Valcour walked in; she was beautiful as the rumors described; everyone knew it, but whenever these noble women saw her, they would not help but compare their daughters with her, but in every term she would outstand them.

The moment the women saw the queen, they swiftly rose from their seats, bowing deeply.

Ellora’s eyes softened when they landed on Lilian. She approached her "Mother..." resting a hand lightly on Lilian’s arm but she sensed that her Lilian’s foul mood,

"What has happened here?" she calmly asked.

Lilian offered her a small smile. "Nothing of importance, Your Majesty. Just some idle chatter."

Ellora’s gaze flickered between Dorothy and Roseria before returning to Lilian. "Idle chatter, you say?" she mused. "Then why does it feel as though the room has been holding its breath?"

Belle, who had been silent until now, let out a soft laugh, tapping her fingers against her teacup. "You know how we women are, Your Majesty. "

Ellora hummed but was not convinced. "I see." She turned to Roseria, who looked like she had been wronged and stood tense beside her mother. "Rosie, you seem troubled."

Roseria lifted her chin, her green eyes meeting Ellora’s without hesitation. "Your majesty.." Roseria hesitated but she knew Ellora had always been nice to her and cared about her much more than she did for other princesses "I...I only wish to accompany my mother to see my brother."

Ellora glanced at Lilian, "Mother... Rosie just misses her brother,", Roseria nodded, holding her mother’s arm firmly. Ellora was reading the older woman’s thoughts before looking back at Roseria. "That is admirable," she said. "But is it wise?"

Dorothy, sensing an opportunity to speak again. "Your Majesty, I was merely expressing my concern, which is the same as yours. A princess should be mindful of where she goes, lest it affect her reputation."

Layla, who had remained quiet until now, suddenly chuckled. "Concern?" she repeated, raising a brow. "Or an attempt at an insult?"

Dorothy bristled. "I meant no insult."

Layla’s smirk deepened. "Then, Lady Dororthy, why does it sound like one?, Dorothy was falsified, unable to form a quick response.

Ellora let out a soft sigh, shaking her head. "Enough of this." She turned to Lilian. "Mother.. If you wish to leave, I won’t stop you. But the decision to bring the princess remains yours."

Lilian studied her daughter for a long moment. Roseria’s lips were pressed together as she was silently insisting on her mother, her small hands gripping the folds of her dress.

But Lilian exhaled. "Roseria, you will stay." This made Roseria’s face fall, but she didn’t argue.

Lilian turned to Edgar. "Let’s go." Edgar followed Lilian out to the carriage.

Roseria stood there watching her mother go, so she turned, sobbing to go back to the room assigned to her, but Layla reached out and stopped her; she brushed a strand of Roseria’s hair behind her ear. "Look at her, Ellora," she repeated. "She looks like she’s about to cry. You know she has always been sensitive. And yet, her own mother leaves her behind without a second thought."

Roseria clenched her hands into fists at her sides, her head bowed slightly. She hated feeling like a child begging for affection.

Ellora sighed, looking at Lilian, who was already near the door, speaking in hushed tones with Edgar. "You know it’s not about what’s fine with me, Layla. It’s about whether the queen dowager agrees."

Layla lifted her chin and looked at Ellora. "Then let me take her there."

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