The Hidden King's Stolen Wife
Chapter 123: Ensnaring Even Women

Chapter 123: Ensnaring Even Women

Rafael wanted to roll his eyes backward. But since he was in the company of so many royal women, he settled for rolling his eyes only halfway.

"Look, you can spot the whites of Sir Ralph’s eyes!" Elowyn added. "The weather is really too hot."

"There are plenty of servants that would gladly hand you a parasol if you asked," Soleia pointed out reasonably. "If you truly find yourself uncomfortable, we have physicians in the castle from whom you could seek advice. You can head back to rest."

A hairline crack appeared in Elowyn’s flawless composure at Soleia’s response. A wiser person would have taken the hint to leave, yet Elowyn continued to persist.

"But I wish to support Orion. Our child would want to be here to witness his father’s triumph in person," Elowyn said, as she bit her lower lip with such deliberate ease that Soleia guessed she must have practiced this expression in the mirror multiple times to deliver the best result.

Once again, her hand purposely brushed against the fabric at her belly, emphasizing the baby bump that seemed to be growing bigger by the day. Soleia half-expected Elowyn to be stuffing herself full of food to make the baby look bigger, or perhaps she tied a basket around her belly to make it jut out more.

Surely babies did not grow this quickly! She chanced a quick look at her sisters to gauge their reactions.

Only someone with a heart of steel could have turned her away, but unfortunately for Elowyn, the only people taken by her act were the two other foreign princesses who arrived with her.

Celestina and Bellaflor merely exchanged politely disdainful looks with each other at Elowyn’s performance. While this woman was the very picture of vulnerability and helplessness, they weren’t impressed. They already had to contend with mistresses occasionally popping up in their own marriages― why would they tolerate one that waltzed right into their midst!

Soleia felt braver with their support. "Your child isn’t even a person now. There would be plenty of time for you to regale the baby with Orion’s many feats when he grows up and finally understands language."

However, one of the two princesses that came with Elowyn scrunched up her face at her response. She cast Soleia an upset look.

"Princess Soleia, Lady Elowyn is pregnant. It is very unwise for her to be exposed to the elements. For all your differences, surely you would not wish ill on an unborn child?"

Soleia’s eyebrow twitched with irritation. Who was this woman who had the audacity to lecture her on her actions? Besides, it wasn’t as though she dragged Elowyn out of the palace and threw her onto the melting snow and purposely summoned a gale to batter her.

"Princess Nessa, pardon me for cutting in," Bellaflor said, while Soleia quickly filed away the name for future reference. She mentally reviewed the names of other princesses her age and realized that the woman standing in front of her was none other than Princess Nessa from Nedour.

The only thing Soleia knew about her was that she had been married recently, which wasn’t saying much. Nearly every princess she knew was married.

"If Lady Elowyn is so concerned for the fate of her unborn child, she ought to have thought more carefully about spectating the event to begin with," Bellaflor said calmly. "My sister had already given many good suggestions that she could take to improve her comfort. It is ridiculous to trudge all the way here to demand my sister give up her seat when she is the rightful princess of this kingdom."

"Not to mention the worst thing for a child is having a mistress for a mother," Celestina added, with a bored look in her eyes. She patted her own swelling belly, which was at least twice the size of Elowyn’s, wordlessly reminding everyone that Elowyn was not the only woman with child. "No amount of wind and rain could damage the child as much as that, I’m afraid."

Soleia had to snap her mouth shut to stop herself from screaming. Celestina had no qualms about slinging metaphorical mud in a person’s face! Elowyn’s face turned purple so quickly that Soleia nearly thought she was going to spit out an amethyst from her mouth.

Meanwhile, the two women with Elowyn had similarly appalled expressions at the bluntness of Celestina’s words. But Princess Nessa gathered herself quickly.

"Be as it may, Lady Elowyn has already wed the duke. You should treat her with the respect she deserves, and not make her situation worse," Princess Nessa said severely.

She had met Lady Elowyn by accident a few days ago and was struck by her sweet demeanor and innocence. She was like a lamb, untainted by the corruption of the royal court. In a way, she reminded Nessa of Lavinia, her younger sister. Nessa knew she had to protect her.

It wasn’t her fault the duke had fallen in love and out of love with Elowyn.

She gritted her teeth. She despised people who flaunted their powers to get their way, let alone those who ganged up to bully one person. Princess Soleia and her sisters were catty and mean, and poor Lady Elowyn who had not grown up among nobility was getting attacked from all directions for something she could not help control!

Elowyn’s eyes filled with tears and she tugged gently at Princess Nessa’s arm. "It’s alright, Princess Nessa. I could just go back to the palace alone. I’ve troubled you enough in the past few days... you shouldn’t argue with Princess Soleia on my behalf."

Soleia could only blink repeatedly in surprise. To think Elowyn was using the same tactic on women! And bloody hell― was Princess Nessa falling for it?! She assumed only men would be taken in!

Suddenly she looked at Princess Nessa in a new light. Perhaps she preferred the company of women.

"No, you deserve to be here just like everyone else. You were invited, and you’re carrying Duke Elsher’s child. That wedding was supposed to be yours, but Duke Elsher was a scumbag that let you down."

"The Duke isn’t like that!" Elowyn protested as she deliberately pretended to flinch while meeting Soleia’s eyes, as though she was afraid that Soleia would hit her. "His feelings were nothing but sincere... but I am nothing but a mere commoner. I cannot be compared to Princess Soleia and her illustrious background."

Princess Nessa seemed even more upset at Elowyn’s words, and she turned to glare at Soleia. "So you’re simply abusing your power to make life difficult for a pregnant woman because you can’t take your anger out on your husband!"

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