Chapter 3

“But Ann has duties. Her Majesty the Queen personally—”

“It doesn’t matter. Ann belongs to me.”

“Your Majesty…”

“Ann is my lady-in-waiting. I’ve only left her with my mother for the time being.”

He spoke as if he were talking about a pet. No—worse. His tone was like someone claiming ownership of a doll or a toy soldier—cold and possessive. Ann felt uneasy and tried to pull her wrist away, but the more she resisted, the tighter Lennox held on. She finally gave up and looked up at the Duchess of Valenska.

The Duchess turned her head, let out a heavy sigh, and muttered, “Do as you wish,” before walking away. Ann watched her go with a sense of hurt, then turned her eyes back to Lennox.

“You’re hurting me.”

“…Sorry.”

Lennox loosened his grip as he spoke. The difference between his stiff, formal posture in front of his godmother and the way he softened now was striking.

“Are you still upset?”

“…No.”

“Good. Don’t be mad.”

Lennox gave her a smile—the same kind of smile he wore when he said he liked Charlotte. Pushing aside the sting on her wrist, Ann quietly followed alongside him.

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Me?”

“You seem… off.”

“…There’s no reason I wouldn’t be.”

At his distant reply, Charlotte’s brows drew together. She was in the middle of a dress fitting for the upcoming birthday celebration of the Duchess of Valenska. She stared silently at the man standing by the window.

The king was usually indifferent—cool, sharp, and unreadable. Only when he stood in front of that girl did any real emotion show on his face. It hadn’t always been like this.

People might think childhood doesn’t change much, but Charlotte knew the truth. Lennox before the age of ten had been a completely different boy. He’d been sensitive and irritable, yes—but he treated everyone the same.

Charlotte gently brushed off the maid adjusting her lace sleeve and stepped toward the king. The maid quietly returned to tidying up the mannequin.

“But why do you look so down?”

Lennox turned his gaze. His violet eyes met hers. Charlotte tried to keep her smile steady.

She already knew what it was. Lately, Lennox had been distant—his thoughts clearly somewhere else, always drifting back to Ann. Whenever he had a moment to breathe, his mind wandered to her. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, the worry and unease showed on his face.

And Charlotte wasn’t the only one who noticed. His obsession with that girl was impossible to ignore. He called her a friend. A lifelong friend, even. But could a man and a woman ever truly be “just friends”?

Even if that were possible, what kind of man sleeps beside his “friend”? Just thinking about it made Charlotte’s blood boil. If he had openly declared Ann as his mistress, it wouldn’t have felt this humiliating. If that girl had just admitted she was in love with the king, Charlotte wouldn’t be this furious.

“…I’m just tired.”

“Is it because of Ann?”

He turned to face her completely now, away from the window. If she ever wanted his full attention, she always had to bring up Ann. Only when Ann was around doing the king show real warmth.

When that girl wasn’t there, he barely acknowledged Charlotte. Just like what happened recently in the Staroffe Garden. If it had just been the two of them, he wouldn’t have acted like they were lovers.

Charlotte knew why he was using her. She understood exactly what she meant to him. And yet, knowing the truth didn’t make it hurt any less. It was this stubborn, aching affection that made it so hard to let go.

“…Do you have something you want to say?”

“It seems His Majesty’s mind is troubled by Ann’s marriage. Strangely enough… he seems more focused on arranging her future than on our own royal marriage.”

“……”

“Of course, she’s his closest friend, so it’s only natural that he cares. Even when he was still a prince, His Majesty poured so much effort into choosing the right husband for Ann.”

Charlotte finished her sentence with a gentle smile. But behind the softness was a sharp message: You’re more concerned with a commoner girl’s marriage than with our engagement—or the future of the nation.

“She’s an old friend. And the one who saved my life.”

His voice was low and rough, barely escaping his dry lips. Charlotte swallowed the rising anger inside her. She wanted to shout: Before she saved your life, she was part of the group that tried to harm you. But she knew better. Giving in to that impulse would only lead to trouble. So instead, she bit down softly on her lower lip.

The king, sipping his deep red tea, looked straight at her. His violet eyes were cold and piercing, like a hawk watching its prey. It was a look that said he had read every thought in her head.

“…Forgive me. I went too far.”

Lowering her eyes, Charlotte quietly apologized. She knew he wouldn’t truly forgive her, but there was nothing else she could do. After all, his thoughts had never been about his future queen. No matter how special Ann was to him, she could never truly threaten Charlotte’s place.

Yes… that was enough.

“Let’s go with the second dress.”

The king rose slowly from his seat. Charlotte stepped back a few paces, gently lifted the hem of her dress, and gave a graceful curtsey. He didn’t spare her a glance as he turned and walked away.

The sky was wide and bright. Ann was watching the dahlias in full bloom under the warm summer sun. Just a week ago, they had barely begun to open, but now their petals were rich with color. Crimson roses, snow-white peonies, soft pink dahlias, and a cluster of pale blue delphiniums filled the garden with beauty.

Ann walked slowly through the garden with her parasol open. The neatly shaped hedges and fruit trees felt familiar and comforting. She paused and looked toward the distant wisteria arbor, its soft lavender shade swaying in the breeze.

The wind picked up. Silver strands of her hair, flowing like a waterfall beneath her white bonnet, fluttered in the air. She gently wiped the sweat from her chin and fanned herself. She had planned to meet Bottelock under the arbor. It would be the first time since…

Since Lennox had embarrassed her.

Bottelock hadn’t contacted her since that day. Feeling guilty, she’d written him a letter—carefully phrased to say she was apologizing on the king’s behalf, as his lady-in-waiting. But Bottelock never replied.

Her guilt only grew. She even thought about visiting his home in person to apologize. But she quickly realized how inappropriate that would be.

If she were a man, it might have been different. But as an unmarried woman—one without an engagement, or even a proposal—it would be scandalous to show up uninvited at a man’s home. It would reflect poorly on her, and worse, on the noblewomen of Tulip Palace, especially Queen Dowager Ingrid.

So what should I do? She sighed deeply, lost in thought.

“Mr. Bottelock asked if you could meet him tomorrow in the garden here at Tulip Palace. If the time suits you, perhaps you could speak briefly—away from His Majesty’s eyes?”

It was Countess Herborn. Ann looked at her, surprised by how calm and composed she seemed—even knowing what had happened. Her face held a quiet gentleness, warmer than usual. If it had been the Duchess of Valenska, she would’ve panicked and rushed straight to the Queen Dowager.

“If Mr. Bottelock is comfortable with it, then I am too. I’ll meet him anytime.”

Ann replied with a polite smile, though it took effort. She wasn’t truly smiling, but if she didn’t at least try, her expression would harden completely.

Countess Herborn gave her a small nod. She had been the one who introduced Bottelock to Ann. And right now, Ann was deeply grateful it had been her.

If it had been the Duchess of Valenska, Ann had no doubt she would have been strictly watched and reported at every step. She would’ve gone straight to the Queen Dowager, likely forgetting—or choosing to ignore—that Ann was a grown woman, not a child needing constant supervision.