The Rose of Blackwood

I was forced to drink wine laced with belladonna. King Cedric Ashburn, lying on his sickbed, gently caressed my cheek. The queen is afraid of the dark. Duchess, stay with me. If there is an afterlife, I will give you the throne of the kingdom of Ashburn. After that girl who claimed to be my longlost sister was found, everyone thought I owed her, especially Cedric. So because Lila was shy, he placed the crown he had promised me on her head. So because Lila was afraid of pain. He took my daughter away and gave her to Lila to raise. Until today, the reason for my burial alive is that she is afraid of the dark. An afterlife? I made a vow in the excruciating pain"I don't want an afterlife. " When I opened my eyes again, I was back at the Crown Prince's ball when I was 16. Young Cedric's gaze swept impatiently over the noble ladies. Suddenly, he saw a girl with no pearl brooch on her chest, only a dried wild rose burning bright. As if. He had seen her somewhere before, he casually pointed. The girl beside me took the silver rose badge symbolizing the engagement with joy. "Serena Hale, thank you, Your Royal Highness. " In his peripheral vision, a person wearing a black velvet cloak drifted past without pausing for a moment. That is me who finally breathed a sigh of relief. In my previous life, the one chosen wearing this wild rose was me. Cedric was cold and unfeeling; he was even more merciless in bed, so much so that I lost my composure when I met the Queen Mother the next day. I was ridiculed and made things difficult by all the nobles in London. He never said a word in my defense. I once naively thought, He just didn't know how to love someone. It's okay, as time goes by, if we have children, there will always be some sincerity. Until that day, I caught him having an affair with Lila. The girl was crying on his shoulder, how he whispered to comfort her, full of tenderness and distress. I leaned helplessly against the door, almost lost my soul. Cedric had severe mysophobia and never allowed anyone to touch his armor or cloak. At this moment, he was holding Lila in his arms, letting her tears wet his silk shirt embroidered with the golden lion crest. Only then did I know, it turned out that he wasn't incapable of loving someone, it's just that the person he loved was never me.

Cedric suddenly turned around and saw me behind the pillar. I remember you. Of course, he remembered me. Everyone in England knew that Elara Blackwood, the eldest daughter of the Duke of Blackwood, had loved Crown Prince Cedric for many years. As a model of noble lady, yet I did all sorts of outrageous things for him. Once he casually praised the sunset over the Yorkshire moors, I rode there overnight despite dissuasion and almost fell off a cliff in the mist. If I hadn't been reborn... Hearing this sentence now, I would probably cry with excitement. Years of chasing finally had a response, but at this moment, I only felt hatred. Just like the unwillingness to close my eyes when I was forced to drink the belladonna wine in my previous life, I bowed my head according to etiquette. My voice calm and unwavering. "It is my honor, your highness. " but Cedric didn't move, he remembered that the old Alara Blackwood would always dress up whenever she could see him, today, she was unusually plain. Where is your wild rose? " he suddenly asked, his expression unreadable. The indifferent Cedric finally remembered at this moment"I used to love wearing wild roses in my hair. "I saw that Miss Hale's chest was plain, so I gave her my rose. I answered flawlessly. Cedric frowned; he flicked his sleeve and left, seeming displeased. I didn't know why he was angry. The passionate love I once had for him was like a candle thrown into an abyss—flickering and then gone. He rarely cared about me. At that time, Lila hadn't been found yet. It was the second year I lived in Ashburn Palace. Perhaps because I kept my duties and managed the Prince's household affairs perfectly without making any mistakes. Perhaps because the queen mother repeatedly mentioned airs, he finally considered it Cedric treated me less coldly than before One day, I woke up from a nap I saw Cedric sitting by the bed Our eyes met, and he looked away, his ears turning slightly red I also awkwardly looked away Lowering my head, I saw the oil paper package in his arms.

Cedric cleared his throat lightly. You said in your dream just now that you wanted honey scroons from London Bridge. I was stunned for a long time. This was my favorite snack when I was still in my father's house. Soon after, I was diagnosed with pregnancy. When the Imperial Physician congratulated us, Cedric was discussing affairs with his ministers. When he received the news and rushed over, there was still no expression on his face. He calmly rewarded the Imperial Physician and all the attendants. Everyone took their rewards and left. But Cedric stood by the castle's floortoceiling window for a very long time. I summoned up my courage and called him softly. "Your Highness. " He refused to turn around, so I walked in front of him, only to see him expressionless, frowning and crying. "I used to treat you badly. " I took his cold hand and pressed it to my cheek. Then will you treat me well from now on, your highness? " He promised. "The struggle for the throne has always been dangerous. " During an assassination attempt by hostile nobles at night, I was frightened and had a miscarriage. The child was gone. Cedric said nothing, picked up his sword, and went out. He came back at dawn. I only remember that he was covered in blood before he collapsed. He said two things to me; both were promises. "I swear. "This will never happen again. Someday, you will be my queen. Later, the old king fell ill and Cedric was ordered to inspect the southern territories. I sat by the window, counting the sycamore leaves one by one as they turned from green to yellow. On the day the last leaf fell, London had a heavy autumn rain. Suddenly, someone ran through the rain curtain. "Duchess, the crown prince is back! " But the expression on his face was not joyful; there was a bit of anxiety and hesitation. I soon found out whyCedric had brought back a woman from his southern tour. The woman was wrapped in a large wool cloak. Only a pair of wet eyes were visible, she called me sister.