Chapter 4
I did something that left everyone completely stunned.
Isabelle had a miscarriage. She cried as though her world was ending, and Edward totally lost it. He demanded a full investigation, swearing to find out who was behind it.
The entire palace was on edge; no one knew who would be the next to get caught in this mess.
Edward handed the case over to me.
In my previous life, this case took a long time to investigate.
I spent three months pouring my heart and soul into it. In the end, I solved it, but Edward still wasn't satisfied with me.
He thought I was too slow and incompetent.
This time, it took me less than a day.
I already knew the truth. What had taken me three months to uncover in my previous life now felt like second nature.
The problem came from someone in Isabelle's inner circle.
One of her handmaids had been bribed to tamper with her prenatal medicine.
The person who bribed her was a political rival of Isabelle's family.
I wrote a detailed report, clearly outlining the sequence of events, the evidence, and everyone involved.
I remained impartial and didn't use this as an opportunity to target anyone.
Edward read my report and sat in silence for a long time.
"You handled this well," he finally said.
It was the first time he'd ever praised me. His tone was neutral, but I knew that for him, this was already a high compliment.
After that, I managed every palace affair, the court ladies' visits, and all the ceremonies without a single slip. Everything ran like clockwork.
After all, I had eight years of experience in this in my previous life.
I was an exceptional Queen—flawless, impartial, and fair in everything I did. From the officials to the palace staff, everyone had nothing but praise for me.
Gradually, Edward started coming to my chambers more often.
At first, it was his routine visits, where he'd pay his respects.
He'd sit in the main hall, and I'd serve him coffee. Then, he'd take a few sips, exchange a few polite words, and then leave.
The whole thing never lasted more than a quarter of an hour.
Later, his visits became every ten days.
He'd stay a little longer, ask about palace affairs, and discuss major events at court.
I answered his questions smoothly, and he frequently nodded in approval.
Eventually, his visits became every five days.
Sometimes, he didn't ask anything. He'd just sit by the window reading.
I'd read, too, and we'd sit together in comfortable silence, not disturbing each other.
When he visited, I showed him the right amount of respect—not too much, not too little.
I bowed when it was needed, poured his coffee at the right times, spoke softly and politely, and always kept my manners in check.
It was as if I were hosting a guest, someone who was both important and deserving of my respect.
"You always talk to me so politely," Edward suddenly remarked one day.
I blinked, a little surprised. "Your Majesty, is there a way you'd prefer me to speak?"
He stared at me, his eyes holding something I couldn't quite understand. It wasn't scrutiny, nor was it assessment, but something... searching.
It felt like he was looking at a puzzle he could never solve.
"It's nothing," he said. He got up and left.
Amy leaned in close and whispered, "Your Majesty, I think His Majesty seemed a little mad."
"Really?" I kept flipping through my book, not even bothering to look up. "He didn't look upset at all when he left."
Amy seemed about to say something, but then she hesitated.
I didn't care. Edward's mood wasn't my concern.
I had noticed the shift in his attitude toward me, but so what?
Isabelle was the one who would always hold his heart. To him, I was just someone who made his life easier, a fixture he didn't have to worry about.
*****
Ten months after I entered the palace, Isabelle finally made her move.
She arrived in my chambers with a grand entourage of maids and servants, her presence impossible to ignore.
Her procession was large, almost as if to announce her importance.
"Your Majesty," she said, bowing with all the courtesy expected, though a faint chill lingered in her gaze.
She wore a deep crimson gown embroidered with gold thread, and her jeweled hairpin jingled with every step she took.
Her cheeks were flushed with health, her figure graceful. There was no sign of the sorrow of losing the baby only months ago.
"You may dispense with the formalities. Please take a seat," I said.
She obeyed, settling into the chair, taking a delicate sip of coffee before setting the cup down.
Her eyes swept over the grand hall, from the polished marble floors to the gilded books on the shelves, from the harp by the window to the newly planted crabapple trees outside.
"You're looking radiant, Your Majesty," Isabelle said, smiling. "I hear His Majesty has been visiting frequently. That must bring you great pleasure."
"Whether he visits or not, I remain the Queen," I replied calmly. "You needn't concern yourself with that."
Her smile stiffened, and she clenched the handkerchief hidden in her sleeve, her knuckles turning white.
"You're right, Your Majesty," she said, rising. "I shall take my leave."
At the doorway, she paused, turned back, and the tassels on her hairpin jingled softly.
"Your Majesty," she whispered, so quietly that only I could hear, "do you know why His Majesty chose to marry you?"
"For the Sinclair family's influence," I answered without hesitation.
She froze, clearly not expecting such bluntness.
"And do you know why he has never lain with you?" she asked.
I looked at her without a word.
"Because I'm the only one in his heart," she said, enunciating each word, her chin lifted as if claiming a triumph. "From beginning to end, it has always been me."
Watching her retreating figure, I felt an odd amusement.
In my previous life, those words would have pierced me.
I'd have lain awake all night, wondering why he couldn't love me, questioning what made me unworthy.
But now, I simply lifted my cup and sipped slowly. The new coffee was fragrant and mellow, warming me from the inside.
As for who Edward loved? That was his affair, not mine. I allowed myself a quiet smile.