A Marriage of Convenience /The Marriage Business

Ch 85

As Jacob's horse passed by the stands, all the noble women took a deep breath. The handsome second prince, with his sapphire-blue eyes and honey-blonde hair, smiled. And he was still single!

How wonderful it would be to receive his rose. As Jacob drew closer and closer, the noble women trembled, unsure if they would be the recipient or not. On the other hand, Bianca's expression hardened terribly. She had a sinister premonition.

And such premonitions tended to be quite accurate.

As expected, Jacob's horse stopped in front of Bianca. At first glance, he appeared sacred enough to resemble a paladin, but Bianca knew that the devil lurked in that armor. Bianca's tense body clung to the backrest of her seat.

Jacob handed Bianca the clean and immaculate rose from his chest, not even paying attention to Bianca's discomfort.

"I apologize for not being able to show you my performance, still... Will you accept my rose, Countess de Arno?"

The title Countess de Arno felt sarcastic. The rose Jacob gave her was clearer and more beautiful than any rose Bianca had received before, but Bianca's face showed disgust.

"Why is Jacob giving me a rose? What the hell is he planning...?"

Bianca hesitated, unable to reach out her hand, and Jacob smiled.

"Countess, are you sure you want to reject my rose?"

If Bianca didn't accept it, she would be accused of disrespecting the royal family. Added to that was the scandal of playing with his knightly honor. The eyes around her were already sharp. Bianca distorted her face.

Bianca slowly extended her hand. Reluctant even to touch Jacob, she grabbed the stem of the rose with her trembling hands.

Although forced, Bianca received the rose.

Jacob smiled brilliantly. It was as if he thought he had won. The smile at the corner of his mouth, rising as he drew an arc, was as bright as the summer sunlight, but from Bianca's point of view, it was only dark and terrifying, as if it had cast a shadow over her life.

She shouldn't have insisted to Yvonne. The words she had said to the anxious Yvonne had rebounded and hit Bianca in the back of her head. She shouldn't say things like "do as you wish." Bianca bit her lip and glared bitterly at the rose Jacob had given her.

The glances around her, which had been discreet until now, became more explicit after Jacob handed the rose to Bianca. It was a look she could feel even without looking back.

The women of the royal family also looked at Bianca with curious eyes. Was it Bianca's misunderstanding that the eyes of Princess Odelli gleamed? Bianca could even hear them whispering here and there.

"What is the relationship between Prince Jacob and the countess?"

"The Arno family is the closest collaborator of Prince Gautier. They have a strained relationship with Prince Jacob..."

"Isn't it suspicious? Isn't there really something there?"

"By the way, the Countess was in the royal garden..."

"Excuse me? Did that really happen?"

"That's right. There are people who saw it firsthand. Moreover..."

"Oh my God, how can she be so shameless...?"

Whether intentional or coincidental, the comments were muffled and difficult to hear. However, it was something she could understand even if she didn't hear it. It would have been obvious what the content would be in a situation like this. It must be about her virtue. She knew in advance that rumors were circulating about her, so they were quick to judge the situation.