A Step Too Late

Henry Thompson couldn't see the woman's face clearly, but he knew exactly who she was—the current Empress, Bella Su.

Henry's gaze grew distant for a moment, and in his mind, he seemed to see that sweet, apple-cheeked face: "Charlie Thompson, my family always has leftover food every day. It's a waste to throw it out. How about this, I'll put the leftovers in those bushes, and you can go get them yourself."

"Charlie Thompson, if you keep being naughty, I won't talk to you anymore!"

"Didn't you want to go to school? Here, this is your schoolbag. When you get to the academy, you have to study hard."

...

Scene after scene from the past resurfaced in his mind, bringing an unfamiliar sadness to the young Top Scholar's face.

Back then, he was just a poor village boy, never having enough to eat or wear, always beaten and scolded. He knew he had no right to like someone as adorable as Bella Bell.

But now, after working harder than anyone, he'd finally entered the Golden Throne Hall, becoming the Top Scholar every scholar dreamed of being. Yet she had already married the most powerful man in the world, becoming Empress and mother of the nation.

A bitter smile tugged at Henry's lips. No one knew how hard it had been for a village boy, with only a mad and foolish adoptive mother at home, to make it this far.

When he was studying, he worked himself to the point of coughing up blood but dared not stop, afraid he'd be too late—afraid that if he succeeded too slowly, Bella Bell would marry someone else.