The beauty of Nolan’s Lotus Pond defies description. At dusk, it resembles a celestial paradise; at dawn, it reveals an entirely different charm.
Unlike the dreamy stillness of night, when the sun rises at the far end of the pond, its rays spill across the lotus leaves, bathing the entire scene in golden light. Dewdrops roll playfully across the leaves like mischievous children, tumbling to the edge and bouncing back again, making you want to reach out and catch them. In this moment, the pond feels like a playground for fairies, brimming with vibrant life.
Nolan and Serena Feng stood atop the highest pavilion in the villa. From this vantage, they could take in the entire estate—this was the true observation deck.
After the observation deck was built, Serena was the second person to set foot on it—the first was Nolan.
Standing half a person apart, sunlight washed over both of them. From afar, they looked as if they were figures in a painting. Neither intended to speak.
Nolan appeared completely relaxed, enjoying the sunrise, while Serena was weighed down by worries over the thunder-blast grenades. Nolan was truly ruthless—he hadn’t forced her outright, but he’d still backed her into a corner.
Serena was not naïve enough to think Nolan wanted the thunder-blast grenades just for amusement. He would use them on the battlefield, turning them into his weapon for climbing higher.
She detested such destructive things from the bottom of her heart and didn’t want them to exist. Yet, even when she wanted Nolan to speak, he wouldn’t give her the chance.
Ever since that brief exchange in the secret chamber, Nolan hadn’t spoken another word. He gazed quietly eastward, radiating an aura of peace and serenity—looking pure and harmless. But Serena knew it was all an act. This man was cold, ruthless, and killed without ever shedding blood.
"Ah..."
Just as that thought crossed her mind, a sharp scream rang out from the eastern courtyard. Serena startled, glancing at Nolan with her eyes: "Is it starting?"
They were too far away to hear anything but the scream. Still, Serena saw a woman with disheveled clothes rush out of a bedroom in panic. Judging by her figure, it looked like...
"Princess Yara?" Based on last night’s events, Serena had assumed Nolan would target Su Wan—after all, everyone knew Su Wan was pursuing Nolan.
"What, surprised? I’m just returning the favor—an eye for an eye. The method may be old, but it works." Nolan turned and headed down the steps. "If you want to see the show, hurry up."
"An eye for an eye?" Serena hurried after him, closing the gap in a few quick steps. "So, the day I woke up outside the city after my wedding—it was Princess Yara’s doing?"
She’d suspected it before, but hearing Nolan confirm it so bluntly still shocked her.
"Who else would think to use such a vile trick on you? Even if the Empress didn’t want Prince Rowan to marry you, she wouldn’t stoop to something so disgraceful—it would embarrass more than just you." Nolan stopped and turned. "Didn’t you already guess?"
If she hadn’t guessed, why would she have forced Prince Rowan to protect her?
"I did suspect, just wasn’t sure. She’s a Lyndarian princess—I always thought someone of her status wouldn’t bother with such petty schemes in Eastlyn." Serena had always believed she was too insignificant for so many powerful people to care about.
"You underestimate her. Come on. With everyone gathered here, if we don’t let this play out, it’d be a waste of my efforts." Nolan strode forward, water droplets sparkling under his feet, all proper and unhurried. If Serena didn’t know this was all his doing, she might really think he was innocent.
Serena silently classified Nolan as a top-tier dangerous person, lifted her skirts, and hurried after him.
Forgive her urgency—Princess Yara’s misfortune was the best news Serena had heard at Nolan’s villa. At least this trip hadn’t been for nothing.
Nolan and Serena arrived late; by then, guards were already stationed at the courtyard gate because of the commotion. No one dared block Nolan’s way. As they approached, Serena heard Princess Yara’s muffled sobs: "Brother, you must stand up for me—I can’t go on! They hurt me, they hurt me!"
"Princess Yara, please don’t cry. Let’s clarify what happened first," the Crown Prince urged.
"Clarify? What’s left to clarify? The facts are plain to see—the one wronged here is a Lyndarian princess, not some nobody. Your Highness, you’d better give us an explanation. Our Lyndarian princess isn’t so easily bullied."
Prince Terrence was furious. Of all the men, why did it have to be Prince Adrian—no power, no influence, only the Emperor’s favor? Such a man was not worthy of Yara.
Prince Terrence was displeased, and so was the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince’s mild temper was only because his health couldn’t handle strong emotions—not because he was a pushover.
"Prince Terrence, you say the facts are obvious. But what I saw was Princess Yara sneaking into Prince Adrian’s room. Don’t forget, this courtyard is where I, Prince Rowan, and Prince Adrian reside. You claim Princess Yara was wronged, but I must ask why she was here in the middle of the night." The Crown Prince’s voice was calm but firm, especially his last words, which pointed directly at Princess Yara’s suspicious motives.
"What do you mean by that?" Prince Terrence’s eyes were bloodshot, his expression fierce. Yara was his sister—even if he was frustrated with her, he couldn’t let anyone bully her.
The Lyndarian royal house couldn’t afford this kind of disgrace.
"What I mean doesn’t matter, Princess Yara—what matters is your intent. Don’t forget, Prince Adrian’s next-door neighbor is Prince Rowan, and your feelings for him are known to all." The Crown Prince finished, glancing at Prince Rowan with a half-smile. "Seventh Brother, am I wrong?"
Everyone in both royal families knew about Princess Yara and Prince Rowan. No one had stopped them, but that didn’t mean they approved.
The Empress allowed Serena’s wedding to Prince Rowan to go ahead largely to sever Rowan’s hopes—marrying an orphan was better than marrying a scheming foreign princess. Once Rowan married Serena, he and Yara could never be together.
A Lyndarian princess would never become a mere concubine!
"You’re right, Brother." Prince Rowan stood opposite Princess Yara, his face dark, gritting his teeth at the Crown Prince’s words.
More than anyone, he wanted to know what had happened—how did Yara end up fleeing from Prince Adrian’s room? Judging by her appearance...
Her clothes were in disarray, kiss marks visible on her neck. Prince Adrian, too, looked rumpled, his swollen eyes betraying a sleepless night.
A man and a woman alone in a room all night—was there anything left to say? Faced with this, he wanted to believe in Yara, to trust that nothing happened last night, but he couldn’t...
"Yara, can you tell me what really happened?" Prince Rowan’s eyes burned with the anger of betrayal.
His cousin and the woman he loved...
Ha... was there anyone in the world more pitiful than him?
For Yara, he defied his mother and abandoned his fiancée. But in the end...
What did he get in return?