Many noblewomen had envied her because of her talents, appearance, and kind and honest attitude. She was a person who many people respected due to her kind deeds and honesty. Everyone liked her, and the ones who initially didn't ended up also liking her. Whenever someone tried to humiliate her, she would act kind, and indifferent not caring what was happening to her but instead caring about the other party. There were rumors of her in the past, claiming how she was just doing this "for the attention of other men" that jealous noblewomen made. After a few months, however, it was as if the rumors were never there. This was probably because her kindness and honesty were genuine and that it was not all a ruse to catch the noblemen's attention.
However, there is always more than what meets the eye.
She wasn't just an "innocent" person, you see.
It was unknown to the public, or anyone else for that matter….except for her husband of the Lendora estate. He was the Duke of the Lendora estate. He was going by the name of Claude Albertina Lendora, a man who was feared by many and seen as a "tyrant."He was blonde, with yellow eyes that made him look even more good-looking if possible. Many were confused as to why someone as innocent and kind as Kandis had settled for a man who was the complete opposite of her! She was the embodiment of an angel, and he was the devil. It was truly a wonder to the public how the two of them had got together.
Many had thought that it was an arranged marriage to benefit both of the families. After all, many women found Claude attractive, but none dared to ever talk to him due to his "tyrant" ways. It was not a secret that Claude often murdered. After all, he had even led a war for the empire multiple times, and he always won each of them.
Every single time.
He didn't care about gender or whether if you were a child or not. He also didn't care about status. He had the power to behead anyone and would go unpunished. The only person he wasn't allowed to behead was the royal family. It was because of this reason that noblemen and noblewomen had feared him.
He indeed was the devil.
A devil in the disguise of a human being, the only reason why Melissa even knew this was because of a conversation she had overheard in the past between Kandis and her husband, Claude. She had considered herself to be lucky that they didn't catch her, or else she was sure she would be murdered almost immediately by them.
Kandis hugged Claude.
"How are you, darling? Was this party perhaps too overwhelming for you? We can always go home if you want to."
"It's fine. I'm not bothered by it at all, don't worry about me, what about you? Are you overwhelmed?"
"I'm fine too, but I was thinking if we should get rid of Count Edgar, he made fun of me. Can you perhaps cut off some of his body parts for me?"
"I'll make sure to make him suffer."
Melissa was shocked. Was this the same Kandis she had known about? But she knew better than to run her mouth, and she valued her life. After they had, went back into the ball, she breathed out a sigh of relief. She's alive, Melissa thought.
Thankful that the couple hadn't find out about her, she started to think. Was it all a ruse? Was how Kandis has been acting all this time a lie? Was Kandis truly a "kind" person? Or was she acting all this time? She also had other questions. Were they truly a couple in love? Looking at how she had addressed him, it had seemed so, but she wasn't too sure. If Kandis had been acting all this time, it meant that she could be acting right now too.
After hearing their conversation, it meant that Kandis was a manipulative person, truly a master at acting, for her to convince everyone that she was genuinely kind and honest. She was now conflicted. What does she do now? Go back to the ball and act as if nothing happened?
Well, that was the safest option after all.
Or does she tell the Crown Prince? However, she thought that he wouldn't believe her.
He never did before, so why would she think he would now? So for the first time she kept a secret from the Crown Prince, she was too anxious and scared to think of what would happen if she told him, what if the couple had somehow find out? She would be dead. She wouldn't be able to see the Crown Prince anymore. She wouldn't be able to talk to him anymore. This was why she went against the idea of telling the Crown Prince because she wanted to live.
Well, that was one of the main reasons, at least.
After a few moments later, Melissa had finally gained enough courage to go back into the ballroom. She had managed to act like how she usually did. Well, it wasn't as if someone would notice if she were acting differently. After all, nobody would talk to her during balls and parties.
They had friends to talk to, whereas she did not.
Well, people did talk to her, but it was to humiliate her, on how she had acted and how she was so clingy to the Crown Prince. And even then, she didn't say anything. She just simply stayed quiet, eyes gazing on the ground.
Often crowds were looking at her, but of course, nobody did anything. Why would they? They would rather watch how the situation would turn out than help someone out and stop the whole situation. Nobody would ever stand up for her. Besides, she didn't have anybody that she would stand up for either, other than the Crown Prince, but he wouldn't do the same for her. He would just turn a blind eye to the whole situation and act indifferent.