At the western side of the capital where vast green lands stretched along the sight and cherry trees decorated every road's side the anreax's mansion stood tall with a huge and well groomed entrance garden
The mansion was made of four floors with wide shiny glass windows , as everyone were busy inside feet kept moving from side to side at a haste
The reception banquet was to be held three days later as the elder son of the anreaxs was back from a grand fight , Ambrose was a commander at the emperial army
Everyone was proud of him , his mother always shed tears of pride as she talked about him while his father boasted about him everywhere he goes
But in the meantime their youngest son who habits the furthest room at the first floor was standing in the middle of his elegant room frowning his eyebrows while holding a book up in the air
He was revising his last lesson but he seemed to forget alot of words already
A reason for him to take his studying seriously, Emil wanted to move to greexia as soon as possible , he totally hates the upperclass society and tried to hide himself but his parents are pressuring him to do everything without his own will , according to them he can't be the disgrace of the anreaxs
In their opinion his duties depends on spreading the family's influence, marrying daughter of a duke or participating in the kingdom's politics and all that just to receive their approval and pride
Well of course he should carry on all that tiresome duties for the sake of the family , but he didn't want to live a life that looked nothing like him
So he already decided, he doesn't want to receive their approval nor their disappointment so he would just move out completely
" damn , cursed words why do you keep fleeing ! " he smacked the book on the shelf with irritation and turned looking at his bed, despite being in the summer there was some chilly breeze and he was studying since the morning
It would be nice to take a nap now , he thought taking his steps towards his giant expensive-looking bed so ready to sleep despite all these noises but he stopped in his tracks when the door knocked nian appearing from behind
" young master , misses anreax wants you to participate in the decoration of the grand hall with her "
Nian had a smile that grew looking at Emil who was so irritated " right now ? " Emil continued his way to his bed sitting on it with a deep sigh
" yes ! Also she said that she had something very important to show you "
What his mother calls important would be unimportant to him so he just clicked his tongue while thinking whether to ignore her and have a long good nap or to be an obedient son and see what she needs
" tell her that i'm busy " yes he loves his mother and all but he doesn't have an eye for decorating and this stuff so he chose to sleep
Nian stood there with a blank face watching Emil taking off his clothes , stretching and lying gently on the bed totally ready to sleep
" what if she asks what are you busy with ? What should i answer ? "
" studying , eating whatever just get out already "
A second later Nian slammed the door behind him , he was feeling wonderful on his way to Emil imagning his master's pitiful expressions while his mother lecture him as always
But fine his imagination broke in less than a minute
A screeching sound rang through the room and the man who was ready to sleep hopped on his feet hurrying to the garden's door with excitement as if he was a five years old child
" mister ginger ! " he squealed opening the door and bent immediately picking the ginger cat up with enthusiasm
" i thought you won't come today ?! How could you abandon me for a whole hour ? " as he continued to talk to the cat with cute voice which he would be ashamed if anyone heard, the door knocked again
Just when he removed his attention off the cat for a second it jumped down and ran outside
" amazing ! Who the hell is it ? " Emil snapped at whoever was at the door frowning deeply , mister ginger would come to him everyday for two month now to play with him a little and he even brought him snacks , Emil's weakness is cats and now the cat escaped from his arms
" it's me , young master " ruthete the maidservant entered with terrified face while facing the floor " did mother send you ? " he asked nonchalantly after seeing her and headed to the bed again
His naked torso made her blush so she had trouble facing him while stuttering to say what her lady ordered her to say
" read this carefully and if you refuse you'd better have a good reason for it you good for nothing son " ruthete just mumbled her words but it already reached Emil's ears
" it was lady anreax who said that i swear mister Emil " she freaked out when his face darkened but he stood reaching his palm flat open infront of her , she just put the letter in his hand and flew out immediately
In a matter of minutes he finished reading the long letter looking at the letters written with bothered eyes
Duke lian was offering them to attend his elder son's wedding as he wanted to establish the relationship between both families mentioning that his middle daughter attends the same lessons with Emil so it would be spectacular if they grew to know each other and have a marriage of convenience
Duke lian was one of the first supporters of king nicole and as the influence and power of the king grew duke lian now is almost the most powerful in the kingdom after the king
" Why me ? Why our family ? " his head span resting it on his hands , he was very troubled because how could he refuse without humiliating the duke and harming his family !
***********
Jade's head rested on lillian's lap his blushing face and parted lips made him look mesmerizing but in reality he was down with a strong fever and struggled to take his breath properly
After all what happened yesterday he woke up like this , his chest aching as if it was to be split open at any time
" Aini ! Were is the cold water ! " she shouted angrily and Aini approached holding a deep bowl and a soft cotton small towel
Her feet trembled with worry , lillian never been this mad at her before
She knew that lillian would keep treating her like this for several days now , what she did was for lillian's sake but of course lillian would be mad. she loved her husband dearly , and as she stood for him in every single situation before she would do the same now
" oh my dear ! Breath slowly Jade you're going to be suffocated " lillian rushed to support his body and help him rise a little to take his breath better as he started coughing not having enough air enter his lungs
His coughing continued for a while then it stopped but he was still breathing heavily and lillian patted his back feeling like she almost lost her breath too
" oh god ! " he murmured leaning back to rest on her shoulder " you should be careful, your beauty almost took my breath away " despite being terribly exhausted he joked after seeing her awfully worried face
" shut up ! You almost died do you think you should be making a joke now ? " her voice raised with anger her expressions still stiff glancing down at him
" yeah i felt like my soul was going to leave me any second, still isn't that better than you leaving me? " he chuckled lightly but she didn't change her expressions and seeing so he gave up making her cheer but complimented her instead
" you're the beautifulest when you're mad " he said with a cheerful voice but the dead silence after that made him raise his head and he was faced by her judgmental gaze " what ! " as he asked she was internally shocked
" you know it's the most beautiful not beautifulest right ? " she asked in disbelief as it was the most obvious thing in the world and his face changed expressions and rested on shame " no, it's because i was_"
She immediately cut him off " no jade , it's not because you were homeschooled " and that was the execuse he used for everything as if not half if not most of the nobles childrens were homeschooled
Still she rolled her eyes and kept being silent , he really needed to take a time to rest after what happened
She knew he was tired probably freaked out by what happened moments ago too , and she didn't want him to act like it was okay because of her
Her hair was braided and raised into a soft bun leaving her side strokes of hair sliding above her shoulders , wearing an emerald green blouse she did look breath taking he didn't lie
Gazing a little at his blushed exhausted face for a first time in a while he had a peaceful expressions and his long black lashes prevented her from seeing his green jade like wide eyes
" you sure are haughty but very beautiful " she stroke his hot cheek brushing his tanned skin and pressing it a little , he heard her and was about to make a death joke again but kept his mouth shut at the end
While she was aiding him with the damp towel Aini got closer anouncing the arrival of juan , jade's brother
Jade who was enjoying lillian's touch with the cold towel on his skin scowled " juan ? " he asked in surprise and rose from the sofa sitting in discomfort
" it's weird , his unasked for visit must be important " lillian said while standing inteding to go greet him and guide him inside
" Aini tell desmond to help jade and change the towel until i come ... " before she even finishes her sentence Jade rose as well inteding to go with her " i swear to god , Jade ! Go sit back down " pushing him to sit down lillian scolded him with her eyes so he sat down with dissatisfied eyes
" well , what an unexpected visit ! Hello juan " she forced a smile and the man similar to her husband in many ways smiled back
" hope you can execuse me for coming without a call , it's always refreshing to see you lillian " she stepped away and he followed her to the chamber where Jade was
" it's okay, i just hope your purpose for visiting won't make Jade's condition worse " she really did pray inside her that juan is here for peaceful purposes as Jade's condition is already bad as it is
" I'm not sure of that, is he already ill again? " lillian frowned at his bored tone , just how could these people be so heartless ! She hated Jade's parents and that was out of the question
Before being married to Jade they gave him often tasks to carry on that required a lot of physical stamina , it was as if they were trying to get rid of him early , he fell sick after each one of these tasks barley making it through and it wasn't only limited to that but they used a lot of other obvious methods too, that's why they got married early although she was just eighteen back then
At first she thought juan to be different, she thought he had a good heart but it turned that he didn't have any affection for his brother just as his parents the only difference that he didn't use any obvious methods to show his hatred
Mister jordon loved his wife dearly and after she gave birth to juan she becam very fragile and she became sick often, that's why mister jordon decided that juan would be enough for them
But after a couple of years she got pregnant again , the doctors said it was dangerous for her, therefore she tried plenty of methods to abort the child but unfortunately for her the child continued being stubborn and she couldn't abort
As a result of all of these methods and medications she gave birth early , where she almost lost her life and to add up on that the child was born with an uncompleted heart having a heart deformation
Mister jordon hated the child deeply as he almost lost his dear wife because of him, and as he grew Jade was constantly sick, he was unable to do any form of activity so he was home schooled and to add up to that he was not the best in his lessons, as a matter of fact he didn't add any value to the family's name but on the contrary they saw him to be a great burden
A sick child like him longed for love and attention, he could see how good they treated his older brother and what a pure relationship they had
He grew to think that he was the problem ,that it was his fault for being such a burden but with each time they treated him roughly he lost his affection for them too , hearing wishes for him to die already from his owm parents while being only eight was tough
Lillian who saw his broken expressions countless of times because of them hated them to the core, she never understood how was any of that Jade's fault ?
Any way she was purely worried by juan's sudden appearance and wished for everything to go smoothly