38. Gifts I’ve never given (2)

As numerous questions bombarded her head, So-hee picked out the most plausible one.

Wasn’t jewelry the most common item as a gift?

“Haha. I bought it because you told me about it, right?”

“Where?”

Unlike So-hee’s stiff posture, Bianca held the teacup in front of her lazily that the little finger of her right hand pointed to the ceiling.

So-hee stared blankly at it and finally continued. “Uh… You know that my father runs a business and through an acquaintance there——”

“Do you remember what you gave me?”

“Jewelry? It was a piece of jewelry, right?”

The corners of Bianca’s mouth were twisted.

The instant Sohee saw her expression, she finally grasped the Empress’ feelings a little.

Bianca was looking at her and now she seemed convinced to some extent.

She was confident that Ariad hadn’t given her that gift.”

“I don’t believe you. As expected, a fool like you couldn’t have sent it if you know the meaning behind it.”

Bianca finally spewed vitriol at her and a sharper gaze ran through her entire frame.

“Joshua must have sent it under your name. He’s my son but he’s being pathetic. You’re crazy about other men but he is still serious about you.”

It was only then that So-hee put the puzzle pieces together.

Ariad hadn’t prepared the queen’s birthday present and Bianca already hated her whether she had it or not.

Joshua had intervened between the two because he wanted her to look good in his mother’s eyes.

“The jewelry pendant was made of a rare mineral that can only be found in my dead mother’s hometown.  Although you didn’t give it to me, I should say thank Joshua for giving me this gift considering the relationship between you and me.” Bianca spoke and tapped the pendant around her neck.

The pendant resembled a red rose placed at the center of the table.

As So-hee’s gaze naturally moved to that place, she gave up looking for words to reply to.

In the end, she settled with an awkward smile.

This was the best thing to do because if she talked more for no reason, she wouldn’t be able to have money in the real world.

“When I demanded that he divorce you, he threatened that he wouldn’t let me go if I touch just even a single strand of your hair.”

The conversation had pushed her to a point of no return.

“Do you love my son?”

“I… Of c-course.”

Why did she have to stutter at such an important moment when she didn’t most of the time?

She wanted to slap her mouth so that she would stop lying.

Bianca collected a pile of documents next to her and threw them at the corner of the table where food wasn’t placed.

Each character was densely written, and large letters were engraved at the top front page.

[PRINCE MCKINLEY, IS THIS ALRIGHT?]

The details below included a basic description of Ariad Pearson, testimonies from several men about her, and a black-and-white photograph of the crown princess at the Filtmore mansion.

“If Joshua hadn’t paid this newspaper to shut up, you would have been on the front page like this and he would have been forced to become everyone’s prey.”

Sohee’s eyes were still on the newspaper.

Judging from its content, someone, who intentionally spied on her every move to drag her down, must have written this article.

In conclusion, they were spreading information that Ariad Pearson wasn’t qualified to be the future Empress.

“What do you think of this article?”

Bianca’s expression and tone was gentle.

Usually, she and Joshua looked completely different but now they felt similar.

Their shrewdness were wrapped in a gentle mask.

Sohee had experienced it again but this time it wasn’t Joshua.

It wasn’t her fault but she had to beg for forgiveness to keep her female lead position.

“I’m sorry for everything, Your Majesty. I’m sorry about the past, too. This will never happen again.”

“It’s less than a month ago, isn’t it? You stayed at the Filtmore mansion, and you brought other men to play in your private mansion outside the palace. I was certain that it happened only a month ago. Now, you’re suddenly telling me you have repented?” Bianca let out a sarcastic laugh. “Dear, do you know how I knew all of that?” She stopped laughing and the amusement was wiped out of her countenance.

“I am the informant of this story.”

So-hee, who was staring at the corner of the table without even thinking of staring into Bianca’s eyes, unknowingly raised her head.

She had no idea that the Empress hated Ariad this much.

Not only did Ariad Pearson could have fallen prey upon the article’s release, but also the  McKinley royal family couldn’t save face.

However, Bianca was determined to push through with the intention of taking a certain amount of filth to clean up a daughter-in-law whom she didn’t like.

“If you don’t want to be buried socially, you can fix this on your own.”

If it came out like this, Sohee could only grovel and crawl on the floor to prevent it.

“How? By removing myself next to Joshua? I’m sorry but I can’t do that.”

Under the light, a pair of purple and red eyes met sharply as if they were sworn enemies.

Sohee’s speech was stronger than ever.

“I don’t want to let go of Joshua. Even your son doesn’t want to let me go, too.”

“No, Ariad. Make sure you let go of him. Don’t try to ruin a lot of things because of your unbecoming desire for fame. If you succumb to my demands, I will help you live the life you want.”Bianca enunciated with both elegance and determination as if she wanted each of her words to be engraved in  Sohee’s heart.  “Having affairs with other men is just pathetic but you can keep doing that if you leave the crown prince.”