Margaret spoke in a light tone without giving her a look.

“There’s probably a good reason for him to meet someone like you. Even if he is from the Duke’s family, he is only the second in line, so you will have no power or fortune. Well, that would be enough for you, though. And less damaging to the family’s reputation than to make you marry a merchant. Is he willing to marry you? You didn’t just give him your body with no marriage promise, did you?”

Margaret glanced at her. Ellen flinched and lowered her eyes. Margaret sighed and put her hands on her waist.

“Well, I don’t think there’s a man who’ll ask for the virginity of women who stayed in the palace, but you have nothing else to offer. I’ll see what kind of man he is. And while I’m at it, I must meet the Duke too.”

Ellen didn’t miss Margaret’s cunning way of talking. There it was. Ellen looked at her sister.

“The Duke of Madison?”

“As your older sister, shouldn’t I meet him to discuss the issue between you and his brother? No matter what you say, you’re also Count’s daughter, and I can’t let this go. If he’d ruined your body, shouldn’t he take you as his wife?”

“But you slept with Viscount Ames, too.”

Margaret’s eyes narrowed at Ellen’s words. She walked in front of her sister, straightened out, and looked down at her. She was slightly taller than Ellen, but with the high heels she was wearing, even Margaret looked much thinner.

“If you don’t shut up that cheeky mouth, I’ll tell Father everything. Do you think he will leave you alone if he finds out that you’re just messing around instead of working in the palace? He would probably drag you out of the palace and throw you to a beggar passing by.”

Ellen bit her lips.

“Her Majesty the Queen won’t allow it.”

“Ha! Her Majesty the Queen? Do you know what the first story I heard here was? I was wondering what ridiculous sight I would see during the Kingdom Foundation Day’s party. Their Majesties the Kings accepted this marriage for political reasons. I also heard a married countess already slept with the Wise King. Do you think a queen has any power? Or what, that the Kings would care about someone like you?”

“Her Majesty and Their Majesties are not like that.”

Ellen clenched her fist and shouted. Margaret rolled her eyes.

“How many months have you been working for her that you are already taking her side? Anyway, shut up and arrange a meeting with the Duke of Madison. No, no, forget it. I’d rather do it myself than wait for you to prepare it. How would you know the Duke? It’s just a rumor.”

Ellen took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. She felt like her anger was surging up in her heart, but she didn’t know how to release it.

Eventually, she turned around and left the room.

“Um, um, um……”

River would sometimes kiss her very sweetly. They would kiss each other, lick each other’s tongues, savor it for a while, and overlap their lips again as if they would get down on their knees and never get tired of it.

Ellen looked up, exhaled a breath in a trembling way, but he came down her neck, kissed her, and squeezed her breast with the other hand. Ellen’s waist bent with a heavy feeling in her chest, and then she smiled timidly.

“You’re so cute, Ellen.”

She could feel her body rising hard under her thigh. Ellen’s sister’s sharp voice came into her mind when she was rubbing herself against him unknowingly.

「He’s willing to marry you, isn’t he? You didn’t just throw yourself to him, are you?」

Her body hardened. Ellen stepped back a little, unknowingly pushing him away. River blinked and asked.

“Ellen?”

“Hey, today…”

She then heard the door open from the outside, and soon after, Ryder came into the drawing-room and saw Ellen sitting naked on the sofa. He frowned at River.

“Can’t you just go into a room and do it there?”

“Why? Are you jealous?”

River grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back onto his thighs. Ryder’s eyes narrowed down.

“Ellen is a Lady. How could you treat her like that?”

“Who’s the one who handled her carelessly? I’m just praising Ellen for her beauty.”

“It’s not like that…”

Ellen jumped to her feet, pushing River.

“Stop it! Stop it!”

Two men stopped talking and looked at her. Ellen hurriedly picked up a dress from the floor, covered herself, and looked at River.

“I’m not beautiful. I like you, River. Yes, I like you! I think you probably like me, too. But don’t say I am beautiful. Everyone knows that I’m not! Everyone who can see me knows!”