Chapter Ninety-One

Arthur, I need to speak with you.

Saying this, Moonshade rushed over like a gust of wind.

By then, Arthur had not yet managed to close the door.

She stood motionless at his threshold, staring straight at the two people inside.

Arthur wore nothing but a bath towel around his waist, and drops of water still clung to his golden hair; he had clearly just bathed.

Moonshade’s gaze shifted to Maria. Maria was dressed in a scarlet robe that made her skin appear even more pale and delicate than before. What struck Moonshade most sharply, however, was that Maria’s hair, too, hung damp against her back. She had evidently just bathed as well.

As Moonshade looked, a cold smile slowly touched her lips.

“Seems I have arrived at an inconvenient time. Then we’ll speak tomorrow.”

With that, she turned away, but paused for an instant.

There was no sound behind her. Even the air seemed frozen.

The cold smile at the corner of Moonshade’s mouth became a bitter one, and then vanished altogether. She walked off with resolute steps.

What she did not know was that the moment she turned, Arthur had reached out his arm.

His arm hung stiffly in midair. He said nothing, only watched her leave. A flash of pain crossed his handsome face and was gone.

“Why make yourself suffer like this?”

Maria’s voice held a trace of self-mockery. The man she had longed for all these years had actually pulled her into his charade for another woman.

How laughable. How ironic.

Arthur turned back and regarded Maria coldly.

“What concern is that of yours?”

As he spoke, he went to the bed and sat down. He did not look at Maria, but picked up a book from the bedside table and began to read.

“Once she’s gone, you can leave at once.”

“Arthur, you are truly heartless. I’ve only just arrived, and already you are thinking of when I will depart!” Maria said with a cold laugh, the light in her green eyes shifting several times, betraying nothing of her true thoughts.

Arthur said nothing. He merely turned a page.

“Ha. Arthur, tell me, how have I managed to be so without pride?” Maria said bitterly. “All these years, I have endured your coldness and indifference toward me, and yet to this day I still cannot completely let you go. Tell me, why am I so foolish?”

She stared at him intensely, but Arthur’s expression remained calm. Another page turned.

“Ha. I hope you do not regret this decision in the days to come.”

After saying that, Maria did not look at Arthur again. She walked out of his room with firm steps.

The instant Maria closed her own door, another door elsewhere in the villa shut softly as well, leaving only the narrowest crack of space.

The next morning, Moonshade got up and headed straight for Arthur’s room. Just as she was about to knock, Maria opened the door.

She was still wearing a scarlet nightgown, her eyes half-lidded with sleep, and she yawned as though she had not fully awakened.

Moonshade’s gaze flickered. She steadied herself.

“Where is Arthur? I need to speak with him. Move aside.”

“Oh? Already here to see him? I’m afraid he doesn’t have time for you,” Maria said, then gave Moonshade a meaningful look. “After all, he was very tired last night. He’s still asleep and hasn’t woken yet.”

Moonshade looked past her through the narrow opening. On the wide bed, beneath a pale blue blanket, Arthur lay in deep sleep. The disordered sheets, meanwhile, silently testified to the night’s frenzy.

Moonshade looked at the man in the room. His entire body was wrapped in the blanket, leaving only his fair face exposed. Golden strands fell in乱 across the pale blue pillow, and his handsome sleeping countenance was impossible to look away from.

Moonshade withdrew her gaze and said flatly, “Very well. I’ll come back when he wakes.”

With that, she no longer looked at Maria, nor at Arthur sleeping inside, but turned and left.

Watching Moonshade’s retreating figure, Maria frowned, a little confused. She turned back and saw that Arthur had already risen. His blue eyes were clear and bright; there was no trace of someone who had just been sleeping.

Arthur gazed indifferently in the direction Moonshade had gone and gave no reaction, simply rising to go into the bathroom to change.

Maria could not help following after him. Seeing Arthur wash up as usual, she finally spoke.

“I think something is off about her. Her emotions are too calm.”

At this, Arthur paused with his hand on his face as he washed, and said coolly, “That has nothing to do with you.”

Maria rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth. “Right, how is it not my business? At the very least, I gave a most devoted performance!” As she spoke, she gave a flirtatious toss of her scarlet hair. “And yet I’m supposed to receive not even the slightest reward?”

Arthur wiped the water from his face with a towel and said lightly, “If you don’t want to do it, you can leave now. I’ll find someone else.”

The moment Maria heard this, she cried out at once, “No, no— I’ll do it. I’ll do it, all right?” Then she added smugly, “No one else could possibly act as convincingly as I do!”

“Then stop talking nonsense.” Arthur cast her a sidelong glance and walked toward the wardrobe. Yet inwardly he felt a trace of doubt. Maria seemed somewhat different from before.

And Moonshade’s reaction was also very strange, entirely unreasonable. By rights, upon learning that he had been physically intimate with another woman, she should have been furious and rushed to him for an explanation. But apart from her momentary surprise at seeing him with Maria, she had remained strangely calm. Perhaps this would have been normal before, but now Moonshade clearly liked him—how could she be so indifferent?

Perhaps he needed to find out whether Moonshade had recently been in contact with any suspicious people.

Thinking this, he dressed much more quickly.

After Arthur entered the wardrobe room, Maria shrugged and turned back toward her own room. It was already getting late; she should change and go downstairs for breakfast.

After Maria left, Hill came by. Just as Arthur emerged from the wardrobe room, Hill stood respectfully at the door.

“Your Highness,” Hill said, looking as though he wished to say more.

Arthur frowned. “What is it?”

Hill glanced at him and said quietly, “Miss Moonshade went out.”

“When was this?”

“Half an hour ago.”

“She went alone?”

“Yes.”

“Did she say where she was going?”

“No, but…” Hill hesitated and looked at Arthur.

“What is it?” Arthur’s brow tightened slightly.

“She left after receiving a phone call.”

“From whom?”

“It sounded like Mr. Summer Hawk. I thought he had come to pick her up.”

“I see. Then there’s nothing to worry about.”

Hearing this, Arthur’s concern eased. If it was Hawk, there was nothing to fear. With that thought, he headed toward the dining room.

To his surprise, Hill remained rooted to the spot. Arthur turned back in confusion. “What is it? Is there something else?”

Hill looked at him, then lowered his head again.

“No, nothing, it’s just—”

“Just what? You’re speaking so hesitantly. Is it time for you to retire?”

At that, Hill’s mouth twitched. He thought, I only hope that when I finish speaking, Your Highness will still be in the mood to tease me.

“I heard the name of Everett River in Miss Moonshade’s call.”

Arthur’s raised right leg froze in midair.

“Everett… River?”

“Yes.” As he spoke, Hill carefully watched Arthur’s reaction.

“That’s nothing,” Arthur said indifferently. He lowered his leg, abandoning the steps that had been taking him outward, then abruptly changed direction and returned to the bedroom. Over his shoulder, he said to Hill, “Bring my breakfast here.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Hill answered and turned toward the dining room, though his pace was very slow.

That disobedient little thing. If I’m not careful for even a moment, she dares to go see another man? She really is asking for a beating. When you return, I’ll show you how I deal with you.

Just as Hill had expected, before he had gone far, his own prince had already started throwing pillows.

Sigh. She likes Miss Moonshade so much, and yet it has to be like this. What a waste, truly.

At that moment, outside, Moonshade suddenly sneezed.

“What’s wrong? Have you caught a cold?” Summer Hawk asked with concern while driving.

“Nothing. My nose is just a little itchy,” Moonshade said, rubbing it.

“Oh? Maybe someone is thinking of you,” Hawk teased.

“Hmph, I think it’s more likely someone is cursing me,” Moonshade said with a sidelong glance at him.

“Huh? How do you know it isn’t because someone misses you?”

“Because I only sneezed once!”

At that, the corners of Hawk’s mouth twitched violently.

Moonshade, however, seemed to think of something, and her expression darkened slightly.

Seeing her suddenly fall silent, Hawk’s heart gave a jolt, and a bad feeling rose within him.

“Moonshade, is something wrong?” he asked softly and tentatively.

Moonshade did not answer. She still had her head lowered.

“Moonshade?” Hawk called again, more worried this time, his voice a little louder.

“Hm? What is it?” Moonshade finally looked up in a daze.

“Moonshade, has something happened?”

Hawk’s eyes fixed tightly on her face, unwilling to miss the slightest change in expression.

Moonshade saw that he kept watching her and turned her face toward the window, saying lightly, “Nothing. I’m just feeling a little unwell.”

“Unwell? Should we go to a hospital?”

“It’s fine. It’ll pass in a bit.”

As he drove, Hawk kept watching her, concern growing in his heart. Arthur must have already made a move; otherwise Moonshade would not be like this.

After thinking it over, he still said, “Moonshade, whatever happens, you must tell me, all right? Don’t keep everything bottled up inside.”

“I know. Don’t worry. If anything happens, I’ll tell you for sure.”

As she spoke, she turned back and smiled at him with easy cheer, not a trace of the earlier desolation showing on her face.

Hearing this, Hawk smiled back and said no more.

Amid their conversation, the car slowly came to a stop at the entrance of the Blue Tear Hotel.