Jim followed orders and did as he was told, but Anna Ivan refused to leave no matter what. "I'm not going! I absolutely won't leave. I want to see just how arrogant that lowly harlot can be, and how you, the great young master of the Moore family, grovel before her!"
"Anna!" Henry could no longer tolerate her sharp and venomous demeanor and ordered her to leave. "Get out of here!"
"I said I'm not going, and I won't!" Anna stubbornly refused to back down.
"Henry, just take the young lady and go," Mia said, feigning indifference. "I won't tell Arthur about this, I promise! Besides, the injury on my face is just superficial, it's no big deal. Take the young lady back and calm her down. She only acted this way because she's in a bad mood."
"Mia…" Henry hesitated.
"I'm really fine. Take the young lady back!" Mia said with a reassuring smile.
Seeing Mia's resilience, Henry had no choice but to comply. "Alright, we'll leave then." Staying would only make things more awkward anyway.
"Okay, go. Take good care of the young lady."
Henry nodded. "You should put some medicine on your face and take care of it soon, so it doesn't leave scars."
"Got it," Mia nodded in agreement.
Henry walked over to Anna and pulled her along to leave. Though Anna was initially reluctant, she eventually followed him.
As the three figures gradually disappeared into the distance, the first thing Mia said was, "Tina, Jenny, don't tell Arthur about what just happened."
"But…" Tina hesitated.
"You both heard me—this is my order!" For the first time, Mia spoke to them in such a stern tone. "Arthur assigned you to serve me, so you should follow my commands."
Jenny looked at Mia deeply. "Miss Mia, how are we supposed to explain the injury on your face to the leader?"
Mia gave a faint smile. "That's my concern. You don't need to worry about it."
The ground was slippery, and she had accidentally fallen, scratched by a branch sticking out nearby. That's how she ended up looking so pitiful. Though Arthur was skeptical of Mia's explanation, he still felt heartbroken and gently applied another layer of ointment to her already-treated face. Seeing her once flawless face now marred with several cuts and swollen welts, he was both furious and pained.
If Mia hadn't stopped him, Arthur would have ordered the servants to chop down every tree around the house.
As for Tina and Jenny, Mia repeatedly told Arthur that she had snuck out to play while they weren't paying attention, which is how she got hurt. This spared them from punishment, though they still received a scolding.
Then Arthur blamed himself. He was angry that he had listened to Mia and not brought her along with him, which led to her getting hurt in his absence.
His self-blame made Mia's heart ache for him. She quickly said, "Arthur, how can you blame yourself? Even if you had taken me with you, there's no guarantee I'd have been safe. The world is unpredictable—who knows what might happen? For all we know, something worse could have happened if I'd been with you."
Before she could finish, Arthur covered her mouth, scolding her for not trusting him. "If I were by your side, I wouldn't let you get hurt even the tiniest bit. I'd protect you even if it meant breaking every bone in my body! To me, your pain hurts a million times more than my own. Those small wounds on your body cut me like a knife."
His words filled Mia with waves of emotion and bittersweet warmth. All she could do was silently sink into Arthur's warm embrace, basking in his tenderness.
In the hazy moonlight, Arthur stood alone in the courtyard. Tonight, he was dressed in white, his long hair flowing like shattered moonlight in the breeze, but the jade flute was absent from his hands.
His hands were clasped behind his back as he gazed silently into the misty distance. It was unclear what he was looking at, what he was thinking, or what he was waiting for…
Until a tall, striking figure appeared behind him.
"Leader!" The man dropped to one knee as soon as he arrived, his voice thick with the tension of someone who had done wrong and was seeking redemption.
Arthur didn't turn around or say a word, remaining still in his place.
The cold night wind swept through, lifting the hems of their robes. Only then did Arthur's voice break the silence of the night, as chilling as the icy current in the air.
"The injury on Mia's face—she did it." It wasn't a question; it was a statement.
"Yes," Henry lowered his head even further in shame. He knew he couldn't hide this from the leader, and he had come to confess, to take responsibility for his wife's actions.
"With my temper, that woman would be done for!" Arthur's words made Henry's heart leap to his throat.
"But… would that make Mia sad? She's so kind…" Arthur's voice softened as he spoke of her, but it quickly turned icy again. "Henry, you have one last chance. I don't want there to be a next time. Otherwise, no amount of pleading will save her!"
Hearing Arthur's words, Henry let out a sigh of relief. "Keep an eye on your wife, Henry!"
"Yes!" Henry replied firmly.
"And…" Arthur's voice grew faint, almost ethereal. "Henry, have you figured out how to tell her your true identity?"
A flash of pain crossed Henry's eyes. "No, Leader."
In the cold wind, the two men fell into silence once more…
In the end, only a faint whisper drifted through the breeze: "How do I tell her so she'll accept me?…"
When Mia woke up, Arthur was still asleep. She quietly savored the rare sight, as he usually woke before her.
Arthur's long, snow-white hair playfully spilled across his shoulders, face, and pillow. Unlike the dull, lifeless silver of an old man's hair, his was smooth and glossy, shimmering like dewdrops in the morning light, vibrant and alive, as if it held a life of its own.
Unable to resist, she gently lifted the strands clinging to his cheek, feeling the soft, silky texture of his white hair while gazing at his face.
Even after more than two months of seeing him every day, his breathtaking beauty still stirred her heart. His pale, flawless complexion, refined brows, thick and long lashes, perfectly straight nose, and full, exquisite lips—every feature was as if meticulously crafted by God, a masterpiece of divine artistry. His beauty was so stunning it captivated both gods and mortals alike, as if the deity who created him had left him on earth to flaunt their creation.
And she, an ordinary, unremarkable mortal, was somehow loved so deeply by such a perfect being…
Was this truly not just a beautiful dream? A dream she wished to linger in forever.
Sigh…
Mia let out a deep sigh in her heart. Anna Ivan's words from the previous day echoed in her mind, stirring memories she had deliberately tried to ignore.
Could she really be with Arthur? She, who had once lived under someone else's roof, barely surviving—did she deserve someone as noble as him?
Arthur's passionate love moved her, but his occasional hesitance, as if he wanted to say something but held back, filled her with unease. Now, her own insecurities were slowly tearing her apart.
She felt inferior because it was the truth. They were from entirely different worlds, two people who should never have crossed paths.
Gratitude, unease, and heartache intertwined, leaving Mia lost about the path ahead. She knew—she understood—that she could no longer break free. She was ensnared, her eyes and heart filled with Arthur. The mere thought of leaving him plunged her into endless darkness, crumbling every castle of hope in an instant.
What could she do? No, there was nothing she could do. It had been too late ever since Dick told her to run. Even knowing she might face destruction, she had chosen to believe.
Now, she stood at the crossroads of hope and destruction, waiting. Would she step toward hope or march toward ruin? Every step hung on a single thought. She was powerless, at the mercy of others, for Arthur was the final judge.
Hiding her sigh, Mia pressed herself tightly into Arthur's embrace, clinging to the warmth of his arms.
Unseen by Mia, Arthur's eyes were already open, his deep blue gaze filled with sorrow…
Both were awake, yet neither spoke.
Silence, silence, letting the pain settle—