Chapter 212 Leaving the Banquet
For some reason, Anne always felt that Friedel's gaze wasn't looking at her like a comrade-in-arms. But the other possibility could easily make her blush and her heart race. Anne could only desperately remind herself that Friedel already had a lover to suppress her inexplicable excitement. She didn't want things to become awkward between them later.
Maybe it was because there were too many people at the banquet, and everyone was watching them, so Friedel had no choice but to look at her this way, to prevent those sharp-eyed people from discovering there was no love between them at all.
Compared to being accused and humiliated, Anne was even less willing to continue maintaining this situation.
"I don't want to stay here anymore."
Anne looked into Friedel's eyes and spoke seriously, "I don't like being treated as a clown. After all, I'm not as stupid as others think, and I don't have that much time to waste on them."
Her gaze shifted to Princess Kirenya's face. "Since the Princess's invitation wasn't sincere, then I have no need to continue staying here. However, if the Princess sincerely admits her mistake later and properly addresses Miss Lucida's lack of manners, then if you send me an invitation, I'll consider attending. As for now, I have no interest in participating, so I'll be leaving first."
Princess Kirenya had never been treated with such disrespect before. She shouted angrily, "Anne! If you dare to leave, I'll tell His Majesty that you disrespected a royal family member and have him..."
"Respect is mutual, Aunt Kirenya. Anne is a Duke, but I haven't seen you respect her either. Rather than this, it's better not to stay together."
After Friedel finished speaking, he turned back and held Anne's hand a bit tighter. "I'll leave with you."
Anne looked at Friedel with some surprise. Meeting those gentle eyes, she immediately turned her face away as if burned. "Then let's go. You're so good-looking, if Princess Kirenya follows suit and arranges for someone to go to your bed, I'd be unhappy too."
Friedel froze for a moment, and the corners of his lips couldn't help but curve up slightly. He nodded at Selyma and led Anne directly away.
Nina's eyes turned red with jealousy, but Prince Friedel had just spoken to her so coldly. If she chased after them now, who knows what Anne would say about her.
Not just Anne, but all these noble ladies present—don't think she couldn't tell that they all had designs on Prince Friedel. She was just the only one who said it out loud.
But still...
Nina clenched her fists. How could that bitch Anne be so shameless? A woman who had been married still dared to throw herself at such a noble man as Prince Friedel. Truly shameless!
Old Lady Titan stood to the side, staring blankly as Anne and Friedel left hand in hand.
She had never seen Anne like this—sharp, strong, fearless.
If Holden hadn't divorced Anne, then she would have had such an excellent daughter-in-law.
But why did Anne insist on the divorce?
Old Lady Titan understood the reason but refused to believe it.
Because of her ignorance and greed, because of the Titan family's arrogance, because of Holden's fickleness, they had all forgotten the careful and cherished feeling they had when Anne first married into their family.
Anne had been too good to the Titan family, so good that they took all that kindness for granted, so they no longer valued Anne's contributions and demanded she give even more.
Why should she?
Old Lady Titan glanced at Princess Kirenya beside her, whose face was ashen. She knew it was over, all over.
The Titan family would truly never receive Anne's favor again. They were truly finished.
Anne and Friedel walked out of the estate. As she turned toward the Virlet family's carriage, she felt a tug on her hand. Looking down, she realized Friedel had been holding her hand the whole time and still hadn't let go.
"Your hand..." Anne was rarely flustered. She had been focused on the argument earlier, and on the way out, she'd been thinking about whether her provocation of Princess Kirenya today had left any vulnerabilities. She hadn't paid attention to Friedel.
Friedel followed Anne's gaze downward, his eyes landing on their clasped hands. His expression softened for a moment, then he politely released Anne's hand. "Sorry, you seemed deep in thought just now, so it was more convenient to lead you this way."
Anne nodded, accepting Friedel's explanation.
Friedel watched Anne's distracted appearance and thought for a moment before speaking. "I have something I'd like to talk to you about. Would it be convenient for you?"
"Of course."
When their hands were no longer clasped, Anne felt her heart wasn't beating as hard. She nodded calmly. After all, having just left Princess Kirenya's banquet, she didn't have anything else to do for the moment.
Anne nodded to Elisa behind her, then turned and got into Friedel's carriage. After all, soon everyone would know about her relationship with Friedel anyway, so there was no need to hide it.
Friedel sent Lain to ride with Elisa, leaving the space inside the carriage for just him and Anne.
He glanced at Anne's calm expression and couldn't help recalling the flush he'd glimpsed on Anne's ear earlier. Friedel felt a bit of excitement at this discovery, but he didn't want to ask so rashly, lest Anne think he was going to say more false words about liking her.
"Those things you said to Aunt Kirenya just now—aren't you worried she'll really go to my brother and complain to get revenge?"
Anne said flatly, "They deliberately insulted me. I was just responding in kind. Even if she goes to His Majesty to complain about me, so what? I'm a Duke now. Even if His Majesty wants to hold me accountable, he'll first consider whether it's worth it. Besides, I've never been afraid of anyone in my life."
Hearing this, a smile flashed in Friedel's eyes.
He had known Anne had this kind of personality all along. After all, when he used to see Anne, Duke Skoda's "cute doll" would be fighting people blow for blow. In Lain's words, she was incredibly bold.
When Friedel first heard that Anne was being mistreated in the Titan family, he could hardly believe it. But then he understood—Anne probably thought that since she married Holden, she should take good care of his family for him. She never expected that her rare good temper would make those people see her as a weak, easy-to-bully young lady.
You have to know, on Friedel's first day of training at the military camp, he saw Anne, whom he hadn't seen in a year, holding a beautiful longsword and fighting evenly with her brother who had been in the military for several years. Friedel just stood by the road quietly watching, watching Anne claim victory, laughing boldly and brightly.
"Impressive, right?" Duke Skoda had appeared beside Friedel at some point, lifting his chin to indicate Anne. "My daughter has even better talent with the sword than I do. She'll definitely be an amazing woman in the future."