Reincarnation of The Villainess: She Has The Duke's Baby!-Chapter 55: #-Marriage News And Isabella Lysander’s Seduction
"What?! Wedding?!"
Sebastian De Louis almost spilled the tea that was in his cup. The man looked at the aide with sharp and disbelieving eyes. Then, Sebastian got up from his chair and walked with quick steps toward his aide who was bowing near the door of his study. Sebastian immediately grabbed his aide by the shoulders as soon as he stood in front of him and shook his body.
"Are you serious about what you said just now?!" growled Sebastian. "Tell me you’re kidding! Look at me and say you’re just lying to me, damn it!"
The aide cleared his throat and shook his head fearfully. "I am not lying, Your Highness the Crown Prince. News of the wedding had already spread throughout the empire since this morning. Duke Edmund Gerwyn will marry Princess Penelope Askary. And, according to rumors, Princess Penelope is currently pregnant with Duke Edmund’s child. Even so, I don’t know whether the rumors regarding Princess Penelope’s pregnancy are true or not."
Sebastian shook his head firmly. "No! That’s not possible!" He pushed the aide until his back hit the wall behind him. Sebastian rubbed his face with both hands, bit his lip, and paced back and forth in his place. "Edmund couldn’t have married Penelope! That woman loved me! She’s obsessed with me and must still love me! She wants me!"
The adjutant who had just given the information to the Crown Prince couldn’t help but glance at the man. He swallowed hard and begged the Goddess Elleia in his heart so that the Goddess would protect him from the wrath of Sebastian De Louis.
"Does my Father already know about this?" asked Sebastian in a sharp tone.
"His Highness the Emperor already knows about this matter. His Highness the Emperor will be meeting with Duke Edmund and Princess Penelope tonight to congratulate them on their marriage and invite them to have dinner together."
"So, I’m the last person to know about this marriage between those two?!" Sebastian exclaimed. "I do not believe it! I’m going to meet my Father!"
Without saying anything else, Sebastian walked with fast and wide steps toward his father’s study. Sebastian didn’t care about the greetings made by the maids, palace knights, or palace guests who had an appointment to meet the Emperor or Empress. Sebastian went straight into the Emperor’s study without even knocking on the door first or ordering the person standing guard at the door to announce his arrival. Seeing that, the Emperor raised his head from the reports he was reviewing and glared at his only son.
"Is this the way when you want to meet someone, Sebastian De Louis?" growled the Emperor. "I never remember teaching you to be this impudent and impolite. Where’s your etiquette?"
If Sebastian wasn’t thinking about Edmund and Penelope’s marriage, maybe the man would regret his mistake and apologized to the Emperor. However, all that was on Sebastian’s mind at the moment was Penelope Askary. Sebastian approached his father’s desk and looked at the man with a firm gaze.
"Father—no, I mean, Your Highness," corrected Sebastian. "Did you know about Edmund and Penelope’s marriage plans?"
"I have heard about it," the Emperor replied as he returned to concentrate on his work. "Duke Askary and Duke Edmund sent me letters yesterday and told me about the news."
"Then, you allowed them to marry?!"
Sebastian’s loud voice made the Emperor click his tongue and raise his head again from the documents on the table. The man gave his cold gaze to Sebastian who immediately froze and looked away.
"What exactly is wrong with you, Crown Prince?" asked the Emperor in a sharp tone. "You look like someone who disapproves of Duke Edmund and Princess Penelope’s marriage."
"Yes, I don’t!" Sebastian looked at the Emperor with a look of despair. His hands clenched so tightly at his sides that his knuckles turned white. "Your Highness, won’t you marry me to Penelope? Why did you agree to marry Edmund and that woman?!"
The Emperor snorted and pointed at Sebastian’s face. "Don’t talk nonsense, Sebastian De Louis! I did plan your wedding with Princess Penelope Askary. Your marriage with her will make your position stronger when you become Emperor to replace me. But, have you forgotten that it was you who asked me to cancel the wedding plans that I had made? You begged me, Sebastian! You even seduced the Empress so that the Empress would persuade me to cancel it because you don’t love Princess Penelope and instead love Lady Isabella Lysander, daughter of Marquess Lysander! I’ve tried to talk to you so that you change your mind because Marquess Lysander’s family can’t give you strength in the future but you won’t listen to me. You also told me that you hated Princess Penelope. Then now, when that woman is about to marry another man when that woman has walked away from your life like you wanted, suddenly you want her?"
"Your Highness, an Emperor can have an Empress and a concubine," Sebastian growled. "I will still make Isabel my Empress and Penelope can be my concubine! Imperial law allows that." Sebastian rubbed his face with one hand and groaned. "Yes, I do hate Penelope. That woman was totally obsessed with me. But that was in the past! Now I’m attracted to her. I want her, Your Highness!"
The Emperor slammed the table and stood up. "Don’t be greedy, Sebastian De Louis! Do not be selfish! Imperial law does allow for an Emperor to have multiple wives but I’m sure Princess Penelope wouldn’t want that. She is already happy with the man of her choice. And more importantly, that woman is carrying Duke Edmund’s successor!"
"Your Highness!"
"Get out right now," the Emperor growled. "And remember, don’t show up at the dinner I’m hosting for Duke Edmund and Princess Penelope. If you disobey my orders, I will give you punishment, Sebastian De Louis!"
Sebastian clenched his jaw. He walked out of the Emperor’s study with anger surging through him until his face was red. The man frowned when he saw someone already standing at the door of the Emperor’s study. The person looks pale.
"Sorry, I overheard the conversation between you and His Highness the Emperor," she said in a low voice. "Are... Duke Edmund and Penny really getting married? Penny is pregnant with Duke Edmund’s child?"
"You don’t seem to like that fact," Sebastian said in a flat tone. "If so, do you want to help me to thwart their wedding plans, Isabel?"
Isabella Lysander swallowed hard and looked down.
###
Edmund Gerwyn helped Penelope Askary off the carriage with a big smile.
Yesterday was the day that made Edmund the happiest person in the world. After getting permission from Duke Askary to marry Penelope, the man immediately planned everything. He also directly sent a letter to the Emperor regarding the news of the marriage. Edmund also immediately ordered Evan and all the servants in Gerwyn’s mansion to get ready to welcome Penelope who would soon become Duchess Gerwyn, also told them to call people from the most famous boutiques in the De Louis empire to prepare the most expensive and most luxurious wedding dresses.
"I’m so nervous, Ed," Penelope said in a trembling tone. "I didn’t expect His Highness the Emperor to invite us to have dinner together."
Edmund chuckled and raised an eyebrow. "Are you nervous because you will meet His Highness the Emperor or because you are afraid to meet Sebastian De Louis?" the man teased.
Penelope snorted and scowled at Edmund. "I don’t care about that guy, Ed. Stop teasing me or I will leave you and love the Crown Prince again. Is that what you want?"
Edmund shrugged and grinned. "You haven’t forgotten that I’m called the cruelest Duke in this empire, have you? I’m not afraid of having to kill the Crown Prince if he dares to touch you and take you away from me, Honey."
Penelope widened her eyes and stopped in her tracks. She glanced around with a frightened look, then gave Edmund an annoyed look.
"We’re at the palace, Edmund Gerwyn! Watch your mouth! Do you want His Highness the Emperor to give you the death penalty if your words just now reach his ears? Do you have the heart to leave me and your child?"
Edmund chuckled and hugged Penelope. The man didn’t care if he did that in the palace. In contrast to Penelope who felt embarrassed and tried to get away from Edmund.
"Hey, Ed! Let me go! What if someone else saw us?" Penelope asked in a panicked tone.
"Just let others see. I am free to do anything to the woman I love and will soon be my wife." The man kissed Penelope quickly on the lips, making Penelope widen her eyes and immediately covered her face with both hands. Seeing Penelope’s adorable attitude made Edmund chuckle and kiss her forehead. Then, Edmund remembered his conversation with Ethan Askary yesterday in the backyard of the Askary mansion, after he had gotten permission to marry Penelope.
"Duke Edmund, I’m only saying this to warn you," Ethan said to him yesterday when the two of them were in the backyard of the Askary mansion. "Philleo Aaron is my best friend. I really love and care for him. I will fight anyone who dares to insult him. But, I’m not going to lie to you. I feel... that man is starting to change. The change comes when Penny flees from you to the North. At that time, he was furious. He seems totally obsessed with Penny like he did earlier when you were still in disguise. To be honest, I feel a little... afraid of him. I hope he won’t continue to act like this. But, just in case, would you help me to keep an eye on him and protect Penny?"
At that time, Edmund had thought about killing Philleo and dumping his body somewhere. But, he remembered Penelope’s words who didn’t want to see him kill others. Finally, Edmund agreed to Ethan’s request. It was a stupid request because Edmund would always protect Penelope even if Ethan didn’t ask for it.
A coughing sound made Edmund turn his head, as well as Penelope. When Penelope smiled, Edmund gave Isabella Lysander a cold look. Penelope pushed Edmund firmly so that the man’s embrace left her body and then approached the smiling Isabella.
"Isabel! I miss you," Penelope said in a cheerful tone. She took Isabella’s hand and hugged her. "How are you, Isabel?"
"I’m fine, Penny," Isabella nodded. She smiled at Edmund Gerwyn. A smile that, for some reason, made Penelope feel uncomfortable when she saw it. It was the kind of smile of a woman who wanted to captivate a man. "Greetings to Duke Edmund. May Elleia’s light always be with you."
Edmund just nodded stiffly. It didn’t matter if Isabella was smiling at him.
"How are you, Duke?" asked the woman in a gentle tone. "Congratulations on your and Penny’s wedding. I was so shocked when I heard this news from the Crown Prince. Does that mean you have forgotten me, Duke Edmund?"
Hearing that, Penelope and Edmund froze. Penelope looked at Edmund, asking for an explanation through her eyes. Then, the woman realized that Isabella had walked over to Edmund and embraced his arm. Isabella looked up and looked at Edmund with adoring eyes.
"Hey, Duke Edmund," Isabella whispered softly. Even though she was whispering, she made sure that Penelope could hear her. Besides, Penelope was very close to her and Edmund. "Didn’t you always whisper words of love to me in the past? You always said that you loved me and would be a better man than the Crown Prince. Is your love for me no longer there? I’m sure you still have the love in your heart for me, right?"
Penelope clenched her fists and looked down. She bit her lip. She really hated this situation. But, Penelope was also aware that something like this was what should have happened in the first place. Because Edmund Gerwyn loved Isabella Lysander.
Because she was the one who got into Edmund and Isabella’s relationship. She was the one who destroyed the closeness between Edmund and Isabella.
"So, would you reconsider your wedding plans with Penny?" she asked. "I’m not saying it because Penny is a woman you don’t deserve. Penny is a good woman. It’s just that I... am starting to love you, Edmund." Now, Isabella no longer calls Edmund by his title. "I will leave the Crown Prince and choose you, Edmund. Compared to me, who is the daughter of a Marquess, isn’t Penny more worthy of the title of Empress in the future since Penny is the daughter of a Duke?" Isabella looked at Penelope. "Besides, Penny loves the Crown Prince, doesn’t she?"
Isabella knew that this was Sebastian’s request. The man asked her to help thwart Edmund and Penelope’s wedding plans. Sebastian told her to seduce Edmund in front of Penelope and the man was sure that Edmund would be affected. But, somehow Isabella didn’t just want to thwart the wedding plans because of the Crown Prince’s orders. Isabella realized that she loved Edmund Gerwyn too and didn’t want him to belong to another woman, especially Penelope Askary.
I can be an Empress as well as the wife of a Duke, Isabella said in her heart. The woman smiled faintly. Wasn’t it common in this empire for married nobles to have hidden partners?
