Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Aston helped Lady Rania to her feet, as well as the Lady's two maids. After that, Aston turned back to Trisya.

"Who did you come here with?" Aston asked Trisya.

"My brother and Prince Terry," Trisya replied simply. Aston looked surprised to hear Trisya mention Prince Terry.

"Hmm... sorry, but I'm going to excuse myself because my father is waiting for me in his room," Lady Rania excused herself.

"Go on, Rania! And I apologize for the unpleasant incident earlier. I hope the misunderstanding need not reach the ears of others," pleaded Aston.

Lady Rania nodded, then quickly left the place followed by her two maids. After Lady Rania's departure, Trisya looked sharply at Aston who seemed to still think that he was the one who made Lady Rania kowtow.

"What's wrong? Why do you look so annoyed at, Trisya?" asked Aston.

"Of course. You just accused me of doing something bad to Lady Rania, right? I didn't do it. I also don't know why she's apologizing, when I don't even think there's anything wrong between us," Trisya was upset.

"It seems Lady Rania thought you were scolding her, Lady," Layla said. Trisya looked confused.

"You know I'm not angry, right? She just concluded it herself, then suddenly apologized and kowtowed like that," Trisya said.

Layla nodded in agreement. "Probably because she thought you would be jealous knowing Lady Rania would be meeting with His Highness the Crown Prince." After that, Layla turned to Aston, "Really, Sir, my lady did not do anything evil to Lady Rania. It was just a misunderstanding," she explained.

"Is that so?" asked Aston, sounding doubtful.

"You can ask the guards there if you don't believe me. I didn't get physical at all. I didn't even speak loudly. It's just that she's too quick to jump to conclusions about things I've never had a problem with. Besides, who cares if she's going to meet the Prince? Is it any of my business?" Trisya babbled. She was increasingly annoyed that Aston didn't seem to believe her.

After that, a smile appeared on Aston's lips. Trisya's cousin chuckled, then ruffled Trisya's soft hair, making the girl squeal in annoyance. "Aston! Don't mess up my hairdo!"

"How adorable is my sister. Okay, I trust you. I know you're not a bad girl, Trisya," Aston said.

And that's when Trisya breathed a sigh of relief. She was so happy, just because Aston said that he believed in Trisya.

"Oh yes. I'm also here to discuss something with His Highness the Crown Prince. So, do you want to come in with me?" Aston offered.

Trisya shook her head quickly. "I think the air here is still much more refreshing than the one in there." Trisya's answer made Aston chuckle again.

Aston nodded in understanding. "Alright then. If you get bored, you can go inside. I don't think anyone will mind if you come inside too, as Lady Rania is also entertaining Her Highness and your brother."

"You can rest easy. I'm still comfortable here and don't intend to make a mess in there. So, please go inside and finish your business!" After that, Aston quickly said goodbye and entered the Morsche Family's main residence.

After Aston left, Trisya and Layla sat back down as before. Trisya looked straight ahead again, enjoying the expanse of water that stretched across the vast lake. Meanwhile, Layla occasionally looked back at her young lady. She looked worried and couldn't calm down thinking about the fate of the girl who was now even acting as if there was no problem.

"Lady," Layla called out.

"Tell me!" said Trisya.

"Isn't you worried that Lady Rania will snitch on Count or even His Highness the Crown Prince?" asked Layla cautiously.

"I don't care. I did nothing wrong, Layla," replied Trisya casually.

"But, Lady. Either Lady Rania is twisting the facts, or her maid is deliberately bringing it up to give her a bad name. I just-"

"Layla, do you think Lady Rania is that bad?" asked Trisya quickly, cutting off her maid's speech.

"H- how dare I say such a thing, Lady? Compared to thinking about Lady Rania's attitude, I am far more concerned about your good name. Especially in front of His Highness the Crown Prince," Layla replied. Trisya turned to Layla with a smile.

"Aston just came in, and I trust him."

Trisya didn't fully understand what she had just said. But clearly, she wanted to always believe that everything would be fine as long as she still had Aston on her side. And didn't Aston just say that he trusted Trisya? Therefore, Trisya concluded that nothing bad would happen to her because of the misunderstanding.

'But, why is Lady Rania like that? Why is she so stupid that she thought I would go berserk just because she knew she was going to meet Prince Terry? Tsk, I used to idolize her among the characters in this novel. But, among all of them, she is the most stupid and short-sighted character,' Trisya thought.

Trisya felt bored as she waited for a long time in the park. Although the park was indeed beautiful, it seemed like she had been waiting there for too long. In fact, without hearing complaints from the girl next to her, Trisya knew Layla was already getting sleepy by now.

Trisya let out a long sigh, causing Layla to turn around alertly. "Do you need anything, Lady?"

"I just want to go home as soon as possible. I regret taking the Prince's carriage earlier. If my carriage had come here too, maybe we could have gotten home earlier. Right, Layla?"

"Still can't, Lady. If you want to go home first, you still have to say goodbye to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and your brother first. Meanwhile, I know you don't want to go in there," Layla explained.

Trisya let out another long sigh. It was indeed troublesome to the rules in the country she was currently living in.

"Then how long do we have to wait like this, Layla? You know we didn't have to come. It would have been more fun if we had gone home. I can lie all day in my bed, or if not, paint in the garden behind my residence," Trisya was annoyed.

If only she hadn't been so nice to come along for her brother's sake, she wouldn't have had to suffer so much.

"I apologize if I've kept Lady waiting too long." Trisya turned her head quickly when she heard the voice.

And she immediately followed Layla to her feet - saluting the new arrival, who was none other than Prince Terry.

With a straight face, the Prince walked towards Trisya, then stopped right in front of the girl. "So, what can I do as an apology?"

Trisya suddenly raised her head, looking at the Prince who was now also watching her. Their gazes met, though not for long because after that there was another sound that distracted their focus.

"Your Highness!" the voice exclaimed. "Oh, sorry if I'm interrupting," said the girl after realizing that the man she was looking for was now with someone else.

"Raise your head, Lady Rania! Do you have something to say?" For some reason, Trisya didn't even realize that Prince Terry was now fully facing Count Morsche's only daughter.

"I'm sorry. I- I just didn't know that His Highness was with Lady Trisya," said Lady Rania, not answering Prince Terry's question at all.

"I'm sorry, Lady. However, if you knew His Highness the Crown Prince and Lady Trisya were here, why didn't you pay your respects immediately?" Startled by Layla's words, Lady Rania blinked and immediately saluted the two nobles who were taller than her.

"Forgive me. My respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and also Lady Trisya," Lady Rania said in a frightened and awkward tone.

"Miss Layla, you shouldn't have treated our lady like that! After all, you have no right. Moreover, you don't come from a noble family background either, and are just an ordinary court lady, right? That's very impolite!" accused Lady Rania's court lady.

Trisya narrowed her eyes as she heard the unpleasant remarks directed at Layla. "Layla was just reminding Lady Rania, and there was nothing disrespectful in what she said," Trisya defended.

"But, Lady, Miss Layla is nothing but your maid, while Lady Rania is-"

"Never mind, I'm fine. Please don't make a scene where I'm the cause!" said Lady Rania.

"Stop cornering Lady Rania, Lady Trisya! After all, we've known each other for quite some time, and I was the one who told Lady Rania to be less formal when she's with me," interrupted Prince Terry.

Trisya was very upset to hear Prince Terry's words that seemed to blame her. Trisya did not corner anyone. She just wanted to defend her maid who was being humiliated by Lady Rania's maid. After all, according to Trisya, Layla was not wrong. She shouldn't have been humiliated like that.

However, no matter how you explain it, in the end, Trisya realizes her position. She is only the antagonist in this novel, and now in front of her are two main protagonists who are destined to always be at odds with her.

"Well, if that's how it appears to Your Majesty," Trisya said curtly. "Anyway, I have no more business here. And don't you want to talk? In that case, I'd better get out of here, and wait for my brother elsewhere. Have a good day, Your Highness, Lady Rania," Trisya excused herself.

Trisya had only taken a few steps when she heard a voice interrupt her. She stopped her steps, allowing the person who had called her to catch up with her. And it turned out to be Aston. Behind him was also Darian who also approached Trisya.

"Where are you going?" asked Darian when he arrived in front of his sister.

"I'm just waiting for you outside this neighborhood. Will you still be long?" Trisya asked back.

"There are still some things you need to discuss with Aston. Can you wait a little longer? After that I will take you home," Darian asked.

"But we didn't bring a carriage," Trisya was annoyed.

"You can use mine. And Trisya, if you're bored and want to wait somewhere else, come to my residence! My residence is not far from here. I can ask my guards to"

"Very sorry, Count Aston. But Lady Trisya came with me. That means I should escort her back. So, you don't have to bother offering to help," Prince Terry snapped, causing an instant silence.

Trisya stared fiercely at the man who had just spoken as if he was the kindest and most responsible human being to Trisya. Did he forget what he had just done to Trisya? Then, he thought Trisya would be willing to just accept his good intentions.

Trisya chuckled briefly. "No, thank you, Your Honor. But I would rather accept Aston's offer than Your Majesty's. After all, doesn't Your Highness still have business with Lady Rania? It's better for me to wait at Count Aston's residence than to be a nuisance here. And I think Count Aston's offer to lend me his carriage is not such a bad thing that I cannot refuse it," Trisya explained.

Trisya again bowed politely as a sign of her farewell, followed by Layla and their bodyguards. After that, Trisya gave the code to one of Aston's bodyguards whom Aston ordered to escort Trisya to the man's residence.

"I can take you first if your brother has other things to do," said Aston, patting his favorite cousin on the shoulder.

Trisya nodded with a smile. Then, she quickly turned around and prepared to leave.

"Aren't you my fiancée? Shouldn't you be beside me, rather than near another man?" Instantly, Trisya's body froze at the unexpected words from Prince Terry who had even abandoned his formal language.

No! It was not the Prince's language and greeting that had changed. However, it was about what the man had just said. Didn't he just say that Trisya was his fiancée? Trisya couldn't have heard wrong. Her hearing was still functioning well, especially this close. But what did the word 'fiancé' mean? There's no way a Terry Iscorra would just say that, right?

Trisya shook her head strongly. Her mind was in complete chaos right now. She turned around quickly, looking at the person who had managed to make her feel like she had been struck by lightning.

"Fiancé?"