She sliced a piece of fruit and held it up to Garius with a smile. "Here, my lord."
Garius raised an eyebrow, a smirk appearing on his lips. "You're spoiling , Francesca."
"And why shouldn't I?" she replied, her tone playful yet sincere. "You work hard for the family.."
Without hesitation, Garius leaned forward, taking the offered bite. Francesca watched him with satisfaction, gently dabbing a napkin at the corner of his mouth afterward, showing how much she cherished him.
"Perfect, isn't it?" Your journey continues at empire
"It always is when it's from you,"
Lady Garcinia tightened her grip on her teacup, while Lady Phenelopie's fork paused mid-air. They both strained to maintain their composure as Francesca continued to pamper Garius with a grace that was nearly infuriating to witness.
Francesca, purposely ignoring their reactions, poured Garius's tea, making sure it was the right for him. She blew lightly on the surface to cool it before handing him the cup with both hands.
"Thank you, my dear," Garius said, nodding in appreciation as he took the cup.
"You deserve it," Francesca replied, her voice soft and full of unwavering affection.
Monts like these made her the perfect wife in Garius's eyes—a woman who balanced strength, intelligence, and beauty with a nurturing touch that no one else could replicate. Even though the other wives' jealousy was palpable, Francesca remained entirely focused on her husband, as if the rest of the world didn't exist.
Lady Garcinia and Lady Phenelopie could no longer hold back. Lady Phenelopie spoke first, her voice teasing but tinged with jealousy. "Darling! What about us? Are we to be ignored today?"
Lady Garcinia chid in, her tone sharper but still playful enough to hide her irritation. "Exactly! You spend all your ti with Francesca these days. It's hardly fair!"
Garius set his teacup down calmly, shifting his gaze to his other two wives. A faint smile appeared on his face as he replied casually, "Your turn was yesterday, Phenelopie. And yours was the day before, Garcinia. Today is Francesca's turn."
The bluntness of his statent left the two won montarily stunned.
"B-but…" Phenelopie stamred, pouting as her cheeks puffed slightly.
Garcinia crossed her arms, huffing indignantly. "Still! Just because it's her turn doesn't an you have to make it so… obvious."
Garius chuckled, leaning back in his chair with complete ease. "You're all important to . But I don't recall any complaints when it was your turn. Now, let Francesca enjoy her ti."
Francesca, who had stayed silent during the exchange, hid a small smile behind her hand, her eyes gleaming with amusent. She glanced at her husband and leaned in slightly, her voice soft but teasing. "My, my… you're quite firm today, my lord. I'm flattered."
The subtle intimacy in her tone made the other two wives bristle, but they could only exchange defeated glances.
Garius turned back to Francesca, his smirk softening into a genuine smile. "It's only fair, isn't it?"
Francesca nodded, feeding him another piece of fruit to emphasize her position as the one currently in his favor.
Garius leaned closer to Francesca, his voice low and teasing as he whispered near her ear, "We shouldn't wait for our youngest son. How about… after breakfast?"
Francesca's cheeks ward , but she remained composed, fully aware of what her husband ant. As his first wife, she understood his strong desires better than anyone.
With a soft smile and an elegant nod, she replied gently, "As you wish, my lord."
The subtle exchange didn't go unnoticed by Garcinia and Phenelopie, who exchanged knowing glances.
"Honestly," Phenelopie muttered under her breath.
"Hmph," Garcinia huffed, pretending to concentrate on her breakfast but clearly distracted by the scene.
Garius finished his breakfast quickly, his eagerness barely concealed as he set down his fork. His sharp movents didn't escape Francesca's notice, and she let out a soft, lodious laugh as she saw the longing in his eyes.
With her usual grace, Francesca signaled her personal maid, who stepped forward imdiately. "Please see that my plate is taken care of later," she said with a serene smile as she rose from her seat.
Garius leaned toward her, his voice low and filled with anticipation. "Darling, I'll go first. I'll be waiting for you in our room."
Francesca gave a delicate nod. "As you wish, my love."
She watched as her husband left the dining hall with purposeful strides, barely acknowledging the jealous stares of the other wives. Once he was gone, Francesca turned to her maid again, ensuring everything was in order before gracefully excusing herself to follow him.
The warmth in her expression hinted at her own quiet anticipation, though she carried herself with the poise and dignity expected of Lord Garius's first wife.
Francesca gracefully called for the butler and the maid leader, both of whom quickly stepped forward, bowing respectfully and awaiting her instructions.
"Ensure our privacy," Francesca said, her voice calm but with a clear note of authority. "And make certain the area outside our room remains secure."
The butler inclined his head. "As you wish, Madam Francesca. I will personally oversee it."
The maid leader nodded. "I shall assign trusted staff to ensure no disturbances, Madam."
Francesca smiled softly, appreciating their dedication. "Good. Carry on."
With that, she turned, her gown flowing elegantly behind her as she made her way toward her room, where her husband was waiting. The butler and maid leader exchanged a glance, silently acknowledging the weight of their task, before swiftly moving to carry out her orders.
Francesca paused mid-step as Javier's voice called out. "Mother? Where are you going?"
Turning around with her usual radiant smile, she replied, "Oh, honey bun? I'm going to my room. There's a… 'bigger boy' waiting for ."
Javier's mind scread in annoyance. Ugh, dried plum! Are you planning on giving yet another younger sibling? Seriously, haven't we reached the limit already?
Oblivious to his internal rant, Javier shrugged. "Oh… okay, Mother."
Francesca leaned down and placed a quick kiss on his forehead. "Javier?"
"Yes, Mother?"
"Eat your breakfast, and don't start any trouble today, I'll be busy until the afternoon. And whatever you do, don't co to my room."
"Okay," Javier replied while rolling his eyes .
Francesca turned to Liana. "Liana?"
"Yes, Madam?" Liana responded promptly.
"Make sure you take Javier to et the estate manager about the land Lord Garius ntioned during breakfast."
"As you wish, Madam," Liana replied with a respectful nod.
Satisfied, Francesca smiled once more and head toward her room, leaving Javier to stew silently in his thoughts. Dried plum and Mother conspiring for more kids, huh? Guess I'll just enjoy my breakfast and plot my mischief later.
As Javier strolled into the main dining room, the air was thick with tension. His stepmothers, Lady Garcinia and Lady Phenelopie, sat at their respective spots, sulking in silence. Each was attended by her own group of personal maids, who hovered around cautiously, aware of their mistresses' foul moods.
The mont Lady Phenelopie noticed him, her lips curled slightly. "Here cos the brat from that woman," she muttered under her breath, her disdain clear.
Lady Garcinia huffed in agreent, shooting a glance at Javier but saying nothing.
Unfazed, Javier plastered a bright, innocent smile on his face. "Good morning, Lady Garcinia. Lady Phenelopie," he greeted cheerfully, bowing slightly as if he hadn't heard their jab.
Inside, however, his thoughts were anything but polite. Looks like these two uglies didn't get their 'turn' today. Must be eating them up inside. Hah, serves them right!
Still smiling, Javier strolled over to his seat, his deanor calm and carefree. anwhile, his stepmothers exchanged sharp looks, irked by his lack of reaction to their comnts. Javier sat down, picked up a slice of bread, and took a leisurely bite, savoring both the food and their frustration.
As he casually nibbled on his breakfast, his sharp ears picked up the hushed whispers of his stepmothers, who thought they were being discreet.
"I wonder what Francesca eats," Lady Phenelopie murmured to Lady Garcinia, her tone a mix of curiosity and bitterness. "She's got that glowing skin, so youthful... not even a wrinkle in sight."
"And she doesn't even wear makeup!" Lady Garcinia added in a sharp whisper.
Javier reached for his glass of juice, his movents calm and unhurried. No need to poke the hornet's nest now. Watching them stew in their own envy is far more entertaining.
Glowing skin? Youthful? Of course, she's like that. She doesn't waste her ti sulking or scheming like you two.
Taking another bite of his bread, Javier maintained his calm deanor, his eyes glinting with amusent. Hah, keep whispering. No matter how much you stew, you'll never catch up to my mother.
Oblivious to his inner thoughts, Lady Phenelopie and Lady Garcinia continued their quiet complaints while Javier enjoyed his al in silence, savoring the delicious irony.
( End of Chapter )
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