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CHAPTER 18:
My Woman
Before a response could be given to the command to come in, the door swung open. A young man with golden hair and violet eyes—strikingly similar to the Empress—entered the room.
His gaze moved from the Empress, whose expression was rigid, to the back of Celia’s head as she sat across from her. The moment he saw the long silver hair turned away from him, Jeremy’s face twisted in disgust.
“Mother, why have you summoned a mere criminal? Looking at her only dirties the eyes.”
Crown Prince Jeremy looked down at Celia with sharp eyes. The Empress’s face remained cold and unmoving as she stared at her son.
She yelled at him as he strode toward her.
“Jeremy, I’ll call for you again later. Now, leave at once!”
She was always a mother who welcomed him with a smile no matter when he came. Taken aback by her uncharacteristic reaction, Jeremy paused for a moment.
“Is something wrong? Don’t tell me—did that woman trouble you somehow?”
“…No, that’s not it.”
The Empress instinctively knew that letting Jeremy and Celia meet would only lead to trouble. Celia hadn’t even drunk the poisoned tea yet—and even from a woman’s perspective, she was stunningly beautiful.
That’s why they shouldn’t meet—not until the rumors die down and she slowly rots away in prison.
Unaware of his mother’s anxiety, Jeremy sneered and took another step forward. His lean legs, like a panther’s, moved with effortless grace.
“Your Highness, Her Majesty has issued an order for you to leave…”
The Empress’s maids called out to Jeremy with trembling voices. But he completely ignored them.
Why wouldn’t he? He was the only heir to the throne and feared no one.
“Even if only because of Mother’s strange reaction, I can’t just leave.”
Before anyone realized, Jeremy had reached Celia’s side. He tapped the back of her head with his index finger.
“Are you the infamous criminal?”
“…”
Celia didn’t even glance at the hand pressing against the back of her head. Perhaps irritated, Jeremy pressed harder.
“Answer me.”
He pushed down with such force that the tea in Celia’s cup rippled, soaking the front of her dress. The Empress’s expression darkened.
The first time, the spilled tea had been Celia’s mistake—but this second time, it was her son’s doing. Suppressing her rage, the Empress spoke to her only child in a soft voice.
“Jeremy.”
At her voice, Jeremy looked at his mother.
“Mother, are you taking this criminal’s side in front of me?”
“Of course not! I just…”
The Empress barely stopped herself from saying, I’m afraid you’ll fall for that criminal.
Just then, Jeremy grabbed Celia’s chin and forced her to look at him.
“Let’s see that disgusting face of yours…”
The moment he saw her face, his sentence trailed off.
Jeremy stared at Celia, stunned.
Her skin was pure white, clear as snow. Her eyes, framed by long lashes, glistened like a fresh green forest. Her smooth forehead, high nose, and lips red as bitten roses created a perfect harmony.
“…”
Jeremy’s throat bobbed.
He had never seen a woman so beautiful in his entire life.
Until now, he thought the man who had poured his entire fortune into seeing this woman was a fool—and that his own father, who gave up the royal treasury to bring her into his bed, was a bigger fool.
Now, he could begin to understand what his father must have felt.
His late father had left behind something truly marvelous.
Jeremy’s lips curled into a smile. As if he had never been angry, he gently let go of her chin.
“You should greet the Crown Prince when you see him, no?”
“…”
Celia put on a mildly troubled expression and set down her nearly empty teacup. Then, she politely bowed to Jeremy.
“This criminal greets His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Her soft, gentle voice suited her appearance perfectly. Jeremy now lounged on the sofa, gazing down at her with satisfaction.
Seeing this, the Empress clenched her fists tightly.
Jeremy’s eyes never left Celia. His gaze moved from her face to her damp collar, soaked from the spilled tea.
The tea had landed exactly on her sleeve, revealing her delicate wrist beneath the wet fabric.
Jeremy rolled up her sleeve and gently touched her wrist.
“Oh no, you’re hurt because of me.”
“…”
Her skin was just red—no burns, no injury. Jeremy surely knew this, yet he continued to caress her wrist.
“No matter how you look at it, a fragile wrist like this couldn’t possibly have killed my father. Don’t you agree?”
Unable to bear it any longer, the Empress spoke up.
“Jeremy, what do you think you’re doing in front of your mother?”
“My apologies, Mother.”
Despite his words, Jeremy’s face showed no trace of remorse.
He had inherited the Empress’s personality. And just as she was particular about men, Jeremy was particular about women.
Having never been attracted to anyone before, Jeremy had started to think he might be asexual. But upon meeting Celia, he became certain he was not.
“Really now, how could you try to enjoy something this delightful all by yourself, Mother?”
While Jeremy looked pleased, the Empress gripped the sofa arm in despair.
He even took a handkerchief from his pocket and carefully wrapped Celia’s wrist.
“You were hurt because of me—so this is yours now.”
Celia internally scoffed at the sudden kindness from the same man who had just forced her head down.
‘Well… it works in my favor.’
Dealing with someone who likes you is far easier than someone who hates you.
Even if their reason is less than pure, it’s better than open hostility.
The Empress wanted her dead. The Crown Prince had taken interest in her.
Celia quickly weighed the pros and cons.
And came to a clear conclusion.
“Thank you, Your Highness. I’ll treasure it.”
Celia smiled brightly at Jeremy. Her green eyes curved sweetly, and her cherry-red lips curled into a soft arc. Jeremy stared at her, dazed.
He had completely fallen for her.
* * *
Outside the Empress’s palace, Dietrich waited for Celia, not knowing when she would return. A gentle breeze brushed over his smooth forehead.
The knights kept glancing nervously at him.
“…You don’t look happy.”
“Watch the road. Unless you want to die.”
The royal knights both respected and feared Dietrich. Understandably so—he was not one to show emotion easily, and when someone disobeyed him, he showed no mercy.
Just recently, a knight who had served him for four years was executed for defying an order. Every knight knew the story.
Dietrich didn’t care what others said about him. What mattered now was that Celia still hadn’t come out, even after all this time.
His eyes narrowed.
Roughly four hours ago, Jeremy had entered the palace—and it had bothered him since.
Before heading inside, Jeremy had, as usual, tried to provoke him:
“What’s a half-breed like you doing in my mother’s palace?”
“Her Majesty summoned me. She ordered that I bring Celia Brillion.”
“A criminal and a bastard. What a perfect pair.”
When Dietrich didn’t react, Jeremy clicked his tongue and entered the palace.
Dietrich looked up at the sky. The sun had set, painting the sky with crimson twilight.
“…”
With his sharp instincts, he sensed someone approaching from within the palace. The sound of two people walking reached his ears.
Dietrich slowly turned.
“I thought you’d left already. Still here, huh?”
It was Jeremy’s arrogant voice. And the woman on his arm, being escorted—was none other than Celia.
When Dietrich looked at her, Jeremy quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her from view.
“Just like a mongrel. Staring so blatantly at my woman.”
My woman? She was just a criminal earlier, and now she’s your woman?
‘What the hell happened in there?’
Dietrich was utterly baffled, though he didn’t show it.
Celia was just as baffled.
Jeremy had ignored the Empress and taken her to another room, where he sat her on a sofa and rambled on.
Mostly about himself.
How great he was, how he would protect her once he became Emperor, how he had never seen anyone so beautiful, and how it was impossible she’d killed the Emperor.
He asked her not to stay at Dietrich’s estate, but to stay in his palace instead.
When the Empress came looking, he’d move Celia to another room. Then another.
They moved so many times the Empress eventually gave up. Celia had no choice but to listen to Jeremy go on and on.
She’d never met a man so pushy—and so talkative.
“…I appreciate your offer, but I wouldn’t want to damage your relationship with Her Majesty.”
Though she said it insincerely, Jeremy looked disappointed and asked her to let him know if she changed her mind—and to attend his upcoming birthday banquet.
Even after she declined politely, he insisted on escorting her personally. That’s where things stood now.
‘He saw me once and decided I’m his woman? Ridiculous.’
Celia found it laughable that Jeremy still wouldn’t let go of her hand.
But it wasn’t over yet.
“Actually… no. Celia, from today onward, you’ll stay at my place.”
