Chapter 2 - A Shadow Under Lovers (2) (1/2)
Diana’s voice trembled. Suddenly, her hand pushed Lucas by his shoulder. With her incredible strength, Lucas struggled with his lean frame and fell from Diana’s body.
“What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?”
Diana tried to remain composed. She once dreamed of a paradise where she would live happily ever after with a lovable person. But now she realized things were different. He turned out to be a bastard who didn’t even have the basic knowledge of dealing with a human being.
“I heard his highness. However, it’s not easy to give Trisha a Marquess title.”
“Do you think that is a problem?”
Diana was Lucas’ only empress. But Lucas seemed to treat Diana as a mere living doll who would just produce a successor.
“Anyway, negative public opinion will subside after some time if it happens. Trisha deserves the title.”
It was unusual in the empire to bestow a title to anyone. Especially if only made out from his whim and not based on merit.
“A lot of people are envious of Trisha. She’s suffering because of malicious rumors.”
“Trisha…” Lucas repeated the name as boringly as anyone would say it. “Trisha is a girl with a big heart.”
Ever since, the relationship between the three of them was downright wrong. Diana couldn’t find peace with the prevailing situation she was in. She decided to just give up. She could not tolerate any longer the relationship between Trisha and Lucas.
“I can’t withstand the rumor that she’s my mistress.”
Enemies came to mind and into Lucas’ eyes. It was a matter of Trisha’s honor as well as his image. He tried to keep secret their relationship for a long time being an emperor who valued his reputation more than anything else.
“If you, as the Empress, will show a warm welcome to Trisha, these rumors will die down.”
“That… would you tell me why?”
“Of course, you are the empress and a good friend of Trisha.”
Diana’s fingertips trembled. There was no need to express this feeling now. Lucas wouldn’t even understand whatever she would reveal. She looked at him sharply but said nothing.
“Show us your genuine friendship.”
“Ha …”
Lucas did not hear Diana’s sarcastic laughter. She didn’t feel like she was going to get any angrier. Shame and disgust boiled within her. Lucas uttered the word “friendship” without thought of its real meaning. Friendship? Was that not such a terrible word to describe this situation? There would never be a place for Diana in what Lucas called friendship.
“Friendship …”
Diana grumbled bitterly. Friendship is a very ideal thing. Friends care for each other’s welfare and stick with each other through tears and laughter.