“What do you think I meant?” Hwayeong asked innocently.
“I mean... you and I... staying in the palace.”
Sohwa couldn’t even bring herself to say the words @‘Crown Princess.’@
Her eyes pleaded for Hwayeong to deny it, but Hwayeong only tilted her head and answered, shameless as ever,
“I’d say you guessed right.”
“Milady!”
Losing her composure entirely, Sohwa shouted loud enough for the next room to hear.
Hwayeong raised both hands as if to calm her down.
“Now, now, it just turned out that way. Her Majesty already knows, and the marriage has been arranged. You’ll have to accept it.”
Sohwa could only gape, feeling as if she’d been robbed blind in broad daylight.
“That’s absurd! You’re staying in the palace?!”
“I understand how shocked and angry you must be,” Hwayeong said calmly, “but what’s done is done. There’s no undoing it now.”
“How is that possible? You swore you’d go back to Hwacheon!”
