Gold Coin and Freesia

The gentle breeze rustling the thin canopy fabric nudged Cordelia awake. 

“Umm…” 

Cordelia slowly opened her eyes, still heavy with sleep, and scanned her unfamiliar surroundings. The memory of arriving at the Tride estate with Edwin the previous day quickly came back to her. She reluctantly sat up, glancing to the side.

As expected, the spot next to her in the bed where Edwin had slept was empty. He must not sleep much. It was a small thing, but the thought that Edwin was the only person she could rely on in this house brought a twinge of disappointment.

Sighing softly, Cordelia reached out and rang the bell next to the bed. There was an immediate knock at the door.

“Did you call for me?” 

“Come in.” 

At Cordelia’s command, a maid carefully entered the room.

“I am Lena, the maid assigned to you, Princess.” 

Lena was a young girl with bright red hair and a scattering of freckles on her cheeks.

“Nice to meet you, Lena. Where is Edwin?” 

Ignoring her own youth, Cordelia smiled kindly at Lena.

“Ah, he’s having breakfast and talking with Mr. Aaron.” 

He’s always busy, Cordelia thought. The mention of breakfast suddenly caught her attention.

“Breakfast?” 

“Yes. They all have breakfast early in the morning.” 

It was clear that the time Cordelia had woken up was not early by any means. However, the real issue was that everyone had already finished their breakfast.

“Do they all have breakfast together? And they didn’t wake me up?” 

Lena quickly explained, “Mr. Edwin said not to wake you because you were sleeping soundly.”

It was understandable, yet it left Cordelia feeling slightly uneasy.

“I see… I’d like to wash up first.” 

“I’ll prepare warm water right away.” 

Lena bowed deeply and hurried out of the room.

Left alone, Cordelia pursed her lips. Edwin always seemed considerate, but his care often left her feeling oddly unsettled. He never asked her opinion first. However, complaining about it felt petty.

After washing up with Lena’s help, Cordelia returned to the bedroom, her face glowing with the warmth of a bath.

“You’re awake. Did you sleep well?” 

Edwin had returned to the bedroom by then, greeting Cordelia with a smile. He looked relaxed, wearing casual clothes without a tie, suitable for being indoors.

“I slept well. How about you?” 

“I had breakfast and spoke with my father. We discussed Barton’s latest success with his contracted artists and the valuable art pieces he collected.” 

Cordelia noticed Edwin didn’t seem as happy as his words suggested.

“So, what about breakfast for you?” 

Edwin, still smiling, ordered a servant to bring a plate of finger foods, fruits, and tea.

As they waited, Lena nervously dried and combed Cordelia’s hair. She seemed terrified of making a mistake that could cost her job.

“When do you usually have breakfast here? All together?” Cordelia asked, watching Edwin through the mirror as Lena braided her hair.

“At 6 AM,” Edwin answered after instructing the servant to place the food and tea on Cordelia’s vanity table.

“6 AM?” 

Cordelia turned halfway in surprise, ignoring the food in front of her.

“We start work early. It’s the norm for working folks.” 

Edwin’s tone was matter-of-fact, reminding Cordelia that her husband’s family was not ordinary nobility. They were commoners running a business, not leisurely aristocrats.

“What time do you go to work?” 

“We leave the house by 7 AM.”

“And everyone gets up at that time? Even Mrs. Lament and Haley?” 

“Yes, they want to stay on Father’s good side.”

“So, do I need to attend these breakfast gatherings?” 

“Not necessarily,” Edwin replied with a gentle smile. “Father is content just knowing you are here.”

Cordelia sighed in relief, but there was still a part of her that felt cautious. 

“Really, it’s okay?” 

“Absolutely,” Edwin answered without hesitation, as if it was a given.

***

“Is this the prenuptial agreement between Edwin and Princess Cordelia?” Aaron looked at the paper in disbelief. Scott had handed him the prenuptial agreement Edwin and Cordelia had written.

“And you let him write this?” Aaron slammed his hand on the desk, making Scott flinch.

“If I had known, I would have stopped him,” Scott defended himself cautiously.

“He wrote this during a private meeting with the princess?”

“Yes, he didn’t inform us beforehand.”

“That little brat. Is he trying to protest the forced marriage?” Aaron growled, rummaging through his desk drawer for a cigar but found an empty case instead.

“Not a single reliable servant around!” He threw the case to the ground in frustration.

Scott stood silently, thinking it was a good thing the case hit the floor and not his head.

“Where is he now?”

“Edwin is out with the princess.”

Aaron sighed and handed the contract back to Scott.

“Are you going to let this stand?” Scott asked cautiously.

“Of course not. I didn’t invest all that money just to see him settle into a cozy married life.”

Scott received the contract and left, feeling relieved to escape Aaron’s wrath for the moment.

Aaron muttered to himself, planning his next move. He wasn’t about to let Edwin’s disobedience go unpunished.