Lyra's eyes were red from crying. She coquettishly hid behind our father. "I don't want your leftovers! If you like him, why give him to me? Do you just want everyone to know that you can take away what’s mine whenever you want?”

Our father's eyes widened in anger. "You shameless girl! You're as much of an embarrassment as your mother!"

The maids and ministers surrounded me, hurling insults my way, but Thalyx ignored my embarrassment. He wrapped his tail around my legs and gritted his teeth, threatening me to explain quickly. I had never seen him so anxious before. The force of his tail felt like it was crushing me alive. He was paranoid that Lyra would not want him anymore if I did not quickly speak up. "You can keep me here by force, but you will never be able to keep my heart."

I would explain to them, but not to please Thalyx. It was because I knew that what happened tonight had affected my reputation and would affect my marriage in half a month. I could endure all the cold stares, but I couldn't let this ruin my plans to escape the palace.

I said icily, "Father and all the ministers know that as the eldest princess, I sleep in a different room every night to prevent assassination. If I didn't know where I was staying tonight, how could I have called Thalyx over? Lyra is close to the palace servants and often calls the ladies-in-waiting her good friends. She probably knows this residence better than I do. Could she have sent Thalyx over to ruin my reputation? Lyra, shouldn't you explain? Why is your beastman here in my room?"

I was calm enough to silence those who were eager to watch the fun.

Lyra hesitated for a long time, unable to offer a clear explanation. "Today's incident was just a misunderstanding. Mirella, don't be angry. How about I give him to you as an apology?"

Thalyx looked reluctant to be offered. He looked like he was being threatened at knifepoint. "I'll go with you. Don't make things difficult for Lyra. I don’t have bad intentions."

Thalyx scooted closer to me, eyes closed in humiliation. "I'll take good care of you, but only if you don't cause any more trouble for Lyra. Otherwise, don't cry and beg me when I decide to leave you."

Thalyx's voice was barely audible, yet it gnawed at my heart like an ant. I had no idea what I had done wrong to make him hate me so much.

I ignored his outstretched hand and glanced up with a smile at Lyra. "Why should I take back a gift I gave you? If you don't like him, just abandon him. Why are you teasing me?"

I signaled the maids to send him away. Thalyx had just felt so humiliated asking me to take him yet, but his face went blank at my resolute refusal. However, that expression lasted only a second before he turned his head away angrily. "Don't cry and beg me to come back in half a month! I won't come back to you!"

He scoffed and left with Lyra. He probably thought I was just mad at him and that he was not looking his best right now. He assumed that someone lustful like me, who only cared about appearances, would surely fall for him again once he had recovered.

Since Thalyx had never cared about me, he forgot how deeply he had hurt me in my previous life. He had only heard rumors of a grand celebration taking place in half a month. He was so obsessed with humiliating me that he was unaware that it would be my wedding day.

Time flew by, and half a month had passed in the blink of an eye.

On the day of the celebration, Thalyx volunteered to perform a song. As expected, his voice was melodious and his movements graceful. All his wounds were covered with gauze that was barely visible, making his performance even more captivating.

After his song, the audience erupted in applause. Knowing he had done Lyra proud, Thalyx held his head high even more smugly. As he scanned the audience, he pledged his loyalty to Lyra. "Don't worry, Lyra. Even if your sister begged on her knees for me to go back, I would never say yes. My heart belongs only to you!"

He smiled ingratiatingly, yet his eyes looked around in panic.

After all, Thalyx had imagined I would step out and beg him to return to me, or I would at least play some tricks to give Lyra a hard time.

After all the waiting, I still had not appeared. Instead, all he heard was the servant's high-spirited call. "The princess is getting married! Off we go!"

I sat in the carriage, looking at Thalyx's disheveled appearance in the wind. My smile was not obvious, but my brow relaxed a little. I was finally leaving this place, and my feud with Thalyx should be over for good.

Amidst the countless people's farewells, I closed my eyes peacefully. Just as I was about to rest for a moment, the steady carriage suddenly shook violently.

I hugged myself in fear and heard fierce fighting outside. I was about to peek out to see what was happening when a sharp, webbed claw suddenly slashed through my sandalwood carriage.

I met those familiar reddened eyes again and fell into a trance. They glared at me with a mixture of coquettishness and resentment. The usually arrogant voice asked with a hint of flattery, "Getting married was just a ploy to get me, right?"

I froze to the spot and clenched my fists. However, Thalyx had quickly adjusted himself and regained his consciousness in just a few seconds.

Conflicted, he turned his head to look at Lyra before biting his lip and looking at me. "I've been rude. Forgive me."

Although he was apologizing, his two webbed claws were still tightly grasping my sleeves. "Mirella, that's enough. You shouldn't joke like this with me. I know you haven't forgotten me. Marriage is not a game. You don't have to sacrifice the rest of your life because you're sulking. I promise to visit you every two days from now on, so stop being so childish."

He spoke to himself before looking up and getting up to signal to Lyra, hoping to get her consent. "The last time I was seriously injured, it was Princess Mirella's ointment that cured me. I should regard her as my savior and serve her to thank her. I hope you'll say yes."

Thalyx nervously pursed his lips, while Lyra's face darkened. "I knew long ago that this merman had feelings for you, but I had no idea that you would go to such great lengths to take away one of my servants. Is this ridiculous scene my punishment for not giving you a good wedding gift? Since you like him, I should let him go, even if it kills me completely. Well, Thalyx is yours. Are you happy now?"

Thalyx was in a dilemma, torn between us both. He did not want to watch me leave, nor did he want Lyra to abandon him.

Before he could even rebuke, I spoke first. "Somebody slap Lyra! Give my good sister twenty slaps. She used a lowly slave to openly humiliate me and defied a royal marriage. This cannot be tolerated!"

As soon as I finished speaking, the whole carriage fell silent. Without hesitation, the elderly servant who worked for me rushed forward and slapped Lyra. "Princess Lyra is ignorant and naturally deserves to be disciplined by her older sister. A lowly servant has made a scene. He deserves to be punished! Don't blame me for being heartless!"

Lyra's initial disbelief turned to tears after being slapped several times. She turned to look for someone to defend her. However, today was my wedding day. No matter how chaotic I made things, everyone would turn a blind eye.

As everyone hung their heads in silence, Thalyx once again defended Lyra. "Mirella, you're so mean. There's no need to make things so hard on Lyra because of me. I said I was willing to accept you. What else do you want?"

He sighed as he crossed his arms, blaming me for not being sensible.

I scoffed. "You think too highly of yourself. I've never cared about you."

After hearing what I said, Thalyx burst into laughter as if he had just heard a joke. "Don't you like me? I know you can't let me go. Leaving me would be more painful than killing yourself. At worst, I'll just leave Lyra and be with you. You put on such a good act. Why didn't I realize before that you were such a good actress?"

Thalyx adjusted his clothes, preparing to squeeze into my carriage.