Will she accept or decline? The question seemed clear, who would want to give up on such a wonderful opportunity? However, when the people of the imperial family arrived to confirm Beatrice's final decision, instead of answering she said, "I need more time to think about this..." Her answer shocked the people present but since Beatrice is held so highly by the second princess, all they could do was swallow their impatience and agreed to wait. With that she set off for Lilith's Eternal Rose Palace to think further and perhaps receive some words of support. When Beatrice told Lilith her struggle in making a decision, Lilith was unexpectedly slightly irritated.

"What!? Mother, are you thinking of declining the chance of divorce!? This, isn't this what you wanted?" Lilith was startled by her words and unknowingly raised her voice, which frightened Beatrice. When she saw the scared look on her face, Lilith calmed down and continued, "Mother, you've been imprisoned in this marriage for far too long. What his majesty has given you is not something every woman can get, so why are you hesitating?"

Beatrice sat down and her shoulders were trembling as she remembered the emperor's subordinate told her they would wait till the end of the day. She sighed before answering, "I'm sorry, dear. I also don't know why I'm like this... I just couldn't find the voice to make a choice. If I leave, doesn't it mean I really am abandoning Eve and Lex...?"

"This... Unbelievable!!" Lilith exclaimed with disbelief. Is she really giving away such a rare opportunity of freedom for a dog and a pig? After a short pause, Lilith continued, "Is it guilt? Mother, I understand why you're feeling this way but you shouldn't sacrifice your one chance of happiness for those two. You're not the one at fault, it's him so why should you be the one to carry such a burden while he's not? It sounds bad but in some situations, you have to be selfish and put yourself first."

Her words stunned Beatrice. She was right, indeed. She shouldn't throw away her freedom like this. Doesn't her happiness matter too? Perhaps If she takes this opportunity to establish herself then wouldn't she be able to protect Eve and Lex in some way? With great difficulty, Beatrice returned to the Skyler mansion, where the emperor's people waited, and made her decision. She accepted.

If Lilith knew what Beatrice had thought about, she would most likely laugh. Evelina's doom is certain and she won't be letting her off just because of Beatrice. If Beatrice truly desired to protect Evelina then Beatrice will only be disappointed in the end. Lex on the other hand, Lilith never seeked for his blood and with great generosity she might let him go but If he is facing death, she won't exactly be protecting him...

Once the news broke out that the former, Duchess Skyler has chosen to divorce Duke Skyler, many developed all sorts of different thoughts and opinions. Some say that she is ungrateful and unloyal for leaving her husband in his time of need and for abandoning her family once they are out of money. Whilst some say that it is only rightfully so she leaves after being treated like a plaything than a wife by the Duke for years. When the duke himself caught the news, he was understandably shocked and outraged. Reports say he was overtaken by anger and beat a few servants until some were even crippled! Duke Skyler is clearly not very supportive of his soon to be ex-wife's future departure. However, the eldest master of the Skyler family was actually rather calm about the situation. The servants who brought the news to him said all he did was sigh and turn away from them while waving his hand, indicating that they could leave.

Although the eldest master took it relatively well, what about the eldest miss? She on the other hand responded in a way most didn't expect. After receiving the information of her own mother's decision, Evelina took it upon herself to write a whole poem expressing how Beatrice is now a traitor to the Skyler family. But the most shocking part was that Evelina had not just sent Beatrice the poem privately but even sent out a few copies of the poem publicly! Thus many were able to get their hands on it and read it!

Evelina wrote: [As I stare out of a cracked window, I reminisce the times our days weren't filled with sorrow. Oh such happy times have sadly passed, now only does the broken portrait of our family lasts. What a noble beauty you wear, pity the bearer is cowardice and unfair. Eyes as charming as the spring petals, voice calming like the wind's soft whisper. But why such eyes merely stared when I was most helpless, why did such voice stay silent in the face of unkindness. You know who you are, filthy traitor. You betrayed us all when we had no protector. Now go, go live in that damned palace. But don't forget how you stabbed our backs with such malice.]

After Evelina's hurtful poem spread out, Beatrice naturally received it. But she didn't reply. Everyone speculated that Beatrice must've sent a reply to Evelina privately. They were right but not exactly. Evelina did receive a response, but it was no poem, merely a letter with merely two, but meaningful, words.

[ I'm sorry. ]

************

Whilst everything was going on, Lilith merely sat back in her chambers filled with jewels and countless treasures. As she stared at the ceiling, she let out a tired sigh. Oh she wished for these wonderful days to drag on longer but if she keeps waiting, nothing will get done. But just after she rose to her feet, a bang sounded as the doors were slammed open by the panting Marie. Her face was flushed red and a thing layer of sweat covered her forehead, it's clear she had rushed all the way here. The matter couldn't be simple.

"What's wrong?" Lilith asked, her brows furrowed with slight worry.

"MIss, news! And it's very important! Word from the temple has spread that the Goddess's divine self had bestowed an oracle stating that the Goddess had already chosen a new Sienna! His majesty had given an order that all maidens in the empire, both noble and commoner, must be sent to the temple by tomorrow! They shall conduct a 'inspection' for any Sienne markings on a lady's body."

' A new Sienna?' Lilith thought. After a few short seconds of pondering, Lilith sighed. It fortunately wasn't something very worrying. The 'inspection' is a rather common way to find the chosen Sienna. The ritual shall be carried out by female priests in the temple to seek for the 'Sienna mark' that is most commonly to appear on the back of a lady. The spell used for it isn't painful, the most troubling thing about this whole matter is being summoned to the temple along with many other women, and how everything will play out after they had found the new Saintess. It is undoubtable that at least a small some won't be very pleased, no matter who is the chosen Saintess.

*************

Evelina sneered. Their going to seek out the newest chosen saintess? In the past, she was the titled saintess, though she was a fake. In the past, she was hailed as the new Sienna after she had found a stone in the sacred lake of the temple with golden words embedded on it with the words claiming her as the Sienna chosen by the Goddess. But truthfully, the words written didn't exactly claim her as the Saintess, all it said was that the miss of the great Skyler family was chosen to be the Sienna. Thus due to the matter that the Skyler family only has one daughter after their youngest daughter died of illness, Lady Evelina had to be the saintess right?

They were all so confident it was her, they didn't even bother to hold a ritual to check if the 'Sienna Marking' was even there. A beautiful maiden with a great noble origin and splendid character, who else fit the title of Sienne and Saintess over the empire other than her?

It was shortly after Evelina's divine ceremony, where she was officially declared as a Sienna, that the charges of attempted murder came after Lilith. With charges of attempting to murder the Sienna hanging over her head, there was no chance for her to escape a cruel punishment.

There was also no way to prove her innocence as the scene of Lilith madly stabbing Evelina with a dagger was witnessed by many. With so many eyewitnesses, it was clear what the outcome will be. Lilith will die for her crimes of harming the Sienna.

Finally breaking through her trance of the past, Evelina stared at herself in the broken mirror and wondered, what if she was made Sienna again? Perhaps that way she can regain what she had lost. But no, that's impossible. She had already experienced the punishment of being caught as a fraud, she didn't want to go through being hunted down by frightening guards to death again. All she wishes now is to cut her losses and try to save the last bits of what she still has, but with Lilith now princess and the Skyler family practically crumbling apart, she knows Lilith wouldn't simply let her off.

She grinned self-deprecatingly.

'Evelina, what have you done?'

***************

The next day, as carriages went in and out of the temple's gates, many nobles crowded outside the temple. Perhaps they were discussing who this 'chosen one' would be or perhaps they were gossiping about a certain someone who has attended. Evelina hid herself amongst the crowd and tried to keep a low profile. But even so, many still couldn't quench their thirst for 'gossiping fun'.

"She still dares to show her face?" One noblewomen whispered.

"I would be dying of embarrassment if i was her." another said.

"Hm? Does she think it will be her?"

"Shame that such a beauty is wasted when worn by her."

"She had already disrespected her highness the second princess and now she dares to come here? Everyone knows she's not favored by the imperial family!"

"Her just being here is staining the Goddess's sacred name..."

By now, Evelina is no longer surprised. She merely avoided meeting eyes with anyone and kept quiet. When Lilith saw this, she almost failed to hold herself back from laughing. Once a mighty lady such as her, now so vulnerable and helpless. How funny. Lilith approached with Arianna, Alice, Rienne, and Marie following behind her. Evelina glared as she watched them stride towards her.

"My... I've missed you so much, lady Evelina! How's sir Alex doing? Oh, I guess you wouldn't know since your relationship is in tatters." Rienne laughed. Alice sighed and leaned closer into Rienne's ears and whispered, "Rienne, that's not very good, much too obvious."

Rienne whispered, "But isn't that the whole goal...? To humiliate her with insults? I thought it was pretty good." Alice sighed at her whispers.

Lilith noticed that many eyes were set upon them thus she 'accidentally' dropped her handkerchief onto the floor. Seeing this, Evelina knelt down to pick up the handkerchief. If she helps Lilith, this might fuel pity into other's hearts and give them the thought that she does respect the second princess and she didn't mean harm. And if Lilith chose not to take it back, then it might just make other's view Lilith in a negative light for rejecting Evelina's kindness. Evelina thought she had planned out all the outcomes, but she had miscalculated Lilith once again.

Instead of rejecting her, Lilith gestured for Marie to accept the handkerchief. This action might look meaningless, but it contained a statement that even words find it difficult to describe. This act was simply a hidden slap to Evelina. She wasn't even worthy to directly hand Lilith a handkerchief. Not only that, her holding a dirty handkerchief that Lilith had 'discarded' is a statement in itself. It shows that she can only hold onto Lilith's abandoned things, as if she was some sort of lowly beggar begging a wealthy princess for scraps! Evelina bit down on her lip in a attempt to quench her rage. This b*tch!

It wasn't only Evelina who was caught off guard, many of the expectant spectators were as well. What Lilith fueled the fiery flame of their hunger for an exciting show and they naturally indulged in the entertaining drama. Lilith's actions were indeed cruel but she did it with such nobility and elegance that no mutter of complaint left their mouths. Dignified and cold, a true prestigious noblewomen!

Evelina was both furious and stunned, she remained frozen for a few seconds before a certain person came to rescue her. But the identity of this person was quite unexpected for most.

"That's enough now ... " the bearer of this voice is non-other than Beatrice who had emerged from the crowd.