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the Villainess they took for granted

Chapter 193: v2- - 12: the opening ball V · Oct 27, 2026

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Chapter List (304)

Page number / 7

151 Chapter 151: Yes 2026-10-27
152 Chapter 152: The News 2026-10-27
153 Chapter 153: A Request 2026-10-27
154 Chapter 154: Closure 2026-10-27
155 Chapter 155: The First Move 2026-10-27
156 Chapter 156: Wedding Plans I 2026-10-27
157 Chapter 157: wedding plans II 2026-10-27
158 Chapter 158: Wedding Plans III 2026-10-27
159 Chapter 159: wedding plans III 2026-10-27
160 Chapter 160: wedding plans IV 2026-10-27
161 Chapter 161: reception venue I 2026-10-27
162 Chapter 162: Reception Venue II 2026-10-27
163 Chapter 163: Invitation letter and program 2026-10-27
164 Chapter 164: wedding dress 2026-10-27
165 Chapter 165: of flowers, other arrangements, and a letter 2026-10-27
166 Chapter 166: food menu, wedding cake, and the second letter 2026-10-27
167 Chapter 167: Of Duties and Parting 2026-10-27
168 Chapter 168: the second move 2026-10-27
169 Chapter 169: one month before the wedding 2026-10-27
170 Chapter 170: decision to leave 2026-10-27
171 Chapter 171: the emperor falls ill 2026-10-27
172 Chapter 172: closed gates 2026-10-27
173 Chapter 173: the letter 2026-10-27
174 Chapter 174: a son who lost his father 2026-10-27
175 Chapter 175: The Succession 2026-10-27
176 Chapter 176: the emperor is dead 2026-10-27
177 Chapter 177: the minister of war 2026-10-27
178 Chapter 178: The Emperor’s Funeral 2026-10-27
179 Chapter 179: the report 2026-10-27
180 Chapter 180: the coronation I 2026-10-27
181 Chapter 181: the coronation II 2026-10-27
182 Chapter 182: V2- - 1: Her Return 2026-10-27
183 Chapter 183: V2- - 2: The Emperor 2026-10-27
184 Chapter 184: V2- - 3- Returning to soceity 2026-10-27
185 Chapter 185: V2- - 4: the marraige market 2026-10-27
186 Chapter 186: V2- - 5: an obvious choice 2026-10-27
187 Chapter 187: V2- - 6: the invitation 2026-10-27
188 Chapter 188: V2- - 7: An attempt 2026-10-27
189 Chapter 189: V2- - 8: The opening ball I 2026-10-27
190 Chapter 190: V2- - 9: The opening ball II 2026-10-27
191 Chapter 191: v2- - 10: the opening ball III 2026-10-27
192 Chapter 192: v2- - 11: the opening ball IV 2026-10-27
193 Chapter 193: v2- - 12: the opening ball V 2026-10-27
194 Chapter 194: v2- - 13: the opening ball VI 2026-10-27
195 Chapter 195: v2- - 14: the opening ball VII 2026-10-27
196 Chapter 196: v2- - 15: the opening ball VIII 2026-10-27
197 Chapter 197: v2- - 16: the opening ball IX 2026-10-27
198 Chapter 198: v2- - 17: the dance 2026-10-27
199 Chapter 199: v2- - 18: his private chambers I 2026-10-27
200 Chapter 200: v2- - 19: his private chambers II 2026-10-27

Marianne let her feelings settle.

Perhaps Adrian really no longer cared.

He had seen her.

He had noticed her.

And then his attention had moved on.

That was all she had to go by.

She had spent so much time imagining what his attention might mean that she had forgotten how easily silence could answer a question she had never dared ask aloud herself.

Well, it’s not like she did not anticipate him ignoring her. Though admittedly, it stung.

Clara looked at her.

Marian felt the look before she turned.

For a moment, neither of them said anything.

Clara had seen Adrian look at her.

She had also seen Marian look away.

She knew exactly what had happened.

Marian gave her the faintest shake of her head.

Clara’s expression softened for only a moment.

Then it changed.

A small smile appeared.

”Well.”

Marian glanced at her.

”What?”

Clara looked toward the dance floor.

”Perhaps we should reconsider our options.”

Marian almost laughed.

”Our options?”

”Yes.”

Clara nodded toward Adrian.

”We considered the best man in the room.”

Marian followed her gaze.

The Emperor was still dancing with Lady Ophelia Rosemont.

Her chest tightened faintly.

Clara continued.

”Now perhaps you should consider the second-best.”

Marian turned toward her.

”Clara.”

”My brother.”

Marian stared.

”You’re serious?”

”Perfectly.”

Marian looked toward the gentlemen gathered along the edge of the ballroom.

And then she saw him.

Julian Wiltshire.

She had known him for years, of course.

He was Clara’s older brother.

Twenty-seven.

Tall, with dark brown hair and striking gray-brown eyes.

His complexion was fair, healthy, and clear, and his features had matured into the sort of handsome appearance that became more distinguished with age rather than less.

He carried himself with the quiet confidence of a man who had never needed to prove his position.

The heir to the Marquessate of Wiltshire.

And still unmarried.

Marian had simply never thought of him that way.

He had always been Julian.

Clara’s brother.

Someone familiar.

Someone who had been around for so long that she had stopped noticing him as anything other than part of the landscape of her life.

Now she looked at him again.

Properly.

He was, admittedly, very handsome.

Marian glanced back at Clara.

”You really mean this.”

”I do.”

”Why?”

Clara gave her an incredulous look.

”Because he’s handsome.”

Marian laughed.

”That’s your argument?”

”It’s a very good argument.”

”It is not.”

”Fine. He’s handsome, he’s twenty-seven, he’s the heir to a marquessate, he’s intelligent, he’s perfectly respectable, and he’s still single.”

Clara paused.

”That’s actually an excellent argument.”

Marian shook her head, smiling.

”You are impossible.”

”I’m your friend.”

”Those aren’t mutually exclusive.”

Clara laughed.

Then her expression softened.

”Come on, Marian. You know Julian.”

”I do.”

”You know his family.”

”Yes.”

”You know what he’s like.”

”To some extent.”

”And I know what he’s like better than you do.”

Marian raised an eyebrow.

”Obviously.”

”So let me make my case.”

Clara leaned closer.

”He’s kind. He’s responsible. He doesn’t take himself too seriously. He isn’t an idiot. And unlike half the men here, he won’t spend an entire evening talking about his own accomplishments.”

Marian smiled.

”You’ve rehearsed this.”

”I’ve had years.”

That made Marian laugh again.

Clara’s eyes brightened.

”And if you married him, I’d become your sister-in-law.”

Marian looked at her.

Clara shrugged.

”Wouldn’t that be convenient?”

”Convenient?”

”We’d practically be family.”

Marian shook her head.

”You really have thought this through.”

”Of course I have.”

Clara glanced toward Julian again.

”I happen to love my brother.”

”I know.”

”So I would like a sister-in-law I actually like.”

Marian’s smile softened.

There was something disarmingly sincere about that.

Clara wasn’t trying to push her into anything.

She was simply offering an option.

A very reasonable one.

Marian looked toward Julian again.

He was speaking with another gentleman now.

He smiled at something that was said.

She had seen that smile before.

She simply hadn’t thought much about it.

Perhaps she should have.

Clara nudged her lightly.

”Consider him.”

Marian sighed.

”You’re very persistent.”

”Only when I’m right.”

Before Marian could answer, a gentleman approached them.

”Lady Marian.”

He bowed.

”May I have the honor of the next dance?”

Marian opened her mouth.

Clara answered first.

”I’m afraid she’s spoken for.”

The gentleman blinked.

Marian turned sharply toward her.

”What?”

Clara smiled sweetly.

”She is.”

The gentleman looked between them, clearly uncertain whether he had misunderstood.

Clara continued.

”Her next dance is promised to my brother.”

Marian stared at her.

”Clara.”

The gentleman’s expression changed immediately.

”Of course. My apologies.”

He bowed.

”Perhaps another time, Lady Marian.”

”Yes. Thank you.”

He retreated.

Marian waited until he was safely out of earshot.

Then she turned slowly toward Clara.

”You did not.”

”I did.”

”I haven’t promised Julian anything.”

”Not yet.”

”Clara.”

”Come on.”

Clara linked her arm through Marian’s.

”If you’re going to give someone here a chance, consider my brother first.”

Marian looked at her.

Then, despite herself, laughed.

”You are shameless.”

”I prefer practical.”

Marian glanced toward Julian again.

This time, she didn’t immediately look away.

Perhaps Clara had a point.

The Emperor had been the obvious choice.

The strongest one.

The man she had come here intending to consider.

But if that possibility was already slipping beyond her reach, there was no reason to stand still and stare at a closed door.

There were other men in the room.

And perhaps the second-best man was worth a closer look.

Clara watched her expression.

”Well?”

Marian smiled faintly.

”Perhaps.”

”Good.”

”But I haven’t agreed to anything.”

”I know.”

Clara looked entirely satisfied anyway.

”That’s why I’m going to make sure Julian gets his dance.”

Marian laughed.

”You really are impossible.”

”I told you.”

Clara glanced toward her brother.

”Besides, if you’re going to make a sensible decision tonight, you might as well start with the man I know best.”

Marian followed her gaze.

And for the first time that evening, she looked at Julian Wiltshire not as Clara’s brother—

but as a man she might actually consider.

Tbc

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