TRAPPED BY THE SECOND MALE LEAD
CHAPTRE 6

The smell of perfume penetrates Meridia's sense of smell. It was like Meridia was hit by an explosion of fragrances when she had just opened the door of the room, the smell of alcohol in her perfume was very dizzying and hurt the nasal cavity. The wearer was apparently preening in front of the makeup mirror.

Maintaining appearances was a mandatory routine for nobles, especially for female royals. They had to appear perfect to describe that he deserved to be called a dignified noble.

Marigold looked at the reflection of his sister's face in the mirror, he turned his head and smiled cheerfully greeting Meridia. "Oh there's Meridia, good morning." Warm sweep.

Marigold stood as if to welcome Meridia's forced visit. Indirectly she just wanted to show off the dress she was wearing to the sister "What do you think? Is my performance this morning good enough?"

Meridia ignored Marigold's question. The condition of his body was being very unsupportive, he wanted to rest immediately. He rushed to Marigold's big, soft bed that was still a mess.

Marigold then had his two servants wait outside the door so he could freely chat with Meridia. "You know? Soon I greet my future fiancee," he said bragingly.

Meridia gasped in shock, "Since when did they determine that? Last night? Sure enough, their engagement couldn't have happened that fast" he thought but he quickly dismissed the useless thought "Really? Congratulations to you."

Meridia knew Marigold was talking about Arden.

Actually Meridia saw the two talking on the balcony last night. So it can be concluded, the two people who are destined to be together have met and just have to wait for time until the two are bound in a marriage promise.

Luckily Meridia was no longer bound by her miserable past misadventures anymore.

"thank you. Maybe I'll have an engagement soon too." Marigold didn't think about how embarrassed he was when others who knew the truth heard the booze.

"Oh, that's amazing. Congratulations to you again." The lazy and unwavering answer from Meridia made Marigold arrogant.

"He should have envied me" Marigold grumbled inwardly. But he still did not want to give up "Alright, I will give you the next good news. I promise you'll be the first to hear it."

"Yes, thank you. Again." Meridia laughed at Marigold's ravings in her heart. How could he continue boasting as if Meridia did not know the truth.

"Then I'll go now. Good job."

Marigold came out of his room. He put on his best smile, his little legs stepped slowly to add a graceful impression on him. The two maids were astonished to see Marigold's heavenly form, "I'm lucky to live in one mansion with Saintess' descendants."

"You're right."

"Friends, let's go now— oh I forgot, you guys have another job huh? It's okay, you go. Good job."

Marigold went alone to the living room. His heart was still upset, very upset. "Sad. Why can that kid be so quiet, sucks!" lirih.

All this time, there was one thing that kept running through his mind. "Why have I always wanted to keep Meridia under my control? Does that mean I hate him so much?"

Marigold has got everything without having to bother opening his mouth, all will be presented in front of him. While Meridia has never been as small as feeling the love and attention of people. So, what made him jealous and afraid?

Marigold had no idea what was underlying his intentions. Yes, he always had a fear that his sister would seize everything he owned and replace his position in the hearts of everyone. Just once she was off guard maybe Meridia could take a chance and do what she wanted to do. Though judging from the fact, Meridia who currently lives all the difficulties where it might be able to seize the position of Marigold.

However, there was a side in Marigold's heart that was insatiable just by having the affection that Meridia did not have. Tamak, perhaps that one word can describe Marigold's heart in detail.

His mood improved when he was able to see the living room, the smile of the kasmaran is very easily seen "I can't wait to see him again," he held his two cheeks that have been met with pink.

From the door Marigold could already see Arden sitting quietly holding his teacup. The young man looked as neat as he should be but he always looked like a high class even though he was wearing only casual clothes, not to attend events.

His hair was styled in such a way that it made a fresher impression on the young man. Marigold's legs faltered after seeing Arden's good looks, he could not understand why his joy grew bigger just by looking at him for longer.

Hearing the sound of the shoes crashing against the floor made Arden aware and raised his face. He smiled at her, "Good morning."

"Indeed the handsome man was incomparable," the inner girl.

Marigold nodded back at Arden's smile "Good morning, Arden." He kept trying to calm down, lest Arden realize that he unilaterally liked it.

"You're so beautiful" she said, just to keep the formalities as good as keeping a relationship with a business partner. However, the girl could not resist the turmoil in her heart and fell in love more and more.

"You're also very handsome," the shy little Marigold.

"Hahaha that's not true."

Marigold shook his head "I'm not lying about it," Marigold wanted to make Arden bend his knee to her.

Arden casually said, "Yes, I get it. Then can we go now?" Arden offered an arm, went to the dining room for breakfast together with the Marigolds.

No one starts the conversation. Arden focused on his own thoughts when he saw the whole room that could be seen by him, while Marigold tried to regulate his heartbeat "Arden, do you like sweet food?"

Marigold is good at making desserts. He wanted to show his abilities to the young man he was appraising. But unfortunately...

"No. I don't hate it, but I don't like it either. I rarely eat sweet foods."

"So yes," failed his idea to impress Arden with his other skills.

Marigold's forehead creased as he watched Arden keep looking back and forth like he was not enjoying the view in his house, but was looking for something, "What are you looking for?"

Arden looked down slightly at Marigold "Can you take me around your house after breakfast after breakfast?" the sapphire-sliced girl was slightly surprised "What?".

"You know, we've become friends. Don't you want to introduce your environment to me?"

"Ah is right too. Then I'll gladly drive you." Marigold thought that Arden wanted to spend more time with her by going around the house. In fact, that was just Arden's reason for seeing Meridia again.

In the hallway many of them met the servants who were working, Arden thought maybe he could also meet again with the girl who had managed to attract his attention.

"Oh yeah, how long are you gonna stay in this town? Are you really going home this afternoon?"

"No, I'm asking for an extra day. So tomorrow afternoon I'll be back."

"really? So you can spend some time in this town today? I can accompany you to get to know this city."

The two of them had arrived at the dining room opposite the library. Ziel and Zoya accidentally wait in the dining room to give their time closer to each other. The Marquess and the wife happily greeted Grand Duke Palmieri's only son until he prepared a lot of fancy dishes to cover the long table.

While the others were having breakfast, Meridia was still busy cleaning the library room which had more than four large shelves with thousands of books in number. His sight began to blur even worse than this morning.

"I felt like I could faint at any moment" he murmured the possibility as his back head throbbed with pain.

Meridia is sitting on a folding ladder, a ladder used to clean the part that can no longer be reached by hand. One hand he used to massage the head while the other hand he made busy wiping the cover of the Encyclopedia book.

There was a sound of laughter from the room in front of her, Meridia glanced at the closed library door "It looks like they are having fun."

While living as a Bianca, her parents never discriminated between her and her sister, they loved their children fairly. Although Bianca and her sister spent more time living with her grandmother.

Even so, neither his sister nor Bianca herself ever felt jealous of each other. The love of both parents is the same. That's why Bianca was so shocked when she just occupied the life of a Meridia, a villain in the novel 'Light and Shadow' by author L.

It doesn't matter if they're not blood bound. This is more severe because Marigold and Meridia were siblings and were both twins, born at the same time.

"Tck. Don't think about anything unimportant. I'm not really a member of their real family."

Finished breakfast Marigold immediately wanted to take Arden for a walk in the city, showing their closeness to seek support and encouragement. "Arden, can you go for a little walk with me? I'm sure you won't be disappointed."

Arden's confused. Marigold said he'd take her around but it turns out that the girl forgot about their conversation and changed her activities "Yes, I might be able to accompany you for a while."

The intensity of the smile of the angel-faced girl increased. His face was beaming with pleasure, his eyes as if filled with happiness "Really? Then I'll be ready soon. Just a minute."

Arden took the time to wait for him to take a walk around the hallway. First of all, Arden's eyes were directly centered on a room in front of the dining room. "What room is this?" he muttered as he opened the two door leaves to see what was inside.

"Oh, library. Maybe I can read a little here."

Behind the shelf he approached there was a clap of cloth, "Something seems to be cleaning."

Curiosity prompted him to see who the waiter who was cleaning the library was alone. The closer the distance Arden's heart is pounding for no apparent reason.

His eyes widened to see the figure of the girl he expected was sitting on a folding ladder while wiping the dirty edges of the book.

Arden was eager to call out to him but he would do that after their distance was closer. Arden frowned at Meridia's tired expression and continued to sweat out of proportion to the leisurely activities she was engaged in. Plus the color of his skin that pale to the lips makes Arden feel that the girl is not okay.

Already twice Arden saw Meridia wiping away the cold sweat on her forehead. The young man started to worry "It looks like he's being sa—, hey!" Arden ran as fast as he could and swiftly caught Meridia's weightless body that had suddenly fainted.

Meridia had completely lost consciousness, she had no idea anyone had caught her body. Arden couldn't hide his "Good shit, body temperature worries. I think the fever is very high."

Arden ran out of the library and took Meridia to the living room sofa. The incident coincided with Marigold who finished wearing his hat and was walking towards the dining room where Arden was waiting.

Marigold froze when he saw Arden holding Meridia.

"Arden...?" both of his eyes opened wide "What the hell is this? Is what I see right?"

With great care Arden put Meridia to bed on the long sofa and put away the bangs that disturbed the girl's face "You're there, please call the doctor here."

No one moved from his place. The waiters there just looked down. They hesitated to take action as if very afraid of making someone angry.

"Why are you guys quiet? What are you waiting for?! Go now!" Arden was astonished to see their indifference towards his own co-workers.

"Well, Your Majesty."

Someone was just about to make a move after being yelled at by Arden. The lady's servant was forced to submit to the order of the guest of honor in this Emerald mansion. Arden's rising tone scared everyone.

The servant was getting more and more powerless when he came across Marigold when he was about to call the Marquess family doctor for Meridia. Hope to worry that her employer can forgive her courage in order to keep working.

Marigold remained hidden behind the wall, noticing how much Arden cared about Meridia. Seen from Arden who did not want to let go of his gaze from his twin sister "Have they known each other before me? Arden, why are you so concerned about it? He seemed very worried about the bully."

His heart was getting unsettled if he kept silent there. Marigold approached them and pretended to be surprised by the incident. "What's up, Arden? Why was the waiter running?"

Arden looked at Marigold who was standing next to him "This servant suddenly fell in the library. It seems like he's sick and forced himself to work."

Marigold's hand clenched "Do you really have to care about a lowly human like him?" marigold grunts in heart. He crouched down and smiled gently "You're calm. I can help heal him."

Marigold who was endowed with Saintess power touched Meridia's forehead. The golden green light that Arden had seen appeared enveloping all of Meridia's hot body. It didn't take long until her body temperature dropped and the girl's breathing returned to normal. Although it has been cured, Meridia still can not be humanized.

"It's disgusting. Why should I cure him?" Marigold desperately wanted to wash his own hands after touching Meridia's sweaty forehead.

Marigold looked at Arden "He's cured, we can leave the rest to the doctor. Can we go now?" the blonde girl's irritation grew even greater when she heard Arden's reply "Can we wait for her to be examined?"

Marigold inevitably, for the sake of maintaining his image, nodded assenting the handsome young man's request "No problem."

Damn, he deliberately sought Arden's attention for revenge on me?! He was not aware who he was looking for trouble with!

Marigold tells Arden to sit on another couch while waiting for the arrival of a doctor who works specifically for Ziel and his family.

Ten minutes lasted and finally the person who awaited had arrived. A thin mustachioed and bespectacled man came over, his right hand moved off the hat and the other hand carried a small suitcase filled with tools and medicinal ingredients that he had prepared beforehand.

Not forgetting he greeted the two young nobles and then continued with an examination of Meridia's body.

Arden, who had been waiting anxiously since, asked no matter if the doctor had just finished checking his pulse "How?"

Arden had unknowingly attracted great suspicion from Marigold.

What is the reason behind Arden's attention?