SONATA really wanted to get along with her future mother-in-law, but she wasn’t the type to accept hostility when she was just minding her own business.
But maybe she should keep her temper in check?
[“This is Your Grace’s way of telling me I’d suffer the same fate that you suffered from when you married the Grand Duke. Am I right, Mother?”]
After Sonata confronted Grand Duchess Eleanor Hexford, her future mother-in-law just kept her mouth shut. The Grand Duchess hadn’t uttered a word ever since they left the mansion. And now, they were already at a shop called ‘Lady Vivian’s Boutique.’
It was a very famous boutique exclusive for wedding gowns.
In fact, it wasn’t easy to book an appointment there. Even nobles at a count’s level would find it challenging to have Lady Vivian design their wedding gowns. But, of course, who could deny their services to the Hexfords?
[Turning down the Hexfords is like asking for your business to be closed.]
Sonata could feel her future mother-in-law’s power as they entered the almost-empty boutique.
Only Lady Vivian herself and a few of her staff were there to greet them by the door.
“Welcome to our boutique, Your Grace, Lady Florin.”
[No other customers, huh? Grand Duchess Hexford definitely booked the entire boutique. And she made it happen in just half an hour since that was how long it took them to get there.]
It would have been fascinating to see the staff chasing the guests out.
She could already imagine it.
[Some nobles definitely created a scene, but shut their mouths when told that the Grand Duchess and her future daughter-in-law are coming.]
“We’re here to check your readymade gowns, Lady Vivian.”
As expected, Lady Vivian– an elegant woman in her mid-thirties– looked surprised by what the Grand Duchess said. “A readymade gown, Your Grace?”
Readymade clothes were fairly new to the market.
But the concept was getting popular, especially among the young ladies in the Royal Capital.
[However, not for the elites of high society.]
And the Hexfords belonged to that category.
“We only have thirteen days before the wedding,” Grand Duchess Eleanor said, eliciting a soft gasp from Lady Vivian and her staff. “We’re not that unreasonable to ask you to make my daughter-in-law’s wedding gown in such a short time.”
[‘Commander Diether Hexford is going on an expedition next month, hence the wedding ceremony will be held in two weeks.’]
That was the official story that House Hexford released to the journalists.
And that also became the headlines of the major newspaper outlets in the kingdom.
[If I remember correctly, the journalists didn’t the chance to make fun of me when Lord Diether left in the middle of our engagement ceremony. I’m sure Grand Duke Hexford threatened them.]
“I came here confident that you can elevate the readymade gown we’d choose and turn it into something as beautiful as the custom-made gowns you create,” Grand Duchess Eleanor said to the wedding gown designer. “Am I right to assume that, Lady Vivian?”
Lady Vivian’s face beamed as if her confidence was boosted, thanks to the Grand Duchess’ silver tongue. “I won’t disappoint you, Your Grace.”
Then the famous wedding designer turned to her.
“Don’t worry, Lady Vivian,” Sonata assured the famous wedding gown designer. “Whatever I wear, I can pull it off well.”
She had the face, the body, and the aura to make anything look luxurious.
The approving look that Lady Vivian gave Sonata confirmed it. “You’re right, Lady Florin. I can already picture what kind of dresses would look good best on you,” the designer said with sparkling eyes. “Your Grace, Lady Florin, let me take you to the tearoom first before I bring out the wedding dresses.”
[Tea again, huh?]
Sonata was craving coconut juice, though.
[I’ll go on a tropical island for vacation as soon as Diether is dispatched.]
***
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“MY SON told me you didn’t want to sign the contract that forbids you from falling in love with him.”
[Ah, there it is.]
Sonata thought the Grand Duchess would continue ignoring her since their carriage ride earlier was awkwardly silent.
But as soon as they sat on the sofa, her future mother-in-law opened her mouth.
“My husband and I have been married for more than twenty years now,” the Grand Duchess said after sipping her tea. “But look at us– we didn’t fall in love with each other.”
[Only you didn’t fall in love, Your Grace.]
“If you think you can easily change a person’s feelings, then I’m telling you– you’re wrong.”
“Please don’t make it sound like I’m aiming for Diether’s love, Mother. Having said that, I’m open to the possibility of falling in love with Diether, though,” Sonata said, laughing softly as she flipped through the pages of the catalog that Lady Vivian left to her earlier. “But the main reason I didn’t sign the contract was simply because it sounded stupid. How can a mere contract stop your feelings in the first place?”
“My son inherited my tendency to fall in love with only one person throughout his life.”
Pfft.
[Is that why the Grand Duchess loathes the Grand Duke even after twenty years?]
Sonata heard it through the grapevine.
Apparently, the Grand Duchess had a commoner for a lover in the past. Unfortunately, the Grand Duke fell in love with the Grand Duchess and abused his authority as a royal prince back then to force the Grand Duchess to leave her lover and marry the Grand Duke instead.
“Mother, are you sure you’re really in love and not only romanticizing the memories of your first love?”
“Romanticizing my first love?”
Sonata used the bookmark attached to the catalog to mark the page of the dress that caught her eye. “Human memory is unreliable, Mother,” she said, then she looked at her future mother-in-law. “Whether we realize it or not, we’re often guilty of changing the details in what we remember to fit the narrative we want. Like, perhaps, how we want the person we love to remain perfect in our memories. Or how we want our love story to be more romantic and sweeter than it truly was.”
As expected, her mother’s face turned red, as if she was embarrassed.
Or, perhaps, angry.
[I probably touched a nerve.]
“What are you trying to say, Sonata?”
Ah, it seemed like her mother-in-law decided to call her by her first name since she had been calling her ‘Mother’ now.
“I’m just saying that you might just be in love with the idea of being in love and not with the person itself, Mother,” Sonata said, smiling. “But, of course, that’s just my opinion. I apologize if I offended you by the opinion you didn’t ask for.”
“As expected, I don’t think we’d get along well.”
“That’s alright, Mother. I’ll just treat you how you treat me.”
“And what do you mean by that?”
“If you mistreat me, then please don’t expect me to take care of you when you get older,” Sonata said, then she opened the catalog once again. “If I’m still your daughter-in-law by the time you get sick due to old age, then I would just leave you in a hospice that takes care of old people abandoned by their families.”
By this time, she was fully prepared for her mother-in-law to yell at her or act violently.
But, much to her surprise, she just heard the Grand Duchess snort.
“That’s exactly what I did to my parents,” Grand Duchess Eleanor said in a weak voice. “Are you my karma, Sonata Florin?”
“We can avoid that, Mother,” Sonata said, then she turned to her mother-in-law with a smile. “I’m not asking you to love me as your daughter-in-law– just give me the basic respect I deserve and I’ll do the same to you.”
***
“THEY ALL look the same to me,” Diether said while looking at the white three-piece crisp suits in front of him. “Mother, can’t you just choose the one that would match Sonata’s dress?”
After his work, his mother dragged him to a men’s boutique.
Of course, their status as the Grand Ducal family allowed them to shop in peace. That meant the boutique was closed to other customers until they were done shopping. Moreover, they were ushered into a luxurious lounge room while being served high tea and expensive snacks.
The boutique in question was called ‘The Man Maker.’
[I don’t like its tacky name, but it’s the most luxurious boutique in the kingdom for men’s clothes.]
“I see that you and your fiancée are on a first-name basis now.”
His mother only talked about personal stuff after the boutique owner and his staff left the room to give them privacy.
“Sonata and I are comrades, Mother,” Diether said, then he sipped his tea before he assured his mother. “Don’t worry. I will not fall in love with Sonata even if we are friends now– just like how Mother never fell in love with Father for the past twenty years.”
“What if Sonata falls in love with you?”
“She said she’ll divorce me after she gets rejected.”
“And you trust her?”
“My gut feeling is rarely wrong, Mother,” Diether said confidently. “Moreover, Sonata doesn’t seem to be the clingy type.”
In fact, Sonata refused to move into the Hexford Mansion.
Traditionally, a lady betrothed to a Hexford must live with the family and receive bridal lessons until the wedding.
But his dear fiancée was too busy for that, and he didn’t insist either.
[We’re both busy individuals with our own lives, after all.]
“If that’s what you think, then I’ll just trust you with this.”
“Thank you, Mother.”
Both Diether and his mother turned to the door when it suddenly burst open.
He was ready to scold the rude staff who opened the door without knocking, but he stopped when he saw who it was.
[Ah, no wonder I didn’t hear anything until the door opened.]
It was Princess Mikaela– the Crown Prince’s older sister.
[My younger cousin.]
Sir Yanis– Princess Mikaela’s knight-slash-aide– followed behind the royal princess quietly.
[If it’s the royal princess, then not even the shop owner could stop Her Highness from entering this room.]
Diether and his mother stood up to greet the royal princess.
His father, the Grand Duke, outranked the princess because his father was born a royal.
On the other hand, his mother only became a Grand Duchess because her husband was a Grand Duke. Hence, the royal princess still outranked his mother.
[I’m technically a prince, but Princess Mikaela still outranks me.]
But it would change once he became the Grand Duke later.
“Diether,” Princess Mikaela– long blonde hair, deep blue eyes– said after returning their polite greetings. The fact that the royal princess wore a simple dress only meant she snuck out of the royal palace again. “Are you really going to marry Sonata Florin?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Diether answered indifferently. “What about it?”
“If you’re going to get married again, why don’t you just marry me, then?”
“I’d rather live behind bars than marry you, Your Highness.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s disgusting to think about marrying a relative– let alone a child. Please don’t turn me into a criminal, Your Highness.”
“I’m already eighteen years old!”
“Still a child to me.”
Princess Mikaela’s face turned red. “You hate the idea of marrying me that much?”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Diether said, nodding eagerly. “Please don’t make me vomit the steak I had for lunch earlier.”