Chapter 2

“Stop the carriage!” Clara shouted, her voice cutting through the noise of the busy street as she urged her horse to go faster. She could see the carriage up ahead, still speeding away recklessly, oblivious to the chaos it had caused.

Clara’s heart pounded in her chest, her frustration growing with every passing second. She leaned forward, narrowing the gap between her and the carriage. She wasn’t going to let them get away with this. Not after nearly getting run over.

“Stop the carriage now!” she yelled again, this time with more force, hoping to catch the attention of the driver.

As she drew closer, she could finally see the figure at the front of the carriage. The driver, a man dressed in fine but slightly disheveled clothing, turned his head at the sound of her voice. His expression was not stern, as she might have expected, but rather guilty. It was clear that he knew he had done something wrong, and the realization seemed to weigh heavily on him.

The carriage came to a halt, and the driver quickly dismounted, hurrying over to Clara with an apologetic expression. “I’m so sorry, miss,” he said earnestly. “I was rushing because my employer insisted I drive faster, even though I warned her we might cause an accident.”

Before Clara could respond, a young woman, who appeared to be about her age, stepped out of the carriage. She had fair skin, brown hair, and wore an exquisite red dress that resembled something a princess might wear. Her beauty was undeniable, but her heavy makeup and the strong scent of perfume that hit Clara as soon as she approached were overwhelming.

“What’s the commotion? And why did you stop?” the young woman demanded, her voice dripping with irritation. She glanced at Clara, taking in her simple attire and the way she stood close to the driver. The look she gave Clara was one of condescension, as if she were evaluating a commoner beneath her.

“Who are you? And why are you interfering with our journey? Don’t you know who I am?” the woman continued, her tone boastful and dismissive.

Clara was about to speak up when the woman raised a hand, signaling that she didn’t want to hear from her. Turning back to the driver, she ordered, “Get moving now and don’t stop again. I don’t want any more delays.”

Clara stood there, stunned and disbelieving. The whole situation felt like a whirlwind, and she hadn’t even been given a chance to speak. As she watched the carriage disappear, she couldn’t help but wonder if this was how the wealthy and privileged truly behaved—disregarding others and treating them with such blatant disrespect.

Clara mounted her horse and made her way back to where she had left her wagon. She resumed her journey to the palace, still shaken by the earlier encounter. Despite her frustration, she decided it was best to let it go and focus on the task at hand.

Arriving at the back of the palace, she was immediately greeted by guards who checked the contents of the boxes. Once they confirmed that they were indeed just cookies, they allowed Clara inside.

Helen was right; the palace was bustling with activity. Clara muttered to herself, “Looks like the place is really busy today.” She glanced around, trying to figure out where to find the kitchen.

She attempted to ask a few of the busy servants for directions, but they seemed too preoccupied with their tasks to notice her. Clara sighed in frustration. “It seems I’ll have to navigate my way around here,” she said, taking hold of the boxes and carefully maneuvering through the crowded hallways.

The boxes were not very heavy, but they partially obstructed her view, making it difficult to see where she was going. She had to lean slightly to ensure she wasn’t bumping into anything or anyone as she walked.

Clara entered a door that seemed to lead further into the palace, but after walking through a maze of hallways and turning at various corners, she found herself thoroughly lost. The grandeur of the palace, with its endless doors and twisting passages, only added to her confusion. She felt overwhelmed by the sheer size of the place.

“Where on earth is the kitchen?” Clara wondered aloud, feeling a pang of anxiety. She stopped for a moment, trying to regain her bearings, but the more she explored, the more she realized she was completely disoriented.

Clara took a deep breath, preparing herself to navigate the maze of the palace once more. “I’m ready to get lost again,” she thought with a resigned chuckle. Just then, someone suddenly bumped into her from behind, shoving her forward.

The impact caused Clara to lose her balance, and she stumbled, dropping the boxes. She fell to the ground with a thud, scraping her arm as she tried to catch herself. The cookies, which had been opened by the guards earlier, scattered across the floor.

A heavy weight pressed against her back, and Clara winced in pain. “Ouch, you’re hurting me! Get up!” she snapped, her irritation and discomfort clear. The weight shifted, and a muscular man got off her, standing up but not extending a hand to help her.

Clara looked around at the mess of cookies now strewn across the floor. Her heart sank. It wasn’t just the pain from the fall that upset her but the thought that the cookies, painstakingly prepared by her father since early morning, were now ruined. The floor was dirty, and she knew they were no longer fit to be served.

Feeling a wave of sadness, Clara couldn’t hold back her tears. “These cookies were meant for the palace feast,” she murmured, her voice trembling. “We worked so hard on them, and now...”

Her spirit as bruised as her body. She could only imagine how disappointed her father and brother would be. With a deep sigh, she began to gather the cookies, her hands trembling as she tried to salvage what she could from the mess.

The man who had bumped into her seemed oblivious to her distress. He looked down at the spilled cookies with a mix of indifference and slight annoyance.

The man’s voice was cold and dismissive as he addressed Clara. “This is your fault. You shouldn’t be here. This isn’t the place for servants.”

Clara, still seated on the floor and wincing from the pain in her back, legs, and arms, glared at him. His arrogance was palpable, and the lack of any trace of sympathy or remorse only fueled her frustration.

Clara struggled to her feet, her movements slow and pained. “Apologize!” she demanded, her voice strained but firm.

The man raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “Apologize? For what?” he replied with a hint of amusement in his tone.

Despite his perfect features—handsome face, straight nose, and striking eyes—Clara could see that his good looks were overshadowed by his unpleasant demeanor. His beauty was matched only by his arrogance, making it clear that he was someone who used his charm to mask his lack of empathy.

“You’re the one who caused this mess, and you haven’t even offered to help,” Clara said, her voice shaking with a mix of pain and anger. “How can you act like this?”

The man stared at Clara for a few seconds before speaking, his voice dripping with authority. “If I were you, miss, I’d be careful about what you say. You might find your head separated from your body if you’re not careful.”

Clara was stunned by his words. Not only had he refused to apologize, but now he was threatening her. Her fists clenched in anger, and she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. With a determined effort, she bent down to pick up the cookies scattered across the floor.

As she picking the cookies, palace maids began to arrive, their presence adding to Clara’s growing frustration. Some of them stepped on the cookies, further mashing them into the dirt. Clara felt her spirits sink even lower. No one seemed willing to offer any help.

The maids, along with what appeared to be the head maid, gathered around the man, expressing their concern for him. “Your Highness, are you alright? Did you get hurt?” one of the maids asked, her tone filled with worry. The head maid, with a sharp gaze directed at Clara, added, “We were informed that this commoner was responsible for the incident.”

Clara’s eyes widened in disbelief as she processed the head maid’s words. “Your Highness?” she thought, realizing the man was of royal status. Her hand flew to her mouth in shock as she recalled her earlier confrontation with him. Despite her growing embarrassment, she couldn’t ignore the fact that the incident was still his fault.

The head maid continued, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. We’ll make sure this commoner is punished for her foolishness.”

Clara swallowed hard, her fear escalating. The prospect of punishment was terrifying.

“No need for that,” the man said coldly. “I’m not in the mood for punishment today. It’s an important day for me, and I can’t afford to let anyone ruin my mood.”

Before turning to leave, he glanced back at Clara and added, “Make sure to pay her for the damaged cookies. Compensate her even more than the original price. And Head Maid, ensure that no one else gets lost in this wing.” His authoritative tone left no room for disagreement, clearly directing his reprimand at Clara.

Clara watched, her heart heavy, as the man and his entourage departed. The head maid gave a curt nod, acknowledging the order, before turning her attention back to Clara with a look that combined disdain and resignation.

Just as the group was leaving, a familiar voice called out. Clara looked up in surprise to see the young woman who had been in the carriage that nearly ran her over earlier. The woman was now rushing after the man, calling his name.

Clara’s surprise grew as she saw the woman chasing after the man, but the man continued to walk, seemingly indifferent to her presence. The woman, looking flustered and out of breath, continued to try and catch up.

Watching the scene unfold, Clara couldn’t help but feel a sense of unfairness. It was clear that her day had turned from bad to worse, and the encounter with the royal had only made things more complicated.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***