Chapter 265
Janet froze on her spot.
She didn’t know what to say or how to react.
She did get Lord Kurt to play along with her act…but looked like that got her into bigger trouble.
“Yet this reminded me of another issue.”
Daran changed to a more relaxed posture and looked at Janet intently, “Your
youngest daughter told me that she is already married with kids. How can a married woman be my Luna?”
Lord Kurt looked nervous.
He mopped at his brow with the back of his hand and said, “I–I believe that there is some misunderstanding…May I have a word alone with my daughter? If your majesty approves…?”
“You may,” said Daran coldly. “But let me remind you that lying to the King is a serious crime. Kurt promised to send a daughter to the Luna screening. So you better keep up with that promise. You don’t want to live with the consequence of disappointing me.‘
“I—I understand.” Lord Kurt stuttered, “Janine, come with me!”
He shot Janet a warning look before heading to the door.
Janet bent to Aspen and asked him to stay with the maids before following Lord Kurt
outside.
As soon as they were alone in the hallway, Lord Kurt turned to her and snapped: “-You are going to that screening!”
Janet couldn’t believe this guy, “Wow let’s slow down for a second. Are you crazy? I am not even your real daughter!”
Lord Kurt sneered, “Precisely. And let me guess. You are a gold–digger who stole my family name and snuck into the meetings, hoping to land a rich guy somehow. At some other time, I would expose you to the King in a heartbeat. Yet today, you are in luck. I happen to need a daughter to attend the screening.”
“What happens to your other daughters? It is their name on that damn list, right?“– Janet growled.
“If they are willing to come, why do I need you?” Lord Kurt waved his hand impatiently, “Now spill it. Quick. Are you willing to make this deal with me or not?
Go to the screening and spare me from the King’s rage. And I will keep my mouth shut about a certain identity thief.”
Janet was gradually getting a sense of what was happening.
Lord Kurt’s daughter’s name was on the list of Luna candidates.
Yet his real daughters couldn’t attend for whatever reasons it might be.
Just when Lord Kurt was confronting this to the King, she walked in.
…Wasn’t this convenient?
Janet rubbed her forehead in frustration.
She couldn’t join that Luna screening. Hell, she couldn’t avoid Daran enough!
But if she didn’t, her identity will get exposed.
And Daran would start asking questions.
It was bad news either way.
“Quick. The clock is ticking!” Lord Kurt urged, “Do we have a deal or not?”
Janet let out a long sigh.
…She blamed Medline, who swore to her that this identity was safe.
Safe her ass.
“Fine!” she gritted eventually, “I will go to this thing. But you need to keep your side of the promise as well. Not a word about who I am!”
A grin appeared on Lord Kurt’s lips, “You bet. But did you already say to the King that you are married with kids?”
“That won’t be a problem. I will simply let him know that I am divorced already,” said Janet irritably.
Here was what she thought:
There would be tons of great women at the screening. A divorced woman who would not show her face wouldn’t catch too much attention.
She would simply keep a low profile and get this thing over with.
When Daran chose his destined one, she and Aspen would be on their way as well.
They worked out the plan and headed back to the great hall.
“My King.”
Lord Kurt bowed to Daran with a flattering smile:
“Janine is willing to take her sister’s place and run for your Luna. It is her great honor.”
Daran raised an eyebrow, “Is that so? Then what about her current husband?”
Janet stared at her own feet and said in a whisper, “…I am divorced already.”
Daran let out a snort.
There was no way to tell whether he was happy or mad from that snort.
“Fine. Then ask the elders to bring the other candidates here and we will have the
first screening right now,” said Daran nonchalantly.
Right now?
Janet was caught off guard.
It was happening a lot faster than she expected.
But since she was aiming to win, she didn’t need any preparation either.
Momen’s later, the door opened up and a group of ladies stepped inside.
They all dressed up in fancy gowns and wore gorgeous jewelry that gleamed glamorously under the light.
Their presence made Janet look like a lowly maid.
An elder came with the ladies. He stood in front of Daran and presented this lovely crowd to the King:
“My King, may I present to you—the Luna candidates.”
All the girls stood in a line and curtseyed to Daran, smiling sheepishly.
They were all very young and attractive and gorgeous.
Janet couldn’t even pick out a top one among them. They all looked perfect.
Yet Daran looked bored.
He didn’t even take a single glance at the woman who might become his future
Luna.
His eyes flickered to Janet instead and called out her name abruptly:
“Janine Kurt.”
Janet gave a shudder and quickly turned to him, “Yes, my king.”
“Go stand with the other candidates. Or do you need time to get ready?” he said in a sarcastic sort of way.
Janet gulped and hastily walked to stand with the other girls, who were all staring at her in shock.
Apparently, they found it hard to believe that a shabby–dressing woman like her was
also running for Luna.
Janet took her spot at the end of the line.
She could feel herself stand out…and not in a good way.
Just then, Aspen broke free from the maids and ran over to her, crying, “Lady Kurt! What are you doing with these ladies?”
“Umm…” Janet hesitated for a second and said, “I am playing a little game with them.”
“Then what do you call a win?” asked the boy innocently.
“For the first round, we are simply looking at posture, figure, and appearance.” The elder said, “So in short, the prettiest candidate wins.”
Aspen widened his eyes as a bright smile came across his face.
“Then we have a winner already!” he announced proudly and raised Janet’s hand,
“Lady Kurt is the most beautiful woman here!”
All the candidates gasped simultaneously.
What the hell was this boy talking about?
This Lady Kurt was by far the least attractive woman present!
Just look at her black dress, tight–up hair, and that mask! There was no way to tell what she looked like!
Everyone looked to Daran, waiting for his judgment.
Yet the King said nothing.
He sat on his throne with his chin resting in his hand and a mysterious smile on his lips.
“What do you know, you little boy?” one of the candidates scolded Aspen, “She has her face covered. Maybe she did it because she looks hideous.”
“No…NO!”
Aspen cried, his little face quickly growing red in anger, “Lady Kurt is not hideous. She is beautiful! She is way prettier than you!”
“Aspen!” Janet hissed.
She tried to contain her son, but he would not listen.
He was in a hurry to defend her.
“You apologize to her!” the boy cried, “My…my nanny is not hideous! You can’t talk to her like that!”
That candidate rolled her eyes and let out a snort.
“Shut your mouth, silly boy. The adults are talking,” said her in disgust.
Daran suddenly straightened his back.
He pointed at that candidate and beckoned her over, “You. Approach me.”
A flattered smile appeared on her face as she quickly stepped out of the line and curtseyed, “Yes, my king?”
Daran stared down at her, “What is your name?”
“My name is Fiona, Your Majesty. I am so happy to be here,” she said, batting her eyelashes at him.
She thought she had caught the King’s attention.
The other candidates were all eyeing her enviously.
“Fiona.”
Daran’s face turned cold as he announced in a ruthless voice:
“You are out of here.”
