Transmigrated as the Crown Prince's Mate
Chapter 187: Scandal?

Chapter 187: Scandal?

"Evelina, dearest, do forgive me if this was meant to be kept secret. Though I can’t imagine why—after all, an alliance between our two kingdoms would be quite the victory, wouldn’t it?"

A stunned silence filled the ballroom, Selene’s words settling like a thick, suffocating fog over the assembled nobles. Eyes flickered toward Evelina, and you could see the curiosity and judgement flickering like candle flames in the dimly lit hall.

Evelina barely allowed her expression to falter, but inwardly, she was already bracing herself. Selene never makes a move without reason. This wasn’t just idle gossip—this was an attack.

Damian stood next to her, providing support, but she knew he couldn’t intervene just yet.

The court had to see how she handled this first.

Selene feigned innocence, her golden lashes fluttering as she placed a delicate hand over her chest. "Oh, my dear, have I taken you by surprise?" she cooed, watching Evelina’s reaction with the keen interest of a predator toying with its prey.

Evelina held her ground, tilting her head ever so slightly. "Surprise?" she mused, a ghost of a smirk playing at her lips. "Hardly. I simply wasn’t aware that you had taken up a new hobby, Selene—spinning wild tales in public."

A few stifled laughs rippled through the crowd, but Selene did not waver.

Instead, she merely sighed as if genuinely disappointed. "Oh, Evelina, must you be so defensive? It hardly seems necessary when there’s proof."

That word sent another ripple through the crowd. Proof?

Evelina’s stomach twisted, but she forced herself to remain still as Selene turned, as if on cue, to an older nobleman standing at the edge of the ballroom.

A silver tray was presented, and upon it sat a neat stack of parchment—sealed letters, their wax imprints unbroken.

The sight of them sent a prickle of unease through Evelina. She wouldn’t...

"These," Selene announced, lifting one of the letters with careful precision, "are love letters, penned by our very own Evelina to Prince Kyle. In them, she confesses her deep affection and her... rather desperate desire to secure his favor."

Gasps echoed through the ballroom.

Evelina’s fingers clenched against the fabric of her gown, though her expression remained carefully composed. "That’s an outrageous claim," she said smoothly. "And more importantly, an outright lie."

Selene arched a brow, lips curving in amusement. "Oh? Then surely you won’t mind if I read a few lines aloud?"

Without waiting for a response, she broke the wax seal and lifted the letter.

Evelina’s pulse thundered in her ears.

"My dearest Prince Kyle," Selene began in a soft, almost lyrical voice. "I fear I have no choice but to turn to you. My position at court grows perilous, and I have no allies left. I beg of you—if you have ever cared for me, grant me protection. A marriage between us would be the perfect arrangement, for both our sakes..."

Evelina didn’t need to hear the rest. She knew her own handwriting well enough to recognise a forgery.

She also knew how easily the court could be manipulated.

Murmurs spread like wildfire, eyes darting between her and the letter in Selene’s hand. A few of the nobles looked skeptical, but many more wore the eager expressions of those who thrived on scandal.

Selene held the letter aloft with a look of pity. "It’s quite tragic, really," she sighed. "A noble lady, desperate to escape punishment, seducing a foreign prince to ensure her safety... But I suppose we shouldn’t be too surprised. After all, desperate women will do anything to survive."

That last line was the dagger.

The court erupted in a frenzy, with accusations, whispers, and scandalized gasps filling the space like a rising tide.

Evelina’s hands curled into fists at her sides, nails biting into her palms. She should have anticipated this.

Selene was not just trying to humiliate her—she was trying to strip her of every ounce of credibility she had left.

Damian stepped closer, his silver eyes burning with fury, but Evelina subtly shook her head.

Not yet. This was her fight.

And then—

A voice cut through the noise, sharp and deliberate.

"Curious."

The crowd stilled.

Jasper.

He stepped forward from the edges of the ballroom, his usual easy smirk replaced by something cooler, more calculating. He held something between his fingers—a piece of parchment.

"I’m sorry to interrupt, but I couldn’t stand by and say nothing."

Before anyone could condemn a servant for speaking out of turn in the presence of nobles in a formal gathering, Damian nodded him to go on. "Go on, Jasper."

Selene’s eyes flickered toward him, Damian, and then to Jasper, and you can see the irritation barely hidden beneath her mask of composure. "Oh?" she said lightly. "And what, pray tell, do you find so curious, servant?"

Jasper smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. "Jasper, Lady Selene. And it’s just a small inconsistency," he said, holding up the letter for all to see. "You claim Lady Evelina wrote these, yes?"

"Obviously," Selene said, though there was a faint edge to her voice now.

"Then I find it strange," Jasper mused, turning the parchment slightly in his fingers, "that the ink used here happens to be the same formulation exclusive to your private writing set, Lady Selene."

A ripple of shock coursed through the crowd.

Selene’s expression didn’t crack, but Evelina could see the slight tightening around her mouth.

Jasper continued. "Even stranger—Lady Evelina’s personal seal is missing from these letters. Instead, they bear an imprint remarkably similar to the one you use for your own correspondence."

Gasps filled the room once more, but this time, the scandal had turned in the opposite direction.

Selene opened her mouth, but Jasper wasn’t finished. He took another step forward, holding up a second sheet of parchment. "Oh, and before you try to explain this away, I took the liberty of speaking with Prince Kyle himself." He lifted the paper. "This is a signed statement from him—denying any such betrothal."

Silence.

A dangerous one.

Selene’s lips parted, but no words came.

Jasper tilted his head, offering her an almost pitying look. "Now, tell me, Lady Selene. If this is all a misunderstanding... how do you explain this?"

The court’s collective gaze now turned toward her

Selene’s expression remained composed, but Evelina could see the barely concealed fury simmering beneath the surface. She had lost.

But she wasn’t finished yet.

Selene exhaled, then let out a soft laugh, the sound eerily unbothered. "My, my," she murmured, shaking her head. "It seems there has been a... miscommunication."

The nobles muttered among themselves, some still wary, others now openly regarding her with distrust.

Selene, however, was already regaining her footing.

She smiled at Evelina, the look promising future trouble. "I do hope you’ll forgive me, dear," she said in a smooth-as-silk voice. "It seems I was misled."

With that, she turned gracefully and melted back into the crowd.

Evelina exhaled slowly.

As the court buzzed after Selene’s departure, Evelina turned to Jasper curiously.

"How did you do that?" she asked, keeping her voice low despite the hum of conversation around them.

Jasper’s lips twitched into his usual smirk, though there was a glint of mischief behind his dark eyes. "A little observation, a little intuition... and a well-placed source," he said with a wink.

Then, glancing at Damian, he added, "Perhaps we should move somewhere quieter, Your Highness."

Damian nodded in agreement. "Follow me."

Damian guided them through the nobles and into a quieter corridor of the palace. The candlelit hallway created flickering shadows on the walls as they entered a small, private sitting room. Once the door shut, the tension lifted.

Evelina crossed her arms, glancing between the two men. "Tell me everything."

Damian exchanged a look with Jasper before he answered. "Remember when Lily came in the other day," he began. "When she said that Selene was planning to move against you, but we didn’t know the details. So I asked Jasper to keep an eye on her."

Jasper gave an exaggerated bow. "Which I did—quite masterfully, if I do say so myself."

Damian shot him a look, but a hint of amusement softened his gaze before he continued. "Once we knew Selene had something in the works, I had Lily help Jasper get access to her chambers. That’s where he found the fake letters."

Evelina inhaled slowly, processing. It made sense. "So you knew before she even revealed them."

Jasper nodded. "Not the exact timing, but yes. Once I saw the seals and ink, it wasn’t hard to put the pieces together."

Evelina let out a slow breath, something warm settling in her chest. "You both saved me from what could have been a disaster." She looked between them, gratitude clear in her eyes. "Thank you."

Jasper inclined his head, but his smirk turned teasing. "Oh, don’t get all sentimental on me, my lady. I live for courtly chaos, and this? This was exquisite."

She laughed softly. "Still, you have my thanks."

Jasper gave a mock salute before stepping back toward the door. "And on that note, I’ll take my leave. You two have unfinished business, if I recall." He winked and slipped out, leaving Evelina and Damian alone.

Silence stretched between them, warm and charged.

Damian studied her, the silver of his eyes darkening slightly. "Are you alright?"