"Come in!" Lady Maria commanded curtly, then took a sip of her tea.

Shortly after, the door to Lady Maria and Mr. Milano's room opened, and Miranda entered politely, bowing her body.

"Miranda? What brings you here?" Lady Maria inquired with a puzzled, furrowed brow.

"I've come here to report as you requested, Madam," Miranda replied.

Lady Maria's face lit up. The mother-in-law of Race adjusted her seating and gestured for Miranda to sit before her.

"Please, have a seat and report everything you know, Miranda!"

Meanwhile, in another pavilion, Winter held a small object Ivy had given him yesterday. He gazed closely at the charm that Ivy had enchanted.

"Will this charm really be useful for me? Why can't Ivy be my shield instead?" Winter mumbled to himself.

He then untied the small object, turning it into a bracelet. Winter put the charm on his right wrist and stared at it intently.

"Perhaps this time, this charm will be my shield, but in the future, you will be my shield, Iv."
***
Race and Ivy conversed in the backyard and even brewed tea for Race. It was rare for them to be alone together in such a relaxed manner. Usually, whenever they were alone, something unfortunate would occur. Ivy handed a cup of tea to Race.

"Drink up! This is my own blend of tea, it can boost your stamina, Race."

Race waited to respond to Ivy's words. He was instead staring at the cup of tea in front of him, his brow furrowing in confusion and uncertainty about the taste of Ivy's homemade tea.

"Not interested? Well then, I'll call for Gareta to have Miranda make your usual tea."

Feeling a bit disappointed by Race's expression, Ivy took the cup of tea away from him. Meanwhile, Race was looking at Ivy with eyebrows furrowed in growing confusion.

"Why bring Miranda into this?"

"It's alright, aren't you more accustomed to drinking her tea than mine? Just wait here! I'll call for Gareta."

Ivy got up from her seat and was about to leave Race there. Race smiled slightly, finding Ivy's jealousy amusing. He quickly reached out and held Ivy's hand to prevent her from going.

"Where are you going?"

Ivy stopped in her tracks and looked at Race. She rolled her eyes in frustration and pulled her hand away from Race's grasp.

"Calling for Gareta. I don't want to enjoy the afternoon here anymore. Let's just go inside! You can have your tea in the bungalow pavilion," Ivy said and started walking away from Race.

Race chuckled at Ivy's behavior, finding it cute. He stood up and caught up with Ivy, wrapping his arms around her from behind without warning.

"Hey! What are you doing?"
Ivy squirmed slightly, startled by Race's sudden embrace.

"Don't you want me to hug you?" Race asked half-teasingly.

"Why bother? There's no need for pretense anymore. You're clearly more comfortable with Miranda, aren't you? You even looked at my tea suspiciously," Ivy seemed genuinely offended.

"Why think that way? I was just curious about when you learned to brew tea. Weren't you also taken care of by Gareta here? Or did you learn all of that at your parents' home?" Race explained the intention behind his suspicious gaze at Ivy's homemade tea.

Ivy was surprised by Race's words, only then realizing her carelessness about things Race shouldn't know.

"What if Race starts thinking all sorts of things? What if he starts asking about my old wounds?" Ivy thought to herself.

"Ivy? Aren't you supposed to be treated like a princess in the West?" Race asked.

Ivy widened her eyes in astonishment at Race's question. She turned around and faced Race.

"Race, it's not like that."

"Then tell me, has any noble princess learned to brew tea and had as many scars as you?" Race inquired further.

"Race..."

Ivy was at a loss for words. Her worst fear was coming true. Race was genuinely asking about her scars. Race gazed at Ivy intently and then gave a faint smile, cupping her cheek gently and stroking it.

"About Miranda, she's nothing more than a servant to me. Soon enough, you'll know who Miranda really is."

"Who is she?" Ivy dared to ask.

"Not someone important, actually, who are you, Ivy?"
Suddenly, Nyonya Maria's voice sounded from behind Ivy and Race. They both turned to the source of the vote, and Ivy stood closer to Race, feeling afraid.

"Mother, what do you mean?" Race asked, confused.

Nyonya Maria didn't answer. She stared intensely at Ivy. Then, she approached Ivy and delivered a hard slap to Ivy's cheek.

"Mother!" Race exclaimed, pulling Ivy closer as she held her cheek in pain.

"How dare you lie to us? Who are you really, Ivy? The Marionet family couldn't possibly have a daughter who is a witch like you."

Nyonya Maria's words left Race and Ivy utterly shocked. They looked at each other in disbelief.

"Mother!" Race protested, pulling Ivy even closer to him.

"How dare you lie to us? Who are you really, Ivy? The Marionet family couldn't possibly have a daughter who is a witch like you."

Mrs. Maria's words left Race and Ivy utterly shocked. They looked at each other in disbelief.
***
"Has the supply of ruby stones arrived again?" Mr. Marionet asked during lunch with his wife and their two children.

"Yes, father," Charly answered, as he was in charge of the ruby stone shipments from the East.

"Good, are they still giving us the same price as usual?"

"They are, father. It seems that's because Ivy has become their daughter-in-law."

"Very well, that girl is proving to be useful to us."

"But what about me, Appa? Shouldn't I be the one marrying someone as handsome as Race, not Ivy?" Cheris interjected, a bit frustrated as she observed Race's good looks.

"Hey! If you married that man, you might end up dead, Cheris. Let Ivy be the sacrifice," Mrs. Liana added in response to Cheris' comment.

"But Ivy is still alive, mother."

"Who knows what will happen to that girl? We'll just wait and see! Don't be jealous just because Race is handsome," Mr. Marionet said.

Cheris looked at her parents, sighed in frustration, and nodded in agreement.
"Let's stop talking about her! Let's continue our meal," Mrs. Liana said.

"Agreed," Cheris and Charly said simultaneously.

In the Agnito family pavilion, Ivy sat in a chair, continually bowing her head. Race sat restlessly beside Ivy, waiting for his father to leave his room. Race then looked at Ivy, who had been silent all this time.

"Her cheek must be hurting now," Race thought to himself.

He gently pulled Ivy's hand. "Iv, is your cheek hurting?"

Ivy lifted her head and looked at Race, shaking her head slowly. "No, did you forget that I'm a witch? I've healed it myself, Race. No need to worry!"

Race fell silent and gazed at Ivy with a pitiful expression. Her cheek was still visibly red; how could it not be hurting?

"Why lie to me, Iv?"

"Who's lying? It doesn't hurt anymore. It's been like this since yesterday, so relax, Race!" Ivy cupped her cheek while smiling.

"But it's still red, Iv. How can it not hurt?"

Race still couldn't believe Ivy's words. He was genuinely puzzled by his wife's habit of hiding her pain from him.

Ivy fell silent and simply looked at Race. She lowered her head again, taking a deep breath before crying.

"What should I do, Race?"

"What do you mean? Is it very painful, Iv?"

Race moved closer to his wife, gently touching her cheek. Ivy raised her head, her tear-filled eyes meeting Race's gaze.

"It's not about my cheek."

"Then what is it about?"

Race's eyes widened, and he immediately pulled Ivy into a tight embrace without hesitation. "Who would dare to drive away Race Agnito's wife? No one will dare, Iv. Don't worry! My parents might be angry for a while, but that's all."

He tried to reassure his wife, gently patting her back to calm her down. Ivy's tears continued to flow as she looked up at Race.

"But I'm a witch, Race. Don't all Easterners hate witches? I'll surely be separated from you now, Race. How can I protect you?"

Ivy's tears still flowed uncontrollably, and Race continued to comfort her.

"Even in moments like this, she's still worried about protecting me," Race thought to himself.
***