RISE OF EROS

Hearing Teresa's words, Candice dropped all ceremony and sat across from Teresa and picked up a cookie from the table, and said, "Teresa, how have you been?"

"I see that it is enough that I give you a little confidence and you act as if you were at home. I've been fine, thanks for asking," Teresa replied, letting out a slight sigh when she saw Candice's change of attitude.

Candice just smiled at Teresa's accusation. The two of them have known each other for a long time, in fact, the reason why Candice has good relations with the marquis is because she is Teresa's friend.

However, as a merchant, Candice visits the Mansion of Flowers more to see the Marquis than to chat with her old friend. There was even a time when Teresa came to think that Candice was trying to seduce her husband, but that doubt was resolved without any drama.

"Then why are you visiting me today? I have to admit that you took me by surprise because you only come to this place to talk to Donald", said Teresa, while she drank some tea.

Candice smiled a little at her friend's question and responded by saying, "Can't I come to visit a friend?" to which Teresa replied with a tone of irony, "As if a woman as involved in the business as you would come to visit just because."

Candice felt a knife go through her heart because her friend had told the truth. Candice has few friends and that was because, on her way to success, she had to immerse herself in the business world and had no time to spend free time with her friends, so she had no free time.

Her commitment and her ambition were not small and it distanced her from her friends. Only people who understood her like Teresa still consider her a friend, but for that very reason Teresa knows her too well, that's why she knows that Candice wouldn't come to visit a friend suddenly like she is doing right now.

Candice let out a resigned sigh because Teresa had guessed correctly, she had another reason for coming to see her, and not wanting to play anymore, she said, "I can't hide anything from you, right? It is true, I come to invite you to an event."

"Event?" Teresa asked rhetorically, a bit surprised, because she didn't like the so-called "Events" very much. As the wife of a Marquis, Teresa had to attend countless social events among the nobles, so she was used to it.

However, her being used to it and her liking it were two totally different things. For her, those meetings were boring, for her it was just a crowd of people who showed off what they had and sought to improve their position, she hated those people, but as a noble lady, she had to behave.

For this reason, she was surprised that her friend Candice invited her to an event because Candice knew how much Teresa disliked them, and Candice understanding what her friend thought began to clarify.

"Teresa, it's not what you think. This event is different", but Teresa still didn't believe her and replied, "Different? Isn't it the same boring gathering of nobles?" Candice smiled and replied, "Well, I'm not denying that you'll have to socialize with other nobles a bit, but I promise you'll like it."

Teresa didn't understand the reason why her friend was so sure and even though she didn't like those events, she wanted to help her friend, so letting out a resigned sigh, she accepted, "Okay, I'll help you attend that event, but if it's not fun You'll have to make it up to me."

Candice trembled when she heard Teresa because she knew very well what she meant by "Compensate" and honestly, she didn't want to do it, but even so, she nodded her head in acceptance, because she believed that the fashion show would be nice for Teresa.

After confirming that Teresa would be attending the fashion show, Candice chatted with her for a while over tea and some cookies and shortly after an hour, Candice left.

Teresa remained in the kiosk in the backyard after Candice left and, surprised, she saw her husband arrive. Marquis Donald was a man of about 45 years of age, with fair skin and golden hair. Despite his age, there were no wrinkles on his body and he exuded an aura of elegance and dignity.

"Today is a very strange day, not only an old friend visiting me but also my husband," said Teresa in a mocking tone. The marquis made an ironic face upon hearing his wife's comment.

They really didn't have a bad relationship with each other, in fact, they were very affectionate, but they were a marquis and a marquise of the Cannaris empire, so their obligations towards the empire were not small, for that reason the time they spent together was every shorter lately.

"My dear Teresa, don't be like that, do you really have to rub that in my face?" Marquis Donald said a little helplessly, to which Teresa replied, "Yes because you broke your promise".

An invisible dagger pierced the heart of the marquis with those words. The promise she was talking about was that Donald had promised a week ago to take Teresa for a walk, but some last-minute official business interrupted their plans and they couldn't go out.

Teresa wasn't really angry with her husband, but she liked to bother him, that only showed the good relationship they had. "Well, let's stop playing, you're here to ask about Candice's visit, right?" Teresa said, changing the tone of the conversation.

"You know me well. It seemed strange to me that she came here and only asked about you, so I came to ask, "said Donald to which Teresa replied," What is so strange? I remind you that Candice is my friend since long before I met you.

"I know that dear. But whenever she comes, it's to talk business with me and if she comes to see you, you always invite me, but today you didn't, that's strange," Donald said with a serious look.

He found the behavior of Candice and his wife strange. Not that he minded not being invited, but it wasn't normal and it worried him. He trusted Candice and his wife, but still, he couldn't stop worrying, that was the affection he had towards his wife.

Teresa could easily see through her husband's thoughts and her heart warmed with tenderness because she knew that her husband had come to see her only out of concern. Most people who know her husband believe that he is a decisive and intelligent man who always uses reason to find the best solutions to different situations.

What she and her children know, however, is that the Marquis Donald was no different than any man when it comes to family. He is a clumsy and affectionate man, who worries more than necessary and sometimes does not know how to act, that was one of the reasons why Teresa married him.

"You don't have to worry, Candice came to invite me to an event that she's just organizing," Teresa said, wanting to assure her husband that he didn't have to worry.

"But you don't like these events," Donald said with a puzzled look on his face, but Teresa smiled and said, "Well, Candice said it was a women's only event and it would be fun."

Listening to her, Donald didn't ask any more about the matter, he just approached Teresa, hugged her, and kissed her tenderly before leaving. Teresa returned to the kiosk to finish her cookies and tea.

While Candice had returned to the Cherry Blossom store. In her office, she instructed her subordinates on how they should treat the guests of the fashion show, especially Teresa.

A marquise was not something to be trifled with, as she is one of the so-called high nobles, and if anything happened to her in the event of her, it would be the same as a death sentence. Besides, Teresa was one of the few friends she had, so she couldn't let something happen to her.

Candice's employees weren't stupid, they knew the importance of this event and that everything had to go smoothly or heads would roll, yet despite their best efforts they couldn't detect a hidden problem.

Candice's visit to the marquis's mansion did not go unnoticed by one person in particular, this was Count Orfo Gistaly. He had planted spies in the vicinity of the marquess's mansion and was looking for any opportunity he could find to gain an advantage over the marquess.

Count Gistaly was at odds with Donald since the former had many rumors going around the streets of the city saying that he had some dirty deals that harmed the empire and Donald was stepping on his tail, to find out if the rumors were true.

If they were just rumors, the count wouldn't be upset wanting to attack the marquis, the problem was that he really had a lot of dirt under his rug, and with Donald investigating, it would only be a matter of time before he discovered something and that's why he had to take action.

When he didn't know what to do to hold off Donald's investigation, one of his assassins reported that Candice had visited Marchioness Teresa and had apparently invited her to an event in two days.

This was great news for him because if he managed to capture Teresa, it would be the end of Donald's investigation, in fact, he could control him and he would have the power of a marquisate to himself or at least that was what he thought.