Said No to the Prince and Yes to the King novel Chapter 178

Chapter 178 Showed Her Proper Respect

Finished

Cyan walked over to meet her. “You look worn out, Ms. Campbell. Didn’t you get a good rest?”

Margaret gave an awkward smile. “I’m fine. Prince Theodore’s condition is improving remarkably well. With a bit more rest, he’ll be fully healed before long.”

Cyan parted his lips hesitantly. “Thank you for your care. Do you have a moment to spare?”

Margaret tensed at once, instantly wide awake.

He wouldn’t be asking me to stay for another meal again, would he?

She shook her head quickly. “I still have urgent matters to attend to. Excuse me.”

With that, she turned and hurried off without another word.

Cyan watched her retreating figure, his eyes narrowing slightly. “She comes early each morning for Prince Theodore’s acupuncture, then rushes off at noon to treat Crown Prince Christopher. Ms. Campbell certainly keeps herself busy.”

Just then, Theodore walked out fully dressed.

Cyan bowed his head respectfully the moment he saw him. “Prince Theodore, shall I go bring Ms. Campbell back?”

Theodore replied indifferently, “There’s no need.”

“But she…” Cyan hesitated, then bit the bullet and spoke his mind. “You personally stood up for her and had her engagement dissolved, Yet she still goes out of her way to treat Crown Prince Christopher. If word gets around…”

Theodore said calmly, “She and I are only in a working partnership. We need not meddle in each other’s private affairs.”

Cyan murmured, “That may be true, but still…

“Besides,” Theodore said quietly, “even in her sleep, she calls out Christopher’s name.”

That one soft remark silenced Cyan instantly.

She murmurs Crown Prince Christopher’s name in her sleep…

What on earth does that mean?

How many shocking secrets lie behind those simple words?

Could it be they’ve even shared a bed when I wasn’t by Prince Theodore’s side?

No, that can’t be right–I’m always near him.

Yet Prince Theodore’s dispirited expression, and the faint sour tone in his voice… He’s clearly jealous.

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Chapter 178 Showed Her Proper Respect

Finished

Cyan’s mind churned with wild thoughts, yet he kept his head bowed solemnly, not daring to utter a single word.

It seems Prince Theodore’s private matters are far beyond my place to ask or understand.

Meanwhile, Margaret arrived once again at Sweet Breeze Dining.

She came here whenever she had free time lately.

Anyway, she had no desire to deal with the troublemaker Stella at the estate.

As she reached the main gate, she accidentally overheard voices talking inside.

A man said dismissively, “What great ability could a young noble lady possibly have? She’s just lucky, wealthy, and well–connected, that’s all. She only got to take over this grand feast hall by sheer chance.”

Margaret recognized the speaker as Jonas Denton, the head steward of Sweet Breeze Dining, now working

under her.

A waiter chimed in next, “You’re right. She can’t run a business, can’t cook a single dish. All she does is keep the books now. And she’s even keeping two extra girls here with free room and board for nothing. I’ll never understand it.”

Another waiter added, “Noble ladies know nothing of ordinary folks‘ hardships. This is one of the finest feast halls in Breston, yet business has been declining for ages. Now that she’s taken over, who knows how much longer it can hold on.”

Jonas sighed heavily, “She’s wealthy and powerful enough not to care about losing one feast hall anyway.”

“It’s just a shame for you, Jonas,” the first waiter said. “If this place were yours alone, it could’ve grown more prosperous day by day.”

Margaret stood quietly outside the door for a long while, not stepping in to interrupt them.

Although she knew full well they were talking about her, for a moment Margaret actually felt that there was a grain of truth in what they were saying,

She couldn’t cook, couldn’t manage a business. All she did was glance over the account books every now and then. Jonas still ran everything here.

The feast hall was grand enough, but business was only mediocre.

It turned a small profit, barely enough to feed all the staff.

She had barely earned any income since taking over.

No wonder the waiters whisper behind her back.

Margaret waited until everyone inside dispersed before walking in.

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11:16 am

Chapter 178 Showed Her Proper Respect

The moment she stepped through the door, Jonas greeted her warmly with a smile.

The busy waiters all bowed and nodded respectfully, putting on their most deferential expressions.

Finished

Margaret chose not to reprimand them, nor did she pay them much mind. She simply ignored their formal greetings.

You could never please everyone.

She barely knew how to run this place anyway, and she had no reliable people to put in charge. Even if she replaced every last staff member, the new hires would surely gossip behind her back, too.

What worker didn’t complain about their boss?

As long as they showed her proper respect, it was enough.

Margaret walked upstairs with a blank expression, called Lisa over, and sat down in a quiet corner to sip honey water.

Lisa asked softly the moment they sat down, “Do you have something weighing on your mind, Ms. Campbell?”

Margaret took a slow sip of honey water and asked gently, “What do you think of this place?”

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