A second chance with my billionaire husband

Chapter 1913 - 461: Unparalleled Elegance, Dream Wedding

I had no idea that with just one glance, he was committed for a lifetime.

Under the blazing light, amidst countless gazes, the girl wore a splendid long dress and a princess crown, appearing step by step from the shadows.

All around, there was a silence as if the world lost its voice, leaving only that beautiful silhouette as the only brilliance in the world.

Even Neo, who was accustomed to beauty, was deeply captivated by the sight before him, unable to accommodate anything else in his eyes.

At the coronation ceremony that day, she was far away on the high platform, and her face could not be seen clearly. But now, her features gradually unfolded under the lights—those brows, those eyes, those lips, that contour—all imprinted with undeniable clarity in everyone’s eyes, astonishing every gaze that landed on her.

The girl clasped her hands lightly on her abdomen, her back straight, chin slightly lifted, revealing an understated royal demeanor without any sense of superiority over the world, only a serene equality that lasts a lifetime.

It was an elegance bone-deep and ingrained in her blood; even as her youth faded, and her beauty no longer shone, her grace would not disappear with the passage of time but would be renewed and enhanced.

She appeared slowly from the end of the stairs, with quiet, calm eyes looking at everyone in the hall below. Her gaze seemed to look at everyone, yet there was clearly nothing in those eyes, an emptiness so profound it was frightening.

At that moment, everyone harbored a wild thought in their heart: if they could leave a trace of themselves in those eyes, even death would be without regret.

After the initial amazement, murmurs filled the room, with many praising and marveling at the Princess’s beauty and elegance.

The men’s infatuation surpassed astonishment, the women’s envy turned to jealousy, but upon contemplating her identity, even that little jealousy could only be suppressed into a deep bitterness.

There exists a kind of person destined to stand above others, making even jealousy appear laughable and powerless.

Agunara was so captivated that his eyes were fixed in place, and Neo joked, "Could you wipe the drool from your mouth?"

Agunara stared straight at the Princess, his mind full of her image, not noticing Neo’s words at all.

Neo glanced at Lorde beside him, who was the only man present remaining relatively sober; his gaze remained steady, reflecting his deep and inscrutable character.

"This Princess is truly... someone who inspires crime..."

Lorde’s eyelids dropped slightly, and a faint, elusive smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Yun Ya’s eyes contained no one as she walked down from the stairs, with glorious lights, extravagant clutter, and countless captivated gazes around her... She had truly become a Princess, yet her heart was already encased in layers of ice.

"Your Highness, Princess, I am Agunara, Prince of Lais." Agunara was the first to rush over, barely touching the hem of the Princess’s dress before a large hand suddenly reached out and seized him.

"Please behave, Prince." A cold voice slowly sounded.

Agunara looked over indignantly, only then noticing a tall and plain-looking man beside the Princess, whose commanding presence was not to be underestimated, with calm eyes quietly looking at Agunara, inexplicably causing fear, so much so that the arm he was holding became nearly numb.

"Who are you? How dare you touch this Prince?" Agunara said with an unfriendly tone.

"I am Wu Hen, Your Highness the Princess’s escort, tasked with guarding the Princess. If there is any offense, please forgive me, Prince." Wu Hen released his hold, stepping back, speaking neither humbly nor haughtily.

"Hmph, are you insinuating I would harm the Princess?" Agunara felt an immediate dislike upon seeing the man, thinking him to be little more than a lapdog at the Princess’s side who was taking himself too seriously.

"It was my man who did not know his place and offended the Prince. I hope Prince will be magnanimous." The voice was obnoxiously pleasant, standing there gracefully, with just a look that nearly sent Agunara soaring in ecstasy. He wished to lay all the world’s treasures at her feet and had no heart to pursue the mistake of those beside her.

"For the Princess’s sake, I’ll let it slide this time." He thought to himself that he would deal with it later; at the very least, he wanted to maintain his image before the Princess and not leave a harsh impression on their first meeting.

He turned a smiling face, full of flattery and compliments, "The Princess is as beautiful as an angel, and no one in the world can compare to you."

His praises were indeed sincere, unadulterated by exaggeration.

Yun Ya smiled gently, displaying a tender elegance: "Thank you, Prince."

This smile made Agunara’s adrenaline surge, rendering his mind disobedient.

"Your Highness, Princess, I am Neo, delighted to meet you."

Neo extended his hand with a congenial smile.

Agunara glanced at him viciously, suspecting he intended to take advantage of the Princess.

However, the Princess merely nodded slightly, "Hello."

She did not lift her hand to shake back, giving Agunara the satisfaction of a triumphant glance, seeing that she did not grant him that courtesy.

Neo smiled and nonchalantly withdrew his hand. During the grand ceremony, he had been too far away to see clearly, and today marked his first close-up view of the Princess. If he had witnessed the world’s various beauties, it was astonishing to see a young girl who surpassed even the legitimate Princesses of their Royal Family of Country Y.

His gaze was considered restrained compared to Agunara’s fervent scrutiny, yet it was still intense. However, the girl remained unassuming and composed, standing there unaffected. Neo’s curiosity increased.

Curiosity initially drove him, but now, faced with such overwhelming beauty, possession became an instinctual drive.

If this beauty could be brought home, it would indeed be pleasing to behold daily.

Yun Ya’s gaze pierced through Neo’s shoulder, falling on the man standing like a steadfast polearm, her look somewhat disoriented. In him, she caught a shadow of familiarity.

A fissure seemed to open in her heart, letting in the howling cold wind.

That momentary dreamy and wandering look, filled with endless longing and melancholy, was thoroughly captured by Lorde. In that instant, his heart thumped fiercely.

He dismissed the irregular feeling in his heart, nodding expressionlessly as a greeting.

Yun Ya quickly regained her composure, internally mocking herself for thinking so foolishly. How could this person possibly be Brother Yan?

It was only the military demeanor he shared with Brother Yan that was similar, but he could never truly be Brother Yan.

He was likely the son of Sangque, the illustrious Lorde celebrated for his military achievements.

Yun Ya nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

Her heart sighed softly, with a tinge of bitterness and subtlety.

In a corner of the room, among the soldiers guarding the hall and standing behind the doorpost, was one standing as straight as a spear. Behind a mask, his gaze followed that figure of peerless grace in the room, a storm surging within his eyes but remaining suppressed beneath a tranquil surface.

His fingers clenched tightly around the spear, the veins on the back of his hand bulging.

Beneath the mask, thin lips pressed firmly together.

Endure, he repeatedly urged himself in his heart; he must endure...

Yun Ya noticed the piano placed in the corner and slowly walked over, seating herself on the round stool. Her fingers, long and slender like jade, gently brushed over the cold keys, her gaze distant and reminiscent.

"Does the Princess play the piano?" Neo asked with a smile.

"I know a little," she replied, her voice echoing with detachment.

"Why not perform a piece for us, so we may admire the Princess’s talent...?"

Yun Ya’s fingers lightly touched the black and white keys, and enchanting music gradually filled the hall.

A rendition of "Dream Wedding" unfolded slowly, from the low-key and winding prelude to the poignant crescendo, with warmth as gentle as the breeze and a sorrow beneath the starry night sky, mesmerizing and dreamlike...

When the piece ended, everyone remained immersed in the music, unable to extricate themselves. Such was the overwhelming emotional power of the performance, drawing the listeners in; ultimately, it was the performer’s extraordinary skill and emotional investment that fostered such empathy.

"Clap clap clap," Neo led the applause, and the others followed suit.

"The Princess’s talent is outstanding. You have imbued a classical piece with a distinctive charm, leaving us in awe," Neo complimented.

Agunara’s gaze on Yun Ya grew even more fervent.

Lorde remained silent, his brow furrowing slightly, his eyes narrowing.

The piano performance was commendable, yet it was evident that the Princess might already have someone in her heart, as conveyed through the emotion in her music.