A boy grew up betrothed to a girl who was vain and prideful. Both of their families were wealthy, and their marriage was more of a business arrangement than a romantic union, set when they were just fifteen.
The wife, Theodora, took immense pride in her wedding band. Her husband, Liam, was quite handsome—mighty, chivalrous, and of a knightly physique, with a godly face and a kind heart. Neither Theodora nor Liam loved each other. Theodora, a wicked girl, desired Liam not out of love but to have a perfect child to boost her arrogance. She wished to be a queen, and Liam was the closest to royalty she could get. Her envy and disdain grew over Liam's kindness to even the servant women, while she feigned love only to hear his courteous but false reply.
By the time they were eighteen, Theodora's attempts to coax Liam into fathering her desired perfect child had failed, leading her to despise him. The townspeople noticed, and she often complained about his early, solitary bedtime. Liam, dutiful to his parents despite their injustice, was absent emotionally and physically, even when they appeared together at parties. Theodora hissed at him, yearning for a perfect daughter, while Liam remained polite and detached, enjoying his stew and the shared wealth from their union. She took pride in their grand garden, maintained by servants, which she flaunted to passersby.
One lonely morning, Theodora woke to find Liam's side of the bed empty, as usual. By lunch, he was still absent, which was not unusual. However, supper came and went without Liam's return, causing Theodora to grow nervous despite her loathing. She imagined herself as a pitied widow, but not before having the perfect child from Liam. As night fell, and Liam remained missing, Theodora's anxiety turned to anger.
Liam did not return for several nights, fueling Theodora's worry and disdain. When a tattered man named Phillip arrived with a note from Liam, Theodora's world shattered. The note revealed Liam's departure for another love, leaving everything to Theodora to compensate for his absence. Theodora read the letter repeatedly, seething with rage and fearing the town's gossip about her failure to produce a child from the perfect man.
In her fury, Theodora's estate fell into disrepair, and she became a recluse, her beauty and sanity deteriorating. She prayed for vengeance against Liam, who had found love with Eliza, a kind woman with whom he had a daughter named Marigold. Marigold, with her father’s handsome features and her mother's kind nature, brought joy to her parents. Her unique blood caused flowers to bloom wherever it fell, earning her the nickname "Girl of Gardens."
Theodora, consumed by hatred, plotted her revenge. She traveled to a distant shop for a tranquilizer, then kidnapped Marigold, using the potion to sedate her. Back at her dilapidated estate, Theodora cut off Marigold’s fingers and toes, fed her poison, and buried her in the garden, scattering her body parts. By morning, Marigold's blood had revived the garden, causing it to bloom magnificently. Theodora reveled in her vengeance as townsfolk marveled at the sudden beauty of her estate.
For six months, the garden flourished, and Theodora basked in her renewed pride. But her satisfaction was short-lived. One day, Liam, grief-stricken and relentless in his search for Marigold, arrived at her estate. Recognizing the woman he once knew, he confronted Theodora, who reveled in her victory. In his anguish, Liam killed Theodora and rushed back to Eliza, mourning at Marigold’s grave.
The perfect man was broken, and Theodora's malicious legacy ended in ruin.