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He had no intention of saying anything further. He was here to support Leona, and would leave the arrangements to Sophie. He had faith that his wife would make the best choice for the duchess.
Sometimes, it was a lack of support from loved ones that kept someone stuck at a crossroads. But when the disappointment in those closest to a person became unbearable, a little backing from someone else could help them stand tall again.
During Sophie’s most challenging moments, the elders of the Devin family had stepped in to support her. She understood all too well how cruciabit was to have someone by a person’s side when they found themselves at rock bottom.
Regardless of Harvey’s objections, Sophie was determined to take Leona with her. It might seem like she was overstepping her boundaries by meddling in another family’s affairs, but there was little choice left for her. Rafael believed that Sophie and Leona had given Harvey and Heather a chance, only to be met with disappointment and a brush with death.
Jacob had reported the situation with remarkable detail, which suggested that he had already placed people within Gracehold Estate.
Sophie had even arranged for Alana and Leah to be on guard to prevent any unforeseen complications. But in this world, there was always a chance for oversight, no matter how meticulous a person’s planning was. If someone was determined to cause trouble, it was nearly impossible to guard against every possibility.
When Sophie learned of Rafael’s arrival, she instructed Violet, Alana, and Leah to keep a close watch on Leona while she stepped outside to speak to him.
The outer courtyard was bustling with men. When Rafael noticed his wife approaching, he stepped out to find a quiet spot so the two of them could talk.
“I won’t be returning home tonight. I’ll stay here and wait until we take Leona away tomorrow. Keep an eye on Ryan and make sure he does his homework, okay?” said Sophie.
Rafael pulled out her hairpin and tucked it in place gently. “Don’t worry. Jacob will oversee everything. Do you need me to stay?”
“No, it’s fine. Violet and I will stay. Alana and Leah are also here.” Sophie paused. “It’s mainly Leona’s condition that’s bad. I also think Lady Heather and Madam Dorothy might cause trouble, so I can’t help but worry.”
“How is Leona doing now? Is the baby really gone?” Rafael asked.
“Yes. She almost bled out, but luckily, Sebastian was here. She survived, but it’ll take her at least a year and a half to recover. She’s fast asleep now, but I’m afraid she’ll be heartbroken once she wakes up,” Sophie replied, her voice heavy with sorrow. Rafael sighed. “She carried the baby for nine months. I’m sure she will be.”
Sophie’s complexion paled. “She nearly lost her life too. Raf, we can’t let Samuel get away with this. He needs to spend a few years in prison at the very least.”
“Leave it to me,” said the prince.
Watching his wife stand there, delicate yet strong against the autumn wind, a pang of sadness welled up in his heart. When Leona was giving birth, Sophie must have been terrified of losing her cousin.
Rafael’s gaze turned icy.
Samuel Langley!
“Let’s wait until Leona is away from here before we take action,” Sophie suggested. “We don’t want to complicate things. If we arrest Samuel now, a horde of people will surely rush to Leona. I don’t want her to be disturbed.”
“Alright. I’ll head back to the Supreme Court for now. Once you take Leona away tomorrow, I’ll send someone to arrest Samuel. He harmed his legitimate wife and caused their child to die in her womb. Him pushing Leona down the stairs is considered attempted murder of a royal relative. That’s more than enough to arrest him,” said Rafael.
“But he’s still one of the top scholars, and he has a status…” Sophie lamented.
“I’ll speak to Mr. Murray and have him bring it up with the king.”
Rafael had nearly forgotten about that. Although Samuel didn’t have an official position anymore, he was still considered one of the king’s favored candidates. They first needed to ensure Samuel’s name was struck from the National Examination Register to avoid offending Salvador.
Sophie reached out and grasped her husband’s sleeve, her expression betraying her reluctance. She might have appeared strong in front of others, but today had genuinely frightened her. Because of that, she showed her vulnerability in front of Rafael at this moment. The prince longed to hold his wife, but they were at Gracehold Estate. Many people filled the side hall, and there were servants bustling about outside.
He settled for squeezing her hand and gently saying, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here for you. Whenever you need me, I’ll be right by your side.”
Sophie’s eyes glistened with tears as she choked out, “You should talk to Mr. Murray. I’ll stay with Leona. I’m worried she’ll be scared if doesn’t see me when she wakes up.”
“Alright, go ahead. I’ll wait until you’re inside before I leave. I still need to have some words with these people.”
Rafael straightened up and stood tall in the corridor, exuding a sense of security that eased some of Sophie’s tension.
When Sophie returned to her cousin’s room, she found Heather sitting by Leona’s bedside. The older woman was holding her daughter’s hand and calling out to her.
Anger flared up within Sophie. She exchanged a glance with Ivy, who immediately understood the unspoken message and stepped forward.
“Lady Heather, Lady Leona is exhausted right now. Sleep is the best medicine. My mentor has instructed that Lady Leona must sleep as much as possible, so please don’t disturb her.”
Heather had initially intended to wake Leona to discuss the divorce.
But upon seeing that Sophie had returned, she realized the discussion wouldn’t go anywhere. There was nothing she could do except retreat awkwardly.
Sophie took Heather’s place by Leona’s bedside. She glanced at her cousin, noting that she was still asleep.
Sophie calmly said, “Ivy and I will stay here. Everyone else, please leave.”
“I’m her mother. I should be here with her,” Heather hurriedly insisted.
Sophie shook her head. “No. You weren’t there for her when she needed you, and she doesn’t need you now. If you really care about her, help her pack her dowry items.” Heather sighed heavily. “Sophie, a divorce wouldn’t be good for her.”
Sophie didn’t respond. There was no need to talk to Heather any longer.
Violet deliberately chimed in, “I’ll organize her stuff. We’ll take everything that can be moved. Who cares who it belongs to? Even if it belongs to the Earl of Gracehold’s family, it’s fair game.”
Upon hearing that, Heather quickly followed Violet out. If the divorce was inevitable, Heather refused to give anyone the chance to use it against her. Once everyone had left, Kate and Hazel stood on the other side of the curtain, leaving only Sophie and Ivy in the bedroom.
As for Samuel, Alana had released him. He knelt on the ground and sobbed uncontrollably, his voice raw from crying.
Alana grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him out. “You can cry outside.”
Even though she had released him, Alana kept a watchful eye on him to ensure he didn’t leave Gracehold Estate.
Sophie stayed awake the entire time to watch over Leona, while Violet pulled up a chair to sit outside the room. No one dared enter.
Abigail sent meals for them, but Sophie couldn’t eat a thing. Violet managed a few bites, but the image of Leona’s body contorted in pain haunted her and made it hard to swallow.
In the middle of the night, Leona woke up. She opened her eyes in a daze and called out for Sophie, who had been holding her hand the whole time. When she heard Leona’s voice, she squeezed her hand tightly. “I’m here. It’s okay.”
Ivy took the chance to feed the duchess some medicine. Leona took it obediently, but her eyelids grew heavy after a while and she drifted back to sleep. Yet, tears slipped from the corners of her eyes. Sophie gently wiped them away. “It’s okay. You’ve made it through the worst of it. It’ll be fine now.”
Leona’s exhaustion was obvious from her complexion. It would take three doses of medicine for her to regain even a bit of strength. She woke up briefly to take the second dose, but quickly fell back asleep. Ivy rested for a while, then approached Sophie and whispered, “Lady Sophie, why don’t you take a break? I can keep watch.”
“No need. I’m not sleepy,” Sophie replied, shaking her head. “You worked hard during the day, so you should get some rest. You’ll still need to administer the medicine one more time before dawn.”
“Yes. Prince Harvey has left, but Lady Heather is staying in the estate. She’s just in the next room. She probably wants to stop you from taking Lady Leona away,” Ivy replied.
“She won’t be able to stop me. I’m determined to take her with me,” Sophie firmly said.
After Rafael left, he went to see Jeremiah and explained everything.