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Even if Heather had the medicines, she wouldn’t return them. But they were likely gone, or she would have brought them for Leona without question.
“Sophie, is Leona okay?” Heather hastily asked.
“No, she’s not, but Ivy will take care of her. If she wishes to see you after she recovers, she’ll probably send someone to inform you,” Sophie said, turning to leave.
“Let me see her now! You can’t keep us apart! She’s my daughter!” Heather called out desperately in a raised voice as she chased after her niece.
A crowd had already gathered outside earlier, The residences nearby were all occupied by noble families. The masters and mistresses of these residences wouldn’t come out to watch, but their servants and attendants were curious enough to do so, and would report back.
That was why Heather raised her voice, and even let tears slip down her cheeks once she finished shouting.
–
However, Sophie wouldn’t let Heather have her way.
If Heather wasn’t afraid of shedding all pretenses and was unconcerned about the reputations of her family and the Earl of Gracehold’s family, then let her come!
Sophie sharply said, “First, when Samuel took a concubine and abandoned Leona, you all stood by and told her to endure it. Leona is a dignified duchess and the man’s rightful wife. Why should she have to tolerate a courtesan? Where did you place her royal dignity then?
“Second, when Samuel first beat Leona and left her bedridden, neither you nor Prince Harvey uttered a word against him. You merely sent some supplements to Leona and told her to endure until Samuel changed his mind.
“Third, Leona had a difficult time giving birth because Samuel pushed her down the stairs. When she had one foot in the grave, she called out for me, her cousin, not you, her mother. When the king discovered that, he was furious at Samuel for mistreating and abusing Leona. But instead of standing up for your daughter, you defend her husband and cling to this marriage.
“Do you wish for Leona to die? Is that why you want her to continue to suffer under Samuel’s torment until she ends up like Aunt Avis, who died miserably in Verdant Monastery after enduring such torture?”
Heather’s expression changed drastically as she stared at Sophie in shock. It was as if she couldn’t believe her niece had spoken so callously in public. And Heather was sure Sophie had deliberately thrown that last sentence in.
No one knew about what happened to Avis, as Yuvan and his people had kept it tightly under wraps. Even when Avis willingly went to Verdant Monastery, it was under the guise of recovering her health. Yuvan had presented everything in a positive light and made everything look perfect. It didn’t matter that some rumors had gotten out, since even Avis’ two daughters were protecting Yuvan.
With Avis’ own daughters saying as such, who would dare question it? After all, the outside world was rife with mixed truth and lies.
Yet, Yuvan had married Molly not long after Avis’ death, which would inevitably raise eyebrows. Now that the matter was being brought up, it left everyone free to speculate.
Yuvan wanted to maintain a clean and respectable image, right?
No way that was happening!
Since Yuvan had returned to the capital, it was time to confront him directly and in a systematic order.
Sophie continued, “Also, I’m not stopping you from seeing your daughter. If you approach Leona as her mother, I’m sure she would be delighted.”
Having finished speaking, Sophie took the shoes and climbed into the carriage under the watchful eyes of the crowd. She left Heather standing at the estate’s entrance, subject to the crowd’s curious gaze.
Fuming, Heather turned and stormed back into Hartstone Estate.
Meanwhile, Dorothy had really begun a hunger strike.
Noah had already gone to Hartstone Estate twice. Harvey informed him that he had already used his connections to ensure Samuel wouldn’t suffer or be punished at the Supreme Court, and asked Noah to relay this to Dorothy. Noah thanked him profusely, feeling guilty that his family had not treated Leona well.
After a momentary hesitation, Noah asked, “With all this wrath brewing, do you think it will drag other people from our family into trouble?”
Harvey remained silent for a long time, his brows furrowed in thought. It made Noah increasingly uneasy.
No one in the Earl of Gracehold’s family dared to approach the king anymore. Even during court sessions, they were eager to be the first to leave, wanting to avoid being singled out for reprimands. It was one thing to be reprimanded, but they were most afraid that
Salvador’s would strip their family of their title in a fit of anger.
“Your Highness?” Noah called out again, seeing Harvey lost in thought.
Harvey looked up and sighed. “Because I failed to protect Leona, the king doesn’t care for me now. The separation between our families is inevitable. As for Samuel, I still think of him as my son-in-law and want to ensure he doesn’t suffer at the Supreme Court, but I can’t guarantee that this won’t affect your title.
“Maybe you can try to approach Yuvan. He’s currently caring for Lady Ruth in the palace and goes to see the queen dowager on a daily basis, so he could probably intercede with her on your behalf. Samuel won’t be able to escape the consequences, but at least you’ll be able to protect your family’s standing.”
“Prince Yuvan?” Noah paused, taken aback.
But then, he quickly realized it was a good idea. Yuvan had been in Valken and was back in the capital to care for Lady Ruth. The queen dowager would surely show him some consideration since Yuvan had left his mother in the capital when he went to his fief. “Thank you for your suggestion, Your Highness. I’ll go right away,” Noah said gratefully before leaving hurriedly.
At Hell Monarch Estate, Jacob reported the situation to Rafael in the study, then settled down to sip his coffee once he was done.
“So, Noah headed straight to Uncle Yuvan’s residence after leaving Hartstone Estate?” Rafael raised an eyebrow. “Hah. It seems our suspicions were correct. They’re all working together with Aunt Eleanor.” “Prince Harvey has been hiding it too well. We never paid him much attention before,” Jacob said.
“I was stuck at the Southern Frontier battlefield over the past few years, so I missed a lot that happened in the capital,” Rafael said, analyzing the situation. “They haven’t gained enough power yet. Otherwise, they would have made their move when my brother first took the throne. Back then, there was chaos at Victory Pass and a war at the Southern Frontier. When my father passed away and a new king took the throne, that would have been their best chance.”
Jacob considered it for a moment, then shook his head. “That may have been their best chance, but it wasn’t the right time for them to seize the throne. With internal and external strife, inheriting such a mess would have been quite a challenge for them.” “It would have been a challenge, but they would also have had a higher chance of success,” Rafael countered.
Jacob explained, “Your Highness, that just goes to show Prince Yuvan’s grand ambitions. He wants the throne, along with fame and public support. That’s why he’s investing so deeply. If he were to rebel while the kingdom was fighting enemy kingdoms, he would be branded as a usurper even if he succeeded. One who desires everything will inevitably end up with nothing. I imagine he’s regretting his choices now.”
Rafael agreed with Jacob’s words, saying, “For now, let’s keep an eye on the situation and support Sophie’s plan to topple Aunt Eleanor. By the way, have we received any news from Westhaven?” That was the second piece of news Jacob was there to report.
“Marshal Liam was attacked and severely injured. He’s currently in a coma. He faced assassination attempts several times before and managed to evade them, but he wasn’t so lucky this time.” “Could we get someone to infiltrate his circle?” the prince questioned.
“We have one person who managed to do so, but he’s not in a position of importance. He’s only a minor guard at Marshal Liam’s estate, so he wasn’t present during the attack. Even if he had been, it wouldn’t have mattered. There were many ruthless assassins. Marshal Liam is highly skilled and his guards are all elite fighters, but they still couldn’t avoid the ambush,” Jacob replied.
“What about Westhaven’s king? What’s the situation with him now? Didn’t they initially say that he wouldn’t survive the summer? Autumn is already upon us now,” Rafael asked.
“There are many rumors floating around, and even Westhaven’s citizens don’t know the true state of their king,” said Jacob.
“I see.” Rafael sighed softly.
He hoped Westhaven’s king would hang on a bit longer. Otherwise, once Westhaven’s crown prince ascended the throne, the situation in Starhaven would turn dire. There would be troubles both inside and outside the kingdom. After thinking for a while, Rafael said, “Help me send a message to Winona. See if her people can deliver some Snowdrop Pills to Marshal Liam.”
“Before I came here, I already entrusted a letter and the pills to Claire. She’ll arrange for the delivery,” Jacob responded as he picked up the cup he had just set down.
Rafael raised an eyebrow. “Are you trying to get ahead of me again?”
Jacob remained calm and composed. “I just wanted to let you know that I’m earning the salary you’re paying me with a clear conscience, Your Highness.”
“Seriously? You practically follow me through heaven and hell, so why worry about that? Well, if you need anything else, you can ask Sophie,” Rafael said with a laugh. Jacob’s usually cool demeanor softened into a slight smile. “I don’t want much, just a painting by Mr. Spencer.”
“An orchid painting? There are plenty of those around.”
“If that was it, I wouldn’t bother you with it,” Jacob said seriously. “I would like to request for him to do a painting based on a description.”