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The servant bowed. “Understood, sir!”
The next morning, Malcolm left early with his wife, planning to avoid the confrontation altogether.
Just as Rafael and Sophie were about to depart, a message arrived from Salvador, summoning Sophie to the palace. With his wife occupied, Rafael took Jacob with him to the Quinton family’s residence. When they arrived, the Quinton family’s steward, Mark, was dumbfounded.
Why was the Hell Monarch at the door when the master of the household was conveniently “out”?! Mark didn’t dare to inform Rafael that Malcolm had gone out. After all, someone from Hell Monarch Estate had sent word last night that Malcolm should wait for their visit.
So, Mark hurriedly called the men of the Quinton family to greet the prince while also sending someone to find Malcolm and bring him back.
Rafael waited a full hour, but Malcolm never showed up.
The prince was furious. He couldn’t believe the audacity of the Quinton family. He had sent someone to Inform Malcolm last night, and yet today, there was no sign of the man.
It seemed they thought Sophie’s visit warranted a deliberate snub. While it wasn’t as blatant as the way the Duke of Oakspire’s family had treated her by keeping her waiting outside, it was hardly better.
Rafael was fiercely protective of his wife. He wouldn’t tolerate anyone bullying him, and he certainly wouldn’t stand for anyone mistreating Sophie.
Without caring about whether Malcolm wanted the rest of the Quinton family to know about this matter, he called out to the assembled Quinton men, announcing, “You should all know that Eleanor placed a pawn in your family?? mistress Lord Malcolm Quinton has kept outside for three years, with whom he has a daughter.”
Having said his piece, Rafael turn wake.
and strode away with Jacob in tow, leaving a stunned silence in his
The members of the Quinton family could hardly believe what they had just heard.
How could this be possible?
They prided themselves on their scholarly reputation and strict adherence to decorum. It was unthinkable that anyone in their family would keep a mistress. Even the number of concubines in their household was limited, and the hierarchy between wife and concubines was well??efined.
A concubine was essentially the property of the primary wife??anaged by her and could only attend to her husband according to the schedule she arranged. That rule had been followed for a long time and was as strict as national laws for the Quinton family.
Malcolm had never been one to indulge in lust. He rarely ventured into the quarters of his concubines- maybe two or three times a month at most. Most of the time, he stayed in his wife’s quarters. Their love was a well??nown tale in the capital, a harmonious pairing that everyone admired.
Yet, here was Rafael, claiming Malcolm had kept a mistress all along?
“That’s impossible! Absolutely impossible!” Herbert Quinton, one of the older Quinton family members, exclaimed.
He shook his head vigorously and looked at the astonished faces of his relatives, especially at Malcolm’s eldest son, Lionel Quinton.
“Lionel, your dad isn’t that kind of man! There must be some misunderstanding.”
Lionel held a third??ank official title and was highly esteemed by Salvador. He was also the future head of the Quinton family. In his eyes, Malcolm was flawless, the epitome of perfection. He had often declared that he would model his life after his dad. Now, he felt disgusted, as if he had swallowed a fly. Herbert was Lionel’s second uncle, and his words were unfathomable. If anyone else had made such a claim, Lionel might have dismissed it. But coming from the Hell Monarch, it carried an undeniable weight. Noticing the troubled expression on his eldest nephew’s face, Herbert barked an order to Mark, “This must not leave the family. If even a single word gets out, I’ll hold you responsible.”
Beads of sweat formed on Mark’s brow as he nodded hastily. “Yes, air, I will ensure that no one speaks of this. This matter won’t leave this estate.”
With a scowl, Herbert snapped, “What matter? This claim hasn’t been substantiated at all! It’s not even a matter! The Supreme Court only investigates treason cases. As for the accusations against the concubines’ daughters, those are the result of Sophie’s Investigation.
“What does a mere woman know about such matters? she knows anything, it’s just hearsay from gossiping women! She must have heard some outsiders slander our family and took it to heart without even verifying the truth. We will pursue this!”
He said those words not only for the present Quinton familly members, but also for Lionel to hear.
Upon hearing it, Lionel’s expression softened a bit. He reflected on Malcolm’s character and the affection between his parents. There was no way his dad would keep a mistress.
If F
If Rafael had been the one investigating. Lionel would have trusted his judgment. But Sophie’s inquiry seemed to be based on nothing more than a few whispers taken at face value without any proper investigation.
As for why Sophie hadn’t come, it was likely because she had been snubbed at Oakspire Estate the day before and figured the Quinton family wouldn’t allow her in. So, she had likely asked Rafael to mention it on her behalf.
Lionel also noted that Rafael had been careful and had wanted to tell Malcolm personally, which was why he had sent someone to pass the message the day before. However, Malcolm had thought Sophie was the one delivering the news, and being a second??ank official, he couldn’t accept an investigation led by a woman, which was why he had taken his wife and left the house.
Then, after waiting for an hour, Rafael’s patience ran out. Since he couldn’t see Malcolm, he likely told everyone directly because he was angry. If Malcolm had been present, Rafael would have told him that such a rumor was going around and asked if it was true. If it wasn’t, the prince would have urged him to investigate.
Yes, that was it.
So, the information might not be true at all.
However, Lionel still felt a gnawing unease. Even if the managed to keep this under wraps from outsiders, there was no way to hide it from those within the household. With so many people around, the news would surely reach his grandfather and mom.
So, Lionel turned to his uncle and said, “Uncle Herbert, I’m going to speak to Sophie directly about this. I need to know where her information came from. If she merely heard some idle gossip from outsiders and felt bold enough to claim that Dad has a mistress, I won’t let this matter go.”
“Alright. Go, quickly!” Herbert urged.
What others thought didn’t concern him, but Herbert didn’t believe for a moment that his brother was capable of such a thing. The Quinton family’s teachings were a heavy weight on their shoulders, and as the current head of the family, Malcolm would never be foolish enough to engage in such behavior.
Lionel rode swiftly to the Capital Guard’s headquarters, only to learn that Sophie had been summoned to the palace. Though he lacked the privilege to enter the palace at will, he could report his intention to see his sister, the queen. With that, Kylie’s people would come to escort him in.
He quickly inquired if Sophie was in the palace. Upon confirming she was still inside, he instructed someone to inform Kylie and request that she send for Sophie.
When he arrived at Everspring Palace to see Kylie, he wasted no time and said, “Sophie is in the royal study. Please send someone to fetch her.”
“What’s going on?” Kylie asked, sensing the gravity in her brother’s demeanor.
Sophie’s role in assisting the Supreme Court with the treason investigation was a delicate matter. Did it somehow involve the Quinton family?
“Just send someone,” Lionel insisted.
“Lydia, go at once and wait outside the royal study. If Sophie comes out, bring her straight here,” Kylie quickly gave her orders.
Lydia nodded and hurried off without delay.
After watching the maid leave, Lionel turned back to his sister and said, “Yesterday, Sophie took the Capital Guard to Oakspire Estate. They waited outside for an hour before they were allowed in. Dad suspected she’d come to our estate today, and sure enough, someone from Hell Monarch Estate came by last night to inform him to be ready for her arrival at around nine in the morning…”
Before Lionel could finish, Kylie’s noble features flushed with anger. “What? She sent someone to tell Dad to wait for her at a specific hour? I’ve heard she casually inquires at the various estates, but why does Dad have to wait for her? What kind of important business does she think she’s handling?”
“Let me finish.” Lionel met her gaze steadily. “Dad wouldn’t meet with her in person, so he took Mom out this morning. He often takes her out on rest days anyway. He informed Mark that the Capital Guard could enter, but little did we know that it would be the prince himself who came.”
*Rafael?” Kylie looked momentarily taken aback. “He brought the Capital Guard with him?”
“No. He just came with Jacob. He insisted on speaking only with Dad. But since Dad left early this morning, he was already at the temple by the appointed time. We sent someone to call him back, but he still hadn’t returned after an hour.
“His Highness likely felt we were deliberately dismissing him, especially after he had already sent someone to inform us last night. So, when he couldn’t see Dad, he just told us that Dad has been keeping a mistress outside, who is one of the concubine’s daughters from Eleanor’s household.” Kylie gasped in disbelief and drew in a sharp breath. “That’s Impossible. Absolutely impossible. Lionel calmly continued, “I know the Capital Guard is looking into the concubines’ daughters from Eleanor’s household. When someone from Hell Monarch Estate sent word last night, I’m sure it was Sophie who was supposed to come today. But nobody expected her to be summoned to the palace this morning, which was likely why His Highness??ame instead.