Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
He was always the last to know. She hadn’t even bothered to send word. Instead, she had ridden out of the city alone without telling him.
Though she had sent word to Travis, she hadn’t sent a messenger to the Supreme Court, leaving it to the Capital Guard to seek him out only because they needed to seal the city gates. If the gates hadn’t needed to be closed, would she have simply let him find out when Violet returned and casually told him what had transpired?
Before this, Rafael had already felt that Sophie couldn’t fully trust him. Even though there were many moments where they appeared close, even affectionate, something always seemed missing.
What was missing, though?
Trust? Sophie certainly trusted him to some extent.
Affection? He was sure she liked him, even if she never said it aloud.
Understanding? He believed they shared a silent understanding, one that worked both in their private lives and when it came to their duties. It was a bond that felt almost as strong as the one he shared with Jacob.
“Do you think she’s not the same Sophie you once knew?” Kyle asked, his voice carried by the wind.
Rafael thought about it for a moment before answering, “After all that’s happened, it’s only natural that she’s changed. As long as she’s still herself, that’s what matters to me. But… I can’t help feeling like she’s wearing a mask when she’s with me.”
“I see. You think she’s wearing a mask,” Kyle said thoughtfully. “If so, do you think you’re wearing one too?”
Rafael paused, taken aback. “Me? How could I be wearing a mask? I’ve been sincere with her-I truly mean it.”
“No one doubts your sincerity,” Kyle replied, his voice steady. “But because of what she’s been through, you tread lightly around her. You’re a young couple, but you don’t have little spats or arguments, and there are no real-life struggles. You don’t dare to be angry, feel slighted, or ask for more than she’s willing to give. When you get used to this way of being together, it feels like the most comfortable arrangement. But is it really comfortable? Are you truly content with it? Think about it.”
“She’s not that fragile,” Rafael muttered, almost to himself.
Kyle didn’t respond at once. He cracked his whip and urged his horse forward, leaving Rafael alone with his thoughts.
The words “treading lightly” hit him harder than he expected.
It was true.
He and Sophie had always been careful with each other. He measured every word before speaking and thought through every action before taking it. He feared saying the wrong thing or making a wrong move that would bring up painful memories for her, make her sad, or worse, cause her to pull away.
When he said Sophie liked him, it was a statement that lacked confidence. He felt guilty because he didn’t truly feel it. Sometimes, people were good at deceiving themselves, and he had deceived himself too. This time, her safety was at stake, so he dared to show his frustrations toward her. But if it hadn’t been about her safety, he probably wouldn’t have had the heart to be angry.
When they returned to the capital, the palace gates were already locked for the night. Yuvan and his group were temporarily sent back to Edgeview Estate for medical care. Although Thomas had taken charge of the matter, Rafael couldn’@shake his unease. After all, there were still some suicide soldiers unaccounted for, hiding in the shadows.
And there was something else to investigate what had happened at the western mountain pass? Wayne’s plan had been executed with some care, but Rafael knew they had to send someone to uncover more details. Meanwhile, Sophie and Violet had returned to Hell Monarch Estate. Having heard about the ordeal, Helen had been anxious the entire night. Now that Sophie and Violet had safely returned, her heart could finally settle.
Still, she turned to Violet and said, “Some say I’m foolish, but I think you’re even more so. What was the point of chasing after those trinkets from Edgeview Estate?”
Violet lowered her head, feeling a pang of shame.
Helen didn’t press the matter further. She simply pressed the skin around her eyes lightly, smoothing out the wrinkles with a practiced hand.
“Since you’re all back safely, I’ll go to sleep now.”
Staying up late was never part of Helen’s routine. She couldn’t afford to compromise her beauty.
After a few baths, Violet had finally washed away the dirt and grime. When she emerged, she couldn’t help but indulge in a little more time with Sophie, allowing herself to be pampered.
Lulu arrived with a tray of snacks. As soon as Violet saw the food, she abandoned Sophie to rush toward the table.
“Lulu, has Isaac been settled in?” Sophie asked.
“Mr. Luke handled it personally,” Lulu replied. “He’s in Fortune Hall. I just heard from Mr. Luke that Mr. Isaac had two large bowls of ravioli.”
Sophie smiled. “He has quite the appetite. Make sure he’s settled in early. Vivi and I will thank him properly tomorrow.”
“Understood.” Lulu gave a small bow before retreating.
The two women sat down to eat. Joy and Pearl were nearby, ensuring Violet had plenty of herbal soup.
“Lily says this herbal soup will help you sleep. She’s worried you might have trouble sleeping tonight.”
Violet was eating peacefully when she suddenly heard Joy’s words, and tears started falling from her eyes.
Seeing her reaction, Sophie opened her mouth to comfort Violet.
However, Violet quickly wiped her tears away and continued eating, though her sniffles didn’t stop. Like a whirlwind, she finished her meal in silence. Then, she placed her cutlery down before looking up at Sophie with red-rimmed eyes.
“Hell Monarch Estate feels just like home. Everyone here treats me so well. Can I stay here forever, Sophie?”
Sophie smiled softly. “I’d love nothing more than that.”
Violet’s eyes welled up again. “I’ve never suffered such a blow in my life. No wonder Soraya thought about ending hers. Sophie, if you’ve never experienced it, you can’t truly understand how terrifying it is. It’s worse than murder. I just wish there would never be such a thing again.”
“It won’t happen again. Don’t worry,” Sophie reassured her gently.
Violet looked at her with intense sincerity. “It’s not just for me. I hope no woman ever has to go through such a thing again. Murder may be a quick end, but when a woman violated like that-there’s no way for her to continue living in this world. It’s like a slow death. That’s why it’s worse than murder.”
Sophie’s eyes were filled with compassion. “Yes… I hope there will never be another.” “How does the law handle something like this?” Violet asked.
Sophie fell silent for a moment before saying softly, “The harshest punishment is beheading. But… very few people actually go to court. Trials take forever, and often, the abuse is executed without much legal process. As for the woman who’s been wronged… She usually doesn’t survive long enough to see justice.”
Violet’s eyes reddened further, her confusion apparent. “Then, what should we do? Even though we don’t want something like this to happen, it’s inevitable. For all we know, while we’re talking right now, it might be happening somewhere else. And the women who are hurt don’t dare report it-what will happen to them?”
Sophie didn’t have an answer. Sometimes, the actions of one person, or even a few, couldn’t change the course of the world.
“Maybe the real question is, what can we do?” Sophie said quietly.
“What can we do? Just like with me…” Violet mumbled. “Even though he didn’t succeed, I still have to cover it up somehow. The Spencer family is a prominent name, and if something happened to me, my elders would probably be ashamed of me.” Sophie reached out and took Violet’s hand, her gaze firm. “We’re not helpless. There are things we can do. Don’t you think so, Ms. Heroine?”
The nickname made Violet look up sharply. Their eyes met, and for a moment, Violet hesitated.
“You’re an official. Don’t say things like that.”
“It’s just a casual conversation, nothing serious,” Sophie said with a smile.
“It better be! As an official, you have to follow the law. We both know that.” Violet withdrew her hand, crossing her arms, her expression darkening slightly.
It was impossible to avoid paying some price. It couldn’t be that easy, and it couldn’t happen!