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Leopold, along with the two earls, also turned and left. It was obvious Leopold was furious.
Was the young woman enamored with Leopold, or was Jessica deliberately arranging a concubine for her husband to strip the current favored secondary wife of his attention?
Sophie continued to entertain the guests, but privately instructed Violet to keep an eye on everyone, especially those with ulterior motives.
Violet observed two young women who frequently exchanged glances with Eleanor. After noting their details, she approached Lily to inquire about them.
Lily was assisting with the arrangements inside. After identifying the two women, she came out and told Violet, “The one in the yellow dress is from Lady Ruth’s natal family, but I don’t know her name. The one in the violet dress is from the late Lady Chloe’s natal family, and her name is Renee. She is exceptionally talented and beautiful. People often compare her to Queen Kylie. Queen Kylie’s talents were once unrivaled in the capital.”
Violet made a mental note of that. When Sophie emerged, Violet informed her of the two women’s identities.
Sophie understood immediately. Both Ruth and the late noble concubine, Chloe, had connections to Eleanor and Yuvan. They were clearly trying to insert their own people into Hell Monarch Estate. They had brought Serena here to cause trouble for Rafael.
It seemed they couldn’t allow Yuvan to stay in Valken anymore. He needed to be brought back to the capital, where he could be watched closely.
It was also time to settle the score with him for what happened to Avis.
After the banquet, Rafael held Sophie’s hand as they saw off the guests at the main entrance. Together, they made a stunning pair-the prince was handsome and noble, while the princess consort was beautiful and elegant.
The guests couldn’t help but admire the pair, thinking that they were indeed a perfect match made in heaven.
The guests left the estate in an orderly fashion, thanks to the careful arrangements made by the guards, with no sign of congestion.
Eleanor and Jessica shared a carriage, and opened the appreciation gift presented before they departed.
Sophie had prepared a thoughtful gift for each guest, though each was different.
Jessica opened her gift to find a small sculpture of a tortoise, a symbol of longevity and wisdom.
She tossed it aside with a huff. “What is this?”
She then looked at Eleanor’s gift, which was a small sculpture of an elephant, a symbol of virtue and integrity.
Fuming, Jessica exclaimed, “What does this mean? Is she implying that I won’t live long? And she gave you an elephant! Is she suggesting you lack virtue?”
Eleanor shot her daughter a cold glance. “Be quiet! Haven’t you seen how your mother-in-law looks at you? You’ve been staying at Harmony Palace for too long. It’s time for you to go back.”
“Go back? He hasn’t even come to pick me up!” Jessica had been waiting for Leopold to come for her. “And after what happened today, what am I supposed to do?”
“What else can you do? Take Serena as Leopold’s Secondary wife. At least that will divide some of the worthless woman’s favor.” Eleanor rubbed her temples, growing impatient. “Enough! Go home and stop bothering me. I have things to attend to. You should return home and manage the shop you have with Dakota. Also, have you sold The Gilded Tower yet?”
Jessica was furious at the thought of taking Serena into her household, but with her mother asking about the business, she had to reply, “I’m in the process of transferring it, but it won’t be settled right away.” “What price are you asking?”
Jessica hesitated. “Four hundred thousand silver coins.”
Eleanor’s eyes widened in shock. “Have you lost your mind?! Four hundred thousand? Everyone knows The Gilded Tower is modeled after The Golden Tower. It’s made a profit already. You should sell it at a lower price. Otherwise, it will come back to haunt us if anything goes wrong.”
“Mom, I’m trying to recoup the large sum we gave Aunt Helen. We need to earn that money back. Besides, our business is doing so well. Even forty thousand silver coins is still a bargain.”
“How many times have I told you?
Don’t be greedy. The gold ornaments sold in the first year will have started fading by now. If someone raises a fuss, the Roya Citadet will investigate, and it will come back to us. Don’t you know who sits at the top of the Royal Citadel? It’s the Klein family. It’s the uncle of that spawn from the Duke of Northwatch’s family!”
Seeing her mother’s stern expression, Jessica could only reluctantly agree, “Understood, Mom. I will lower the price.”
“You should return to Ironridge Estate tomorrow,” Eleanor’s tone was now tinged with impatience.
Jessica sulked. She really didn’t want to face her mother-in-law again.
Margaret had been seriously ill before, and it had seemed like her coffin would be brought into the residence, but she managed to hold on. Now, she was still in charge of the household and was unwilling to relinquish control.
And that wretched woman currently favored by Leopold was Margaret’s niece. She was made his concubine and, like a breeding sow, already had a son and a daughter. Now, she was pregnant again and was expected to give birth in a few days.
Returning now would only add to Jessica’s grievances. But with her mother’s orders, Jessica had no choice but to go back.
The pride she once had, boasting about returning to her natal family, now seemed like a distant memory. No one came to pick her up, and she had to return alone, looking quite embarrassed. Taking Serena in as a concubine…
That wretched woman had bore a son and a daughter, and was about to give birth again. Though Serena was foolish, her youth and beauty gave her an advantage. Jessica could let Serena deal with that wretched woman, and then benefit from the chaos.
Even though Jessica thought that way, her resentment towards Serena was profound.
Wretched, all of them-Jessica had brought trouble upon herself.
Eleanor closed her eyes, her thoughts drifting elsewhere.
Yuvan’s plan to marry a daughter from the Spencer family as his new wife had been settled shortly after Avis’ death. The Spencer family was powerful and influential, with soldiers, weapons, and warhorses. She wondered what position the Spencer family’s daughter held within the family.
Also, Oliver’s daughter had reached marriageable age and might be a good match. If Yuvan’s eldest son, Randall, married her, they would acquire the support of the Prince family. Oliver controlled the Hell Monarch Army and the Devin Army.
There were also the marriage arrangements for Stephanie and Sabrina, which would be best managed within the high society of the capital. Through strategic marriages, they could attract some important figures.
But first, Eleanor needed a reason to bring Yuvan and his family back. For now, she couldn’t afford to focus on Jessica and needed to plan carefully.
–
At Hell Monarch Estate, the lively atmosphere gradually faded as the guests departed. The servants quickly tidied up, and Sophie escorted Helen back to her quarters.
Helen had enjoyed herself and had drunk a little more than usual, so her steps were somewhat unsteady.
Sophie called out to a maid, and said, “Go and make a pot of sobering remedy for Mother.”
The maid responded promptly, “Understood, Your Grace.”
After the maid left, Sophie began to gently massage Helen’s forehead. “Are you still feeling dizzy?”
Helen closed her eyes with a smile. “I’m just so happy, really overjoyed. Today’s banquet was exemplary. Sophie, how did you manage such perfection? It was such a grand event, and you handled everything alone without bothering me once.”
Sophie’s lips twitched as she held back a smile. If she had asked Helen for advice, the result might have been chaotic.
In her slightly tipsy state, Helen opened her eyes a crack and glanced at Sophie. “Now, there’s no other regret. I just hope you’ll soon give me a healthy grandson, so I can enjoy the same delight as Lady Dakota.”
Sophie smiled. “Well, if I can’t give you one, would it be acceptable for Rafael to marry a few concubines?”