Filed to story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
After her apology, Leah helped Samuel up, forcing him to stand. Her expression remained serious. “Will you forgive me?”
“Forgive you? I want to kill you!” Samuel’s eyes were bloodshot with rage.
“If you still want to kill me after I apologized, why should she forgive you? Get out! No child would want to be born to a father like you!” Leah roared.
She shoved him out, throwing him onto the corridor, and then slammed the door shut behind him.
Samuel lay at the base of the stone steps. The servants Abigail had summoned hurried to help him up.
Samuel pushed them away, his face contorted with anger. “Don’t touch me! Get lost!”
After being struck twice by the two women by Leona’s side, Samuel felt utterly disgraced. Without looking back, he stormed out of the residence.
Didn’t they tell him to apologize? He had done it.
His family was just momentarily angry. His grandmother would surely miss him and eventually call him back.
Leona wiped her tears vigorously, her voice choking as she asked, “Am really that useless? I can’t even argue properly, let alone come up with the right words to scold him.”
Alana comforted her, “No, you were very effective this time. You scolded him and argued with him. Though it could have been stronger, it’s progress. You used to be unable to say anything at all, which was truly frustrating.”
Leah also encouraged her, “Yes, you did well this time. Practice a bit more in the coming days, and L’ff bring him back for you to scold again. You’ll definitely improve further.”
Hazel wiped her own tears and said, “Your Grace, you did really well this time.”
Leona replied bitterly, “Even you are saying I did well, Hazel. That just shows how weak I used to be.”
Samuel returned to the manor on Hibiscus Lane and immediately went to rinse his mouth, spitting out the blood. He couldn’t let Ruby worry.
In Hibiscus Lane, there were only two shop servants-one in the kitchen, and the other likely attending to Ruby.
Samuel used the cold water in the dining room to rinse his mouth, feeling a sharp pain throbbing in his head. The left side of his mouth felt as though it were splitting open, and he had to endure the pain for a while before he could force back his tears. Leona was so ruthless. She had her husband beaten time and again.
Samuel had been blinded by her gentle and mild demeanor, not realizing how jealous she truly was.
Her cousin, the Hell Monarch’s princess consort, was just like her-they were one and the same.
He had been beaten, and both his grandmother and father would surely know. So, he had an excuse to leave in anger. If he were asked to return again, he wouldn’t go back so easily.
“Bill, bring me that handkerchief…” he called out, before remembering that Bill had not come with him from Gracehold Estate.
Bill’s bond papers were with his mother, and she had forbidden him from coming.
Years of living in luxury and privilege had made him feel that his current situation was unbearably shabby and pitiful.
He recalled his early days as a top scholar and then marrying a duchess and becoming her consort. Although he was just starting his career, everyone said his future was limitless. Yet, the grandeur of those days had only made his current situation seem more desolate. After rinsing his mouth and wiping his face clean, he headed towards Moonlit Hall.
Upon entering, he saw a bag on the table. Ruby had her back to him, dressed neatly with hairpins in her hair. She wore the apricot-yellow embroidered pleated dress from when he had brought her home.
“Ruby!” Samuel called out, embracing her from behind and kissing her cheek. “Whose bag is this?”
Celeste slowly pushed him away. Her face, no longer gentle and charming, seemed to have frozen over with a layer of frost. “I’m not Ruby. My name is Celeste.”
Samuel’s arm suddenly felt empty. He stared blankly. “But to me, Celeste and Ruby are the same.”
Celeste stood up, her eyes as cold as ice. “Whatever.”
Samuel’s heart sank. “Ruby, what’s wrong?”
Celeste picked up the bag and said flatly, “I waited for you to return to say goodbye. From now on, we’ll go our separate ways.”
Samuel was completely shocked, and his expression froze. “What are you saying?”
Celeste looked at him. Her once tender eyes were now like shards of ice. “I’m saying that our relationship ends here.”
“W-Why?” he stammered, his lips trembling. He grabbed Celeste’s arm desperately. “Did someone from Gracehold Estate come? Did someone from the duchess’ side come? Did they bully you? Did they force you to leave me?”
He clumsily tried to hold her close. “Don’t worry about what they say or do. I won’t leave you. I absolutely won’t abandon you!”
Celeste rolled her eyes, clearly fed up. “I’m the one who doesn’t want you. Look at yourself now. You’ve lost your official position and your title as heir. You’ll never inherit the title again. All you have is the fame of a top scholar, which is worthless now. The entire capital knows about your your reputation for favows about concubine over your wife. You’re so desperate to find a mentor, but even they wouldn’t want you because of your tarnished character.”
Samuel was devastated. He couldn’t believe the woman before him had become so cold and unfamiliar. His heart felt like it was being torn apart.
“But who did I do all that for? It was all for you.”
“So what? Am’ + supposed to feel grateful?” Celeste shot him a disdainfuNook. “I could say today’s departure was due to pressure from your family, the duchess, or even the Hell Monarch’s princess consort, but I can’t be bothered.
“You were born into privilege, with an inheritance to look forward to. Yet, you spend every day railing against the very power you enjoy. It’s hypocritical. If you were just an ordinary person, would you dare speak so recklessly? You’re just someone who enjoys the benefits and then complains about them. I despise people like you. Don’t come looking for me again!”
With that, Celeste strode out.
Samuel ran after her. “You said you loved me!”
Celeste didn’t even glance back. “I lied, you worthless fool!”
The harsh words from the one he loved shattered Samuel completely. He felt the world spinning and darkness closing in. Then, he collapsed to the ground.
–
After being roused from his stupor by the servants, Samuel sat in the courtyard, feeling as though his heart had been hollowed out. No matter who called out to him, he remained unresponsive. Outside Hibiscus Lane, Henry’s men kept a close watch. When they reported back to Henry, he frowned.
“Didn’t Celeste say she would sever ties with him properly? Forget it. He’s of no use anyway. The reputation of the Earl of Gracehold’s family is already notorious. It wouldn’t matter what he did.” Samuel spent two days at Hibiscus Lane, refusing to eat or drink. Celeste’s departure wasn’t the most devastating blow to him.
The real blow was the words she had spoken before leaving.
He had high ambitions and had achieved the rank of third place in the national examinations, garnering the admiration of many noble young women in the capital. He saw himself as a genius, someone born to stand apart from the ordinary, destined to rise above the common crowd.
In his mind, he wasn’t just exceptional-he was meant to be a beacon of inspiration, revered by the masses.
Even when he lost his official position for Ruby, he wasn’t afraid. In fact, it only proved how different he was from the world around him. He had broken free from society’s shackles and fallen in love with a courtesan. Though he faced slander and criticism, future historians would record his story, and future generations would respect his fearless love for Ruby.
But when he lost his position as heir, a sense of panic began to creep in.