Filed To Story: Queen of the Battlefield Her Return to Glory Novel Online Free
Yet, Zoey had completely crushed any hope Viola had. Now, she was stuck in the Jaffe family for the rest of her life.
Covering her face, she began to cry. Who could understand the depth of her misery? Marrying Blake had never been her choice. It was Natalie who had arranged the match, hinting that it was the king’s wish.
How could Viola have refused?
Seeing her cry so bitterly, Blake let out a nearly imperceptible sigh of relief. Slowly, he walked over to her side and gently pulled her into an embrace.
His eyes reflected a growing helplessness as he murmured,
“Don’t cry. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t have asked you like that. It’s just When heard that Thomas was still alive, was afraid that you still had feelings for him. I… I guess was jealous.”
As he spoke, he awkwardly turned his head away, clearly uncomfortable with his own admission. “Jealous?” Viola was momentarily stunned.
She pushed Blake away, staring at the unnatural flush on his handsome face. Her heart tightened. “You’re lying! You don’t even like me. How could you be jealous?”
Blake looked down at her hand, then slowly took it in his. His gaze dropped as he let out a soft sigh.
“I don’t know why, either. But when I heard that Thomas was alive, I felt scared that you’d leave me. I didn’t want to hear you say the words to end our marriage, so I acted casually and came in to ask you.” “Really?”
Viola’s tearful eyes gradually brightened. Despite her disdain for the Jaffe family, she had once felt something for Blake. If he could return her affection sincerely, she was willing to continue her life with him.
Blake avoided her gaze, and pulled her back into his arms. He softly asked, “Am I selfish? I hope you don’t think of me that way.”
Viola’s tears fell as she replied, “I’d rather you be a little selfish than treat me like a stranger.”
That night, Blake did not leave Grace Mansion. For several nights in a row, he stayed at Viola’s place.
–
Freya began decorating her courtyard, using her own money since the family’s public funds were unavailable to her.
She chose the sturdiest wood for the doors and windows. Ironwood was hard to come by, and she asked the lumber merchants to find it, promising to pay a high price if they succeeded. She renamed the courtyard “Blessed Haven”.
Having left the army and without any battle armor, she secretly commissioned a protective heart shield. She wore it day and night to guard against any potential assassins.
As for Blake and Viola’s affection towards each other, she couldn’t care less. She held no respect for a man who had changed his heart.
She had once said she wouldn’t be caught up in domestic squabbles, and she would never become the kind of person she most despised.
Moreover, did Blake truly have feelings for Viola? She didn’t believe it—not even a little.
Blake’s gaze towards Viola was devoid of love. He wasn’t even good at hiding it, and it was easy for others to see. Only Viola seemed oblivious.
Maybe Viola wasn’t actually foolish, but she had no other choice at this point. Even if it was false affection, it was better than the cold indifference she had endured.
Freya had no desire to interfere with their matters. She had everything she needed in the household-food and clothes for every season.
Since she didn’t have any other options for her future right now, she could afford to wait.
She wanted to investigate who was targeting her. Deep down, she knew it was certainly not Sophie. However, blaming Sophie would also put a stop to Blake’s feelings for her. Ultimately, Freya was still troubled by it all.
Despite this, she had no intention of meddling in the apparent romance between Blake and Viola. After all, Blake still needed the support of the Prince family to protect the Jaffe family.
In Westglade, Lawrence’s condition improved rapidly under the care and treatment of Sebastian and Kayla.
Most of his injuries had healed, but one of his knees was still a problem because the kneecap was shattered. Sebastian kept applying ointment and wrapping it up, but there hadn’t been any improvement yet.
But Sebastian insisted that he would be the one to decide if Lawrence’s leg was truly ruined, and that they would know for sure after they returned to the capital.
In mid-July, the group set out for the capital. Kiera’s wedding was on the eighth of August. Even though Luke and the Ministry of Protocol were handling the arrangements, Rafael and Sophie needed to return before Kiera’s wedding date. As her brother and sister-in-law, they had to be there for Kiera during the days leading up to the event.
During their time in Westglade, Violet had grown familiar with the Septimus Tetra reconnaissance team members.
After all, they had all fought on the Southern Frontier battlefield before, and they quickly found common ground. Violet shared stories about the last two cities recaptured from the enemy, talking about the dangers of capturing Ilyrian City and ve the details of taking Simonton City.
Violet had a remarkable gift for storytelling, vividly recreating the battlefield scenes and making them feel as though they had participated in the grand conflict.
Violet also gained a brother in Thomas. Because of her previous interest in Septimus, she mistakenly thought that Thomas was Septimus.
During their stay in Westglade, Thomas often appeared lost in thought. Violet comforted him, feeling a mix of admiration and sympathy. Thomas’ genuine sense of responsibility as an elder brother led Violet to propose a sworn brotherhood. Sworn brotherhoods were more common in the martial world, and Thomas genuinely appreciated Violet’s straightforward and affable nature.
Thomas smiled and said, “There’s no need for a formal brotherhood. If you wish, have my mother accept you as a goddaughter. That way, we’ll be like siblings in a proper way.”
“Great, let’s have a little ceremony!” Violet said happily.
On the return journey, they stopped at an inn. Sophie then mentioned, “You’re making such a big decision about getting a godmother. Shouldn’t you inform your family? It uld be better to let them know this new connection in the capital.”
“No need,” Violet replied with a light laugh. “Besides my marriage, I can make my own decisions about everything else. Besides, I’m quite favored in my family. Just look at your marriage-I easily influenced them to do what they did.”
Sophie knew Violet was favored, but she also felt there was more to it.
The Spencer family was a prominent and powerful clan in Ebonflow, known as royal merchants with many other businesses.
In Starhaven, everyone knew about the Spencer family. They were the wealthiest merchants in the kingdom, and their riches were said to rival a country’s wealth.
Yet, with great wealth came great risks, particularly since they supplied the court with warhorses, armor, and weapons. The Ministry of Defense had its eyes on them, and at least half of the king’s attention was also focused on the Spencer family. Currently, the head of the Spencer family was Violet’s grandfather. However, the real power lay with her father, given her grandfather’s advanced age and inability to handle so many affairs.
“What about your marriage? Have you given it any thought?” Sophie asked.
Violet replied lazily, “No, I haven’t thought about it. The people they suggest are either too high or too low in status for me. Why bother getting married? It’s more carefree not to. I can go wherever I want and do whatever I wish without being tied down.” Sophie reflected on Violet’s personality. The latter had always been accustomed to freedom and the vastness of the world. To confine her to domestic chores would be cruel.
The Spencer family was a major clan, and Violet couldn’t marry someone from a small or simple family. But if she joined a larger family, all the people and responsibilities would be really overwhelming for her.
Violet continued, “There are several women in my family who remain unmarried. There’s no pressure. With my family’s wealth, they can afford to support me. Also, once my master retires, I’ll manage the Inferno Guild. Isn’t running a guild better than getting married?” Sophie looked at Violet’s carefree and calm demeanor, recalling that she had once shared the same attitude. They had both talked about not getting married in the past.
Now, Violet was resolute in her decision not to marry, while Sophie had been married twice.
Thinking of this, Violet couldn’t help but sneer, “Also, those things you said were just empty words. You said we’d both avoid marriage, but you’ve married twice.”
Sophie replied, “You should take that up with Rafael.”
Violet shivered at the thought. Having once been under Rafael’s command, she had always felt a subtle but undeniable pressure from him, no matter how approachable he appeared.