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“Your words are nothing but deceit. I don’t believe a single one of them.”
Her grip on Yuvan’s neck tightened, making a sickening crack, but she didn’t ask them to release Claire or Iris. She knew that if she spoke first, she would lose the upper hand.
Iris and Claire, undaunted, said in unison, “If we must die, we will die seeking justice for Ms. Spencer!”
They both lunged forward, aiming for the sharp blades of the swords, forcing the guards to hastily pull back.
Wayne frowned, surprised. He hadn’t expected such courage from two women, ready to throw away their lives for someone else.
Wayne felt a headache coming on. His thoughts clouded with irritation at Yuvan’s blind obsession.
Wayne had thought this matter was nearly settled. He had expected a smooth departure from the capital, only to have Yuvan insist on a new arrangement. Yuvan even sent some of the suicide soldiers to carry out this task when they were supposed to remain in the city. What was more, Violet’s involvement had completely shattered their plans.
A flicker of anger crossed Wayne’s gaze. If Sophie had been eliminated that night and buried quietly, no one would’ve known. As luck would have it, she had escaped and was now holding Yuvan hostage.
This was not something easily dealt with.
Fortunately, Wayne had already anticipated such a situation and had taken precautions in advance. He was prepared for what would come after the task was completed, and to smooth things over with the Spencer family. But now… No matter how this played out, it would cause a significant rift with the Spencers and make future dealings difficult.
Sophie’s heart seethed with frustration, her eyes burning with rage as she glared at the two county duchesses hidden in the carriage. This vile man-Yuvan-didn’t even move his daughters away. He was brazenly attempting to violate Violet while they were around! Fiona was a lost cause, and Molly wasn’t much better.
They were all scum!
“Lady Sophie, please don’t misunderstand. Ms. Spencer is Prince Yuvan’s cousin-in-law. He couldn’t possibly have improper intentions. We’re leaving the capital. Why would we stir up more trouble? This only harms our relationship with the Spencer family,” Fiona insisted, trying to placate Sophie.
Her words fell flat, lacking any conviction. But as long as they all stuck to the same story, even if the matter reached the king’s ears, it would only result in a mild reprimand-nothing more.
What worried Wayne was Sophie’s fury. If she truly killed Yuvan in a fit of rage, it would be a disaster.
Yuvan’s voice rang out in protest, “Lady Sophie, you’ve misunderstood! If you don’t believe me, ask Ms. Spencer herself!”
Fiona quickly motioned for one of the suicide soldiers to step forward. “Tell Her Grace what really happened. Explain everything to her.”
The soldier removed his mask, revealing a plain, unremarkable face. His expression was neutral as he recited his words, almost as if he were reading from a script.
“Your Grace, we’ve been staying at the courtyard at the western mountain pass. Yesterday, we received word to prepare for our departure to Valken. As we were net getting ready, we saw several people dragging Ms. Spencer up the mountains. We recognized her as Lady Molly’s cousin, and we feared she might be in danger.
“We intervened and later discovered that she had been drugged with an aphrodisiac. We hurried her back to the capital, worried that her condition might cause misunderstandings, and brought her straight to Prince Yuvan.” Another suicide soldier removed his mask, his voice steady as he added, “This whole situation has caused quite a stir. The villagers nearby saw everything. Some even came out with hoes to help. This can all be verified.”
It was clear that everything had been planned in advance. Once the Spencer family was told the story, they would have no choice but to allow their daughter to marry Yuvan.
Sophie let out a cold laugh. “Well, the plan is certainly thorough. Mr. Wayne, your strategic skills are impressive.”
Wayne sighed, his tone resigned as he said, “If you insist on thinking this way, there’s nothing more I can do, Your Grace. Perhaps we should send someone to investigate and clear is Highness’ name. As for those who kidnapped Ms. Spencer, they should be thoroughly questioned and turned over to the authorities.”
“That’s right. You should at least have thanked us, Your Grace! How can you blame us? Where is the logic in that? You’re being unreasonable!” Fiona added.
Sophie listened to their words, understanding that they had already prepared for any outcome.
Whether Yuvan had succeeded in his plan or not, they would spin the story to claim that Violet had seduced him while under the effects of the aphrodisiac. He would maintain his righteous stance, claiming he was saving her.
And when the matter grew larger, no one would pay attention to this thinly veiled lie. All the gossip would turn against Violet, and the scandal would bury her.
From how calmly Wayne and Fiora were talking to her, they clearly had no fear of things escalating.
Sophie’s heart burned with fury, but as she considered her next move, she forced herself to calm down. She stepped forward, letting the cool night wind brush across her face as a cold smile curled on her lips.
“In that case, I seem to have misjudged His Highness. It turns out he was trying to save the innocent girl. While don’t know her identity
I she was kidnapped and drugged-such a sad fate!
relieved she has escaped
I’m unscathed. It’s truly a great comfort to know she’s safe now.”
At Sophie’s words, both Wayne and Fiona’s expressions shifted slightly, as if they hadn’t expected her to deny that the woman was Violet.
Sophie turned her gaze toward Fiona and changed the topic. “It seems your earlier comments were a bit odd, Lady Fiona. Why should I thank you? What relationship does that woman have with me?”
Fiona’s expression stiffened, and she faltered. “Well… then, Your Grace, you have even less reason to be holding His Highness hostage. We’re all family, and making a scene like this doesn’t do anyone any favors.” Sophie smiled, but it was a cold one.
“Then, I apologize. It turns out this was a misunderstanding.” She didn’t release Yuvan, but kept her gaze fixed on Fiona. “However, why were these men in black staying near the western mountain pass? Are they from Prince Yuvan’s household?” “Yes, they escorted His Highness back to the capital. Edgeview Estate couldn’t accommodate so many, so they were placed outside the city,” Fiona replied.
Wayne was about to speak, but Sophie interrupted, “They’ve been staying outside the city all this time, so how did they come to know Violet? Judging by their martial arts skills, are they perhaps the estate’s guards? Why are these guards dressed in black? Is there something shady going on?”
Fiona’s face tightened as Sophie pressed on, catching her off guard.
Wayne shot a look of reproach at Fiona before trying to shift the conversation, saying, “Your Grace, perhaps it’s time to release His Highness now.”
Yuvan had been held by the neck, alternately loosened to allow him to breathe and tightened to induce suffocation. After several cycles, he was dizzy and his vision blurred.
“Of course, I will release him,” Sophie said with a calm smile, though she made no move to let go.
Her eyes narrowed, becoming much more composed.
“You’ve gathered here with so many people in the middle of the night. You’re not staying at an inn or a post station. Though it’s along a main road, it’s still a remote area. And with the garrison outpost nearby, it makes one wonder what you’re plotting.
“Surely you didn’t foresee that the woman from earlier would need saving, did you? So, let’s wait for the Supreme Court and the Capital Guard to arrive. That way, we can explain everything thoroughly and avoid causing unnecessary rumors and suspicions among the officials.”
Without making it about Violet’s situation, Sophie skillfully turned the focus onto their suspicious gathering near the garrison outpost. It was a delicate move-they hadn’t chosen to stay at any inns although women were traveling with them. Then suddenly, there were unfamiliar black-clad men appearing close to a military outpost. It was a setup that could easily fuel rumors, and those could quickly spiral out of control.
The king and the entire court may not have cared much about a woman being violated, but if Yuvan was gathering troops near a military outpost in the dead of night, it would be a matter of grave concern. Such an incident would demand attention and would surely draw a great deal of scrutiny.
Claire quickly regained her composure and cried loudly, “Your Grace, my friend and I discovered they were camped here. That’s why we came to investigate. We didn’t expect them to capture us! We had no idea what they intended to do.” So, it wasn’t Violet that mattered, but the fact that they were amassing troops here with ill intent.
Wayne’s face paled, his expression filled with helplessness. “If you insist on twisting the truth like this, there’s nothing I can do, Your Grace.”
“Of course you can’t do anything,” Sophie sneered coldly. “What can you do at this point?”
“Sophie, you are wrongfully accusing me-” Yuvan began, but his words were cut off as Sophie’s fingers tightened around his throat. His breath faltered, and no air passed through.
Having his plans ruined and being humiliated repeatedly by Sophie had completely shattered his pride and composure. Any remaining rationality was gone. His head tilted back, his eyes flashing with a cruel determination. Though his throat was gripped tightly, his hands were free.