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After weighing it all, he found that his reputation mattered less and less. Safety was now his priority. “I am disabled and need treatment The journey is too much for me. will take this as my failure as a son, and hope that my mom’s spirit will forgive me.”
Harvey nodded. “I believe you’ve made the right choice. You shouldn’t return. Word has come from the capital that Rafael left before the new year. He may have come to Valken. We should stay here for now.”
Harvey had left the capital with his belongings, but he soon realized that the gold and silver he carried had been swapped out for fakes. Furious, he raged at the loss, but it was too late to turn back.
He didn’t dare return to the capital now. With no connections or resources to rely on, and only the title of prince to his name, he found himself isolated and powerless. His position was growing increasingly awkward.
But he had found an alternative, though it might not be the best path for his third brother.
Yet, survival meant looking out for oneself. Harvey’s plans weren’t just about securing a promising territory in the future.
The one he was aligning himself with was deeply hidden, never suspected, and adept at infiltrating others’ territories for his gain. That was the true strategist.
Of course, this individual was even more formidable than Yuvan. If things succeeded, taking credit for their achievements wouldn’t be an easy task.
But compared to Yuvan, this person had better odds of success. Naturally, Harvey would choose to follow the one with the higher chance of victory.
With his current position, he had no leverage-no wealth, no connections, nothing.
But with this other person, Yuvan himself became the leverage. If this individual wanted to strip everything from Yuvan, Harvey would be the key.
–
In fact, Yuvan was deeply affected by Ruth’s death and was grief-stricken. Losing a mother was painful, but what angered him more was that her death had been entirely without purpose. Instead, it had only served to further glorify the queen dowager.
Victoria’s virtuous reputation spread far and wide, even making Salvador seem more admirable by association.
They had used Ruth’s death to their advantage-how despicable!
Back in the capital, the scandal surrounding Gerald and the gentlemen’s retreat had been suppressed. Now, the talk of the town was Victoria’s virtuous reputation.
Victoria had once been a wise and beloved queen, and she had been deeply devoted to Sigmund. After his death, she had withdrawn into herself from sorrow, and the people rarely heard news of her.
Now, hearing about her once more stirred memories in many, and her past deeds were brought up again and sung in praise.
The storm of admiration for Victoria swept through the capital like thunder, drowning out all the scandals about gentlemen’s retreat.
Even Sophie and Jacob were taken aback by Victoria’s power. When she chose to act, she overwhelmed everything in her path.
Of course, this wave of public opinion had been carefully orchestrated. However, Jacob noted that while anyone could steer the crowd, Victoria’s genuine accomplishments were what made her praise so well-founded me everyone had that kind of tegacy to draw from.
Once Ruth’s funeral was over, the palace ladies went to the palace to offer their greetings. However, they found that the affairs of the harem were being handled by Salvador’s concubines, Sylvia and Grace. Kylie had fallen ill and was being confined in Everspring Palace, and wasn’t meeting anyone.
A few keen observers took note and remarked that the women of the Quinton family had not visited Kylie in the palace, claiming it was to avoid disturbing her while she recovered.
However, wouldn’t a daughter expect their mom to visit them, especially when she was unwell?
The common people had their praises, while the noble families whispered their suspicions.
After Gerald’s scandal, the Quinton family lost much of its support. Malcolm, having been punished with a reduction in his salary, refused visitors as well.
Even the palace concubines were uncertain about Kylie’s condition. No one was allowed to visit her, and only rumors spread. The word was that Salvador had been furious, and the next day, Kylie had fallen ill.
No one knew exactly what had happened, but it seemed clear that the king and the queen were growing apart.
In the palace, rumors ran rampant. Many speculated that Salvador had taken out his anger over Gerald’s affair on Kylie. But this theory didn’t quite hold up. After all, Salvador was so angry that he didn’t even want to see Connor anymore.
As Salvador’s eldest son, Connor had always been his favorite. But now, he was completely shut out. This caused many to wonder about the situation.
In the past, other princes had little chance of becoming Crown Prince because Connor was in the picture But now, it seemed as though both the queen and the eldest prince had fallen out of favor with
Salvador-everything was up in the aff.
Of course, these were just thoughts, and no one dared to take action.
Connor was still too young, and Salvador wasn’t old yet. Moreover, every couple had their disputes. Once
Salvador’s anger subsided, things would likely return to normal as if nothing had happened.
So, why stir the pot and let Salvador notice any suspicious thoughts?
Though Malcolm had refused all visitors, he personally took Marjorie to call on Sophie.
As usual, Sophie welcomed them, but there was little to say between her and Malcolm. Jacob filled the silence with conversation, while Sophie led Marjorie to the side garden for tea.
Marjorie had rarely ventured out in the past year and had grown noticeably thinner, though there was a quiet calm about her now.
She no longer seemed so tightly wound.
In the past, Marjorie had always reminded herself that, as the matriarch of the Quinton family, she needed to uphold the proper demeanor. Even if she disliked something, she wouldn’t let it show on her face.
She had always been hard on herself, but now, it seemed as though she had let go of some of that burden. She had come to realize that some things just had to be taken as they came. As long as she didn’t cross any lines, it was enough. Perfection wasn’t required.
Marjorie apologized to Sophie for not raising her daughter better. She had always thought she did everything perfectly, but in reality, there were few things she truly excelled at.
But she had come to accept that it didn’t matter. If a person could do even one thing really well in their lifetime and feel truly satisfied, that would be enough.
Sophie smiled and said, “Who among us doesn’t have regrets? Just be kind to yourself from now on.” Marjorie’s gaze grew distant. “Yes, being kind to oneself makes life a little more free, doesn’t it?” Sophie felt that breaking down your old self and rebuilding a new one was an incredibly difficult thing to do.
But Marjorie had done it, and that was remarkable.
“Oh, and please pass a message to Lord Gerald for me. I’ve already begun searching for the person he asked me to find. I’ll let him know as soon as I have news.”
Marjorie admired Sophie’s determination to follow through on her words and her unwavering commitment to her promises. She stood up, bowed, and said, “Thank you, Your Grace.”
The person Gerald was looking for wasn’t hard for Sophie to track down. Claire and her team had already sent out inquiries-name, address, background. No matter how hidden the person was, they would likely find them. Perhaps Gerald hadn’t really looked, or maybe he hadn’t dared.
Jacob and Malcolm hadn’t had much to talk about. One was a strategist for the Hell Monarch’s household, the other was the current head of the Civil Department. Their interests didn’t align, and even their coffee preferences were different.
The awkwardness stretched until Marjorie reappeared. Jacob eagerly ushered them out.
After they left, Jacob turned to Sophie and said, “The Quinton family’s been lying low for the last few years. They can’t afford to stand out, not with all that’s happened. Lord Malcolm looks completely drained.