Chapter 349 +25 BONUS

The queen dowager, with her sharp eyes, immediately noticed her younger sister's discontent. After Rafael and Carissa greeted the king and queen, Victoria pulled Helen and Gillian aside for a private conversation. She addressed Gillian first.

“Now that you’ve left the palace and entered Rafael’s household, things are different. Social interactions are inevitable, and any misstep in words or deeds could damage Rafael’s reputation. Therefore, you must be even more careful in your conduct; there's no room for error.

“Your mistress was raised by you and spoiled by you, but if you notice anything amiss in the future, you must speak up immediately. If she intends to do something inappropriate, you must dissuade her. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, I understand,” Gillian replied respectfully.

Helen, however, pouted. “Victoria, what could I possibly do wrong? Besides, I’ll be managing the household affairs from now on, with Gillian and Luke assisting me, and Jacob offering advice. What could go wrong?”

“You? Manage the household?” Victoria waved her hand, shaking her head firmly. “No, you should simply enjoy your life in Rafael’s residence. You are not to interfere with household matters. If you want to manage something, stick to overseeing your own courtyard and its inhabitants. Didn’t you bring enough people with you? That should keep you occupied.”

“Victoria, what are you saying? I’m Rafael’s mother! If I don’t help him manage the household, who will? Surely not Carissa? What does that little girl know?” Helen protested.

Victoria didn’t mince words in her retort.

“She knows more than you, even if it’s only a little. When our mother tried to teach you about the account books before your marriage, you refused to learn. After entering the palace, you couldn’t even outmaneuver a mere concubine.

“If it weren’t for me watching over you, do you think you would have lived so comfortably all these years? When Rafael was six months old, I was unwell and had to rest for a few days. During that time, he was nearly poisoned and died. Have you forgotten?”

Helen felt embarrassed. “Why bring up something that happened so long ago? That incident was an accident. Libby slipped something into the wet nurse’s food, which caused Rafael to vomit and have diarrhea. That wicked woman—didn’t you deal with her?”

“If it weren’t for my thorough investigation, how would we have discovered Libby had drugged the wet nurse? And why did she do it? Wasn’t it because you constantly punished her and vented your anger on her? She was beautiful, and you couldn’t stand that the late king favored her slightly. With that kind of temperament, you think you can manage Rafael’s household? You’d better drop that idea before you create more trouble for Rafael and Carissa.”

Helen was deeply displeased at being reprimanded for something that happened years ago. She felt it was because her sister now favored Carissa.

“You used to care for me most, but now you only care about Carissa,” Helen said aggrievedly. “Don’t forget who your real sister is.”

Victoria looked at Helen’s pitiful expression and regretted spoiling her for so many years. Especially after the late king’s death, she had been lenient with Helen, sympathizing with her loneliness. Victoria had hoped that once Rafael married, Helen would assume the role of a proper mother-in-law. Little did she expect Helen would compete with her daughter-in-law for attention.

Victoria was determined not to indulge Helen any further. Her eyes sharpened as she rebuked her.

“Put away your pettiness. You’re a mother-in-law now, and yet you’re jealous of your daughter-in-law? From now on, she’s part of your family. As her mother-in-law, you should be protecting her, not competing with her. What kind of behavior is that? Aren’t you afraid of becoming a laughingstock?”

Although Helen was still dissatisfied, she knew her sister rarely spoke to her with such severity unless truly furious. While Helen wasn’t the brightest, she wasn’t entirely foolish either. Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, Helen quickly put on a pitiful expression and nodded. “Yes, I understand.”

Inwardly, Helen was relieved that her sister hadn’t discovered the pearls she had taken from Carissa’s dowry to give to Eleanor. Otherwise, she would have faced a much harsher reprimand.