Chapter 323

Willow The Marchioness of Somers, always brimming with superiority, was now ill at ease with fear, not knowing what it meant to be afraid.

“Is that truly so?” Athena slowly crouched down, the dagger in her hand glinting coldly in the darkness. She stared with a piercing gaze at Shefard Willow, making her so terrified that she couldn’t meet Athena’s eyes. Under Athena’s intense questioning, Willow finally nodded.

“It’s true, I wouldn’t dare deceive you, sister. For the sake of our child…” She was shaking like a leaf in fear, but Athena’s fury only burned hotter with each passing moment. If not for Willow’s nation, how could Thalia have been killed by Matthew? Athena thought bitterly.

Athena remained unmoved. She slowly drew a gleaming dagger from her sleeve, the light in her eyes glinting coldly in the faint moonlight.

She said, “Blood demands blood; debts must be repaid. Though you didn’t wield the blade yourself, Macy and Thalia died because of you. You can’t—" Her words carried the cold of the deepest hell.

Athena raised her dagger and leveled it at Willow’s chest.

Just then, a piercing scream shattered the eerie silence.

“No!” Eloise stumbled out from behind a tree, her skirt caked with mud, hair wild and disheveled, eyes filled with terror and despair. With a thud, she fell before Athena, clutching Athena’s leg tightly as tears streamed down her face. “Please, she’s just a child. It’s all my fault.” Eloise beat her chest in anguish, pleading desperately.

Athena’s body stiffened abruptly, her hand gripping the dagger trembling ever so slightly. She looked down at Eloise, a flicker of complicated emotion in her eyes, quickly swallowed by burning hatred.

Athena said angrily, “You think just saying ‘it’s all your fault’ can make things right? Back then, you and your family drove my mother to utter despair. She died of injustice. And now you want me to spare her? What gives you that right? You stole her identity and reveled in luxury, yet you didn’t even leave her a single path to survival. What gives you that right now?”

A look of shock crossed Eloise’s face, then understanding dawned.

So Athena knows the truth, Eloise thought. Margaret must have told her before she died.

“She brought Willow here today to get something out of me.” Elise apologized while sobbing, “I was wrong. All these years, I’ve repented daily, tormented by nightmares every night. I’ll do anything. Just spare Willow. She’s innocent.”

Seeing Eloise in such a desperate state, guilt and torment churned inside Willow’s heart. She cried out, “Mother, don’t beg!” But even as those words left her lips, her body trembled uncontrollably.

Athena sneered. “I’m not saying I won’t spare her. Just tell me the Monson family’s secrets, and maybe I’ll consider giving her a way out.”

Eloise stared at Athena, wide-eyed, her eyes round as copper coins. She darted her gaze around in panic, stammering. “No, I don’t know… I don’t know anything.”

Athena could tell from her expression that there was no way she didn’t know. She was just too scared to say it.

Athena viciously plunged the dagger into Willow’s shoulder. Willow burst into tears and wailed, “Mother, it hurts! It hurts so much!”

“No, please!” Eloise was terrified out of her wits, her eyes darting frantically as she pleaded with Athena, “What do you want to know? I’ll tell you everything!”

Athena yanked the dagger free, eliciting another shriek of pain from Willow. She fixed Willow with a frigid glare. Terrified, Willow clenched her teeth, stifling any further sound.

Athena fixed Eloise with a steely gaze and demanded, “What really happened when Willow was poisoned all those years ago?”

Eloise gazed at Willow, her heart aching as blood streamed down Willow’s body and her face was smeared with dirt. This pitiful sight nearly shattered her heart.

My poor Willow, she thought desperately.

Eloise choked back a sob and slowly confessed, “It was me. I set a trap so Willow could take your place.” Desperately trying to justify herself, she hurriedly added, “But I swear, I never meant to harm you, just wanted you out of the duke’s estate. I never imagined things would escalate like this. I didn’t know that they’d be so cruel as to send you to the military camp for discipline."

“I was only looking out for my daughter. I wasn’t trying to hurt anyone.”

Behind the bushes, Michael’s eyes widened in shock. He had never imagined the truth would be like this.

So Eloise isn’t Athena’s real mother, and the one responsible for all of this is me, he thought. I teamed up with Nicolas to send Athena to the military camp. How could I have been so utterly blind, agreeing to send her there and then ignoring her for three years, leaving her to fend for herself? Athena endured endless torment, yet still hoped I would bring her home.

And what have I done?

“While Athena was suffering abuse, I was busy pampering Willow and doing everything to make her happy. When Athena couldn’t even get a proper meal, I would scour the city and wait in line for hours just to buy Willow her favorite pastries. If I had spared even a single thought for Athena, she wouldn’t hate me so much now.”

Eloise was a criminal, then so was I.

Large, heavy tears streamed down Michael’s face. His bloodshot eyes rested on Athena, and a thousand arrows had pierced his heart. The pain cut into his very bones.

My Athena, he thought. She used to adore me so much. It’s all my fault.

Michael clenched his teeth, his fingernails digging deep into his palms until blood welled up between his fingers.

A faint rustle came from behind the bushes. Athena subtly blocked Eloise’s view and asked, “Did you have anything to do with my mother’s death?”

Eloise froze before glancing at Athena with a guilty conscience. Seeing Athena’s icy expression and the murderous glint in her eyes, Eloise knew there was no escaping fate, yet she still clung to a desperate, fleeting hope.

She shook her head, her eyes darting evasively. “No, it wasn’t me.”

“It wasn’t you?” Athena’s voice turned razor-sharp. “From the moment you stole my mother’s identity, you sealed her fate. Even if you didn’t intend it, I still hold you accountable for her death.”

Eloise stared at Athena in horror, a flicker of anger in her eyes. But as Jessa stepped forward, his menacing aura instantly extinguished her defiance. She was just a defenseless woman. There was no chance she could escape from Athena today.

With nothing left to lose, Eloise slumped to the ground and let out a bitter laugh. “No wonder I escaped from the Federal Bureau so easily. So this was your plan all along. You took Willow hostage, using her as leverage to force me to reveal the Monson family secrets, didn’t you!”

Athena let out a cold chuckle. “You’re only realizing that now? My patience is wearing thin. You’d best confess everything quickly.”

“After all, I’m still your aunt. Would you really kill me?” Eloise wailed in utter despair, making a last-ditch attempt to emotionally blackmail Athena with their family ties.