Athena’s heart clenched at the sight of Xander’s wounded, vulnerable expression. That look sent a shiver of unease through her. Athena hastily dropped her gaze, not daring to look at Xander again. Eloise and Willow were bound and sent down the mountain by the guards. A fierce mountain gust made Athena stumble as she turned back, nearly sending her to the ground. But a warm hand clasped her waist, Xander’s deep voice whispered in her ear, “Careful.” An inexplicable sense of calm washed over Athena. She lifted her gaze to Xander, her eyes shimmering with unspoken delight. Athena thought to herself, “All this time I believed I was alone, but now I realize there’s someone quietly watching over me and protecting me. A man like this is truly worth falling for.” Athena slowly tightened her grip, gently wrapping her fingers around Xander’s hand.
Xander’s heart skipped a beat at the touch of her soft hand. Though Athena said nothing, her eyes spoke volumes. Xander gazed at Athena with pure delight, an irrepressible smile lighting up his face. He simply couldn’t help himself. Athena and Xander gazed into each other’s eyes, the world around them fading away. In that moment, there was only the two of them. Even the night sky seemed to yield, its clouds parting before the sweetness between them. At the break of dawn, the Aegis Guards burst through the gates of the duke’s estate. But they were too late. The duke’s estate stood completely deserted. Immediately, Pidence City was placed under lockdown as the authorities launched a full-scale manhunt for Nicolas. Athena’s heart raced at the news as she blurted out, “What about Fiona and Codric?” Jessa shook her head and said, “They must have been taken along with him.” Cedric was Nicolas’s son. He would never abandon his son. Athena’s brows furrowed in worry. She thought, ‘Nicolas is a remnant of the former country, and poor Cedric is innocently caught up in this. I fear the worst for him. ‘How could the King possibly tolerate the remnants of the previous country living right under his nose? “It’s good they escaped. At least now Cedric has a chance to survive.” Meanwhile, news came from the military camp. Jofeph had also fled. Xander’s men searched for several days, but came up empty-handed. They’d vanished into thin air. Arthur flew into a royal rage. Since the Osborne family had close ties with the Monson family, they were thrown into the imperial dungeons. A thorough investigation was conducted, leaving no stone unturned.
Chapter 326 Both the Osborne family and the Monson family found themselves enmeshed in the case involving the remnants of the former empire. In an instant, chaos swept through both court and country. Everyone, from officials to commoners, feared for their own safety, especially the Queen and Fermin. They wished they could crawl into a hole. Although some issues did surface, they were all dismissed as trivial. Despite the evidence, Arthur still favored Fermin, sweeping all his land grabbing and assault cases under the rug. The emperor deliberately used the duke’s estate case to divert attention from Fermin’s misdeeds. Beyond Athena’s contributions in this case, there was another key figure who had been operating entirely behind the scenes. It was Fenis McGee, the Chief Inspector of the Treasury. Ferris uncovered that the Monson family and the Osborne family were engaged in illicit business dealings, secretly operating illegal iron mines to amass enormous profits. Just the gold and silver alone filled over a dozen wagons. The most shocking discovery was the Osborne family’s secret vault. Its walls were entirely lined with gold bricks, sending shockwaves throughout the entire court. Originally, the Osborne family could have claimed that they were associated with the Monson family due to poor judgement of their character, but with this additional felony charge, there was no way to whitewash their crimes anymore. Michael was stripped of his noble title and reduced to the status of a commoner. Considering Michael’s outstanding military achievements and his proven innocence, Arthur showed leniency by sentencing him to military barracks, allowing him to atone through battlefield valor. The remaining members of the Osborne family, however, were condemned to banishment. Recognizing Ferris’s exceptional capabilities, Arthur broke protocol by bestowing upon him the title of Prince of Westmount. Only then did it dawn on everyone. Arthur had been quietly building his own power behind the scenes. Without so much as a ripple, Ferris dismantled both the Osborne and Monson families. It seemed likely that Arthur had long planned to eliminate both families. This was merely a fortuitous opportunity.
People wondered who would be the next to fall from grace. Moreover, Ferris’s elevation to Prince of Westmount carried significant political implications. This meant that his marriage to Lizzie Cavendish would soon be arranged. A dozen or so days later, word spread from the palace once more. Arthur had personally overturned the case against Kurtis, declared him innocent, and ordered his release. Athena finally relaxed after days of worry. Overwhelmed with joy, Athena burst into tears. At long last, she could finally see Kurts. When the Osborne family was led away in banishment, the entire population of Pidence City turned out to witness their disgrace. The once-elegant noblewomen and female relatives of the Osborne family were now reduced to wretched strays.
Chapter 326 Clad in prison garb with shackles binding their wrists and ankles, the Osborne women trudged forward. Rotten vegetables and refuse rained down upon them with every step. Rotten vegetable leaves, slimy with egg yolk, oozed down through Willow's fingers, the putrid starch making her gag. A person in the crowd said, “You bloodsucking leeches, ruining our nation! We can barely feed ourselves, while you all deserve to hang!” Another said. “Kill them! Kill them!” Willow covered her face with her hands, but she still couldn’t escape being pelted from head to toe. She wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. Willow seethed with bitter resentment, unable to fathom how she’d sunk to such depths. Beside her, Nona shrieked desperately, “Stop! I am innocent!” Her frantic shrieks infuriated the guard, who lashed her viciously with his whip. “What are you howling about?” he barked. After several brutal lashes, Nona’s flesh was flayed open by the whip. She clenched her teeth, stifling any further sound, and only whimpered quietly. Hearing Nona’s whimpers, Willow was so furious she wished she could strangle her with her bare hands. But the heavy shackles on her wrists weighed her down, leaving her too weak to even lift her hands. Suddenly, Willow’s expression froze. Just ahead, Athena stood not far away, resplendent in her opulent attire. Athena gazed at Willow with a mocking smirk, her eyes alight with triumph. Willow gnashed her teeth, fury burning inside her. “That bitch. She’s mocking me,” she said. Willow seethed inwardly, "I could have lived a life of luxury, but it’s all Athena’s fault I’ve ended up like this!" Blinded by hatred, Willow lunged forward and tried to claw at Athena’s face. The instant Willow’s hand shot out, a guard’s whip cracked across it, forcing her to yank it back. She let out a shriek as she jerked her hand back. The guard jabbed a finger in her face and snarled, “You watch it! Got a death wish? You’re already a prisoner, yet you still dare to offend the Viscountess! I’ll beat you to death!” Everyone knew Athena was Xander’s favorite. These days, countless high-ranking officials and nobles were vying to curry favor with him. These guards were no exception. A single word from Athena would send their careers plummeting. Naturally, the guards were falling over themselves to curry favor with Athena. Willow glared at Athena, her eyes burning with bitter resentment. Athena, however, stepped forward with a graceful smile before slipping a purse of money into the guard’s hand. “That’s enough beating for now." Willow gaped at Athena in stunned disbelief. Why is she helping me? she wondered.
Chapter 326 But before Willow could figure it out, she heard Athena continue coldly, “Don’t kill her outright. Save the ‘special care’ for later.” The guard flashed a grin at Athena. “Thank you, Your Ladyship. I will ensure your complete satisfaction.” “You venomous witch! How dare you pay them to kill me!” Willow shrieked in outrage.
Once outside Pidence City, Willow would become a lamb to the slaughter. She was utterly defenseless and at the mercy of her captors. On the road to exile, there was no telling what those guards might do. To make matters worse, Athena had even told them to take special care of Willow on the way. Willow, trembling uncontrollably with fear, actually tried to turn and flee. But a guard yanked Willow by the hair, dragging her toward the city gates. “Keep struggling and I’ll end you right here,” he threatened. Willow shrieked in relentless agony, yet the crowd showed her no pity. After all, this scandal had already spread like wildfire. Everyone in Pidence City knew how vicious Willow was. She clawed her way up by trampling over Athena and shamelessly secured her place as the Marchioness of Somers. People felt that she deserved to become a prisoner.