Chapter 347

After being exiled, Kurtis had never lost his temper like this. Everyone had thought that years of exile had worn down his spirit. Without his military title, he was merely an old man now.

But at that moment, they realized Kurtis hadn’t lost his sharp edge. He had simply been enduring humiliation in silence.

He bore the weight of over a hundred Monson clan lives on his shoulders. He could not afford a single misstep.

And he also understood why Trevor had become like this…

The Perkins family had been loyal for generations, only to end up with their family ruined and scattered. Trevor resented the King for being ruthless, for disregarding the bonds of ruler and subject.

It had been largely thanks to Kurtis that the current emperor ascended the throne. Once secured the throne, the King had kicked them aside without a second thought. Anyone would harbor resentment after that.

But Trevor shouldn’t have spoken those words in Athena’s estate.

He himself knew he had misspoken. He didn’t want to drag Athena down with him.

He exhaled a long breath of wine and turned to Athena, “Sorry, I was drunk and spoke nonsense. If His Majesty takes offense, I'll take the blame myself and never let it affect you.”

He turned to leave, but was stopped by Athena’s voice. “Uncle Trevor, wait. I’ve been busy since morning, carefully preparing this meal. Won’t you at least taste it?”

Her face held no blame. In fact, there was even a hint of a smile in her eyes.

That clear and tranquil gaze instantly softened much of the anger in Trevor.

Too embarrassed to leave now, he obediently sat back down.

Kurtis and the other two uncles stared at Athena in astonishment. Everyone knew that ever since Trevor had been stationed at the frontier, his temper had only grown worse.

He was like a firecracker, ready to explode at the slightest spark. People avoided him. Even his own family felt uneasy around him.

But Trevor actually listened to Athena. It was clear how much he doted on this niece.

Athena worked hard to liven the atmosphere, trying to smooth over what had just happened. The banquet seemed lively, but beneath the surface, everyone’s hearts were heavy.

Kurtis lowered his eyes and drank in silence. A flicker of pain flashed through his eyes. Of all his sons, it was Trevor he ached for the most.

Over the past three years, while others had done their work quietly, only Trevor would still train after work. Whether in heating winter or scorching summer, he never stopped.

No one knew what was in his heart, but Kurtis did. He knew Trevor resented that fate played such a cruel joke on him.

The most rebellious son he had actually held the deepest sense of resolve. Trevor wanted revenge for the Perkins family.

But that was almost impossible. The King wouldn’t possibly admit fault to the entire Perkins family.

Kurtis downed cup after cup of wine, his heart full of bitterness. He didn’t want to think about the future, only about the present.

They had returned to Pidence City. That, in itself, was already a blessing.

At last, the meal was over. After settling everyone in, Athena dragged her tired body back toward her courtyard. She saw Freya walking toward her.

“Athena,” she called softly.

Athena quickly walked up to her. “Freya, is something wrong with the arrangements? Just let them know and they’ll fix it right away.”

Freya shook her head and sat on a stone bench in the courtyard. “You’ve thought of everything. We couldn’t find a single fault. I came to speak to you about Uncle Trevor.”

Athena asked, “Oh? What do you want to say?”

Freya said, “Uncle Trevor is a man of deep emotions. His temper may be foul now, but that’s only because life forced it on him. His heart is filled with anger. None of us can ease it. But you’re different.”

Freya reached out and held Athena’s hand, her eyes earnest and sincere. “I can see Uncle Trevor cares for you the most. Athena, you can’t let him go on like this. I’m afraid that one day, he might explode.”

What someone might do when consumed by rage was simply unpredictable. Freya had finally returned to Pidence City. All she wanted now was peace.

The Perkins family was bound together by blood. She didn’t want to see Trevor destroyed by his own rage. She definitely didn’t want the Perkins family to suffer again because of it. It was entirely reasonable.

Athena was caught off guard. She hadn’t realized how differently Trevor treated her.

She said, “I’ll try. But this isn’t something that can be changed overnight. And I can’t promise he’ll listen to me.”

When someone’s nature had shifted, it was hard for them to return to who they once were - just like her. She was once cheerful and lively, full of smiles and laughter.

Now she was cool and reserved, only showing warmth when she was with her maternal family.

Freya chuckled softly. “Where there’s a will, there’s a way. I believe in you.”

Faced with her trust, Athena felt an overwhelming pressure.

The next day, Xander sent a gift to the estate through a messenger.

There were tons of boxes supposedly for Athena, but it was clear the true intention was to curry favor with Kurtis.

There was fine fox fur for Kurtis, high-quality wine for Richter, and a beautifully crafted wheelchair for Julius.

Chapter 347

As for Trevor, he received a finely forged sword.

For the first time, a different emotion appeared on his usually hard face.

Shock and joy, the emotions that finally broke through his stony facade.

The gifts had been selected with great care and were clearly of high value.

Even Claudia and Freya received formal court attire and accessories. Everything they’d need to enter the palace.

There was even a formal calling card enclosed.

Xander’s intentions were obvious.

Kurtis caught on quickly. He looked at Athena and asked, “Is Prince Xander… interested in you?”

There was no hiding it anymore. Athena hadn’t intended to keep it a secret either, so she told Kurtis everything.

“You already have a marriage agreement with Prince Xander?” Freya blurted out in surprise, unable to hold back.

Her eyes sparkled with envy and excitement.

This was the mighty Prince Xander, the dream suitor of every girl in the realm. Now, he had eyes only for Athena. It was truly unexpected.

Athena’s cheeks flushed lightly. She nodded.

The three uncles now looked at her differently.

“Athena is going to become a royal consort, isn’t she?” Richter was the first to speak, clearly delighted.

Claudia tugged his sleeve and whispered, “Not so loud. Be discreet.”

But there was no way they could be discreet about something like this.

Julius let out a hearty laugh. “Athena will be a royal consort. We will have to bow to her someday!”

“Uncle Julius…” Athena pouted, pretending to be annoyed.

“You’re just making fun of me.”

Julius laughed even harder. “I told you, your blessings would come later in life. With Prince Xander protecting you, we can finally be at ease.”

As they all joked and laughed, Kurtis remained in a daze. He stared at Athena for a long while before finally asking, “Does he truly care for you? Will he treat you well for the rest of your life?”