Chapter 376
As the knife was about to come down on Fiona, she instinctively pulled Cedric into her arms and squeezed her eyes shut. But the pain she had braced for never came.
Hearing a heavy thud, Fiona slowly opened her eyes to see, not far away, a woman standing with a bow in hand, her sharp gaze locked on her. Upon recognizing Fiona in the carriage, the murderous glint in Athena’s eyes faded. Athena rushed forward and asked, “Are you two alright?”
Fiona stood frozen in shock, never daring to imagine that her rescuer would be Athena.
Only after she was absolutely certain that the person before her was Athena did Fiona finally burst into tears of joy. “Athena,” she sobbed, “it’s really you.”
For days, Fiona had been living in constant fear. More than once, she’d thought about taking Cedric and making a run for it. But the stronghold was swarming with Nicolas’s men, leaving her no chance to escape.
Having narrowly escaped death, Fiona was overwhelmed with emotion.
Fiona hugged Athena tightly, tears streaming down her face. “I really thought this was the end for me,” she choked out, her voice trembling. “I never imagined you’d come to save Cedric and me.”
At this, Fiona quickly drew Cedric closer and said gently, “Cedric, this is—”
Fiona swallowed back the words that she was Cedric’s aunt.
She gave her son a gentle smile and said softly, “This is Mrs. Cavendish.”
“Greetings, Mrs. Cavendish.” Cedric’s tender, cute voice made Athena’s heart skip a beat.
‘The tiny tot I once held is now up to my thigh,’ Athena thought, marveling at how much he’d grown.
Athena crouched down and gently ruffled Cedric’s hair. “Were you frightened?” she asked softly.
Cedric’s innocent eyes brightened as he shook his head. “No, I’m not scared. Mom only killed to protect me. She’s my hero.”
Athena nodded approvingly. “Good boy. Always protect your mother, just like you did today.”
Cedric gave her a respectful little bow. “I’ll remember, Mrs. Cavendish,” he said.
Athena glanced at Nicolas’s corpse in the carriage–his body soaked in blood, his eyes wide open in death. His wide eyes held both defiance and terror.
He probably never expected that he would die at Fiona’s hands.
“That knife?” Athena’s gaze fell on the blade in Fiona’s hand. Only then did Fiona seem to realize she was still holding it and quickly tucked it away.
Fiona gave a bitter smile and said, “If Michael hadn’t secretly slipped me this knife, I’d probably be dead by now.”
It turned out Michael was the one who had given her the knife for self-defense. For a moment, Athena was at a loss, a complex mix of emotions swirling inside her.
Athena helped Fiona and Cedric down from the carriage, just as Xander rushed over with his men.
When Xander saw Fiona and Cedric, his expression darkened. “You two must leave Pidence City at once.”
Cedric is Nicolas’s biological son. If Arthur were to discover his existence, neither he nor Fiona would survive.
Fiona wore a look of utter despair. “But, where can we go?” she said bitterly. “The whole realm belongs to the King–there’s nowhere to hide.”
Fiona stretched out her arms toward Xander, her voice trembling with desperation. “Your Highness, please, I beg you–show mercy, and if someone must die, let it be me instead.”
“Mother, please don’t die for me,” Cedric pleaded, bowing deeply before Xander. “Mother is innocent. Your Highness, if you must arrest someone, take me instead.”
Clearly, Cedric had come to realize the truth about his identity.
Fiona stared at him in stunned disbelief, then pulled Cedric into a tight, protective embrace.
Athena turned anxiously to Xander. “Darling-”
Xander lowered his gaze in thought, then said calmly, “Nicolas tried to escape with his family, but their carriage accidentally plunged off a cliff. None of the three survived, and their bodies were never found.”
“Your Highness?” Fiona stared at him blankly. Athena’s face lit up as she helped Fiona and Cedric to their feet, pressing a thick stack of banknotes into Fiona’s hands.
“This should be more than enough for you and your son to live comfortably for the rest of your lives,” Athena said gently. “My men will escort you to the border–head for Northcold.”
Northcold was a prosperous land, untouched by war. It enjoyed a mild climate, perfect for settling down. Athena had already thought out a clear path for their future.
Fiona clutched the money, at a loss for words. She pulled Cedric down with her, and together they bowed to Athena. “Your immense kindness is something my son and I will never forget; we will be forever indebted.
“If we ever have the chance, we will repay you in any way we can–even if it means working ourselves to the bone.”
Athena quickly helped Fiona up, offering a gentle smile. “Time’s running out–go now.”
With gratitude in her eyes, Fiona took Cedric’s hand and boarded the carriage. With a quick wave to Athena and Xander, they hurried away.
Once Fiona had left, Ansel–without waiting for Xander’s order–pushed Nicolas’s carriage off the cliff.
News of the Xander Manor’s distinguished service reached Pidence City, leaving Arthur visibly astonished.
Imperial rewards poured into the Xander Manor in an unending stream, while well-wishers arrived in droves to offer their congratulations.
After several days of entertaining a steady stream of guests, Athena finally closed her doors to all callers.
When things finally quieted down, Athena finally had time to bring up what happened that day with Xander.
“Darling, you had this planned all along–why didn’t you let me in on it?” Athena was rather cross about the matter. Before Athena could finish, her voice caught in her throat, choked with emotion.
It wasn’t his decisiveness that upset her–what truly tore at Athena’s heart was the way he insisted on shouldering all the risks alone.
Xander, knowing his place, promptly poured Athena a cup of coffee as a peace offering, flashing her a conciliatory smile.
Bending before her, Xander gently brushed his thumb over the faint shadows beneath Athena’s eyes, his voice thick with remorse. “When Michael sent word that Nicolas had bribed the tomb guards to set an ambush, the timing seemed too suspicious.
“I couldn’t risk alerting them, but even more, I couldn’t bear the thought of you being implicated if the intel turned out to be false.”
He paused, then looked up into her tear-filled eyes. “When I requested the Royal Guards from His Majesty, I made a military pledge to the King–if any of this proved false, I would be stripped of my title and status. I couldn’t bear to see you implicated because of me.”
At this, Athena angrily shoved him away.
A tear finally rolled down Athena’s cheek. “Do you have any idea how treacherous the terrain around the Cavendish Family Cemetery is? If Nicolas really set a trap there, how could your men possibly have made it out unscathed?
“You had every contingency planned out for me, but you completely overlooked yourself, didn’t you?”
Recalling the harrowing events of that day, Athena felt her heart clench.
Xander took a blade to protect her. Though the wound wasn’t deep, the blood had soaked right through his clothes, making it look absolutely terrifying.
Xander quietly adjusted the slipping shawl around her shoulders. The moment his fingertips brushed her cool skin, he realized with a start that she was trembling all over with anger.
Xander sighed softly, enveloping Athena’s cool hand in his warm palms. “If I don’t put myself in the equation, who else will protect you?”
His knuckles gently traced the delicate texture of the back of Athena’s hand, his voice softening even further. “I’ve already stationed men all around us.
“Every move was carefully calculated. After all we’ve been through to be together, do you really think I’d let anything happen to me? And besides-” Xander pressed his face against Athena’s hand and flashed her a coaxing smile. “We still haven’t had a child together yet.”
Athena, furious, raised her hand to strike him.
But Xander, with a shameless grin, thrust his face forward and said, “My dear, if you’re going to slap me, don’t just go for one cheek–hit both, so it looks symmetrical.”
Athena was stunned. Was this really coming from the dignified Xander?‘ she wondered. ‘He is utterly shameless.‘
With most of her anger gone, Athena’s tears turned into laughter. Only then did Xander finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Nelson walked in, bowed respectfully to Athena and Xander, and announced, “Your Highness, Mr. Osborne has regained consciousness.”