Chapter 382

Athena moved to step forward, but Kendra intercepted her with a honeyed, almost mocking smile. “Athena, do you not trust me, or do you doubt Porter Mansion is fit to care for Alexandra?”

Her smile never reached her eyes; her gaze turned icy when it fell upon Athena.

“Of course not,” Athena chuckled lightly. “I’m merely concerned about Mrs. Cavendish.”

“You needn’t worry, Your Highness. Mrs. Cavendish is my aunt. As if I, a princess, would ever harm her,” Kendra scoffed, then turned and walked away.

Athena was left outside, frantic with worry.

The inner quarters were strictly for the ladies of the household; outsiders were strictly forbidden from entering.

Seeing that Xander was also being deliberately detained and couldn’t break free, Athena grew increasingly uneasy.

Athena pretended to return to her seat, but as soon as she quietly slipped away while no one was watching, someone immediately began tailing her.

“Jessa?” Athena hissed urgently. Jessa instantly materialized before her.

The maid gaped in shock as Jessa materialized out of nowhere.

Before she could scream, Jessa knocked her out with a swift chop.

Athena gathered her skirts and hurried toward the inner courtyard, Jessa close behind. But with so many rooms in the sprawling Porter Mansion, finding Alexandra would be no easy feat.

Meanwhile, Alexandra had already been escorted into the chamber by Kendra.

In her dazed state, Alexandra could barely endure the splitting headache.

She had never been in this room before–it seemed like one of the manor’s secluded side chambers.

“Kendra, where is this place?” Alexandra asked weakly, pressing a hand to her throbbing forehead.

Kendra hadn’t expected Alexandra to still be so lucid. Clearly, the dose of the drug she’d given wasn’t potent enough.

Kendra helped Alexandra sit down and poured a cup of coffee for her. With a gentle, honeyed voice, she said, “Mrs. Cavendish, this is the Porter Mansion. You’ve had a bit too much to drink, so I brought you here to rest for a while.”

With that, Kendra pushed the wine cup closer to Alexandra.

Alexandra struggled to sit up and took the cup, but just as she was about to bring it to her lips, a wave of nausea churned in her stomach.

Alexandra set the cup down with a pained frown and shook her head. “I can’t stomach it. No more.”

Kendra’s face twisted with feigned concern as she urged, “Mrs. Cavendish, please, just have a little. It’ll help settle your stomach.”

With that, she picked up the cup and pressed it directly to Alexandra’s lips.

Alexandra felt dizzy and lightheaded, her head throbbing with pain, while waves of nausea churned in her stomach. She couldn’t possibly stomach another drop.

Her face contorted with anger, Alexandra forcefully pushed Kendra away and snapped, “I already told you I can’t stomach it. Why are you still forcing me?”

“Mrs. Cavendish?” Seeing her chance slipping away, Kendra threw all caution to the wind and forcefully shoved the cup to Alexandra’s lips, determined to make her drink.

To Kendra’s shock, Alexandra still had fight left in her. In her desperate struggle, she knocked the cup to the floor, spilling wine everywhere.

“Kendra, what in heaven’s name are you trying to pull?” Alexandra finally exploded in rage.

Alexandra had weathered a lifetime of political storms in the palace–there was no scheme she hadn’t encountered. Alexandra had weathered countless poisonings and underhanded schemes in her time.

She had long been on guard–the sachet hanging from her waist served as an antidote. So the drugged wine failed to knock her out.

Kendra hadn’t expected Alexandra to still be so lucid. A flicker of panic darted through her.

But upon closer inspection, Kendra noticed that although Alexandra was still conscious, she was too weak to resist. Only then did Kendra breathe a sigh of relief.

Her scheme exposed, Kendra dropped the act.

With red-rimmed eyes, Kendra dropped to her knees and bowed deeply before Alexandra. “Mrs. Cavendish, I was truly driven to desperation and had no other choice but to trouble you this once. When all of this is over, I will prostrate myself before you to beg your forgiveness.”

Alexandra stared at her, stunned, her eyes dark with profound disappointment.

‘I never in a million years imagined that the child I’d always doted on would actually scheme to betray me,’ she wondered.

“What exactly are you scheming?” Alexandra demanded, her voice trembling with barely contained fury.

Kendra was weeping uncontrollably, her eyes downcast, unable to meet Alexandra’s gaze. Choking back her sobs, she pleaded, “Mrs. Cavendish, please don’t worry. I just want you to stay with someone for a little while. He would never dare lay a finger on you.”

“Who is it?” Alexandra asked, looking utterly confused.

Kendra hung her head low and stammered in a barely audible whisper, “Ronan.”

“Who?” Alexandra repeated, though she had heard perfectly well. It was just that she was too stunned to believe it.

Ronan Carlisle had been one of her guards. In her innocent youth, she developed tender feelings for him.

Upon learning of this, her parents immediately banished him from the manor that very night, forbidding him from ever returning to Pidence City.

At the mention of that name after all these years, Alexandra was utterly staggered.

To achieve her own ends, Kendra actually went so far as to hire someone to smear Alexandra’s reputation.

“Mrs. Cavendish, I truly have no way out. I can’t marry into Northcold–they say the people there are so barbaric, drinking blood and feasting on flesh. How could I, raised in silks and satins, possibly survive such savagery?” Kendra pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation.

She bowed deeply before Alexandra. “Mrs. Cavendish, please take pity on me and help me one last time. If I can achieve my wish, I swear I’ll repay you with twice the devotion and care.”

Alexandra felt fury surging through her veins. She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails dug into her palms, barely suppressing the anguish in her heart.

“So, you’re trying to use this to blackmail Xander, aren’t you?” Alexandra demanded, her voice trembling with fury.

Kendra remained silent–a tacit admission.

Kendra sobbed uncontrollably, her voice trembling with helplessness. “My heart has always belonged to Xander, but now that he has an ants, I dare not harbor any further hopes.

“I only wish for a place to belong, to quietly live out my days. If Xander would take me as his concubine, I would live a peaceful life by your side, Mrs. Cavendish.”

It sounded appealing enough, yet Alexandra’s eyes held nothing but profound disappointment.

Though Kendra wasn’t raised under Alexandra’s direct care, she had always treated her as if she were her own daughter.

Lonely in the secluded palace, whenever Alexandra felt particularly tormented, she would summon Kendra to her side.

Though she had a son, Alexandra had always harbored a particular soft spot for Kendra, because Kendra reminded her so much of herself in her youth.

Alexandra couldn’t believe it. The very child she raised was now plotting against her. And she still had the gall to claim she was driven to desperation. It was ridiculous.

Alexandra’s chest heaved with rage. She jabbed a trembling finger at Kendra’s nose and roared, “Get out. Out of my sight this instant.”

Alexandra struggled to get up, but Kendra pressed her back down and pleaded urgently, “Mrs. Cavendish, just for a moment–truly, only a moment. Please, trust me.”

Whether from sheer fury or the drug finally taking its toll, Alexandra collapsed and didn’t stir again.

“Bring him in,” Kendra commanded coldly, sensing the moment was right.

Moments later, a burly middle-aged man was ushered into the chamber.

He stole a furtive glance at Alexandra, his eyes burning with longing. He quickly lowered his head, trying to hide the smug satisfaction flickering within.

Kendra fixed him with a steely gaze and said coldly, “This is a golden opportunity. I have fulfilled your deepest desire. You know exactly what you need to do–don’t disappoint me.”

Ronan bowed deeply, his voice trembling with gratitude. “Your Highness, your humble servant is eternally grateful. I dare not entertain any presumptuous thoughts–merely gazing upon Alexandra would be satisfaction enough.”

Ronan had lived in misery all these years. Ever since he was banished from Pidence City, he had wandered rootlessly, enduring one hardship after another.

Reduced to utter destitution, he would stop at nothing–even murder and arson.

Ronan thought bitterly, ‘Damn my youthful recklessness. If I hadn’t fallen for Alexandra’s honey trap back then, how could I be living in such misery now?’

All these years, whenever Alexandra came to mind, he’d grit his teeth in bitter hatred.

She rose to become Alexandra, while he was reduced to a wretched outcast.