Chapter 39

Willow’s eyes flew wide open, her expression full of hurt as she looked at Michael. Tears spilled down her cheeks in an instant, and she shook her head desperately. “No, Michael, it’s not like that. It’s really not…”

Matthew couldn’t stand seeing Michael treat Willow so coldly. He stepped forward, voice sharp with anger. “Michael, what’s your problem? Why are you taking it out on Willow? This has nothing to do with her. You’ve got no right to be angry with her.”

To Matthew, Michael’s reaction was completely irrational. He thought, It is clearly Athena who has upset Willow, and yet somehow, Michael is defending her? That only confirmed what Matthew had already suspected: Athena must have seduced him.

Willow looked heartbreakingly pitiful, her tears falling one after another as she coughed weakly, drawing Michael’s attention back. When he saw how pale and fragile she looked, guilt flickered across his face.

“Willow…I wasn’t angry at you,” he said, his voice soft.

The words were meant to soothe, but his tone betrayed a certain impatience.

Willow blinked through her tears, forcing a fragile smile. “Michael…if you don’t want to marry me, it’s okay. You don’t have to force yourself…”

Her voice caught, trembling, and she couldn’t finish the sentence. Embarrassed by the situation, she turned to leave—only for Matthew to stop her.

“Don’t push it, Michael,” he snapped. “You can’t have your cake and eat it too. Even if you wanted both, I wouldn’t allow it.”

His meaning was clear: Michael could only choose one—Willow or Athena. And the only acceptable choice, as far as he was concerned, was Willow.

A flicker of coldness crossed Michael’s handsome face. He glanced at Matthew with icy detachment. “My business is none of yours.”

The dismissiveness in his voice nearly made Matthew lose it. They’d grown up together, both from military families. Sure, Michael had the higher rank and better skills—but to throw his weight around like this, over Athena of all people?

Matthew’s face darkened. Then, as if a sudden thought struck him, he let out a low chuckle. “Not that it matters anymore. Athena’s going to be the wife of Ray. You saw her with him—don’t they look good together?”

Joseph, still dripping wet and stewing in embarrassment, had been quietly sulking. But seeing Michael on the receiving end for once gave him no small satisfaction. He tried to hide it, but the smug curl of his lips said it all.

Willow, red-eyed and tear-streaked, tugged at Matthew’s sleeve and pleaded softly, “Matthew…please don’t fight with Michael anymore.”

The more vulnerable she looked, the more protective Matthew became. He stepped in close and said in a low, firm voice, “Willow only ever cared about you. Don’t hurt one woman and then turn around and ruin another. If you’re really a man, then act like one. Let go when it’s time to let go—not cling to one while chasing the other.”

Then he added pointedly, “Greed can swallow a man whole, Lord Osborne.”

Michael said nothing. He didn’t react, didn’t lash out—just lowered his eyes, lost in thought, as if tuning everyone out.

Willow couldn’t take the silence any longer. “Michael,” she whispered.

Only then did he finally glance her way. His voice was calm, even detached. “The engagement between our families will go ahead as planned. Don’t…”

Chapter 39

The glow returned to Willow’s eyes instantly. She gazed up at him with pure joy and expectation, as his words had just brought her…

Michael’s sudden shift in tone was so abrupt, even Matthew was caught off guard. But he let out a breath of relief. No matter how…at least the marriage was still on. And for now, that was enough.

The party had begun to wind down, and many of the guests were already leaving the duke’s estate. Kelsey approached from a short distance away, her face lit with a satisfied smile. Willow quickly adjusted her gown and stepped forward to offer a graceful, textbook-perfect curtsey. “Lady Kelsey.”

“Oh, I don’t think you’ll be calling me Lady Kelsey much longer,” Kelsey said with a sly smile.

Willow immediately understood the subtext. A flush crept up her cheeks. The other guests nearby let out soft, knowing laughs.

But to Michael, those chuckles sounded piercing—grating, even. He kept his gaze lowered, eyes fixed on the ground, though his mind was far away, lost in thoughts of someone else.

If things hadn’t taken such a drastic turn…it should’ve been Athena standing beside him right now. But….

A quiet sigh slipped from his lips. He was the heir of the Osborne family, bearing its name, its legacy, and all its expectations. Marriage wasn’t something he could approach with personal feelings—it was duty first.

“Michael, what are you thinking about?” Kelsey’s light tone broke through his thoughts.

Startled, he looked up at her, then gave a polite nod to Eloise. “Forgive me. My mind wandered.”

Kelsey stepped in quickly to smooth things over. “He must be so happy he’s dazed. I’ve never seen him this distracted before.”

Eloise gave her a knowing smile, both women pretending not to notice the undercurrent. Then Kelsey added, almost casually, “That Athena girl already spoke to me about dissolving the engagement. Honestly, it’s probably for the best—saves us all the trouble and keeps the gossip down. Of course, we’ll have to delay the new engagement announcement a bit.”

A strained smile stretched across Eloise’s face. She didn’t know how to respond. Originally, there would have been no need for a formal break-off. They could’ve quietly swapped Athena for Willow without stirring the waters. But now, thanks to Athena’s little stunt, the duke’s estate had been placed in an awkward position.

If she’d known Athena would take it upon herself to speak to Kelsey directly, she never would’ve allowed it.

But what was done was done. All she could do now was nod in agreement. As for the inevitable rumors—they’d have to figure out how to keep those under control.

Kelsey, sensing Eloise understood her meaning, gave Michael a subtle look. “It’s getting late. Michael and I will take…”

With that, she led her absent-minded son away.

Willow, meanwhile, stood frozen in place, as if struck by lightning. Athena might not care what people say—but she did. She thought, If we went through with the engagement now, wouldn’t I become a laughingstock?

“Mother…” she choked out, turning to Eloise with pleading eyes. Tears welled up instantly and spilled over.

She didn’t need to say anything—Eloise understood exactly what she meant.

Chapter 39

Seeing Willow looking so pitiful made something twist painfully in Eloise’s chest. She reached out to stroke Willow’s soft hair, speaking gently, “Don’t be afraid. There’s always a way…”

Her words were soothing, but her heart was a mess.

The truth was, they were in a weak position now. The duke’s estate cared deeply about appearances—any noble family did. She thought, Are we madly going to let Willow marry into the Osborne family while bearing the stain of gossip and scandal?

Matthew and Joseph both looked stunned. “She ended the engagement?” Matthew asked, incredulous. “What was she thinking?”

Eloise shot them a flat glance, then said nothing. The two of them had been useless all day—if anything, they’d only made things worse.

Just then, Nicolas came hurrying over, his expression tense and urgent. “Matthew, come with me. We need to go to Prince Xander’s residence.”

“Prince Xander?” Matthew’s expression stiffened, clearly uneasy. “What’s going on? Why now?”

Nicolas’s brows were tightly knit. He exhaled slowly and said, “Prince Xander is… critically ill.”