Chapter 442

Michael nodded, having already considered it on the way. No matter how Giovanni treated him, he would endure it.

He went to wash up, and Athena ordered a maid to follow and serve him.

Before long, Xander also arrived. "Are Michael and Elettra back?" he asked as he entered, going straight to the point.

His eyes swept around the room, eventually landing on Athena’s bulging belly, and his footsteps unconsciously softened.

Athena nodded gently, leaning against the back of the soft cushion armchair.

Reaching out to touch her round belly, she raised her eyes and gave him a playful glare. "They just settled in. Your news is really well-informed."

Her fingertips gently stroked her belly, where fetal movements occasionally came, like small fish spitting bubbles in the water.

"The informants in the palace reported it early, saying that Michael rushed into the manor with a woman in his arms, as if he had lost his soul."

Xander walked to her side and naturally took the cup from her hand, testing the temperature before handing it back. "I heard that Ms. Huber was seriously injured?"

"The arrow was poisoned, thanks to Michael’s timely care all the way." Athena sighed, remembering Elettra’s pale face, and added, "Mr. Huber is probably on his way. You have to help me stop him."

She turned to look at Xander, a hint of worry in her eyes. "Elettra almost lost her life. I’m afraid he will attack Michael."

"He only has such a precious daughter, and when he learned that his daughter had run away from home, his eyes turned red on the spot."

"If he knew that his daughter was not only injured but also poisoned, he might really come to Xander Manor with a knife."

Xander raised his eyebrows and smiled playfully. "I know the temper of that old guy. He gets angry like a firecracker."

"But Michael does deserve some lessons. He coaxed someone’s daughter to show her face in public and caused so much trouble."

Despite these words, he turned and instructed the guards behind him. "Let General Osborne wait in the side hall, and don’t let him out without my permission."

The guard obeyed the order and left. Athena looked at Xander’s back and couldn’t help but smile. "Are you protecting him?"

"I’m protecting the child in your belly." Xander turned back and gently touched her stomach, his movements unbelievably gentle. "What if a real fight frightens you?"

He paused, his tone tinged with a hint of subtle bitterness. "Besides, if Michael is crippled, who will go to Ironfang Pass? Surely, you don’t expect me to go myself, do you?"

Athena was amused and laughed. She was about to say something when she heard hurried footsteps outside the door, accompanied by Nelson’s somewhat helpless voice, "Mr. Huber, please slow down; the Princess Consort is resting."

"My daughter, where is my daughter?" Giovanni’s voice was tearful, and he walked very fast.

Athena and Xander hurried out to greet him and saw Giovanni and his wife supporting each other into the front yard.

The two looked anxious and forgot their manners.

Giovanni asked anxiously, "Princess Consort, where is my daughter? How badly is she hurt?"

Athena’s message only said that Elettra was injured but did not dare to say more, afraid that the old couple would be anxious and faint.

Now that they had arrived, she could only tell the truth. "Elettra was injured by an arrow, but I have already examined her, and she is fine now. She will be fine after a period of recuperation."

"Can we see her?" the old couple asked anxiously.

Athena led them in, where they saw Elettra lying pale on the big bed, her face ashen and her lips bloodless.

Her weak appearance made the old couple’s eyes water, and they both started to cry. Mrs. Huber was crying so hard that she couldn’t catch her breath, dabbing her tears with a handkerchief.

Athena knew that Michael was going to have a hard time.

Sure enough, after Giovanni finished crying, his face darkened. "Tell Michael to come out! I’m going to skin him alive!"

He strode out of the courtyard, his hair disheveled, clutching a cane in his hand, looking like he really intended to fight Michael to the death.

Xander winked at Athena, signaling her to sit tight, then rose to greet the visitor himself.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr. Huber?" Xander blocked his path, his tone calm but with an unquestionable air of authority. "Charging into my manor yelling and threatening violence? Do you not take me seriously?"

Giovanni’s bluster deflated significantly upon seeing Xander.

But recalling his daughter’s injuries, his eyes reddened again. "Your Grace, please hand Michael over! He harmed my daughter so badly. I… I’m not done with him!"

"Mr. Huber, calm down." Xander stepped aside, clearing a path. "Come inside and have a cup of tea; we can talk it over slowly."

"Elettra is still resting inside. You don’t want to disturb her, right?"

Hearing the name of his daughter, Giovanni paused in his tracks. He hesitated, ultimately following Xander into the house, his face gloomy, clearly suppressing his anger.

Athena quickly had someone serve tea to Giovanni, smoothing things over with a smile. "Mr. Huber, rest assured, Elettra is fine now. She will recover completely in a few days."

Giovanni wouldn’t listen and started sighing as soon as he sat down. "Why did I give birth to such a disobedient daughter? She won’t enjoy a good life and insists on following a military man to suffer, and now it’s turned out like this."

The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, and he slammed the table. "If the Osborne family doesn’t give me an explanation, I’m not finished with them."

Xander persuaded, "Although Michael is at fault, he is sincere to Elettra."

"He personally decocted and changed the medicine all the way back from Ironfang Pass to find antipyretics for Elettra. He was also injured himself. This affection is not feigned."

He thought the Hubers would be touched. However, they were stunned at first, then called out in surprise. Gaia asked with red eyes, "Michael changed the medicine for Elettra?"

Xander paused. He was only trying to excuse Michael but forgot about the matter of a woman’s reputation. The two of them, a lone man and a widowed woman, walked back together, and Michael personally changed Elettra’s medicine; they already had physical intimacy.

Athena glared at Xander and said, "The situation was urgent at the time, and General Osborne did so out of necessity. After all, nothing is more important than life."

"Then what about my daughter?"

At this moment, Michael walked out from the side hall. He walked to Giovanni and knelt down with a plop, his voice firm and powerful. "Mr. Huber, it’s all my fault!"

"I will be responsible for Elettra. If you have no objection, I will immediately send someone to propose marriage. I promise I will love her forever."

Giovanni and Gaia were stunned, and the two looked at each other, neither daring to agree.

However, a weak voice sounded in the room. "I’ll marry him, I’ll marry him, Dad. I want to marry Michael."