Chapter 70
Tension hung heavy in the Monson family. The fire had been extinguished, but the memorial hall was left in ruins. The ancestral tablets lay scattered haphazardly across the floor, some snapped clean in half, the names of the past now faded beyond recognition. The ancestral portraits hanging on the walls were also reduced to ashes.
Upon hearing that the memorial hall had been burned down, Henry felt a surge of rage, his vision went black, and he collapsed straight backward in a dead faint. The house physician rushed forward, fumbling with the needles in a frantic panic. After a few urgent, forceful jabs, Henry gradually came to his senses.
The atmosphere in the main hall was so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife. Willow knelt trembling on the icy floor, tears carving clean tracks through the soot darkening her face. Eloise sat nearby with a flustered expression, her lips parting slightly but not daring to utter a single sound. The three Monson brothers stood aside, heads bowed, not daring to breathe. Though their hearts ached for Willow, none dared plead for her in the face of such an unprecedented calamity.
Henry struggled to keep himself upright, his face livid, his eyes blazing as if they could spit fire. He glared daggers at Willow, who was kneeling on the floor, and bellowed, “Willow, how dare you burn down the memorial hall!”
At the sound of that furious roar, Willow jolted violently. Her lips trembled as she pleaded through her tears, “Please, Father, calm down. I know I was wrong.”
She was absolutely kicking herself now. Had she known the consequences would be so dire, she would never have touched that little pouch. She’d assumed the little pouch was from Eloise or Matthew. But seeing the shock and fear on Eloise and Matthew’s faces, Willow realized that she had been set up.
Willow instinctively stole a glance at Athena, only to meet her ice-cold stare. Willow hung her head, sobbing wretchedly. She kept mechanically repeating her apologies, offering no other explanation.
She choked back tears and said, “Father, I know my offense is unpardonable. I dare not hope for your forgiveness. If it would make things right, I am willing to give my life to atone for my sins…” With that, she remained kneeling on the ground, refusing to rise for what felt like an eternity.
Willow’s sobs finally softened Henry’s heart a bit. Henry mused that Willow had always been such a dutiful child. Surely, the fire in the memorial hall must have been just an accident.
Athena didn’t miss the subtle shift in Henry’s expression. Sure enough, in the next instant, Athena saw Henry’s expression soften with compassion.
Noticing her husband’s shifting mood, Eloise seized the opportunity and said, “Your Grace, this fire was clearly just an accident. Willow has already suffered enough shock. Please, go easy on her.”
Nicolas pleaded, “Father, Willow has never been one to cause trouble. She nearly lost her life in that fire. Please, show mercy and go easy on her."
Matthew also spoke up, “Father, this fire is really suspicious. Our estate has never had a fire before, yet the moment Willow went to the memorial hall, it started. I suspect someone deliberately set her up.”
Matthew’s words gave Henry pause. The Osborne family was coming tomorrow with the proposal. If Willow was punished now, this marriage alliance might fall through.
Henry glanced at Athena, only to find her staring at Matthew with an icy expression, her gaze sharp and piercing. She was glaring at Matthew as if he were her enemy. Henry had suspected Athena, but he simply couldn’t bring himself to admit it.
Henry thought to himself, ‘Athena used to be such an innocent and lovely child. How could she have become so cold-blooded and ruthless?’
‘Besides, the fire has consumed everything, leaving no evidence at all. And Willow, likely framed, is none the wiser.’
Henry suppressed a sigh, his authoritative gaze sweeping impassively over the assembled family members. Everyone pleaded for Willow, all except Athena, whose eyes burned with resentment.
He thought, ‘What a disappointment Athena has become.’
After some deliberation, Henry finally made his decision. Averting his gaze from Athena, his expression stern, he declared in a deep voice, “Were it not for your mother and brothers pleading on your behalf, such a grave offense would not be easily forgiven. For now, your transgression will be recorded. After the Osborne family presents their proposal, you will be grounded in your quarters for fifteen days to properly reflect on your wrongdoing.”
Upon hearing this, a flicker of relief, like a drowning person finding solid ground, instantly flashed in Willow’s once despairing eyes. Willow hastily prostrated herself, tears gushing from her eyes as she cried out, “Thank you for your mercy, Father. I will thoroughly reflect on my wrongdoing.”
Willow’s voice quivered with tears, sounding utterly heartbroken. Her sobs wracked her body, sending her into violent coughing fits.
Eloise was watching her with concern when she suddenly caught sight of Willow’s hand. She gasped, “Willow! Your hand! Quickly, summon the house physician!”
Everyone turned to look, only to see Willow’s fingers a bloody mess, the skin scorched and peeled back, exposing bright red, tender flesh underneath. Blood seeped from the wounds, making it a gruesome sight.
Eloise felt as if a thousand needles were stabbing her heart, the pain was so sharp that she nearly passed out. Eloise’s eyes brimmed with tears as she quickly helped Willow up. Her voice trembled as she cried, “Willow, how could you keep quiet when you’re hurt this badly? Doesn’t it hurt at all, my child?”
Her precious daughter was burned like this. It shattered Eloise’s heart. Athena watched it all impassively, drawing her exposed hand back into her sleeve.
Back when she came home covered in wounds from the Empress’s torture, Eloise had never shown me such concern. Back then, Eloise didn’t even ask if she was alright, let alone show this kind of heartbroken concern.
Athena thought bitterly, “Willow merely burned three fingers, yet Mother is wailing as if the world ended. Such a cruel irony, what a staggering contrast!”
Willow clung to her mother, tears streaming uncontrollably as she choked out between sobs, “I… I’ve caused such a disaster. I deserve the worst punishment. It’s just some burns, I don’t dare ask Father and Mother to worry about me anymore…”
Willow put on such a pitiful look, as if she had suffered the greatest injustice. Eloise held Willow tightly in her arms, gently stroking her back as she softly murmured, “Oh, my poor child…”
Henry frowned, his brows tightly knit. He thought, ‘Willow has always been a sensible child. I really haven’t misjudged her after all!’
The three Monson brothers watched the scene and felt a bitter taste in their hearts.
Before long, the house physician arrived with his medical kit. Seeing the burns on Willow’s hand, the house physician cleaned the wound, perfunctorily applied some burn ointment, and called it done.
“Shouldn’t we bandage it?” Eloise couldn’t help but ask.
“The bleeding on her hand is from burn blisters that burst. Now that all the blisters have been drained, she’ll recover in a few days. It’s nothing serious.” If not for the paycheck from the estate, the physician wouldn’t have even bothered with the ointment.
Eloise didn’t catch the dissatisfaction in the house physician’s words. She nodded in relief. Willow grimaced, her face twisted in pain.
Henry then said, “Return to your quarters and reflect properly on your misdeeds.”
“Yes, Father,” Willow answered tearfully, her voice trembling with pitiful obedience.
Just as she sighed in relief and turned to leave, a hoarse yet commanding voice cut through the hall. “Hold!”