Chapter 90

Eloise wanted to demand answers, but when she saw Willow’s face battered beyond recognition, blood streaming from her nose and mouth, all her questions died on her lips.

Despite everything, Eloise’s heart ached for Willow. She turned to the servants and ordered, “Help her back to her room.”

After a pause, she added sternly, “Not a word about what happened today is to leave this house.”

After all, Willow was in the wrong. No matter what, she never should have cursed Ferris. If word got out, the duke’s estate couldn’t escape blame.

The servants all murmured their assent, trembling with fear. Even without Eloise’s order, none of them would have dared breathe a word.

At this moment, the way everyone looked at Athena had completely changed.

No one would have thought that the carefree Athena could be so terrifying.

Eloise shielded Willow as she led her away, then summoned the house physician to tend to her wounds.

After a flurry of activity, Willow finally fell into a deep sleep.

Perhaps from the shock, Willow kept whimpering and crying in her sleep, her body curled into a tight ball.

Even with Eloise gripping her hand tightly, Willow still couldn’t find any peace.

Michael rode hard all the way to the royal palace. In one fluid motion, he dismounted and strode straight inside.

Suddenly, a strong hand clamped down on Michael’s shoulder.

He spun around to find Nicolas standing behind him, breathing heavily, his face etched with worry.

“Come with me,” Nicolas ordered, his voice rough with urgency.

Michael frowned and shoved Nicolas’s hand away. “Don’t stop me,” he snapped.

He thought, ‘He just wants to keep me from entering the palace. That much is obvious.’

But Michael’s resolve was unshakable; there was no way he’d listen to Nicolas now.

In his desperation, Nicolas snapped, his voice low and urgent. “Michael, are you out of your mind? Don’t kid yourself; none of this is going to win Athena back. Let me tell you, even if you dropped dead right in front of her, she wouldn’t spare you a second glance.”

Michael froze for a moment. He thought bitterly, ‘Yes. Athena truly despises me now.’

Before he could snap out of it, Nicolas seized the moment and yanked him away.

The two of them reached a shaded, secluded spot. Nicolas angrily shook off Michael’s hand, jabbing a finger at his face as he snapped, “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to! You just want to go to the palace and ask the King to grant you a marriage with Athena. But have you ever thought it through? If you use such underhanded tactics to keep her by your side, do you really think she’ll ever appreciate you for it?”

“At least it’s better than throwing her into a living hell!” Nicolas snapped, his anger barely contained. But Michael was even more furious.

He seized Nicolas by the collar and snarled, “You know damn well what the McGee family is like, how could you still want Athena to marry into that mess? She’s your sister!”

Michael’s roar vibrated with barely contained rage.

Michael glared at Nicolas, his eyes blazing with fury.

He thought, ‘I just don’t get it. Why is the whole Monson family turning a blind eye to this? Worse yet, they’re even trying to cover it up. What on earth are they scheming?’

Nicolas’s collar was yanked out of shape by Michael. Having never been treated this way before, Nicolas shoved Michael away, his face cold as ice, and said sharply, “Athena’s marriage was arranged by Lady Gale McGee. Who among us would dare stand in her way?”

“What? Lady McGee came to propose?” Michael’s eyes showed unusual confusion. “How is that possible? She’s always looked down on Athena. Even if she were arranging a marriage for Ferris, she’d surely choose someone of impeccable background, not someone like Athena…”

At this point, he abruptly clamped his mouth shut.

A flicker of guilt passed through his eyes.

But soon, Michael’s eyes suddenly cleared with realization. ‘I know now, it must be Ferris,’ he thought.

Athena had grown up in the countryside. Even after being brought back to the duke’s estate and receiving refined tutoring, she remained worlds apart from those young ladies born into privilege.

What Michael remembered most vividly was the grand birthday party held for Athena. Back then, the duke’s estate had invited most of Pidence City’s high-born ladies to celebrate her.

Among the distinguished guests was none other than Gale.

At the party, some guests began clamoring for Athena to showcase her talents. She had only just started learning to dance and was far from skilled.

As expected, she stumbled and fell to the floor in a most undignified manner, her cheeks burning with shame as the room fell into an awkward silence.

In contrast, Willow was a true prodigy, her grace and talent far surpassed Athena’s in every way.

Michael remembered clearly the undisguised disdain on Gale’s face.

Throughout the party, Gale kept praising Willow, never once mentioning Athena.

It was supposed to be Athena’s homecoming party, yet she remained unnoticed in the shadows.

Despite Athena’s diligent practice of dance and music in later years, Gale’s impression of her never improved.

But Ferris shadowed Athena relentlessly, never leaving her side.

Michael knew exactly what Ferris was thinking.

That was why, whenever Ferris was around, Michael made sure to keep his distance.

Athena would trail behind Michael like a devoted little shadow, never leaving his side.

Back then, Michael felt triumphant. ‘Ferris isn’t worthy of Athena, and I’ll never let him get anywhere near her,’ he thought.

Nicolas paid no heed to such matters; his only concern was his own family.

In a grave voice, he told Michael, “It doesn’t matter who it is. Now that the McGee family has publicly claimed Athena, it’s set in stone and cannot be changed. By going to the King now to ask for a marriage decree, are you trying to bring ruin upon the Monson family?”

Nicolas reminded him sternly, “No matter what Ferris is like, he’s still the King’s nephew.

“Do you really think a mere military honor can force the King to grant a marriage and use royal authority to pressure the McGee family? That’s treating the King as nothing more than a weapon for your own ends.”

For now, the King might rely on the Osborne family and tolerate this, but he would never swallow this insult.

When the time was right, the King would surely take action against the Osborne family.

Michael had clearly taken the words to heart, yet his eyes still burned with defiance.

He clenched his fists so tightly that the veins stood out on his hands. Through gritted teeth, he spat out, “So what, are we just supposed to stand by and watch Athena throw herself into that living hell?”

Nicolas let out a relieved sigh and gave Michael’s shoulder a firm squeeze. “How could you call it a living hell?” he reasoned, “Countless women would kill for that position. Besides, if Athena marries in and bears an heir, she’ll be set for life.”

Michael’s eyes turned icy again, his gaze dripping with scorn as he looked at Nicolas. “Do you actually believe that? You and I both know exactly what Ferris has been through, so why bother deceiving ourselves?”

Before Michael could finish, Nicolas desperately clamped a hand over his mouth. Glancing around nervously, he then hissed in a low, furious whisper, “How could you say that? Are you trying to get us killed?”

Michael scoffed coldly. Though unconvinced, he bit back his words.

His eyes stayed locked on the palace, burning with defiance, his face full of resentment.

Nicolas tugged at his sleeve, but Michael stood firm, refusing to budge.

As the two men stood locked in their stalemate, a young servant came galloping up. Before his horse had even stopped, he hurriedly dismounted and prostrated himself before Michael, exclaiming in panic, “My lord, terrible news! Her Ladyship’s chronic illness has flared up again!”

Kelsey suffered from severe migraines. When the attacks came, the pain was excruciating; she would sometimes bang her head against the wall.

The household took great care to shield her from any worries, their only concern being her health.

After a long period of remission, this sudden and violent relapse could only mean she had suffered some terrible shock.