Chapter 58: Be Cast Aside

Harlan returned and relayed Isolde’s words precisely as she had spoken them.

Geoffrey’s face darkened with fury. “She expects me to apologize to her? What has she done to deserve that? So unrelenting, so insufferable—no wonder even Margaret wouldn’t take her as a daughter-in-law. She would rather welcome a morally corrupt Eleanor than accept Isolde, the legitimate daughter of Duke’s estate.”

“You know full well that has nothing to do with Isolde’s character,” Harlan said evenly. “Margaret is simply strengthening her alliance with Milton. She needs military power in her faction.”

Geoffrey waved his hand dismissively. “No need to concern yourself. Let her act as she pleases. My relationship with Mr. Becker is longstanding—he will grant me this favor and drop the matter. And as long as he does not pursue it, the Velmont family will not dare to cast Michelle aside.”

“Michelle was clearly involved in framing Isolde,” Harlan reminded him.

“Sisters squabbling in the inner court is normal,” Geoffrey replied coldly. “But once such disputes spill beyond these walls, they become disgraceful.”

Then, after a pause, he ordered, “Prepare my horse. I will go to Southern Watch myself.”

Harlan hesitated for a moment, then let out a quiet sigh. “If Geoffrey had ever gone to such lengths for Isolde, perhaps she wouldn’t have become so hardened.”

Geoffrey’s expression twisted, something unreadable flashing through his eyes.

Doug had been busy ever since returning to Argentum. He had spent the previous day in the palace for an audience with the King and had since been occupied at Southern Watch, investigating the Shadowmere case and the Wolf Mountain incident. He had already pieced together the truth. Between Isolde’s and Lord Theodric’s abduction to Wolf Mountain, and all the strange occurrences surrounding it, Doug was no fool—he knew exactly what had happened.

“Mr. Becker, Geoffrey Langley has arrived,” his guard announced.

Doug’s expression remained unreadable, but his grip on his coffee cup tightened. He had shared the battlefield with Geoffrey for years. He knew what kind of man he was. Geoffrey had told Oliver outright that Milton was entangled in this affair. And yet, when it came down to it, he had acted as though he saw nothing. Montlins Manor… he had handled it like a complete fool.

Doug exhaled slowly, pushing down the anger rising within him. After a moment, he set his cup down and strode toward the side hall. Geoffrey had been waiting for a short while when Doug entered. He stood to greet him. “Mr. Becker, I appreciate you seeing me.”

The two sat down, and Geoffrey wasted no time getting to the point. “Mr. Becker, I came today regarding the situation at Montlins Manor. As you know, it was merely a misunderstanding between sisters. There is no need to escalate it any further. Let us put it behind us.”

Doug raised a hand, cutting him off. His expression turned icy. “I’m sorry, Mr. Langley, but if you’ve come seeking a favor, then on any other matter, I might grant it. We have been acquaintances for over a decade, after all. But this matter? This cannot be ignored.”

Geoffrey was taken aback. He had not expected Doug to reject him so outright. He had assumed Doug wouldn’t press the issue. But if there was even the slightest chance Isolde would seek Doug’s intervention, it was best to preemptively smooth things over. Yet here was Doug, shutting the door in his face.

“Mr. Becker, it is not as serious as you think,” Geoffrey argued. “Isolde was not harmed in the end.”

Doug’s eyes turned sharp as a blade. His tone dropped to an arctic chill. “If I had not returned in time, do you think Isolde would have been unharmed?”

The shift in Doug’s demeanor sent an unexpected chill down Geoffrey’s spine. He had known Doug for many years. People spoke of Doug’s ruthlessness, but Geoffrey had never feared him. And yet, in this moment, as Doug’s icy gaze locked onto him, he felt the full weight of that reputation.

Doug continued, his voice unwavering. “Isolde is your daughter. Whether you choose to protect her or not is your decision. But she is my apprentice. From the day I took her in, I told her this: I will guard her honor, her life, and when the time comes, she will see to my death and my burial. So let me be clear, Geoffrey—if you had insulted me personally, I might have overlooked it for the sake of our past camaraderie. But you stood by while others tried to destroy my apprentice. That, I will not forgive.”

Geoffrey was momentarily speechless. Doug’s words hit him harder than he expected.

Doug rose to his feet. His voice carried finality. “One last thing—if you will not protect her, at the very least, do not aid those who would harm her.”

Then, without another word, he turned to the guards outside. “Escort him out.”

For the first time in his life, Geoffrey Langley had been dismissed like a common petitioner. He was accustomed to being treated with respect, even now when he held little power. No one had ever dared to humiliate him so openly. His initial shock quickly turned to embarrassment, then simmered into anger.

What was so special about Isolde that Doug would go to such lengths for her? His face darkened. “If that is your stance, then I have nothing more to say. Goodbye.”

With that, he turned and left. Doug watched him go, his fingers trembling with suppressed rage. “Unbelievable.”

Oliver stepped out from the back of the hall, where he had been listening the entire time.

“You’ve dealt with Geoffrey before,” Oliver said casually. “He is not a heartless man. And yet, when it comes to this daughter of his, he is colder than ice.”

Doug exhaled, his fury slowly ebbing. “That’s what baffles me. Geoffrey loved Prunella deeply. When they wed, he defied Garrett Sharp’s wishes to be with her. Even when Prudence tried to force him to take a concubine, he refused—until she threatened to kill herself and arranged for Matilda to serve him while he was drunk. So tell me, why would a man who defied everything for his wife turn around and be so indifferent—no, outright cruel—to her only daughter?”

Oliver studied him. “You seem to know a great deal about Duke’s estate.”

Doug gave him a wry look. “When I took Isolde in as my apprentice, I had to do my due diligence. The Langley family is… peculiar.”

Oliver noted the weight in his tone but didn’t press further. Whatever suspicions Doug held, they were not his concern.

Meanwhile, back at Duke’s estate, Geoffrey had barely left the house when Isolde arrived at Matilda’s quarters. She had no intention of letting this matter rest. Even if she had been willing to, Doug certainly would not. Rather than let him deal with it, she would strike first.

Matilda, having been confined since her return from Montlins Manor, had been fretting over Geoffrey’s reaction. When the only consequence was house arrest, she had finally exhaled in relief.

“At the end of the day, he still cares for Milton. He wouldn’t go too far against me,” she assured Anne and Ryker.

Anne smirked. “Of course. You and Geoffrey have been husband and wife for years. Why would he throw all that away over Isolde?”

But Ryker, his face marred by the wound Isolde had given him, was far less optimistic. He had seen firsthand how ruthless Isolde could be. Had Geoffrey truly punished her, she might have been satisfied. But a mere house arrest? There was no way she would let that slide. A bad feeling coiled in his gut. He had made an enemy of Isolde, and now, for the first time, he regretted it.