"Eliza, I don''t recall ever offending you that badly... did 12" Anthony looked at her for a long moment before cautiously. speaking.
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Eliza''s tone was cool, her gaze edged with mockery. "Anthony, did you already forget what you just said? If you truly believed you hadn''t wronged me, why would youe all the way here to apologize and beg for forgiveness? Sounds a little contradictory, don''t you think?"
Anthony narrowed his eyes and replied, "When you suddenly became a nun, Father, Sophie, and Benedict were all worried sick. As your brother, naturally I was worried too. I only used a bit of trickery to bring you back to the Stonor family-and now that I think about it, it might''ve been too much. That''s why I came to apologize."
"A bit of trickery!" Elizaughed, incredulous. "If you really saw me as your sister, you wouldn''t have used that kind of trickery on me."
"It was just some powder to make you more obedient," Anthony said, utterly unrepentant. "It wasn''t poison. I didn''t try to kill you. You''re overreacting. And besides, didn''t you already get your revenge?"
Eliza didn''t even dignify that with a reply. Instead, she turned her head slightly. Tina."
At her call, a shadow appeared behind Anthony before he could react. Eliza''s voice rang out, calm and chilling:
"Strip her. Let Mr. Bradford have a good look."
"Yes," Tina answered coolly, already drawing her de.
"Stop her!" Gabriel snapped, lunging forward and dragging his son away just in time.
Though Anthony narrowly avoided losing any limbs, Tina''s de still grazed his arm-leaving a deep sh and sending a jolt of cold panic through him. His already pale face turned ghost-white.
Gabriel gritted his teeth. "Are you insane, Eliza? This is the front gate of Saint Grace Nunnery, your sacred ce of ordination! You dare spill blood here and desecrate the holy ground?"
Eliza''s voice was sharp as ice. The sanctity of Saint Grace was already defiled the moment the likes of you came sniffing around. Besides, I didn''t kill him. What are you panicking for?"
She turned back to Anthony, a cruel smile on her lips. "And you? Why so scared? It was just a little trick to make you behave-wasn''t that what you called it? It''s not like you''re dead. Who knows, maybe you''ll get your revenge someday too." Her words hit harder than Tina''s sword. Anthony red at her, hatred simmering in his eyes, but Eliza had already turned away, thoroughly uninterested.
"Enough. I assume you''re not here to watch me waste time arguing with Anthony," she said, brushing the matter off. "If you''ve got something to say, say it."
Gabriel forced his son to stand still, then looked at Eliza and said. "Yesterday''s little performance may havended me a fall in court, but I''m guessing that only served Nn''s interests. So let''s stop ying games. Tell me what you really want. L make a deal."
He still assumed it was Nn pulling the strings, not realizing it was Eliza herself who orchestrated the entire scheme-for no other reason than revenge.
Eliza looked at him nkly. Then she smiled. "Of course we can talk. But since you came knocking on my door, shouldn''t you be the one to show some sincerity first! That''s how a proper deal works, don''t you agree?"
Gabriel''s eyes narrowed, something cold shing in their depths. "You''ve
changed, he muttered. "Ever since you left the Stonor family, every time I see you, you''re less and less like the daughter I once knew."
496%
She didn''t even blink. To not your daughter annore fuit it perfectly normal that I don''t
But it wasn''t normal. Not at all.
tart like ones
He remembered-before liering-of-age ceremony, she''d made him something. He crad exactly, only the look on her face-bright, eager, filled with hope.
She''d been so innocent back then.
remember what it was
But now, looking at the cold, unreadable woman in front of him, it was like staring at a stranger. His mind snapped back to that moment. "That day-before youring-of-age ceremony-you made something for me. Do you remember what it
was?
Eliza stared at him for a long moment, silent.
Just as he thought she wasn''t going to answer, she gave a soft chuckle and said dismissively, "No idea. If I forgot, then it couldn''t have been that important. No point remembering now
Her voice turned cold. "Are you here to negotiate or waste my time? If you''re not serious, then leave. I''ve got herbs to sort. scriptures to copy, and Nn''s still waiting for me.
Gabriel frowned, shaken. "Fine. We''ll continue."
He took a breath, steeling himself. I have three conditions. First, release Sophie from the pce unharmed. Second, quash the rumors circting in the capital. Third, return your mother''s remain."
Eliza''s expression iced over. "One-we can discuss Two-impossible. What rumors? Everything that''s been said is true. And three-forget it. We talk about the first point, or we don''t talk at all."
Gabriel''s re sharpened, his eyes dark with pressure
But Eliza wasn''t intimidated in the slightest. She turned to leave. "Well? Are we negotiating, or are you done wasting my
Gabriel''s jaw tightened, his voice low with rage. We''re negotiating"
That was all she needed to hear.
Eliza turned back, her voice clear and direct. "I want Scecrest Manor and Oriphoenix Building outside Hasen City. They were gifts from my maternal grandfather when my mother first became pregnant with me. But Sophie coveted them, and you-my ever-so-fair father-and your darling sons decided to hand them over to her.
Her gaze was sharp as a de, and she smiled bitterly.
Anthony''s face twisted. "You were always so greedy, fighting Sophie over
everything, Weren''t you already given more than enough as the Stonor family''s
heir? It was just a manor and a restaurant-we even offered you alternatives, and you were the one who refused Who''s to me for that?"
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