Matthew sat by the bed voice full of concern as be gently coaxed her. It''s all right now. Sophie. You''re home. No one''s going
to hurt you again"
Sophie was still curled up eyes swollen and dazed from crying, clutching Anthony arm like it was herst lifeline. She turned to Matthew with a choked voice, trembling as the asked. "Really Tm I''m really home now? I don''t ever have to go back to the pce again
"That''s right. Don''t worry," Matthew rushed to reassure her "The King said it himself—you won''t be chosen as a consort"
But what he didn''t dare tell her was the exact wording of the King''s decree-
Sophie is unruly, uneducated, and utterly unfit for pce life. Shecks the grace and wisdom required of a consort
The King''s words had already spread across Hasen City like wildfire. The part that truly made Sophie infamous was the phrase “utterly unfit to be a consort”
It didn''t just kill any chance of her returning to the pce- crushed all hope for a respectable manage. With those eight words alone, what noble family would ever dare bring her through their doors
Matthew gritted his teeth. "The King was too cruel
Anthony was livid. "Who does he think he is Just because he doesn''t want Sophie doesn''t mean he has to ruin her future!
Both brothers were fuming. When they brought Sophie back from the pce, they had practically carried her in-pale. disoriented, and whimpering in pain. The fury in their hearts nearly made them spit blood
Gabriel mmed a palm onto the deck, his face like thunder. "He did it because he''s the King. That''s all the reason he needs. Matthew snapped. "But the King''s never humiliated the Stonor family like this before. What-just because of the Prince Regent, he thinks he can walk all over you now
Gabriel''s voice tumed cold. "He holdsmand over hundreds of thousands of troops. What do you think?"
"Nn has enough power to stage a rebellion if he wanted to. But no-he insists on ying the loyal guard dog." Heughed bitterly. "It''s pathetic"
If only his martial talent had matched his ancestors. Gabriel believed the military authority of Bortend would be his by now. That throne wouldn''t be held by some half-grown boy-and today''s humiliation would never have happened.
Now, with Sophie lying there, groaning that her whole body hurt barely in her right mind... Matthew and Anthony had half a mind to tell their father to just rebel and be done with it.
Anthony cut in coldly. "Don''t be stupid"
Even Gabriel didn''t have to speak-Anthonyid it all out with ruthless rity. "You want to expose them? With w evidence?
Sophie''s condition looked bad, yes-but there wasn''t a single visible wound on her. No scars, no bruises. Nothing that could hold up under scrutiny.
"The Empress Dowager''s people are too clean." Anthony said grimly. "Even if we found something, do you really think it would make a difference?"
The King himself had once imed it was love at first sight-only to quietly hand Sophie over to the Empress Dowager''s care. Even if evidence surfaced, the most that would happen is a statement like. The servants in the Dowager''s pce were careless
10:47 Sat, 19 Apr
And then what? The King walks free, untouched-
95%
Besides, the Empress Dowager-who had personally supported the young King''s rise-was never going to take their de
"Even if everyone believed Sophie had been set up by the Prince Regent, they''d still w their way into the pce for a shot at power, Anthony finished.
And so, ironically, the Stonor family couldn''t afford to blow this up. Not only would it do no good-it might backfire catastrophically.
Gabriel knew that best of all.
Because deep down, he knew this all started when Sophie desecrated Caroline''s grave.
If they stirred up a scandal now, it wouldn''t be long before the entire city learned that the Stonor family''s adopted daughter had dug up their matriarch''s bones.
Or worse: that the illegitimate daughter had unearthed the legitimate wife''s tomb.
That kind of sin wasn''t just scandalous-it was criminal
So to protect Sophie, they had to bury everything.
Gabriel exhaled slowly, then said, “Enough. Hasen City is no longer an option. We''ll look outside-there are still wealthy districts elsewhere. I''ll find you a suitable match, Sophie. Someone worthy of you."
But before thest word had even settled in the room, Sophie''s face darkened beneath the pillow.
He wanted to send her away? Out of Hasen City? To marry a nobody in some remote province?
Was he out of his mind?
y was everything. Outside was just dust and peasants, What did prosperous towns'' even mean? Merchants?
Hasen City Civilians?
"Those filthymoners? He wants me to marry them?"
Sophie''s heart boiled with rage. Her fingernails dug into the sheets. She was Lady Sophie of the Stonor family. Even if she couldn''t be Empress, she could still be a nobledy in Hasen City-still live in luxury.
She seethed. ''If only Father would make me the official heir-if only he would name me the rightful daughter-then none of this would matter!''
There were
plenty of noble sons in Hasen City. All she needed was the title, and they''d fall over themselves to marry her
''But Father wouldn''t. He never would
Because no matter how much she tried, her mother had never been the legitimate wife.
"Why hadn''t he done it yet?
Unless... unless he never loved her enough to begin with.
Maybe that''s why he was willing to send her away. Why he didn''t care if she
married some merchant
The realization sliced through her like a knife.
"Sophie! Sophie?"
10:47 Sat, 19 Apr
95%
Matthew''s voice snapped her back to reality. He was watching her closely, worry written all over his face. "You''re so pale. Are you all night?"
He waved his hand in front of her, trying to get her attention. Sophie blinked,
returning from her spiraling thoughts. Her gaze shifted between Matthew and
Anthony-and in that moment, a cold, calcting light flickered in her eyes
田
AD
Comment
Send gift
No Ads