?Chapter 821:


    My heart leapt as realization dawned—this had to be Antoni’s doing. A lifeline, perfectly timed.


    I didn’t miss a beat. Sorrow instantly painted my face as I choked out, “My mother… she’s gravely ill, with precious little time left. Her one dream was to see mee into the pce, to glimpse the ce where my sister once lived.” Tears spilled down my cheeks, each one a carefully calcted stroke to sell the illusion. “Your Highnesses, if you must punish me, I beg you—grant me this one mercy. Let me care for my mother in her final moments. I swear on my very soul, when the timees, I will not resist. I will submit to any judgment you see fit.”


    I raised my gaze, letting my eyes brim with desperation as I clutched my dress tightly in trembling hands. I didn’t need to look too hard to notice the shift in their expressions—the sharp edge of suspicion in their eyes was softening. Inside, I exhaled a silent sigh of relief. Anthea’s name—oh, sweet Anthea—was like a divine shield, warding off their wrath just when I needed it most.


    Bryan’s scrutinizing gaze lingered on me for a long, agonizing moment. Then, with a dismissive wave, he said, “Enough. You may go.”


    His words were a gift from the gods. The suffocating tension in my chest eased, and it felt like I’d been released from a noose.


    “Thank you, Your Highness,” I said, my voice filled with genuine-sounding gratitude. Rising quickly, I bowed deeply before practically fleeing the dungeon.


    Antoni’s POV:


    I crouched in the shadows of a damp, dimly lit corner near the pce dungeon, my eyes locked on the exit with unwavering focus.


    Soon enough, Evelyn appeared, her steps cautious and her face pale, a tremor of unease written across her features.


    With a slight nod from me, my subordinate stepped forward, escorting Evelyn to where I stood waiting.


    “Sir, thank goodness you arrived in time! If you hadn’t—”


    Evelyn’s words spilled out in a hurried rush, but I silenced her with a sharp raise of my hand, my brows furrowing impatiently. “What did the three princes say to you?”


    Her gaze dropped, and her voice lowered to a near whisper. “All three of them are beginning to suspect me. I can’t afford to make any reckless moves right now.”


    I nodded, my voice cold and steady. “It’s already been arranged. For now, use your mother’s illness as a reason to leave the pce. Consider it a chance toy low and avoid suspicion.”


    “Understood,” Evelyn replied, her tone solemn.


    “However,” I added thoughtfully, my eyes narrowing, “there’s something else I need you to handle. Once you’re out of the pce, focus on uncovering Makenna’s whereabouts. Be ready to act whenever I give the word.”


    Her eyes widened in surprise, a flicker of confusion crossing her face. “Makenna hasn’t been captured yet? With how much she dotes on her son, I thought she’d willingly stay.”


    The mention of her son sent a wave of anger surging through me. My voice dropped,ced with venom. “I thought so too. That despicable woman should have stayed to suffer for her little bastard, but no—herpanion had the nerve to knock her out and whisk her away!”


    “What about the child?” Evelyn asked, her tone urgent. “If we still have him, we can use him to force her hand.”


    “Gone!” I snapped, my fists clenching as frustration burned through me. “I sent men to seize the brat, but when they arrived at the house, it waspletely abandoned. The boy and that old hag vanished like smoke, and we have no clue where they went!”


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