?Chapter 942:


    She broke down again, this time in loud, hupping sobs, her face buried in her hands as if reliving the unspeakable horror.


    “I…” Alden, standing stiffly to the side, paled. His mouth opened, then closed, his throat bobbing as if struggling to force out words. His hands shot up in a frantic, defensive gesture, but his tongue stumbled over itself, leaving him flustered and desperate.


    I exhaled slowly, my unease sharpening into certainty. Something wasn’t right.


    Stepping forward, I rested a hand on Alden’s shoulder, grounding him. “Breathe,” I murmured, low enough for only him to hear. “Just tell them the truth. The princes will ensure justice.”


    Alden swallowed hard, my steady tone seeming to anchor him. With a shaky inhale, he lowered his head and finally spoke. “I—I don’t even know what happened. At noon, I had a few drinks. I started feeling strange—dizzy, out of it. I thought I’d go lie down for a bit, and then… I don’t remember anything else.”


    “Lies!” Evelyn’s shrill voice cut through the air. Her previous disy of vulnerability had vanished in an instant. Her eyes zed with unfiltered rage. “You were perfectly fine! You knew exactly what you were doing! You tried to force yourself on me, and now you’re pretending to be clueless! How dare you act innocent!”


    Her usations mmed into Alden like a dozen punches, leaving the room thick with an unbearable tension. Who was telling the truth?


    Makenna’s POV:


    Evelyn’s cheeks were stained with fresh tears, her face a portrait of anguish. She wept openly, her hands trembling as she wiped at her eyes, her voice fragile and wavering, as though it might dissolve into silence at any second.


    “Your Highnesses, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Pierce, I beg of you, you must seek justice for me!”


    Her words were broken, choked with sobs, heavy with sorrow and desperation. “I took this job at the tavern to support my ailing mother. I’ve always kept to myself, never stirring trouble, but today…”


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    Her voice cracked, rising in pitch as fresh tears spilled down her face. “Today, while I was cleaning one of the upstairs rooms, Alden burst in and he… he tried to force himself on me! I fought back, but he struck me! If I hadn’t gotten away, I fear what might have happened…”


    With a shaking hand, she pushed back her hair, revealing a vivid, swollen handprint on her left cheek. The bruise was dark and angry, a stark, unsettling mark against her skin.


    Alden stood frozen, his face drained of color, his lips trembling as though words were trapped in his throat.


    Maia’s eyes widened in shock, her voice trembling with disbelief. “This can’t be true! My brother would never do something so vile! He’s been honorable since childhood. How could he stoop to such cruelty?”


    Dayton’s brow furrowed, his tone cautious. “Surely there’s been some mistake. Alden’s character is beyond reproach. How could he be capable of such disgraceful behavior?”


    I shared their skepticism. Knowing Alden as I did, I couldn’t believe he would evermit such an atrocity.


    I turned to the princes, ready to urge them to investigate the matter thoroughly, but before I could speak, Evelyn copsed to her knees with a heart-wrenching cry.


    “Your Highnesses, I beg for justice! Since my sister’s death, my mother’s health has declined. We’ve been struggling to survive in Marehelm, and now this…”


    Her voice was raw with grief, her pain palpable.


    At the mention of her sister, a shadow crossed Bryan’s face. Dominic’s expression grew distant, his lips pressed into a thin line, while yton’s fists clenched, his knuckles whitening.


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