?Chapter 945:


    I let my words hang in the air, watching their reactions.


    yton was the first to break the silence. He stroked his chin thoughtfully. “You raise a valid point. We’ve noticed her odd behavior before. But because she looks so much like Anthea, it’s been difficult for us to be… objective. Every time we see her, we’re reminded of Anthea’s kindness.”


    I understood their hesitation. The three princes had always been men of loyalty and gratitude. Anthea had been their savior, and Evelyn, bearing such an uncanny resemnce to her, naturally evoked their sympathy. But sentimentality had clouded their judgment.


    Their judgment had been clouded for too long. I straightened my posture. “Then we need to go back to the beginning. If we want answers, we need to start at the root.”


    The princes turned their attention to me, waiting for me to exin.


    “The first step,” I continued, “is confirming whether Evelyn is truly Anthea’s sister. That could tell us everything we need to know about her motives.”


    Bryan exhaled sharply, waving a dismissive hand. “We already investigated that long ago. She is indeed Anthea’s sister.”


    “No,” I interjected. “How can you be so certain the information you gathered before was urate?”


    His expression hardened. “Are you questioning me? I oversaw that investigation personally. There’s no way we got it wrong.”


    I shook my head resignedly. At this point, Evelyn’s true identity was too critical to leave any room for error.


    I held my ground, unwilling to let this slip away. “Your Highness, this isn’t about questioning your ability. But circumstances have changed, and we can’t afford to rely on old conclusions. Evelyn’s mother is in Marehelm, isn’t she? That’s our starting point. If she truly is Anthea’s mother, a few careful questions might reveal more than we expect.”


    Makenna’s POV:


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    My words enlightened the three princes. Their faces brightened with understanding, and they all agreed with nods.


    I was entirely devoted to resolving this issue quickly to exonerate Alden and protect him from unnecessary trouble.


    “Since that’s the case, you should carry out an extensive investigation. I’m heading out now.” Seeing their agreement with my suggestion, I was eager to turn and take my leave.


    I also intended to return and ask Jett about any potential magic potions that could have left Alden in such a dazed state.


    But just as I moved to leave, Bryan suddenly caught my wrist. He held it tightly, and I could feel the warmth of his palm. Instinctively, I scowled and turned to face him.


    Bryan’s eyes locked onto mine, filled with curiosity. “Where exactly are you heading off to?”


    I frowned and said urgently, “Of course I’m going to find out the truth and vindicate Alden.”


    At my words, Bryan narrowed his eyes suspiciously, his curiosity intensifying.


    He moved closer. I felt his warm breath on my face as he whispered, “What’s your rtionship with Alden? Why are you so concerned about him?”


    His question caught me off guard. Memories of what happened between me and Alden stirred unease in me, and I felt my cheeks flush slightly.


    “I see Alden as my younger brother. With him being falsely used, I must step in to help.” I awkwardly withdrew my hand from his grasp, avoiding his eyes as I spoke.


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