Chapter 315
Nicolas stared at Xander in stunned silence, utt
utterly speechless.
Only now did Nicolas truly realize what Athena had endured these past three years.
Every single scar on A
scar on Athena’s body had come from her years in the military camp
Nicolas thought. When Athena came home, all had done was stare at her with cold indifference. I didn’t lift a finger to help her
Worse yet, I even blamed her for the ill fitting clothes.
He had never once considered what horrors Athena might have endured in the military camp, let alone thought about rescuing her.
All they ever did was blame and despise fiet
They goed her sufferings and only focused on pampering Willow
Nicolas realized that this was so wrong.
He thought, it wasn’t that I didn’t care about Athena. But with Willow’s frail health, I simply couldn’t treat them equally
But only now that he was pushed to the brink of despair, he finally realized that this agony was what Athena had to endure day after day.
“Athena, she..” Nicolas suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his chest. He tried desperately to call out Athena’s name, but before he could finish, Ansel roughly shoved a filthy rag into his mouth, cutting him off.
Cloaked in ley fury, Xander said coldly, “You don’t even deserve to speak her name.”
Xander gave a dismissive wave, his expression unyielding, “Get out,”
Nicolas’s eyes widened in sheer terror as he shook his head frantically. He tried to speak, but with the rag still in his mouth, only muffed protests
escaped
“I can’t leave. How could I just stand by and watch Mother suffer in my place? Nicolas thought desperately, his heart wrenching with guilt
But whether to stay or go wasn’t Nicolas’s decision to make.
Nicolas was unceremoniously tossed out of the dungeon by the guards.
With a heavy thud, Nicolas crashed to the ground.
A panicked crying out. “Nicolas are you all right?”
Nicolas looked up to see Henry’s face etched with concer
He clutched Henry’s arm desperately, his voice raw with urgency as he demanded, “Father, why did you lat Mother take my place?”
Nicolas had just come back from the brink of death, He knew all too will the torment of that dungeon
Eloise was his mother. He could not possibly let her suffer this.
His eyes were bloodshot from crying, his heart filed with nothing but rage and despair,
As the heir to the dukedom, Nicolas was powerless to save his mother.
Henry hung his head in silence, Aher a long, heavy sigh, he finally said, “Let’s return to the duke’s estates. We talk about this there.”
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Chapter 315
scolas shouted hysterically. “No, I’m not leaving. Father, you must save Mother. She’ll die in that he tholai
Nicolas had always been too proud. He had never groveled before anyone be this.
Henry averted his gare uncomfortably from Nicolas’s face it declared coldly, from the moment she stepped through the gates of the duke ata, the ceased to be the Duchess of Suffield. Your mother and Lare already divorced.”
“What?” Nicolas’s eyes flew open in shock, his voice barely above a whisper “Mother actually divorced you?”
Henry nodded slowly. “Only by severing her ties with the duke’s estate could we avoid being implicated. This was all her own choice. She did it
Henty placed a firm hand on Nicolas’s shoulder, gave it a heavy pat, and said gravely, “Your mother wa
was an extraordinary woman
Nicolas felt as if his very backbone had been ripped out. He collapsed to the ground in utter defeat, his face twisted into a grotesque senile even as tears streamed down uncontrollably.
He said, “To save me, you threw Mother into that dungeon, and yet you have the audacity to call her extraordinary? Father, how could you be so
Henry’s eyes darted nervously as he explained, “Son, this wasn’t my doing Your mother couldn’t bear to see you in distress. Besides, if she madní to the dungeon, Athena would never have let her off the hook…
“Better one survives than both perish”
Nicolas suddenly bellowed. “But she’s my mother, the one who bore and raised me. How could you be so heartless? How could you?
Nicolas broke down in sobs, whimpering like a
a caged b
dbeast
“Even if escaped, I could never live with myself for the rest of my life, Nicolas thought bitterly
Henry sighed heavily and patted Nicolas on the shoulder. “Only by keeping you safe can preserve the duke’s estate, Nicolas Don’t blame being heartless. The truth is, this pains me more than it does you,”
[your]
ther for
Nicolas’s eyes widened with sudden realization as he stared blankly ahead. “There’s still a way. I’ll go beg Athena‘ get on my knees and apologies f she just says the word, Mother will be safer”
Nicolas bolted toward Athena’s residence like a man possessed. Henry called aher him repeatedly, but Nicolas never once glanced back
Storm clouds swallowed the sun is a sudden downpour crashed down.
Soaked to the bone and utterly wretched, Nicolas fell to his knees in the pouring rain outside Athena’s door. His voice was raw with desperation as he cried out, “Athena, I was wrong, Please, I’m begging you. Show some mercy and spare Mother”
With every word he uttered, he slammed his forehead to the ground.
Rain and tears streamed down his face, leaving him a pitiful, drenched mess
Inside, Trina clenched her teeth in fury, “How disgusting these people aret They’re the ones who did wrong, yet they still have the gall to come here and trouble you, Lady Athena. Let me go chase him away”
A stoly glint flashed in Athena’s eyes as she gazed anxiously toward Margaret’s courtyard, her brow knitting with concern
Margaret was well aware of everything that had happened these past few days
However, unwilling to let Athena down, she deliberately kept out of sight
But Athena knew Margaret still couldn’t let go of the duke’s estate
If Athena didn’t go out, Nicolas would never leave.
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Chapter 315
Athena sighed in resignation.
Trina quickly unfurled an umbrella and followed closely
there as she headed outside.
Under the eaves, Hagaret watt hearinly outde, her face etched with worry
She heard Nicolas agnizing cries.
Each cry pierced Margaret’s heart bike a dagger
Knowing that Margaret couldn’t let go of the duke’s estate, Gwen Denison gerdly advised her, “Your Ladyship, please forgive m
but Lady Athena has only post begun to enjoy a few days of peare You must let sentiment cloud pour judgment again and put her was out position”
Margaret nodded wearily. “It’s precisely for Athena’s again
I’ve kept myself hidden. I’ve already b
“I know they’re reaping what they’ve seen, but my heart just can’t let go. Must our family’s century–old legacy truly
Gwen fell silent. She knew Margaret still ached for the duke’s estate, which she had built with her own hands
But now Athena and the duke’s estate were locked in bitter conflict. Athena was determined to aveng
It was an impossible situation. There was no way to solve it.
Margaret gazed at the relentless rain, heaved a long weary sigh, and slowly retreated inside
She had done her utmost for the Manson family.
She would leave the rest to fade
At the doorstep, Athena stood atop the steps, her frosty gaze feed on Nicolas below.
She asked, “What is this spectacle, Your Lordship? The duke’s estate ruined my maternal grandfather’s entire family, there you are wailing and pleading for forgiveness. Never have I seen the guilty play the victim so brazenly.”
Athina remained utterly unmoved. Her gate
Nicolas, burning with seething hatred and icy contempt
Nicolas burned with shame. He knew full well he had no right to beg Athena for anything.
But for Eloise, Nicolas had no choice but to humble himself and beg
Nicolas shuffled forward on his knees, his voice breaking as he pleaded, “Athena, I know I have no right to face you, but she’s our mother. No matter what she’s done, she still brought you into this world. How can you just stand by and watch her diet
AD
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