Chapter 316
Athena’s fingers clenched the hem of her skut so tightly
knuckles turned white
Araging fire burned in Athena’s chest, scorching her throat dry.
Athena ground her teeth and said to Nicolas, “won’t stand by and watch her de
Nicolas thought Athena had finally relented, and hes heart eased. Before he could even stile, Athena continued coldly, “I will send everyt hurt Grandfather to prison. I cannot forgive them on his behall, nor for the more than one hundred members of the Manson family
“The day I risked my life walking out of the duke’s estate over those blades, I’d already repaid any debt to all of you. Don’t you dare speak to me of for anymore. That woman doesn’t deserve to be called my mother, and refuse to acknowledge her as such.”
Athena suddenly looked up, her gaze, like dagreis of ice beneath her lashes. Hur voice turned glacial. “You brought this ruin upon yourselves. This is nothing but retribution.”
Nicolas stared at Athena in shock, as if he were looking at a monster,
Nicolas pleaded. “But you’re my sister, Athena. Mother may have made countless mistakes, but she was only trying to protect her
asking for anything else. Just say a few kind words to spare her life, is that really too much to ask?
Nicolas roared in anguish. He knew that Eloisa’s crimes were grave
rave enough to warrant her execution
Nicolas wasn’t asking for Eloise’s freedom. He only begged Athena to show mercy and spare Eloise’s life.
But Athena wouldn’t even grant this mercy. Nicolas felt that her heart was truly made of stone
Athena glared at Nicolas, her voice trembling with anger. “Why should the entire Monson family pay for her crimes? Do you
realize how many died
on the road to exile? There were children. Some were evan babies who were not yet two years old. How utterly innocent these people were
“You care for your mother, but weren’t their lives just as precious? Tell me, Nicolas. Who’s truly the heartless one here
Athena scoffed coldly, her heart hammering so violently it threatened to burst through her ribs.
She said, “When it comes to cruelty, every last one of you in the duke’s estate outdoes vipers a hundredfold. I survived by her dumb luck, not becaus you ever showed me mercy. Would you dare claim that if I had stayed in that estate, you would have ever spared mel
Nicolas stared at Athena in stunned silence, utterly speechless.
Nicolas’s eyes darted around frantically. A strained, unconvincing reply escaped his throat as he forced out, “You’re my sister, Athena, How could I ever wish you dead?”
Athena scotted coldly.
y, her lips–cuding into a mocking smile. “Do you honestly believe that?”
Nicolas looked into Athena’s deappointed eyes, and hip resolve suddenly wavered.
He thought, “Wasn’t it precisely because Athena had hurt Willow that exiled her to the military camp in the first place?
For three whole years, I turned a blind eye and abandoned Athena to her late
Athena loaths us with every fiber of her being
“But I couldn’t just leave like this. What about my mother? What about the duke’s estate?”
Nicolas’s face twisted with remorse as he desperately pleaded nuth Athena, “I was truly wrong. Please, water, to you.”
me another chance. Let me make it up
chance. Let me maki
1/3
Chapter 316
Athena didn’t believe a single word he said. She scoffed, “Lord Hicolas, no longer a todder
“After three years of i
cwanted was to stay away from you. İneverence harfiored
Grandfather’s case, Iwill never yield an inch”
Athena looked at Nicolas coldly and sneered, “The only reason I broke ties with you people was because you’d never scho
I kne
let me go. tavid scheme t squeeze every last ounce of worth from me
“Had you known about my medical skills, you would’ve kept me locked up in this estate forever. So, telle
with each word Mhers uttered, a little more color dermed from fiendat’s far
Nicolas suddenly couldn’t bring himself to meet Athena’s gaze. Her words laid bare the thoughts he’d been concsal
Athena continued, “You would have sold me to Fermin without a second thought, even if it meant making wronged that way. Instead, you w would say that I have gotten the best deal of my life.
“in your eyes, I’ve never been a real person, just a commodity to be traded at the highest price
“You’d stop at nothing to squeeze every last drop of benefit, just to cling to your laughable title ars
title as heir ap
Athena’s smile grew even more brazen as she stepped forward, towering over Nicolas. The sneered, “You fancy yourself a grous, cloaked in your he mantle and lording it over everyone. But let me tell you this.
“You’re not half as capable as you think. You’re mediocre, devoid of wit. All that superiority comes solely from your title. Strip that away, and you‘ worth less than the lowliest person in this world.”
Nicolas’s face turned deathly pale from Athena’s scathing words, his lips trembling uncontrollably
His eyes were bloodshot. Nicolas glared at Athena and felt that he was stripped bare like a humiliated clown with
d comple
Nicolas protested indignantly, “You’re spouting utter conse
Fnonsense, Muconbutions to the duke’s estate all these years are plain as day!
Athena cut him off with a sneer, “Come on now. The only reason the duke’s estate is still standing is that Grandmother held it together. The business wri
Fiona’s doing Even your position as vice minister of the Justice Ministry came from the duke pulling strings for you.
“You’re blind and clueless, so you ended up letting outsiders twistyou around their finger, while turning ruthlessly on your own family. The downfall of the duke’s estate rests entirely on your shoulders.
“You have achieved absolutely nothing. How dare you parade as the heir apparent?”
Every word Athena uttered struck Nicolas’s rawest nerves
Nicolas’s eyes widened in disbelieving shock, utterly refusing to acknowledge the harsh truth
He said.
- NO.
I’m not the useless fool you take me for have contributed to the duke’s estater”
Nicolas shrieked impotently, unable to produce a single shred of evidence
Athena watched Nicolas fall apart, sneering inwardly. “Even your so–called affection for Willow was for personal gain, refuse to believe you’d go to such lengths to protect someone who shares no blood with you.”
Nicolas blurted out desperately, “No! I truly love Willow..
Maybe it was the shock, but Nicolas blurted out the words without thinking.
A sudden silence fell, Everyone stared at him in utter astonishment
Chapter 316
Nicolas free in place, his eyes aide with shock as he gasped desperately for breath like a stranded frik
Athena’s eyes widened slightly. This revelation came as quite a surp
rprise taber
43 12%에
Athena had always believed Nicolas simply favored Willow a bit more than sual, but she never imagined he harbored genuine romantic feelings for her
“But she’s your sister. How could you possibly be in love with her? Do you even have any sense of moraly!” Athena felt waves of nausea chum in her
stomach
Nicolas, flustered and scrambling to hacktrack, blurted out, “It’s not what you think. We’re just siblings. It’s purely sibling affection!”
Yet his feeble explanation convinced no one
ednoo
Even Trina scoffed coldly and said, “Lord Nicolas, those words are already out. How could you possibly take them back now! You’d better before you sully my lady’s presence any further.”
Jessa stopped forward, sword in hand, her eyes brimming with mockery, “Lord Nicolas, please see yourself out.”
Nicolas stared at their mocking faces, a searing pain tearing through his chest
Overwhelmed by rage and humiliation, Nicolas spewed a mouthful of fresh blood and collapsed unconscious
“My Lord, are you okay?” the attendant cried out in panic while rushing forward to lift him up and carry him back to the duke’s
With the commotion at the entrance finally dying down, Athena gazed at the sky clearing up in the distance, a faint smile gracing her lips. “Now that we have both witnesses and evidence, doesn’t this mean Grandfather’s family can finally return to Pidence City?”
Trina chimed in. “Rest assured, my lady. General Perkins will be safe and sound.”
Grandfather will surely be safe, Athena said with conviction.
E
AD
Comment
