Chapter 322
Henry slowlyesfuled deeply and closed his eyes briefly,
He clenched his fists so tightly that the veins on the backs of his hands bulged, his eyes surging with insane hatred. “Damn you, Prince Zander, if i ever get the chance, tear you limb from limb”
“Father?” Nicolas’s sharp rebuke cut through the air, his face dark with displeasure.
Nicolas locked eyes with Henry and said in a slow, deliberate tone, “Father, you’re losing your composure”
Henry snapped back to his senses, his eyes clearing somewhat.
There was a knock at the door.
Nicolas’s eyes sparkled with confidence. “Right on time,” he declared.
Nicolas turned to the door and commanded, “Enter”
Ashadowguard entered, dropping to his knees before them. Henry demanded urgently, “How did it po
The shadow guard looked troubled and stammered frantically, “Your Grace, Eloise was incredibly vigilant. After dropped her off outside the city, the simply vanished.”
“Vanished?” Nicolas scoffed in disbelief. “You expect me to believe a full grown person disappeared right under your nose?
The guard looked terrified as he stammered, “I swear on my life that she vanished right under our noses. If Eloise had kept walking down that roads would’ve been shot by us. But we waited for ages, and she never showed up.
“Honestly, Your Grace, I find it baffling too. We searched everywhere, but there’s no sign of her,”
Hearing this, Henry slammed his fist hard on the table, his face dark with anger. He roared, “That damn woman is always soon guard. She must have anticipated my move and gone into hiding.”
Nicolas massaged his temples in frustration. “Then tell me, Father. Where do you think she would be hiding?”
“With the mountains stretching so vast, how could I possibly guess where she’s hiding?” Henry glared furiously at his trusted aide, his voice dripping with malice. “Find her don’t care if you have to turn the whole damn iñountain upside down. Bring her back, dead or alive
The trusted aide stole a trembling glance at Henry, whose face was dark with fury and whose eyes blazed with murderous intent
instantly, he felt a cold sweat prickle across his back,
Your Grace,” the trusted aich replied with a respectful bow, his voice trembling
Margaret’s burial was scheduled for three days later,
On the day of the funeral, dark clouds hung oppressively low
Bome by sixty–four pallbearers, a massive ebony coffin passed through the city gates as flowers swirled through the air like a blizzard of snowflakes.
Athena, clad in white mourning garments, solemnly carried Margaret’s picture as she slowly walked toward the city gates.
Athena had cried hersell dry these past few days, her lace gaunt with get
Had it not been for Xander helping Athena handle Margaret’s teral arrangements, she could never have endured this long on her own.
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Chapter 322
Michael stayed with the Monson family for three days, quietly helping Athena handle all the guests and funeral arrangements.
Michael watched as Athena grew thinner by the day, his heart aching with helpless concern.
Yet, all h
all he could do was
was stay by her side.
From her vantage point in the restaurant, Willow watched the scene unfold, her eyes burning crimson wi
with rage a and jealousy
Willow crushed her handkerchief in a death grip, pashed her teeth, her eyes blazing with venomous hatred,
Willow thought, Athena, that damned bitch. What’s so special about her that all the men are flocking around her like moths to a flame?
‘Especially Michael. He still has Singering ferlings for her. He only has eyes for Athena, When has he ever spared a glance for me?
Willow seethed with growing age. “No way letting Michael and Athena get back together
Wheeling around, she stored downstairs, determined to follow Michael and monitor his every move. She was not about to give those two any chance
to reconcile.
The funeral procession slowly left the city, winding its way into the mountains.
Jessa showed up silently at Athena’s side and whispered urgently, “Willow’s on our tail.”
Athens gave a subtle nod, her eyes conveying silent instructions. Jessa acknowledged with a barely perceptible tilt of her head before sipping stalthily
toward the rear of the procession,
After four hours of solemn marching the funeral procession finally arrived at the burial site.
Margaret’s coffin was lowered into the grave pit. Shovelful by showful, the earth filled the pit until the coffin was gradually swallowed.
Athena knelt before the grave, sobbing as if her heart would break.
No matter how disperately)
ly Athena cried out, Margaret would never answer her again,
As duck deepened, ther mourners slowly dispersed, leaving only Athena kneeling alone before the grave.
She remained lont, her eyes hollow and lifeless
With Margaret’s passing, i it felt as if Athena’s very soul had left with her.
Seeing Athena like this, Michael’s heart twisted in agony
Michael said gently to Athens, “Athena, Margaret surely wouldn’t want to see you grieve like this. You must pull yourself together. She wanted you to live happily and freely”
Athena suddenly looked up, her eyes red rimmed from crying, and food Michael with a determined gaze. “Michael, I have a show for you. Care watch?”
“What kind of show!” Michael asked, a hint of suspicion in his voice
“If you want to see the show, hide behind the bushes Athena said firmly. “No matter what you see or hear, don’t make a sound.”
A cold, steely glint flashed in Athena’s eyes. Michael looked at her with a puzzled expression, but despite his confusion, he nodded. “Alright”
Michael got to feet and slipped bohind the brushes, hiding himself as instructed.
Peering through the foliage, Michael watched Athena intently
Before long, Jessa marched over while dragging Willow along.
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Chapter 322
Jessa slammed Willow down hard in front of Magnet’s pan
When she saw Athens, Willow shrinked
hat are you do!
Beside Magurat’s prave gaped a freshly dog pit. Willow was instantly terrified out of her wits, her adstocrati
Mhena rose and deliveled a brutal kick, sereg Willow tumbling into the pit. Looming over her with icy contempt.
I you. This is for Bicy For
Willow thrashed and writhed in the pit, her eyes wild with panic. “Let me out, Athena, you can’t do thin il you kill me, you’ll never get the Marchioness of Somers. Do youredly think you can escape the consequences?”
Athena sneered. “What if I don’t owe about living –
Athena’s eyes blazed with murderous fury. She looke
» Grim Reaper. The sight left Willow frembling in tampr
Willow was shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face. “No I can’t die I don’t want to die. Athena, please, I’m begging you Let meg. May and Thalia’s deaths had nothing to do with me. Please, you have to believe me
Athena grabbed the shovel and began filling the pit with earth
Dirt rained down on Willow’s body and face. She shrieked uncontrollably, her Marchioness of Somers. If Michael finds out about this, he’ll kill you!”
Athenagored Willow’s desperate pleas Shovelful after shovelful, she hurled dirt onto Willow, burying her up to the w
you gruse madt
Only then did willow realize with a chill that Athana wan’t just trying to scare her. She was deadly serious about killing h
Willow shricked, “I’ll talk. It was Nicolas. He’s behind all of this!”
Duskill like spilled ink, shrouding the desolate graveyard in eerie gloom
The freshly turned earth exuded a damp, metallic scent as a few white flowers swayed eerily in the cold wind. Their shadows wayed acres
Athena’s band frogs mid motion on the shovel, Fising Willow with an icy glare, she demanded, “Why did Nicolas kill Macy and Thalia?”
Willow’s hair was a tangled mess, horface streaked with tears and smeared with dirt.
Willow frantically smeared the dirt and tears across her face with trembling hands, her voice choked with desperation. “They overheard Mother planning. to expose General Perkins, so they tried to war him. I swear that I had nothing to do with any of th
AD
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