From Slave To Queen (by Karyn Anderson) novel Chapter 226

Chapter 226

At these words, both Nicolas’s and Henry’s eyes widened.

Henry sprang to his feet in shock and inated, “Nonsensel Mother has always been in good health. How could the font collapse like that?

He was convinced the physician was spouting utter nonsense.

with a desperate look, the physician swore, “Sir, I would never dare deceive you. If Lady Margaret does not merele proper treatment, she she won’t lad another fortnight.”

“How how could this be? Henry stammered, collapsing into his chair, his eyes glazed with helpless confusion.

At that moment, Henry was consumed with bitter remorse.

“If I’d known, I would never have agreed to poison her. If this gets out, be branded a monster who killed his own mother Henry thought desperately

Nicolas also grew anxious. “Then then even the imperial physicians can’t cure her?”

The physician looked troubled and said respectfully, “I can’t say for certain myself, Lord Nicolas. Perhaps you could invite Dr. Harding to take a look.”

Nicolas immediately summoned a

la page boy and barked, “Make hastel Fetch Dr. Harding now!”

Half an hour later, Dr. Harding arrived, carrying his medical kit.

Dr. Harding first went to examine Margaret. Afterwards, he bowed respectfully to Nicolas, his face full of regret. “Lord Nicolas, her condition is beyond my skill to treat,” he said apologetically. “It would be best to seek counsel from a more capable physician

Nicolas stared in shock. “It was just a poisonous mushroom…how did it come to this?”

But little did Nicolas know that Margaret had always been frail. Had it not been for Athena’s medicine barely keeping her alive, Margaret would have long since departed this world.

Though the mushroom’s toxicity was low, it dealt a devastating blow to Margaret’s already frail constitution

Everyone was caught in a dire dilemma. If they didn’t let Athena take Margaret away, the elderly lady might truly cake her last breath. However, if they let Athena take Margaret away, there was no telling what would become of the duke’s estate’s reputation.

Nicolas turned to Henry, only to find equal helplessness in his eyes.

Even the two granduncles dared not utter a word. They had no say in this matter.

“Well, Lord Nicolas,” Athena challenged, her voice dripping with sarcasm, “still struggling to make up your mind?”

Nicolas clenched his fists, as if steeling himself for a momentous decision. “Lady Margaret cannot leave the duke’s estate,” he declared, his voice hardening, “but you you must stay.”

Athena scoffed at his twisted logic. “By what authority and under what reason do you plan to keep me here?”

“They’re just using pretty words to put me under house arrest Athena thought

“With Lady Margaret gravely ill, it’s your filial duty as her granddaughter to stay by her side and care for her.” Nicolas stated.

Nicolas’s scheme was clear, With Athena’s medical expertise, he intended to keep her confined by Margaret’s side under the guise of care. He would then

be able to effectively keep Athena under house arrest within the duke’s estate. That way, he could finally teach her a lesson

However, Nicolas had forgotten that Athena was no longer the meek little girl who’d dance to his bune

Chapter 226

Didn’t you just say I wasn’t part of the Monson family, Lord Nicolas? Now you’re suddenly admiting I am? Isn’t that going against your own words, t Athena sneered.

Nicolas’s face flushed with embarrassment, but he refused to back down. With our two granduncles as witnesses today, Tiflet you return to the anks estate, but only if you swear never to harass Willow again and sincerely apologize to her

This was the furthest Nicolas was willing to go.

Mhena let out a bitter laugh. “You’ve got some nerve.”

She rose and started to leave, when Nicolas’s sharp command rang out from behind her, “Guards! Stop her!”

From the moment Athena set foot in the duke’s estate, her fate was sealed. Escape was never an

ver an option.

Several guards blocked Athena’s path, but her own bodyguards instantly closed ranks, forming a protective circle around her.

Tensions were at an all–time high as both sides stared each other down. A light could break out at any moment.

Athena foxed Nicolas with a cold, unyielding stare and spat out each word, “If you want mutual destruction, Fm all in.”

With that, she snatched the longsword from a guard’s scabbard and leveled it at everyone in the room.

Henry, still trying to rein in Athena with his paternal authority, bellowed, “Are you out of your mind? How dare you point a sword at us?”

“You’re the insane ones!” Athena glared at their hypocritical faces, her composure finally shattering. “You were the ones who backed me into a corner! You were the beasts scheming against Grandmother! You were the ones who were so deluded that you thought you could controll me. You’re nothing but hypocrites through and through!”

Nicolas’s eyes bulged even wider, his face stark white with fury, “Our granduncles have thoroughly investigated and confirmed it. Grandmother’s poisoning was nothing but a misunderstanding! Why do you refuse to believe it?”

Athena glared at Nicolas and spat, “You’re utterly pathetic and ridiculous. You’ve lived in your web of lies for so long that you’ve probably convinced yourself that Grandmother ate that mushroom by accident. Where is your conscience? How has she treated you all these years? And how have you repaid her kindness?”

Henry shifted his eyes guiltily and snorted coldly

“Put down that blade. Surely you don’t mean to kill someone?”

The remaining guards, seeing Athena meant business, recolled in terror, and no one dared to approach.

As Athena pressed forward, the guards instinctively fell back..

The tense standoff continued all the way to Starting House, with Athena single–handedly going against the entire duke’s estate.

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