The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 160

hapter 160

Michael glowered at Nicolas. “If I find out you’re the one who leaked the information, I swear you’ll pay for it.”

“I rushed after you the moment I heard you were going to the palace, how could I have had any time?” Nicolas spread his hands in an innocent gesture.

Watching Michael hastily mount his horse, he quickly added, “I’m coming with you.”

At the duke’s Estate.

Athena kept listening anxiously for any movement outside. It wasn’t until four hours later that Nicolas finally returned to the

estate.

Trina returned after gathering information and reassured her, “Don’t worry. They’ve stopped him.”

Trina poured a cup of hot drink for Athena as she spoke. “Lady Athena, Lord Monson stopped Lord Osborne right outside the palace gates. Then, when he heard that Lady Osborne was seriously ill, Lord Osborne went straight back home.”

That was all Trina could find out, anything beyond that was beyond her reach.

But Athena had already pieced it together.

Michael was always a dutiful son. But now that this incident had left Kelsey seriously ill, there was no way he could escape a harsh scolding when he returned home.

Otherwise, Nicolas wouldn’t have returned so late.

Athena thought to herself, ‘I couldn’t care less what punishment Michael would face. As long as he abandoned that ridiculous idea, he could be beaten to death for all I cared.‘

Several days passed, and sure enough, Michael finally quieted down.

Later, the Osborne family finally announced that they had set a date for the wedding.

It was now September, and the wedding was scheduled for the 8th of next month, less than twenty days away.

Upon receiving the wedding invitation, Eloise hurried to Willow and said warmly, “Now you can rest easy, my dear. The wedding date is set, there won’t be any more changes.”

Even after several days of recovery, Willow’s face was still black and blue.

Willow hadn’t ventured out at all lately, confined to the courtyard as she nursed her injuries; looking pale and lethargic day after day.

Willow’s eyes instantly sparkled with excitement upon hearing the good news.

She took the post and examined it carefully, unable to suppress a soft laugh despite her bruised face.

Willow thought to herself excitedly, ‘At last! I’m finally going to marry Michael!

From now on, I’ll be Lady Osborne!‘

Eloise embraced her and whispered tenderly, “From now on, you’ll be Lady Osborne. After the wedding, mind your words and actions, and always put the family’s interests first.”

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Chapter 160

Mother, I’ll miss you terribly,” Willow murmured as she gently embraced Eloise, though the smile tugging at her lips. betrayed her true feelings.

There, there. Even though I can’t bear to part with you, you must get married after all.” As she spoke, tears welled up in Eloise’s eyes.

She thought, ‘Willow is the precious child I’ve cherished in my palms since she was little. It feels like just yesterday, and now she’s already getting married.‘

After the mother and daughter chatted affectionately for a while longer, Eloise finally emerged from Willow’s residence.

Eloise turned to the housekeeper and instructed, “Now that the marriage with the Osborne family has been arranged, it’s time to prepare Willow’s wedding gift. Take a few trustworthy people, open the storeroom, carefully inventory everything inside, and select the most valuable items. Be sure to do it meticulously.

“The Osborne family isn’t just any noble house. We can’t afford to lose face. If the wedding gift is too meager, we’d become a laughingstock.”

The housekeeper’s heart skipped a beat. Eloise was talking about the wedding gift items prepared for Athena.

To her shock, it seemed that Eloise intended to misappropriate all of Athena’s wedding gift for Willow.

But she was just a housekeeper. Whatever her employer ordered, she simply did as she was told.

So the housekeeper gathered a few trustworthy servants and took them to the storeroom to take inventory.

*****

Starling House was alive with laughter and joy.

Athena arrived early at her grandmother’s quarters, shared breakfast with her, and spent the whole morning in cheerful conversation.

Lately, Margaret Monson had been glowing with vitality, as though given a new lease on life.

In the past, Margaret would spend most of each day confined to bed.

But now, she didn’t even need afternoon naps.

She even took to watering the flowers herself.

Lucky scampered playfully around Margaret’s feet as she watered the flowers with her ladle.

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