The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 233

Chapter 233

Before she could finish, she was crying so hard she could barely catch her breath. Her sobs were mixed with violent coughing fits, making Eloise’s heart ache with worry.

Eloise helped Willow sit down, then turned to Matthew with a stern look. “What’s with this storming in? Have you lost your mind? With so many eyes watching these days, you just bring someone into Willow’s courtyard? Who is she, anyway, that you’d stand up for her like this?”

While scolding Matthew, Eloise glanced down at Macy lying on the ground.

Eloise looked at her twice, thinking the girl seemed familiar. But for a moment, she couldn’t recall who this was.

It was Dorothea who reminded Eloise, “Lady Eloise, she’s Macy, the maid who used to serve Lady Athena.”

“Macy?” Eloise repeated the name softly to herself, and gradually, the image of an oval–faced maid surfaced in her mind.

Eloise gasped sharply as the memory returned. But the woman before her looked so different from the Macy she remembered.

Eloise stepped forward cautiously, studied her closely, and asked, “Are you Macy?”

Tears streamed down Macy’s face as she nodded.

“Lady Eloise is speaking to you. Why aren’t you answering?” Dorothea snapped.

Macy opened her mouth, showing Eloise the empty space where her tongue should have been.

At the sight, Eloise staggered back, her face draining of color. “Her tongue? What happened to her tongue?”

Eloise knew Macy had been sold off.

Seeing the look on Eloise’s face, Matthew realized she truly had no idea.

His voice softened slightly as he said, “Mother, you don’t know. After Macy was sold, they cut out her tongue and severed her wrist and ankle tendons too.”

Eloise’s face turned pale as she clutched her chest, feeling a tightness inside. “H–How could this be? Even if she was sold off, she should have only ended up in some labor camp. Who could be so cruel as to reduce her to this state?”

After all, she was a former maid of their household. Even if Macy had made mistakes, Eloise couldn’t bear to see her end up in such a wretched state.

Seeing that Eloise was genuinely unaware, Matthew turned to Willow. “Willow, you still haven’t answered my question.”

Eloise gasped sharply in shock, staring at him. “Matthew, have you lost your mind? Why would you even question Willow about this? What could this possibly have to do with her?”

Matthew remained silent, his gaze locked on Willow.

In the past, all Willow had to do was cry, and everything would be swept under the rug.

But now, Matthew turned a blind eye to her tears. He wanted only one thing; the truth. He needed to be sure Willow wasn’t using him, that she truly saw him as her brother, as family.

Willow saw there was no way out and simply said, “Matthew, I’m just as shocked as you are. I knew nothing about any of this.

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Chapter 233

After the human traffickers took them away, I never imagined things would turn out like this.

*If I’m at fault at all, it’s for misjudging people, and I’m willing to take responsibility.”

Her eyes were red as she wept pitifully, tears streaming down her face. Her words sounded so heartfelt, it was hard to believe she was faking it.

Macy shook her head desperately, consumed by hatred for her own silence. She hated even more that she couldn’t expose

the truth.

She pounded her chest in despair, and her voice barely escaping in broken sobs, she cried, “N–no, it’s not-”

Yet, tragically, Macy’s suffering went completely ignored. All eyes were on Willow; everyone chose to believe her.

Eloise pulled Willow into an embrace, shooting Matthew a disapproving look. “Macy’s misfortune is her own doing. How can you blame Willow for that? Those traffickers are capable of anything.”

“Macy must have been disobedient; that’s why they treated her so harshly.” With that, she heaved a heavy sigh. “After all, she did serve Athena for a time. The family has a countryside manor. Let Macy stay there to be looked after.”

Willow looked gratefully at Eloise. “Mother, I’d like to give Macy a monthly allowance from my money.”

“My girl, you’re always so kind–hearted,” Eloise said with deep approval.

A chill ran through Macy’s entire body. ‘If I’m sent to the countryside manor, won’t I just fall back into Willow’s clutches?‘ she thought, terrified.

In a panic, she shook her head wildly, her mangled cries tearing from her throat. “No, don’t,” she choked out. Desperate, she even tried crawling away on all fours.

Horrified by Macy’s frenzied state, Eloise clutched Willow protectively. Panic–stricken, she cried out, “She’s gone mad. Quick, take her away.”

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