The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 261

Chapter 261

Fermin pointed his finger right at Henry’s nose and started hurling insults.

Henry remained bowed low, his face etched with terror, not daring to utter a single word.

Fermin’s face turned livid with rage as he slammed the table. “I should have realized it sooner. How could a mere girl possess the miracle healer’s silver bell? To think she was the miracle healer all along!”

With that, Fermin brought his fist crashing down on the table, the force echoing through the hall.

Eloise and Nicolas both stared in disbelief, eyes widening. “This… how could this be?” they gasped in unison.

The two hurried into the main hall. When Fermin saw Nicolas, his fury only intensified. “If you hadn’t landed me in such a disastrous mess, I wouldn’t have had to exhaust himself running around and squandering money to clean up after you!”

Fermin glared at Nicolas and snapped, “Are you a complete imbecile? How could you let yourself be framed for embezzlement, with hard evidence against you, and make me lose so much money because of your stupidity?”

At these words, Nicolas felt his face burn with shame.

As the Minister of Justice, Nicolas was constantly surrounded by people seeking favors or looking for backdoor dealings through him.

To mitigate their own punishments, some of those people tried to bribe Nicolas with money, but he steadfastly refused every offer.

But then, someone Nicolas considered trustworthy sent over a box of pastries, so he accepted it without suspicion.

To his shock, the pastries had hidden gold within.

To make matters worse, the very same person turned informant and got Nicolas caught red–handed.

He was accused of embezzlement and bribery.

To suppress this scandal, Fermin had to both grease palms and call in political favors.

Otherwise, Nicolas would’ve been rotting in jail by now, living on nothing but gruel.

Nicolas stood respectfully to the side, head bowed in shame as he addressed Fermin. “This is entirely my fault, Your Highness. If punishment is due, let it fall upon me.”

“I will punish you.” Fermin glared at Nicolas, his eyes dark and menacing. Through gritted teeth, he demanded, “I searched everywhere for the miracle healer, only to find she was right under your nose all along. How could you be so incompetent?”

Nicolas and Henry both dropped to their knees in fearful submission.

Henry pleaded anxiously, “Your Highness, please calm down! Your Highness, we beg for your mercy!”

Fermin was seething with murderous rage. He roared, “Three years ago, had I found the miracle healer, my son would still be alive! But you fools sent Athena to the military camp instead!”

At this point, Fermin’s chest heaved violently with rage, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

Three years ago, when Pamela Miller was six months pregnant, she suddenly began showing signs of miscarriage.

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Chapter 261

Fermin had spent a fortune searching across the realm for the miracle healer, but found nothing.

In the end, Pamela couldn’t carry the pregnancy to term and delivered the baby prematurely.

It was a boy. He survived for just four short hours before his tiny life slipped away.

Fermin’s firstborn was gone just like that.

He was utterly devastated, while Pamela was even more deeply traumatized by the loss of their child.

Nicolas bowed heavily with panic written all over his face. “Your Highness, this is entirely my fault. I am willing to bear all responsibility. Please, I beg you, grant me another chance.”

Nicolas thought bitterly, ‘If only I’d known Athena was the miracle healer, I would never have treated her that way.

‘It’s all Athena’s fault, she deliberately hid her identity.

‘So much for being family, she was still keeping secrets.

Eloise also lamented in regret, “No wonder Margaret recovered so quickly after she returned, who would have thought she was the miracle healer all along?”

Eloise berated herself, ‘I should have noticed the signs much earlier.‘

But back then, Athena had deceived her, claiming that Margaret’s recovery was due to a remedy she’d obtained from a servant in the military camp.

Eloise thought bitterly, “This child actually distrusted even me. It really breaks my heart.”

Fermin gnashed his teeth, his voice thick with barely contained rage. “Fortunately, we’ve discovered this in time. Everything can still be salvaged. As long as we set all things back on their proper course, I’m sure she can be persuaded to change her mind.”

“Your Highness, what do you mean by that?” Henry asked, looking slightly puzzled.

Fermin said, “Athena is deeply in love with Michael, utterly devoted to him. Once Michael marries her, she will be completely under my control.”

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