The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 271

Chapter 271

Athena thought she had escaped the power struggles, but little did she know she was teetering on the brink.

A mere beckoning would pull her right back into its depths.

Nelson’s initial surprise quickly gave way to excitement. Bowing deeply, he declared, “I will carry out your orders at once, Your Highness!”

The woman I love, of course I’ll be the one to protect her,‘ Xander thought.

Then Nelson brought up another matter. “The engagement between the Monson family and the Osborne family has been postponed. Willow has been crying at home every day. Looks like the Osborne family might be making new moves.”

Xander let out a soft, sardonic chuckle and tossed the used handkerchief onto the table.

He looked up at Nelson, his smile turning cold. “Michael may be brave on the battlefield, but his judgment is clouded and he’s shackled by his family. If he doesn’t wise up soon, he’ll end up as nothing more than a puppet in Fermin’s hands.”

As he spoke, Xander stepped behind the folding screen.

Moments later, the sound of fabric rustling came from behind the screen, and a robe was tossed over it.

Through the gauzy screen, his silhouette emerged, his taut waistline faintly outlined in the dim light.

Nelson couldn’t help but sigh. As a high–ranking prince holding immense power, Xander naturally attracted all sorts of scheming characters.

Some would spare no effort to plant spies at his side, while others went so far as to plot assassination attempts.

Yet at twenty–two, Xander had no female companionship whatsoever.

Even the maids in the Xander Manor were all middle–aged.

While other princes‘ manors were overflowing with beautiful women,

The Xander Manor, apart from Nelson, was staffed entirely by men.

The whole place was so quiet.

But Xander’s absolute ban proved quite effective. No one dared to plant any female spies around him anymore.

The sound of water filling the medicinal bath drifted from behind the folding screen.

Nelson hurried over, took an herbal sachet from the drawer, and handed it to Xander.

He thought, ‘Miss Monson said that herbal baths strengthen the body.

‘Looks like His Highness truly heeds Miss Monson’s words.

At the Monson family

“Why… why did it come to this?” Willow sobbed uncontrollably, her voice thick with resentment and grievance as tears

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streamed down her face.

She thought, ‘Why has everything that was rightfully mine simply slipped through my fingers?‘

What truly stunned Willow was Henry’s attitude. Reading between the lines, he actually intended to bring Athena back

home.

Eloise’s heart ached for Willow, yet they had no choice but to obey Fermin’s decree.

Eloise wanted to comfort Willow, but was at a loss for words.

All she could do was watch with a heavy heart as Willow wept, tears streaming down her own face as well.

A rare flicker of impatience crossed Nicolas’s usually composed face.

Willow had been weeping nonstop for three days since learning that her engagement with the Osborne families had been postponed.

A funeral–like gloom had descended upon the Monson family. Everyone moved about as if someone had died.

Naturally, Nicolas’s mood was just as bleak.

After all, it was Nicolas who banished Athena from the estate. He didn’t think that she could possibly return willingly now.

Nicolas’s head was pounding with a splitting headache.

Fiona cradled Cedric in her arms as she entered. Seeing the deep furrow in Nicolas’s brow, she quietly approached and asked in a gentle voice, “What’s troubling you, dear?”

Cedric had been frail since birth, always harder to care for than other children.

With the weather turning colder, he caught a cold again.

He cried and fussed all day, wanting only his mother when he was sick.

Fiona had to hold him from morning till night, and she’d grown noticeably thinner from exhaustion.

Nicolas was already deeply troubled, and when he saw Cedric crying uncontrollably, his brow furrowed in frustration.

Just as Nicolas was about to dismiss Fiona with the child, a sudden inspiration struck him.

“Has Cedric been this fussy all week? Give him to me,” Nicolas said, his voice uncharacteristically soft.

Fiona’s heart leapt at this rare tenderness, and she quickly passed the baby to him.

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