Chapter 277
Hearing the shadow guard’s report, Gale’s face lit up with malicious glee. “He’s sick? But wasn’t he perfectly fine just a moment ago?”
Gale sneered inwardly, ‘Sick? That’s not enough, he should just drop dead!”
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“Word is, he’s broken out in festering sores all over, and nothing seems to help, even the imperial physicians are at their wits
end.”
Upon hearing the news, Gale burst into malicious laughter. “Excellent! Divine justice at last…”
Her words were cut short by a violent coughing fit.
After finally stifling her cough, Gale caught her breath and gave a crisp order. “Tell everyone to pack up. We’re heading to Spring Villa.”
Gale thought to herself, ‘As long as that wretched Ruth is stuck in Pidence City with her sick child, she won’t be able to leave.
That means the two of us won’t have to see each other.
The trip would take around ten days.
With the villa’s spring–like warmth, Gale only needed to return before the New Year.
With her spirits lifted, Gale could feel her condition improving considerably.
With her spirits lifted, Gale even went for seconds at dinner.
Fiona returned to the Monson family by carriage, surprised to find Nicolas waiting at the entrance.
He took two quick steps forward, eyes full of anticipation as he looked at Fiona and asked, “Well? Did Athena agree to come back?”
Fiona lowered her head in silence, the words stuck in her throat.
Nicolas didn’t notice Fiona’s unease, still lost in his delusional fantasy.
He said, “I told you, we’re family, bound by blood. Whatever happened, we can talk it out. If Athena agrees to come home, we’ll treat her just as we did before.”
At this point, Nicolas immediately corrected himself. “No, that’s not enough, I should treat her even better than before. She’s been wronged in all this, and I’ll make it up to her properly…”
Fiona couldn’t stand Nicolas’s arrogance any longer and finally blurted out, “Athena never said she’d come back.”
“What?” Nicolas’s smile froze.
Nicolas stared at Fiona in disbelief. “You’re telling me she refused to come back?”
Fiona nodded slightly. Nicolas’s face darkened instantly. “Did you even try to reason with her properly?” he demanded.
“Are you asking me to beg her?” Fiona had braved the bitter cold, bringing Cedric with her, just to personally invite Athena.
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Chapter 277
She thought, ‘Never mind all the suffering and humiliation I’ve endured, not once did Nicolas even ask about Cedric’s well- being, he immediately lashed out at me the moment I walked in. In his eyes, interests will always come before family.
Fiona’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she stood rigidly in place, unable to utter a word.
Just then, Henry and Eloise approached, both visibly astonished. Henry frowned and exclaimed, “How could this be? You went in person to summon her, yet she still refuses to return? Does my daughter truly expect her own father to humble himself and fetch her personally?”
Henry’s face darkened. He didn’t think he could possibly stoop so low as to personally summon a disobedient daughter.
Eloise stammered, “Does Athena really think that way?”
Fiona nodded slightly, her voice laced with humiliation as she admitted, “I couldn’t even get past the door.”
“The sheer audacity!” Henry bellowed angrily. “You’re her sister–in–law, and you even brought Cedric with you, how dare she show such insolence?”
From Henry’s perspective, even if Athena harbored resentment, she could at most disown her parents and brother.
But Cedric was just an innocent child.
He thought, ‘Athena is truly heartless. She wouldn’t even see her own nephew, Cedric!‘
Nicolas was livid with rage, his face turning ashen, while Eloise and Henry wore deeply troubled expressions.
Not far away, hidden behind the wall, a cold, calculating glint flashed in Willow’s eyes.
Willow thought coldly, ‘I don’t want Athena to come back. I won’t allow it, she must never return.
‘Athena’s interference has ruined all my marriage prospects.
‘Athena is nothing but a jinx.’
Venomous resolve flashed in Willow’s eyes. She clenched her fists, lifted her skirts, and turned away.
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