The Scarred Queen's Rise (Athena) novel Chapter 289

Chapter 289

This was his Achilles‘ heel.

Willow knew full well.

Suddenly, Nicolas let out a hollow, mocking laugh. All this time, he had truly believed Willow was weak and harmless.

Now he finally saw that she was the real viper.

She schemed to send him after Athena, only for Athena to have him thrown in jail instead.

Blake thought bitterly, Willow got rid of me without even lifting a finger. I was nothing but a minor obstacle for her to sweep aside.

‘If I’d been lucky enough to kill Athena, it would’ve been killing two birds with one stone.

“How tragic the world can’t see the viper she truly is!

The people at the Monson family still treat her like a treasured jewel, never realizing they’ve been nurturing a venomous viper all these years.”

Without so much as a backward glance at Nicolas, Willow stepped through the prison gates.

As expected, Blake had no choice but to plead guilty.

Outside the prison gates stood a tall figure.

Willow hurried forward, her face lighting up with excitement, only to freeze when she saw it was Nicolas standing there, not Michael.

The light faded from her eyes as she called out with evident disappointment, “Nicolas… It’s just you.”

Nicolas took one look at her dejected expression and immediately knew what she was thinking about.

Nicolas took two steps forward and said gently, “I am here to take you home, Willow.”

“Why isn’t Michael here?” Willow’s eyes were red–rimmed, her throat tight with unshed tears.

She could never forget the way Michael looked at her.

Nicolas looked at her disapprovingly. “At a time like this, you’re still pining after your precious Michael, you…”

Nicolas was tempted to scold Willow, but when he saw the tears welling in her eyes, he bit back his harsh words.

With a dismissive flick of his sleeve and a cold snort, Nicolas declared, “Enough. Let’s go home.”

The siblings walked out in single file, Nicolas leading the way with Willow trailing behind.

Suddenly, Nicolas stopped in his tracks.

Athena was standing ahead of them.

Her eyes were indifferent, but beneath them lurked a sharp, icy coldness.

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Chapter 289

Seeing Athena, Nicolas’s face flushed with rage. He pointed an accusing finger at her and shouted, “Athena, you vicious schemer! This was all your doing, wasn’t it? You wanted to make Willow a laughing stock, ruin her reputation, and sabotage her marriage to Michael, isn’t that right?”

Athena gave a cold chuckle. “Nicolas, you’re still as clueless as ever.”

“What did you just say?” Nicolas’s face turned livid with rage.

As both the duke’s heir and Athena’s older brother, Nicolas held considerable status.

But she actually dared to talk back to him.

Athena stood tall and looked at Nicolas with icy disdain. “When you get home, you’d better get your facts straight. It’s a shame you have eyes but still can’t see the truth. She got lucky this time, but next time, she won’t be so fortunate.”

With that, she turned on her heel and walked away.

Behind her, Nicolas’s furious but impotent roars mingled with Willow’s pitiful sobs.

Athena didn’t even glance back.

Trina followed Athena out of the police station, looking disappointed. “Miss, are you really just going to let them off like

this?”

Athena sighed. “Even as the Viscountess, I’m still no match for the Monson family. Getting Osbert to convict Willow is easier said than done. Besides, I never caught her red–handed this time, so this is as far as I can go.

“Having her spend a night in prison should serve as a clear warning.”

Trina nodded. “As long as the Monson family backs her, Miss, there’s nothing you can do about Willow.”

Athena gave a slight shake of her head and let out a soft chuckle.

Still, it wasn’t a total loss. At the very least, Athena had managed to drive a wedge between Willow and the Holmes family.

Blake was Loretta’s only son.

If Loretta ever found out that Willow was the one who landed her son in prison, she’d raise hell and never let it go.

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