Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 21

Chapter 21 A Visit Long Overdue

Even though she had done nothing wrong. Elowen still felt uneasy,

twiched

Instinctively, she glanced toward Cassian. In the dim light, all she could see was the sharp line of his jaw. subtly tensing.

“Just the other day, she came to confront me,” Marwen was saying, voice filled with indignation. “Accusing Lucien of trying to harm His Grace. But Lucien has always respected his cousin more than anyone! You know this, Your Grace! He would never dare offend you. It was that girl–Elowen–spouting lies, stealing my access sigil, playing her little mind games…”

She narrowed her eyes. “I wouldn’t be surprised if all of this was planned from the start. She’s scheming to scize Duskmoor’s household authority for herself!”

Elowen was stunned. The audacity–Marwen was turning the truth on its head.

Granted, the claim that Lucien had tried to assassinate Cassian… might have been something Elowen had exaggerated just a little.

Her confidence wavered. She glanced again at Cassian. After all, Lucien was his cousin. Marwen was his aunt. Of course, he’d lean toward…

Cassian tapped a long, elegant finger against the armrest. His voice came, even and cool. “Take her away,”

Marwen lifted her chin, triumphant. “You heard His Grace! What are you waiting for? Drag this shameless harlot out of here!”

But the guards behind Cassian didn’t move toward Elowen. Instead, they stepped forward and seized Marwen by the arms.

Marwen stared in disbelief. “What… what is the meaning of this?!”

Cassian’s expression remained calm. “Lucien did, in fact, attempt to assassinate me.”

Marwen froze. Her eyes widened. “What?!”

Cassian continued, “I knew ahead of time that the Duchess would be visiting the stables today.”

Marwen’s breath caught. He knew?

Bran, standing behind him, added, “Her Grace told me before leaving that she planned to inspect the horses and stablehands. If she were truly meeting someone in secret, why would she inform me beforehand?”

Marwen’s face went pale, then flushed with anger and disbelief.

She gritted her teeth. “But… but she clearly slipped away alone to meet with that stable boy-”

Flowen let out a sigh and spoke with resignation. “This sort of matter… the fewer people who know, the better. The moment she said it, Marwen’s alarm bells went off.

Ma2 2-4 Visit Long Overdue

finished

Jowen turned to the boy. “You not only ruined Lucien’s brushes, but also poisoned a warhorse. You’ve cost Juskmoor a great deal of money. How do you intend to repay it?”

The boy was speechless. Elowen’s tone remained kind and composed. “If you tell me who sent you, I’ll orget the debt.”

The boy stiffened and shook his head. “I… I wasn’t sent by anyone!”

lowen replied, “You bear some resemblance to His Highness the Crown Prince, How could there be no ine behind this? You entered the manor intentionally, perhaps to provoke discord between His Highness and His Grace, to drag this household into ruin. Whoever sent you clearly had malicious intentions.”

Marwen began to panic. And Elowen looked at her again. “That’s why I brought him somewhere private to question him. A matter this sensitive–if it got out, the entire household could be in danger

Marwen’s face turned ashen. She tried to smile, but it came out stiff and dry. Cassian’s lips curled ever so lightly.

lowen looked at the boy again. “If you insist on keeping silent, there’s little I can do.”

she shrugged helplessly. “I suppose I’ll have to sell you to the Velvet Lantern. Twenty clients a night should lear your debt in about six months. Thirty a night, and you could be done even faster.”

The boy stared at her, a look of horror on his face. “What?!”

lowen tilted her head. “Didn’t you say you were good at serving people? Twenty or thirty shouldn’t be so hard, should it?”

The boy turned ghostly pale. “No… no way…

He was getting older. Lately, even just two visits from Vivian in one day left him completely drained.

Twenty or thirty? Every night? He’d be dead within a week!

Elowen caught the terror in his eyes and lifted a brow. “So? Are you ready to tell me who sent you?” The joy clenched his sleeves tightly, his brow furrowed, as he struggled with the decision.

ust as he was about to speak, Marwen suddenly cried out, “Ah!”

She collapsed to the ground, arms and legs sprawled.

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