Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 528

Elowen watched her quietly.

Tears kept slipping down Nikki's cheeks, one after another.

"But they didn't care what I said," Nikki went on, her voice shaking. "One of them looked me over like I was something up for sale, then said I was plain as anything, just had a sharp tongue. Said even if I were handed to his household for free as a servant, I'd still be an eyesore, and he'd have me dragged out and thrown into the street."

Elowen's brows drew tighter with every word.

These people...

She pressed her lips together, then asked, "Do you know which families they belong to? Or at least what they looked like?"

Nikki shook her head, frustration and embarrassment mixing together as her tears kept falling. "I was too angry, and then too upset after. I didn't think to remember their faces. Just... three or four of them, all dressed well, with attendants."

Her voice trailed off.

Elowen let out a quiet breath.

She hadn't expected anything like this to happen at the Imperial Examination Hall. If she had, she would have sent Scarlet along.

Scarlet never forgot a face.

Not one of them would have slipped away.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace," Nikki said suddenly, guilt creeping into her expression. "I shouldn't have told you this. Now I've upset you too."

Elowen looked at her, her voice softening.

"I'm not upset with you," she said. "I just hate that you had to go through that. You're young, and you handled it better than most would. This shouldn't have been yours to deal with. That's on me."

Nikki froze for a moment, clearly not expecting that answer.

She sniffed, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right! Kaelan was nearby. He heard what was happening and came over to help us."

Elowen's gaze lifted slightly. "Kaelan?"

"Yeah," Nikki said quickly. "The moment he walked over, those men stopped laughing. They straightened up right away. He didn't say much, just looked at them and reminded them that the examination grounds weren't a place for gathering and making noise. They must've been intimidated, because they didn't say anything else and left soon after."

Scarlet let out a small breath. "Good thing he stepped in."

Elowen gave a faint nod, then looked back at Nikki, her tone steady, almost confirming something already decided.

"So Kaelan saw them. Which means he knows exactly who they are. Is that right?"

Nikki nodded. "Yes. They hadn't left yet when he came over."

"Good," Elowen said. "That's all I needed."

She looked at Nikki again.

The girl had stopped crying, but her eyes were still red. Elowen's voice softened.

"Don't cry anymore. When your brother finishes all three sessions and comes out, I'll go with you to meet him."

Someone like me... she's willing to stand up for me?

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