Awakening Love Reborn to Be His Duchess (Elowen Hale) novel Chapter 569

Chapter 569 A Dangerous Victory

“What did you say?”

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Colton’s composure shattered. He jerked upright so fast it triggered a harsh coughing fit, his chest heaving as he struggled to breathe.

The young maid beside him hurried over, steadying his shoulders and easing him back while rubbing slow circles across his back.

It took a moment before he could speak again. When he finally looked at Alaric, there was disbelief in his eyes.

“Your Highness… you’ve made a serious miscalculation.”

Alaric frowned, clearly displeased. “I don’t see how. The entire operation was executed cleanly. No witnesses, no loose ends. Because of this, my uncle lost his title, his command, and even his estate was stripped and reassigned. That’s not a mistake. That’s a decisive win.”

Colton let out a long breath, his voice low and grave. “You’re celebrating too early. What you see is a man losing ground. What you fail to see is what he may gain from it.”

He leaned forward slightly, eyes sharp. “In warfare and in court alike, a retreat doesn’t always mean defeat. Sometimes it’s bait.”

Alaric’s brows pulled together. “You’re giving him too much credit. If he were that calculating, his household wouldn’t have been such a disaster before. His own relatives nearly tore it apart. That estate was a mess.”

“Your Highness.”

There was clear frustration in Colton’s tone now. “He never cared about that estate. He spent most of his life on campaign, fighting for the crown. He wasn’t in Vanelle long enough to bother with petty domestic chaos. It wasn’t neglect. It was indifference.”

His gaze hardened. “But things have changed. He has a duchess now. And Elowen is not someone he’ll allow anyone to touch.”

A brief pause, then more quietly, “You’ve crossed that line more than once.”

Alaric’s expression shifted, but he didn’t interrupt.

“Tell me honestly,” Colton continued, “do you truly not understand how much His Majesty favors him?”

Silence stretched for a beat before Colton spoke again, each word measured.

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Chapter 569 A Dangerous Victory

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“What if this fall from power is staged? What if he’s letting you think you’ve won, lowering your guard, waiting for you to expose yourself completely?”

His voice dropped further. “And when you do… he closes the net.”

A cold weight settled in Alaric’s chest.

His fingers tightened slightly against the armrest. …Did I really miss something this obvious?

“Grandfather…” His voice came out strained. “I didn’t think it through.”

He looked up quickly, urgency breaking through. “You have to help me.”

Colton sighed, some of the tension leaving his shoulders. “That’s exactly why you’re here. Now start from the beginning. The attempt on the Nordian envoy. I want every detail. Who planned it, who carried it out, and whose idea it was in the first place.”

Alaric nodded and leaned in, speaking quickly, the words spilling out without restraint.

When he finished, Colton didn’t respond right away.

Instead, a faint, almost unexpected light appeared in his eyes.

“Iris…” he said at last, “she’s wasted as a servant.”

Alaric blinked.

“The way that plan was structured,” Colton went on, “timing, misdirection, positioning, it was precise. Whoever designed it understands people, not just tactics.”

He fixed Alaric with a pointed look. “You need to change how you treat her.”

Alaric frowned slightly. “She’s a palace maid.”

“And you’d be a fool to keep seeing her that way.”

Colton’s tone sharpened. “Don’t treat her like something disposable. Treat her like an asset. Reward her. Respect her. Give her a reason to stay loyal to you.”

He added, slower now, “Men like me can help you outside these walls. But inside the palace? Someone like her is worth more than a dozen officials.”

Alaric hesitated.

She’s just a servant… isn’t she?

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Chapter 569 A Dangerous Victory

To him, that had always been the rule. A servant was a tool. A useful one, maybe. But still replaceable.

Colton leaned closer. “Is she still in your residence? Bring her here. I want to meet her.”

Alaric had never seen his grandfather this intent, this urgent.

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The Baker family was vast, with no shortage of heirs, yet the old man had never singled out any of them like this.

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