Her Gilded Revenge For Stolen Fate novel Chapter 67

Chapter 67

(24)

55 vouchers

“You ungrateful son. How dare you run your mouth like that?” Quentin roared. He never expected that after everything Matthew had been through, he still hadn’t learned a thing. He was still bold enough to badmouth Enoch right in front of

everyone.

‘He’s dragging us all down to hell with him,‘ Quentin thought. Quentin had always cared most about status, wealth, and power. Seeing his Matthew act so foolishly, he slammed his hand on the table, his face darkened with rage as he glared daggers at Matthew.

Normally, Matthew wouldn’t have dared stand up to his father, but driven by Deadly Nightshade, he was totally out of control and said, “I’m not making this up. You’re a coward, too scared of Enoch to expose that bitch Vivian.”

Everyone was stunned. Flora rushed over, trying to drag Matthew out of the dining room, but he shoved her away. “Mom, you’re clueless. Vivian totally fooled you. She’s cunning and vicious, and she’s the reason I ended up like this,” Matthew said.

Matthew’s hair was disheveled, tears and snot streaming down his face. He looked nothing like a regular drunk. Suddenly, Celia’s eyes narrowed, fixed on Vivian’s reticule. She took a sharp breath, then leaned close and whispered urgently to her maid.

Matthew wasn’t done yet. He kept hurling insults at Vivian, “Think cozying up to Enoch makes you special? You’re just an illegitimate daughter, so ugly it’s unbearable. You’re not even fit to be his concubine. Stay away from him, or you’ll just become a laughingstock.”

With a smack, Flora delivered a stinging slap right across Matthew’s face. She was utterly disappointed in Matthew. If he’d just gotten himself into trouble, she could chalk it up to immaturity and hope to set him straight.

But the way he kept spewing venom at his own sister was never manly behavior. He was warped at the root. Once Flora truly saw this, a wave of helplessness crashed over her.”

No matter what, Matthew was still her boy. As his mom, it was her job to set him straight. Celia grabbed Flora’s hand, tears in her eyes, and said, “Mom, he’s just drunk. I’ll get him to say sorry, so please don’t be mad.”

Flora just gave a bitter smile. She knew Matthew wasn’t just drunk; he was using his crazed state to spill all the resentment and bitterness he’d been bottling up. Everything he said was what he really felt inside.

Quentin was so furious he was practically trembling, but remembering Stephan was present, he forced himself to keep his anger in check and said coldly, “This ungrateful brat isn’t drunk; he’s clearly having a fit. Someone, get him out of here.”

A few servants came in and hauled the howling Matthew out of the dining room. They had barely dragged Matthew out when a maid rushed in with a basin of cold water. But it was already too late.

Vivian caught the scene, and a subtle, almost invisible smile glimmered in her eyes. Celia locked her at that exact moment. Her gaze was burning with fury, as if she could set Vivian ablaze with a single look.

“Vivian, you,” Celia said, her voice trembling with rage.

“Celia, do you really think I’m the one at fault here?” Vivian replied. She idly twirled the pearl bracelet on her wrist as she spoke, her eyes never leaving Celia’s.

In this whole mess, Vivian was the true victim, completely innocent. She had suffered all this for no reason at all. If Celia kept going after Vivian, Quentin would just see her as making a scene and acting like a spoiled brat.

Celia clenched her jaw and shook her head. Her heart was so heavy, she felt like she was drowning in frustration. She’d schemed and pulled every string she could, finally getting Stephan to step in, so Matthew could return with his head held. high.

Matthew was the eldest legitimate son, born into privilege, and he’d always had her back. If he could earn the trust of

12:01 Wed, Jan 14

Chapter 67

Beatrice and Quentin, he’d be Celia’s sharpest blade.

55 vouchers

But now, that blade was dulled, broken, no longer of any use. She’d have to find another way to reclaim her Fortune.

The little party broke up in a mess, and everyone left upset. On the way back, Celia walked with her head down, her heart aching in silence as she wiped away silent tears.

Stephan had always known how deep the bond was between her and Matthew. Seeing his cherished student so broken, his heart ached for her. He said softly, “Celia, don’t cry. Everything will be fine.”

Celia’s eyes brimmed with tears. She said, “Stephan, someone did this to Matthew. He was hurt on purpose.”

Stephan’s brows knitted together. Celia didn’t dare spell out what the scented pill could do. She sniffled and said, “He wasn’t drunk at all. It was like he’d been poisoned; he was completely out of it, and even started talking trash about the royal family.

“You’ve taught him before. Matthew can be proud sometimes, but he’d never lose it like that.”

Stephan frowned, doubt flickering in his eyes. He asked, “Mew just got back; who would’ve had the chance to poison him

so soon?”

“I really don’t know,” Celia said, her tears streaming down even harder. After all these years, Celia knew exactly how to say just enough and no more.

If she came right out and named Vivian, she’d just look petty and jealous, like she was picking a fight with her own sister. In Stephan’s eyes, she was always the kindest, purest soul, never caught up in the drama and scheming.

So to protect her image, Celia had to take the roundabout approach, drop a few hints, spark Stephan’s suspicion, and let him piece it all together himself.

“With me around, nobody’s going to mess with you,” Stephan said, his tone firm and reassuring.

“By the way, I heard Matthew mention you came to Aurestus looking m

for something,”

celia said.

Stephan lowered his voice. “My grandfather once drew the Veronia Grand Map. But he was far from home at the time, and his page didn’t manage to keep it safe. Nobody knows where it got lost.”

“Is that map really such a big deal?” Celia asked, her curiosity piqued.

Stephan trusted her completely, so he was totally upfront. “It’s a map of the borderlands, the frontier,” he explained.

Celia’s eyes went wide, her breath coming fast. She wasn’t just some girl confined to the inner chambers, oblivious to the shifting tides beyond her doorstep.

She knew perfectly well; if she wanted to ascend as queen, she must marry a prince with true military prestige. Only then would her husband stand a chance of ascending the throne. And that map was the ultimate prize for anyone who commanded an army.

“Do you have any clues?” Celia asked, her voice low and urgent.

Stephan answered, “The servant said my grandfather couldn’t have finished the map by himself; he got a lot of help from a young soldier in the army. But that guy wasn’t famous at all, and nobody really knew who he was.”

“Don’t worry, Stephan. I’ll help you track it down,” Celia promised, her voice calm but resolute.

Celia walked Stephan all the way to his guest room herself, making sure he was settled in before she left. After that, Celia didn’t care who saw her; she went straight to Emerald Garden, where Sylvia stayed.

Sylvia was still awake, the room bright with two lamps burning. As soon as Celia stepped inside, Sylvia waved the maids away and said nervously, “Vivian must have figured it out.”

12.01 Wed, Jan 14 ODM

Chapter 67

# 55 vouchers

Celia replied, “That foreign merchant just got to Aurestus, and Vivian shouldn’t have had any experience with those scented pills. So how did she know there was Deadly Nightshade powder hidden inside? And then she turned the whole thing around and used it on Matthew.”

“She’s never trusted me as her mother. She’s always kept her guard up around me. Any birthday present I gave her, you can bet she checked it inside out,” Sylvia said, her words edged with bitterness.

Sylvia was flooded with regret. She had acted too rashly before, and now Vivian’s heart had turned cold toward her. With Vivian no longer trusting her and keeping her at a distance, it was growing increasingly difficult for Sylvia to take any action.

And after what happened today with the scented pill and the hidden powder, the gap between them just got even wider.