Reborn I Refuse To Save The Traitors (Margaery) novel Chapter 113

**TITLE: Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale**
**Chapter 113: Russell Got Beaten**

A haunting laughter erupted from Russell, a sound that echoed with a mix of despair and bitterness. “But what if the midwife deceived us? What if the blood test is not as reliable as we believe? What if Margaery is truly your biological daughter and our genuine sister?” His voice trembled with the weight of his words, filled with a desperate hope that perhaps the truth was more complex than they had acknowledged.

“When that time arrives, how will you face Mother in the afterlife?” he continued, his eyes glinting with a mixture of defiance and sorrow. It was a painful reminder of the misunderstandings that had led to Margaery’s humiliation—a cruel fate for someone who had already endured so much.

The error was not just Russell’s; it was a collective failure of everyone within the Chancellor’s estate. Russell had hoped that his words would stir Raul from his anger, but instead, they only ignited a deeper rage within him. Raul’s eyes narrowed, and he spat, “The blood test is unreliable, yet you trust Margaery’s words? Russell, it appears you remain blind to your own folly.”

“For years, I have refrained from laying a finger on you, but if you persist in this spectacle during such a crucial moment, do not blame me for the lesson you are about to learn.” Raul’s fury was not a sudden outburst; it was the culmination of relentless pressure, a storm brewing within him that sought an escape.

“Halle, fetch my riding whip,” he commanded, his voice cold and unyielding.

Halle’s eyes sparkled with a hidden delight as she shared a knowing glance with Tessa, swiftly retrieving the whip from its hiding place and offering it to Raul with a bow. “Lord Chancellor,” she said, her voice smooth and compliant.

Tessa stepped forward, her heart racing. “Father, please, spare Russell for my sake. He was merely ensnared by the diviner’s words and Margaery’s influence. Even if they are no longer siblings by blood, their bond from childhood remains.”

The subtle schemes danced in her eyes, unnoticed by most, but Russell was not so easily deceived this time.

He caught the exchanged glances between Tessa and Halle, and the malice in Tessa’s voice sent a chill down his spine. ‘What does she mean by saying that our childhood affection remains, even if we are no longer siblings?’ he pondered, a sense of unease creeping into his thoughts.

Raul’s rage flared at Tessa’s words. “Unfilial son! So, you have harbored such vile thoughts, which is why you defend that wretched girl! Mark my words, as long as I breathe, I will not allow such disgrace to linger.”

With that, the whip cracked against Russell’s back, a sudden and searing pain that radiated through him. Yet, in that moment, he felt a strange numbness, his gaze fixed blankly on Raul. “Father, do you truly see me in such a light?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Margaery had grown up beside him, and he had always cherished her as a sister. The revelation that she was not a true member of the Wallen family had only recently come to light, and now, twisted by Tessa’s words, it had morphed into something grotesque.

“How dare you continue to argue?” Raul struck again, the whip slicing through the air with a vicious crack.

Tessa rushed forward, desperation in her eyes. “Father, please! Don’t strike Russell any further. Although Margaery took my place, I do not hold her accountable.”

Tears streamed down her cheeks as she spoke, her voice trembling. “It is precisely because I lost my family at such a young age that I treasure this reunion with my father and brothers. I wish for harmony among us all.”

Raul’s heart softened as he witnessed her anguish; he dropped the whip, guiding her gently back inside the house. “Tessa, your kindness is admirable, but kindness can invite cruelty. Do you not understand that?”

As he contemplated Tessa’s suffering, the sacrifices she had made since returning home, his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Outside the main gate, Russell struggled to rise, his body heavy with despair. He turned away, seeking solace in solitude.

Joshua, observing the turmoil, felt compelled to follow him. “Don’t blame Father,” he urged, his voice low. “He has been under immense strain lately.”

“The King is relentless in court, Prince Dashnell is keeping a watchful eye on us, and even the High Priest has turned his back. Father is doing all of this for our family. Please, do not take it to heart.”

Russell turned back, a bitter smirk twisting his lips. “This family does not include Margaery, nor anyone willing to defend her, does it? That is why, over the past year, the servants have fawned over Tessa, leaving Margaery in the shadows.”

“They all know that siding with Margaery could lead to punishment or worse.”

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