Reborn I Refuse To Save The Traitors (Margaery) novel Chapter 61

**TITLE: Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale**
**Chapter 61: Everything’s Wrong**

As Joshua stepped into the dimly lit room, he felt a mix of determination and anxiety swirling within him. “Margaery,” he began, his voice steady yet tinged with urgency, “Dad wants you to move into his courtyard. When the time comes, you’ll be married from there, so there’s really no point in staying at Gracewind Garden any longer.”

He hesitated for a moment before adding, “He also mentioned feeling quite remorseful for not having taken better care of you this past year.” His heart ached at the thought of their father, a man torn by his own demons, trying to mend the rift that had grown between them.

Margaery looked up at him, her expression a mixture of irritation and indifference. “Isn’t that just a hassle? There are only a few days left before the wedding. Does it truly matter where I get married from? I have so much to handle right now; I don’t have the time or energy to move. Let’s just forget about it.”

Joshua felt a lump form in his throat as he recalled the times she had cried and thrown tantrums over such matters. His eyes began to sting with unshed tears. “Margaery, you used to plead to live in Dad’s courtyard… What’s caused this sudden shift in your feelings?” He searched her gaze for the sister he once knew, the one who had longed for their father’s approval.

“It’s just too much trouble, that’s all,” she replied dismissively, her tone light yet detached.

A smile danced on her lips, but it felt hollow to him. “I was just being childish before, throwing tantrums like a little girl. Now that I’ve grown up a bit, I realize that many things just don’t hold the significance I once thought they did. You should go check on Tessa; I just slapped her a few times.”

The way she spoke of hitting Tessa was startlingly casual, her smile surprisingly soft, as if she were discussing something trivial rather than an act of aggression.

In that moment, Joshua felt a pang of sorrow. The Margaery he had cherished was fading away, replaced by someone he hardly recognized.

“Well, make sure you get some rest. The wedding day can be exhausting, so it’s wise to prepare yourself ahead of time…” Joshua offered, his words laced with a hint of concern, though he was more focused on gauging her feelings about the marriage. He worried that Tessa’s earlier outburst might stir up more trouble than they could handle.

Margaery caught his drift and responded, “Okay.”

“I need to head to the palace today, so I’ll be off now.” Joshua cast one last glance at her, hoping to catch a glimpse of her true emotions, but she remained inscrutable.

“Okay,” Margaery replied, her voice flat, devoid of any warmth.

That single word hung in the air, echoing the distance that had grown between them.

As Joshua exited Gracewind Garden, a heavy cloud of worry settled over him. Despite his reservations, he found himself heading toward Sunbeam Court, compelled by an unseen force.

Inside Sunbeam Court, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Two maids were pressing eggs against Tessa’s face, their whispers barely concealing their astonishment. “Why did Lady Margaery hit her so hard? She’s never acted like this before. It’s as if she’s transformed into someone entirely different—slapping her without a second thought. Did you see those marks on her face?” one maid murmured, her voice a mix of concern and disbelief.

“Honestly, I think Lord Joshua’s reaction is pretty strange too,” the other maid replied, her brow furrowed in confusion.

“Before, when Lady Margaery hadn’t even touched Lady Tessa, he was always defending her, scolding Lady Margaery for being inconsiderate and urging her to be nicer to her sister! But now that Lady Margaery has actually struck her, he’s suddenly blaming Lady Tessa instead?”

Their voices grew louder, the gossip swirling around like a storm, and Joshua’s footsteps went unnoticed amid the cacophony.

“Forget about Lord Joshua; even Lord Russell hasn’t visited Lady Tessa in days. Is he still angry with her? Didn’t he used to support her and Lord Dominic’s relationship?” one maid speculated, her tone dripping with intrigue.

“Honestly, the strangest one is still Mr. Wallen,” another chimed in, her curiosity piqued.

“Why did Mr. Wallen suddenly stop believing Lady Tessa? Did Lady Margaery cast some sort of spell on him?”

“What kind of spell could it be? It’s just that Lady Margaery finally has some real support, so now Mr. Wallen and the young masters are treating her better. Before, Lady Tessa’s words were law—everyone just obeyed her,” one maid scoffed, her disdain palpable.

“Right? Back then, if Lady Tessa even hinted that Lady Margaery bullied her, Mr. Wallen and the others would rush to her defense. But this time, they actually allowed Lady Margaery to slap her!”

Joshua stood outside the window, a chill creeping into his bones as he absorbed their words.

It dawned on him that the servants had never truly despised Margaery, nor had she genuinely bullied Tessa. They were merely sycophants, always aligning themselves with whoever held the upper hand. The blame for this twisted dynamic lay squarely on his shoulders, along with those of his brothers and their father.

They had always taken Tessa’s side without question, perpetually wronging Margaery. No wonder the servants had never regarded Margaery as their true mistress; they were too busy currying favor with everyone else.

‘So Margaery really never hurt Tessa at all!’ Joshua thought, the realization crashing over him like a wave.

He reflected, ‘It was all Tessa’s doing. She orchestrated everything herself!

‘Wrong! I was completely wrong!

‘Everything—every single action was a mistake!

‘But now, what’s done is done. There’s no way to turn back the clock… What am I supposed to do now?’

Joshua felt paralyzed, unable to confront the real Tessa or the consequences of his past actions. He turned and descended the stairs like a soul adrift, memories of his relationship with Margaery flooding his mind.

“I’m going to get some rest,” Tessa declared, her voice cold and calculated.

With the situation having escalated to this point, she knew she had to tread carefully.

Meanwhile, back at Gracewind Garden, Amber had just returned from purchasing a steaming basket of bread.

She entered with the warm aroma wafting around her and called out to Margaery, her words slightly muffled by the steam, “Lady Margaery, are you hungry? I bought your favorite buns for you. Come try them.”

As she placed the buns down, she continued, “I just ran into Joshua on my way back. He looked completely lost, as if his spirit had vacated his body. I overheard him speaking with Halle. They’re planning to bring in an imperial physician to treat Tessa’s stomach issues. He even mentioned using a relative’s blood as a medicinal primer, claiming it might help.”

“Isn’t that absurd?” Amber scoffed, shaking her head in disbelief.

She crouched by the brazier, rubbing her hands together to warm them.

‘Absurd, yet perhaps not entirely, Margaery mused as she sat down and handed her some bread.

‘Let’s just wait and see. The whole Paige situation is bound to stir up trouble. Anyone with a modicum of sense knows stomach ailments have nothing to do with blood, but if they’re insisting on this, they must have some ulterior motive.

“That’s so complicated,” Amber muttered, taking a bite of the bread.

“But as long as they don’t interfere with us, they can do as they please. ‘Maybe we won’t be so fortunate this time either,” she added, her voice laced with concern.

“Since Halle went to Joshua, whatever Dad and Joshua are scheming is probably destined to fail, and I’ll likely get caught in the crossfire as well,” Margaery said, her expression unreadable.

“What?” Amber exclaimed, taken aback.

Amber stared at her, the bread in her hand suddenly tasting bland and unappetizing.

Margaery maintained her calm demeanor. “But how could Tessa possibly know? I’m actually counting on her to stir things up right now.”

‘Just as well—I’ll use this to give myself a little push and finally escape the Chancellor’s estate!’ she thought, determination igniting within her.