Said No to the Prince and Yes to the King novel Chapter 297

Rejected by the Crown Ponse? | Married His Uncle

Chapter 297 A Tangled Heart

With that, Cyan hurried away as well, leaving Megan standing alone in a bewildered daze.

Shed

Determined to seek out Margaret once more, she discovered the woman had already fled the Ducal Palace as if escaping a fire.

A deep sigh escaped Megan’s lips as she stood at the grand entrance, her eyes clouded with worry.

“This is really a mess now…”

*****

Once away from the Ducal Palace, Margaret immediately climbed into her waiting carriage and ordered the driver to put distance between them and the estate.

Only as the clatter of hooves faded into the distance did the tightness in her chest begin to ease.

Fragments of Theodore’s words from yesterday, spoken softly by her bedside, drifted unbidden into her mind.

Yet, the memory of him bustling about for Myrna’s sake today swiftly dissolved that fragile warmth.

She found herself turning the relationship over in her mind, weighing its true substance for the first time.

If General Randall truly holds such a monumental debt over Theodore… if he truly intends to spend a lifetime repaying it, safeguarding Myrna forever… then their paths will forever be intertwined. Growing closer over time would be inevitable, wouldn’t it?

Theodore seemed trapped by circumstance. An unpayable debt of honor bound him.

But if my fears are right, then his debt will become my own personal catastrophe.

A cold, pragmatic thought surfaced. Perhaps I should pull back now, before I’m in too deep.

Closing her eyes, she tried to untangle the knot of her emotions, but no clear path emerged.

Should I wade into those troubled waters?

Maybe I should just stick to the original plan. Gaither enough wealth and leave Breston behind. Theodore’s poison is cured; my debt to him is paid. As for revenge… Stella is already halfway to a living hell. One more push from me, and she’ll be beyond redemption.

Shaking her head, she dismissed the grim train of thought.

Why am I planning so far ahead? Can I really bring myself to leave him?

Arriving home, she found the residence unusually quiet. Winter informed her that Timothy, still obsessed with the missing engagement gifts, was out searching again, having taken most of the household staff with

him.

Stella had been acting like a madwoman. She kept coming to Margaret’s place looking for trouble. When

12:15 pm PT M

Chapter 29ZA Tangled Heart

Stella found our Margaret hadn’t returned last night, she stormed into the Rose Court and smashed everything in sight. Winter had been cleaning up this mess all morning.

Winter wiped her brow, continuing her complaint, “Given how things have soured between you, I can’t fathom why she keeps showing up. She seems utterly unhinged. We’d best steer clear of her whenever possible.”

Margaret had been silent since her return, her distant demeanor persisting even as Winter prattled on.

Noticing her somber mood, Winter asked cautiously, “Ms. Campbell, is everything all right?”

“I’m fine.”

“The Ducal Palace sent word yesterday that you’d be staying there a few days. I didn’t expect you back so soon. Did something happen? Or… did you hear something on your way back?”

“Nothing happened. I came straight back by carriage. What could I have heard?” Margaret replied flatly.

“Then why return so early in the morning?” Winter pressed gently. “If not for this mess Stella caused, I would have been there to attend to you at the palace…”

Her voice trailed off, hinting at her unspoken question: why had Margaret returned without summoning

her?

Seeing Margaret’s disinterest, Winter changed the subject.

She placed a stack of papers back on the desk. “I remember when you practiced your handwriting every day. It feels like so long ago now. You haven’t practiced in ages.”

She sighed softly, adding, “I recall how Prince Christopher once said your writing was poor. You practiced tirelessly after that, vowing to write a page of your thoughts daily. You even said you’d show them all to him after you were-”

Suddenly realizing her blunder, Winter clamped her mouth shut.

But Margaret remained unmoved, sitting on the edge of the bed, lost in her own world.

Winter’s expression grew more concerned. “Ms. Campbell, what’s troubling you?”

ľ

“Nothing. You may leave.”

The chill in Margaret’s voice was unmistakable.

Growing truly worried now, Winter ventured, “Ms. Campbell… have you already heard about the affairs?”

Margaret glanced at her. “About what happened at General Hickman’s Estate?

“If even you know about it, they must be making quite a spectacle.”

It made sense, she supposed. The passing of a venerable old general, a national hero to the common folk. warranted a grand and solemn funeral.

Of course Winter would have heard.