Chapter 6
Arabella suddenly raised her head, her cold gaze sweeping toward the pavilion outside.
There, she saw Seraphina holding a young boy at the bottom of the steps, with the delicate and gentle Helena standing beside her.
When Helena noticed Arabella looking over, a provocative smile tugged at the corners of her lips, one she couldn’t quite suppress.
Arabella thought. Helena, given how public opinion is swinging in your favor, you must be feeling quite pleased with yourself, right? But it’s not over yet. The final outcome remains uncertain, and it’s still too early to celebrate. You’re getting ahead of yourself.
“Hello, Arabelly, Helena greeted.
Arabelly! Arabella felt a wave of disgust.
She slowly stood up, her tone light but carrying an edge. “In the Everhart family, we don’t have the custom of calling others nicknames. Is that how things are in the Duke’s estate? Or perhaps…”
She paused, turning her eyes to Seraphina’s cold expression, With a smile, she asked, “Do the bedchamber maids at Chamber of Roses have nicknames for you too?”
Her words struck right at Seraphina’s weak spot.
In Althoria, it was common knowledge that the Duke of Eldenhurst, Theodore Farrow, had been notorious for his indulgence in
Women.
In his younger years, he brought in concubines and maids one after another, and even after taking up an official post in another region, he continued, adding new women to his household, some of whom were even sent back to the Duke’s estate.
If not for Seraphina’s intervention, the Duke’s illegitimate children would probably have been too many to count.
But despite her best efforts to root them out, three sons and four daughters from his mistresses still survived. Chamber of Roses was anything but quiet.
You you. Seraphina’s finger trembled as she pointed at Arabella, her whole body shaking with rage. “How dare you! Is this how Alexander teaches you? To disrespect your elders and speak so carelessly?”
Arabella curled her lips into a mocking smile.
Now that the mask had been ripped off, there was no need for her to keep up the act of being gentle and virtuous, pretending to respect her elders.
She thought. Only with a kind mother can a child be filial. You, old woman, don’t deserve that kind of respect.
The Marquis’s estate would never disgrace itself by elevating a bedchamber maid to the status of a wife. My father taught me to serve my in–laws properly after marriage–but that’s only if they’re reasonable.”
“Good, good.” Seraphina ground her teeth in fury, her face twisted in anger.
She said, “Helena’s father sacrificed his life for the country and has military achievements. The court will surely fulfill her requests. Let’s see if, after the imperial decree demotes you from wife to concubine, you’ll still be so arrogant.”
Arabella raised an eyebrow
Just then, the butler hurried over, bowing to Seraphina. “Mrs. Farrow, an official from the palace has arrived with the imperial decree. He’s waiting in the front hall and asks that you and Arabella come to receive it.”
The moment she heard that, Seraphina’s face broke into a sly smile. She glared at Arabella with contempt, as if she were already certain that Arabella had been demoted to a concubine, and now she could manipulate her at will,
“Arabella, the imperial decree has been issued. Your good days are over. Let’s see who in Althoria will still stand by you,” she said, pushing the child into Helena’s arms, and with the help of the maid, walked toward the front courtyard.
Arabella narrowed her eyes, watching Seraphina’s smug retreat. Her hand, hanging at her side, slowly clenched into a fist. She wondered, Is the king really going to sacrifice me just to fulfill the wishes of a successful official’s daughter?
Helena saw Arabella standing still, thinking she had been rattled, and couldn’t help but laugh lightly. “If you had agreed to my request a
Chapter t
few days ago, we could have been on equal footing, and everything would have been line
But now the position of a wife is out of your reach. I wonder, after the imperial decre demotes you to a concubine, how you’ll show your face. If I were you, I’d find a quiet spot and hang myself, just to avoid becoming a laughingstock.“
With that, she broke into a triumphant laugh, thinking. The title of Mrs. Farrow is hardly difficult to obtain, with just a little effort, it is mte for the taking”
Slap! The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the room, and the singing pain on Helena’s cheek broke her out of her laughter, She frore, touching her left cheek in disbelief. “You, you actually slapped me! How dare you?”
Arabella didn’t respond. She glanced Helena up and down before sneering. “Do you know what I think of you? A circus clown. With that, she calmly walked past her
Helena’s fingers curled into a fist, her sharp nails digging into the child’s soft skin, making him cry out in pain.
“What are you crying about You’re nothing right now. no title, not even a proper son. You’re nothing more than an illegitimate child, someone who can’t even show his face in public”
In the front hall. Seraphina entered and, seeing that the person wasn’t one of the palace officials, her heart skipped a beat.
Who’s this Seraphina asked.
The man nodded slightly, but didn’t bow. In a calm tone, he said. Tm here to deliver the Empress Dowager’s decree. Mrs. Farrow is to enter the palace to meet with Her Majesty
She thought. The Empress Dowager has sent for me, which means the king doesn’t want to get involved in the matter with Helena and has left it in the hands of his mother.
As long as the Empress Dowager doesn’t issue a decree to elevate Helena, I can still find a way to turn things around.
Seraphina was stunned, not expecting this, and her smile slowly faded. She cautiously asked, “Gentleman, may I ask why Her Majesty has summoned Arabella?”
The official raised the whisk in his hand, his tone all business. I’m just here to deliver the message from the Chief Official of Mercy Palace. I don’t know anything beyond that
He then turned his gaze to Arabella, who had just entered. This must be Mrs. Farrow. The Empress Dowager requests your immediate presence in the palace. Please follow me.”
Arabella smiled and nodded. “Please wait a moment. I need to change into different clothes”
She cast a subtle glance at Clarissa, and Clarissa understood immediately. She pulled a small pouch of silver from her pocket and slipped it into the officials hands. This is a gift. We hope you’ll accept it.”
The official weighed the pouch in his hand, his face lighting up with a grin. “I’ll wait outside then.”
After watching him leave, Arabella turned her cold gaze back to Seraphina, who was glaring at her in fury,
Arabella said, “I’ll have the account books for the three years‘ worth of financial support I’ve provided to the Duke’s estate sent to Chamber of Roses. Once you verify them. please ensure you repay me, principal and interest.”
Seraphina didn’t even besitate before snapping. “Why should I?”
Arabella smiled calmly, completely unfazed. “Because that was my wedding gift. The Duke’s estate is a prestigious family with great achievements. Surely they wouldn’t swallow their daughter–in–law’s wedding gift, would they?”
“You Seraphina was about to explode.
But Arabella didn’t give her the chance. She walked toward the door, adding as she left, In Althoria, no one tolerates a family that swallows their daughter–in–law’s wedding gift. If you fail to return the money, you’ll become a laughingstock”
With a loud crash, Seraphina swiped a coffee cup and saucer off the table in a fit of rage. “Arabella, I’ll say it again. If you want a divorce and to return home, you’re dreaming”
“Dreaming, huh?” Arabella sneered coldly. I have plenty of ways to make you back off
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Chapter 6
Back at Silver Suite, Emma Crowe hurried over to greet Arabella. “My lady, the sudden summons from the Empress Dowager doesn’t look good.”
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