FAZER LOGINThe rest of Adrian's words were cut off by Mother's full-force slap. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, but he still looked as though he had no choice.Mother laughed at the absurdity of it all. In her heart, she cursed herself for believing this thing, for making Gideon suffer so many wrongs, for driving both Gideon and Eli to their deaths.She stepped forward, seized Adrian by the throat, and screamed, "I heard everything! You vile creature. It was you. You killed Gideon. You killed Eli. I will make you pay in blood!"Adrian struggled in terror. Seeing that Mother was truly about to seize the sword and cut him down, he began speaking recklessly."Shouldn't the greatest culprit in Gideon Frost and Eli Frost's deaths be you, Your Highness?"All I did was stir things from the side. But the one who broke Gideon's heart until he slammed himself into a pillar was you."Seeing Mother's bloodshot eyes fill with pain and grief, Adrian's smile grew more delighted."What? Is Your
At those words, Adrian's lips curled in mockery. He slowly drew a long sword from beneath the bed and advanced on them."I am afraid. That's why the two of you have delivered yourselves here for me to silence."The duchess and the heir raised their heads in disbelief. When they saw the cold blade, they shuddered.The heir stepped in front of the duchess without hesitation and told her to leave.But the next second, the steward stepped out from the shadows and blocked the door completely.Adrian threw his head back and laughed."How naive you are. Did you think it was a coincidence that you walked through the princess's residence so smoothly and found me here? I've moved through this place like a fish in water. Did it never occur to you that I had help in the shadows?"Today, Gideon Frost and that annoying little thing are dead. Now you've thrown yourselves into my net. How perfect."Adrian bared his teeth and thrust forward. There was no trace of his usual weakness.But just a
"No! Gideon! Eli! No!"Mother stumbled forward in disbelief and gathered Father into her arms. With trembling hands, she placed her fingers beneath Father's nose and mine.Then her whole body stiffened.She turned and screamed in collapse."Call the household physician! Call him now!"Then, remembering something, she tore the token from her waist and threw it out. Her eyes were bloodshot and frightening."Take my jade pass and summon the royal physician from the palace! Gideon will be fine. Eli will be fine too!"Mother held Father tightly. The killing rage from moments before was gone, and now she wept aloud.Again and again, she wiped the blood from Father's forehead and shook her head in grief."I'm sorry, Gideon. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."I never meant to kill Eli. You've seen me before. When have I ever truly hurt him? I was only too angry. I only wanted to frighten you so you'd tell me who that woman was. I only..."Mother sobbed so hard she could not speak. Even w
At daybreak, Father was taken to the family chapel.He had only stepped one foot inside when he looked up numbly and was met by Mother's furious slap."Gideon, you truly amaze me. No wonder you've been wearing that dead face every day. So there was another woman in your heart all along!"Who is the shameless woman you were having an affair with? How dare you promise to elope with her out of the royal estate?"Mother threw the letters and a woman's undergarment found in Father's room into his face. Her eyes were filled with unmistakable rage and hatred.Behind her, the steward took Adrian's hint and hurriedly dropped to his knees in feigned panic, knocking his forehead against the floor."Your Highness, mercy! This old servant swears he once saw the prince consort being intimate with a woman. I truly could not see her face. I did not hide it knowingly. The prince consort threatened us and told us we must never speak of it!""I didn't..."Before Father could finish, Mother's voic
Mother had me locked inside the room so she could control Father.Sure enough, before dawn the next day, Father was taken away to serve Adrian.When he returned to the courtyard that night, he was soaked from head to toe. His wounds had split open. Blood seeped through his shirt, and even his face was marked with cuts.Knowing Adrian had targeted Father, I rushed toward the door like a madman, only to be pinned to the ground by the guards.Father, pale as paper, touched my face and smiled."Eli, wait a little longer. Just one more day."But on the third night, I never saw Father come back.Instead, the guards took me to the pavilion. At a glance, I saw Father being held in place.Adrian stood beside Mother with a smug curl on his lips, directing guards to dig beneath the old peach-tree stump where my aunt's remains were buried."The diviner said the thing beneath this ground is the reason my body grows weaker by the day. Dig carefully. Don't miss a single inch."Father's hear
After all, when Adrian had once said during an attack that he could not bear to see anything that belonged to the prince consort, Mother had ordered the peach grove planted specially for Father to be cut down.She had thrown away the poems and paintings Father had poured his heart into. She had even tricked him out of the residence and burned every item he had left there.Among those things had been the marriage contract between Father and Mother, the only keepsake Grandfather left behind, and the jade scepter Father had given Mother as his own love token.Father pulled free of Mother's hand and spoke softly."Naturally, because it no longer matters to me."The person who had given him the love token no longer mattered. Of course the object did not matter either.After hearing that, Mother flew into a rage and had Father and me placed in the most remote, broken-down courtyard in the residence.Father did not get angry. He only looked into the empty air and said to me, "Soon, Eli