Chapter 3

The imperial physician spent four full hours treating me with his medical tools before he managed to steady my failing heart. As he removed his tools, the elderly man kept shaking his head. Each sigh sounded loud in the room.

"Your Highness, she has nothing left. Everything she has endured has already done lasting damage. Now, this latest shock has reversed the flow of her blood. I can prescribe medicine to keep her alive, but how long she lasts is up to the gods."

My mother sank into a chair, seeming to age before my eyes. She dismissed everyone and sat alone beside my bed, holding my cold hand in silence.

Outside, Roland and Adrian were still pleading for Lucian. The guards held him down in the courtyard, and both his legs were already broken as his screams grew louder and louder.

Georgina was kneeling nearby, tears streaming down her face. "Mother, please have mercy! Lucian only did it because of me. If you have to punish someone, punish me!"

Roland roared through the door. "Elicia, are you really going to destroy our whole family for someone who's already dying?! Lucian's your own son, too! How can you be so cruel?"

I opened my eyes a little. Seeing how exhausted Mother looked, I tugged at her sleeve. "Mother, let it go. I don't have much time left anyway. Don't let me come between you and Father. Please let me leave. I'll go back to the countryside, where they won't have to look at me."

She tightened her grip on my hand, a flicker of determination in her eyes. "No. You're my whole world. I won't let anyone abuse you."

She stood up and pushed the door open. Then, she looked at the people in the courtyard. "Roland, if you think I'm so cruel, there's no reason for us to stay married. Tomorrow morning, I'll go to the palace and ask my brother to grant us a divorce."

The courtyard fell silent as soon as she said that, and Roland stared at her with wide eyes, as though he had just heard something unbelievable.

"What did you say? A divorce? Elicia, have you lost your mind? You want a divorce over something this trivial?"

Adrian also panicked. The family still held the title of Marquis, but it had lost much of its former power. Elicia's royal status was the only thing that kept it afloat. If she divorced Roland, the household would become the laughingstock of the Imperial Capital, and Adrian's status as heir would be at risk.

"Mother, please don't do anything rash. Father only said that because he was angry. We're upset about Jenine's illness too, but Lucian has already been punished. Why let things get this bad between us?"

Georgina lowered her head, her eyes glinting with malice. She could not let Mother take me away. Without Mother's protection, the family would lose its influence, and Georgina's standing as its adopted daughter would plummet either way.

The estate was unusually quiet over the next few days. Roland and Adrian came to Mother's courtyard every day to beg forgiveness, but the guards turned them away. With his legs broken, Lucian could only lie in bed and rest.

I took my medicine every day, but my health kept getting worse. The physician had prescribed a mild tonic to restore my strength, yet every dose made my insides ache.

One day, while taking my medicine, I secretly hid a little of the herbal residue in my palm. Once Mother was out of the room, I forced myself upright and examined it closely.

Someone had added a trace of a potent foxglove. It was a powerful restorative, but my body could not tolerate something this strong. With my extremely weak heart, it was no different than poison.

There was no question about who had done it. I let out a dry laugh and crushed the herbs between my fingers. If Georgina wanted to play games, I suppose I could raise the stakes.

At dinner time, Mother brought in my medicine herself. "Jenine, it's time for your medicine."

I took the bowl and ate every drop of the poisoned medicine in front of her.

She had just taken out her handkerchief to wipe my mouth when my whole body went rigid. Blood poured from my nose, ears, and mouth all at once. The sight was horrifying.

The bowl fell from my Mother's hand, and it shattered on the floor. "Jenine!"