Chapter 3

"Family?" I laughed so hard that my eyes brimmed with tears. "Phillip, my daughter suffered out there for fourteen years, while you and your son pampered a thief's daughter like she was some treasure."

I pointed at Juliette, who was trembling behind Joe. "You want her? Fine, take her and your precious son with you.

"The Princess's Manor was a gift from my father on my sixteenth birthday. It's under my name, not the Riggs family's."

Joe rushed up to me, his eyes blazing with anger and confusion. "Mother. Are you going to leave my father and me for some girl nobody knows?"

I looked at him. I'd raised him for fourteen years.

When he was three and had a fever, I stayed with him for days. At seven, he fell into icy water, and I jumped in to save him, getting seriously sick myself.

At ten, he wanted to learn swordsmanship, and I went myself to ask the commander of the king's guards to teach him.

I thought I was raising a good boy, but he wasn't grateful at all.

I said quietly, "Joe, you said that blood doesn't decide everything. The bonds we've built matter more."

I shot his own words right back at him. "Tell me, is the bond between us strong enough for me to tolerate you without complaints?"

Joe froze. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.

I said, turning away from him, "Make your choice. You can stay here and admit that Alena is the only rightful heiress of this family, and send that fraud wherever she belongs."

I paused, my voice turning cold. "Or you can take your precious girl and get out of the Princess's Manor."

Silence fell. Then I heard Phillip's voice, deep and edged with a kind of desperate finality. "Fine, Gwen. This is it."

He grabbed Joe by the arm. "Joe, let's go."

Joe froze. "Are you sure?"

"Didn't you hear her?" Phillip sneered. "There's no place for us here anymore. Your mother would rather toss you aside for a nobody. Why should we stay? Just to humiliate ourselves?"

He looked at Juliette, his expression flickering with a mix of emotions, but he still reached out his hand. "Juliette, come with me."

Juliette clung to Phillip's sleeve like he was her last lifeline, sobbing. "Father, please don't leave me."

The display of their so-called bond made my stomach churn.

Joe stayed rooted, eyes darting between me, Alena, and Juliette, his face twisting in turmoil.

"Joe," Phillip barked. "What are you waiting for? Are you going to stay here and call that girl your sister?"

Joe clenched his jaw and gave me one last look. There was anger, resentment, and confusion in his eyes, but not a hint of regret.

Then he turned and stood beside Phillip.

"Good." I nodded, my heart finally shattering into pieces.

Then I called out, my voice ringing through the room. "Frank."

Frank, the butler, came running in, his legs shaking. "Your Highness?"

I said, enunciating every word, "Phillip and Joe are to move out of the Princess's Manor immediately. Let them take whoever they want. They're not allowed to come back.

"They're only allowed to take their own personal items. And especially—"

I glanced at Juliette's clothes and jewelry. "Everything she's got on belongs to the Princess's Manor. Strip it off her."

Juliette let out a scream and stepped back.

Phillip snapped, "Gwen, don't go too far."

"Too far?" I stepped right up to him, staring at him. "Phillip, for fourteen years, everything you had came from me.

"You came from a humble family. If you hadn't married me, would you be where you are now? Could you get along so well with your colleagues in politics?"

I hit him where it hurt most. "I've done everything I could. Grab your stuff and get out. Say another word, and you'll be walking out of here with nothing."

Phillip's face went from pale to ashen. He'd probably never been shamed like this before in his life.

Finally, he glared at me and snapped, "Let's go."

Juliette was held down by two maids, who stripped off her fancy jewelry and outfit and put her into simple clothes. She sobbed, and Joe had to drag her out.

Before leaving, Phillip glanced back at me. His gaze was icy, cutting through me like a blade.

"Gwen, you'll regret this," he said.

I laughed. "The only thing I regret is marrying you."

The doors slammed shut. Everyone lowered their heads, not daring to even glance up.

I finally loosened my fists. My palms were sweaty, and my hands still shook a little.

"Don't mind them," I said.

I turned to Alena, the one I'd been protecting all along, keeping her safe behind me.

She kept her head down, shoulders hunched, like a frightened little creature. She hadn't uttered a word during the entire ordeal.

I walked over to take her hand.

She jerked back suddenly. Then, as if realizing something, she froze, burying her head even further.

A stabbing pain shot through my chest.

"Alena," I called softly, using the name I had given her. "Look at me."

She didn't move.

I reached out and gently lifted her chin.

She lifted her head reluctantly, eyes full of fear and tears. She wouldn't meet my gaze, her eyelashes quivering.

"Don't be afraid," I said, my voice soft. "From now on, this is your home. And you have me, your mother."

Her lips moved, and she breathed out, barely audible, "Mother?"

That word broke me inside.

I murmured, gently gathering her into my arms, "I'm here. I promise no one will ever hurt you again."

Her body stayed tense, but she didn't try to pull away.