Chapter 6
Mother's eyes were like two ice-forged blades, fixing my father with a cold, sword-like glare. "A misunderstanding?" Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Edward, you still think this is just a misunderstanding?
"Do you need to see Rose's corpse right in front of you before you finally believe what your precious, gentle Vivian is really like?"
My father's face went pale in an instant. "No... that's impossible... Vivian, she... How could she ever hurt Rose? Rose is her child too..." He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence.
To Vivian, I was nothing but a nuisance, an obstacle she needed out of the way.
"Edward, stop deluding yourself with those lies," Mother cut him off mercilessly. "You really think I don't know about your plan?
"You sent them away, handed over five hundred gold coins, and promised to name William as your successor one day. You've blocked every escape route for Rose and me, and you still expect me to buy your nonsense?"
My father stared at her in shock. "How... how do you know all this?"
Five hundred gold coins. Not a coin more, not a coin less.
Mother knew about the secret promise my father made to name William as his successor.
She sneered, "There are more people in Everstead Manor who work for me than for you. So how do you think I know? I know exactly what you eat every day, who you meet, and what you say. Nothing escapes me.
"Including how you embraced Vivian last night, vowing I was a jealous shrew, and promising that one day you'd divorce me and make her your lawful wife."
My father's face wasn't just pale. It was drained of all hope. It was like someone had ripped off his clothes and tossed him into the busiest street, leaving every dirty secret and shameful truth out in the open for everyone to gawk at.
He tried to speak, but not a single word came out. He wanted to defend himself, but realized every argument he could make was hollow and powerless. Because everything Mother said was the cold, hard truth.
Mother continued, "Edward, don't you find it strange? Why is it that I know everything, yet I've kept silent all along? Do you really think I love you so much that I could tolerate everything you do?"
He nodded without thinking.
That might've been exactly what he believed.
He figured Mother put up with everything just because she loved him.
Mother laughed so hard, she was nearly in tears. "You're wrong. I don't put up with you because I love you. It's because you mean nothing to me.
"Why would I waste my time or energy on someone who's just a pawn I can toss aside whenever I want? The only reason I keep you around is that you're still useful.
"You're the son-in-law of Duke of Fortward and the Marquess of Everstead. With those titles, you can do plenty for me, for Rose, and for the Sinclair family.
"As for your mistress and that illegitimate son, those pathetic little circus acts don't bother me in the slightest. As long as you don't get in the way of what I care about, I can't be bothered to interfere."
Her words were like sharp blades, shredding every last bit of my father's pitiful pride until there was nothing left.
He always thought he was the one pulling all the strings. He juggled Mother and Vivian, convinced he was handling it all with ease.
He schemed against his father-in-law's family, chasing after more power, sure he was the smartest man in the room.
In the end, to Mother, he was nothing but a tool, someone she could use and discard whenever she pleased, and a pawn she could toss aside at any moment.
How ironic.
How humiliating.