Chapter 6
Suddenly, a cold, cutting voice echoed from the street corner.
"Such impressive authority, Mrs. Adolph," the speaker sneered.
"Are you really planning to execute the daughter of one of our empire's top ministers right at the gates of the Grand Tutor's residence?"
The crowd parted.
My brother, George, sat astride his horse, gripping a long spear.
His gaze was as sharp as a knife, piercing Karen.
Behind him marched a troop of Bernard family guards.
Each one looked grim, radiating a deadly aura.
Coming from a noble house, Karen still carried herself with an air of superiority.
"General Bernard, I'm disciplining my own family's daughter-in-law. What business is it of yours?" Karen snapped.
George let out a cold laugh.
He swung off his horse and placed himself protectively in front of me.
"First, my sister has publicly broken off the engagement. She has nothing to do with the Adolph family.
"Second, you're trespassing on the Grand Tutor's estate.
"And third, no outsider has the right to discipline a Bernard."
Karen shook all over, furious and helpless.
"Are you... is the Bernard family trying to rebel now?" she sputtered.
I tugged at George's coat.
I kept my voice low, but made sure everyone could hear me.
"George, please stop," I said.
"It's my fault.
"I shouldn't have cared more about the coronet than Ms. Russell's hand.
"I get it, General Adolph cares about Ms. Russell. I understand," I said.
As soon as those words left my mouth, the crowd went wild.
"Seriously? He smashed his fiancée's coronet just for his childhood sweetheart?" someone shouted.
"Is General Adolph even human?" another scoffed.
"No wonder the Bernard family called off the engagement. What girl could stand for that?" someone else chimed in.
"Who does Ms. Russell think she is? She hasn't even married in yet and she's already getting so full of herself?" someone else scoffed.
Karen completely lost face; her dignity was shattered.
Even the guards she brought along started to look uneasy.
These were men who had fought alongside Gabriel on the battlefield.
They always felt awkward about humiliating a weak woman like this.
"Shirley, stop talking nonsense!" Karen barked, refusing to back down.
Karen stubbornly tried to defend herself.
Just then, a deep voice rang out.
"What's going on here?"
Gabriel showed up.
He rode in on a tall horse, a black cloak billowing behind him.
He didn't even spare me a glance, just swung off his horse and went straight to Karen, helping her up.
"Mother, what brings you here?" Gabriel asked.
Seeing her son arrive, Karen's confidence returned.
"Gabriel, look at this. Is this the wife you were so determined to bring home?" Karen snapped.
"She hasn't even become part of the family yet and she's already defying her elders."
Gabriel turned and fixed me with a cold, hard stare.
There was not a hint of warmth in his eyes, just nothing but disgust.
"Shirley, stop this nonsense," he said, his voice icy.
"Come back with me."
His tone was both patronizing and commanding, as if he was granting me charity.
It was like breaking off the engagement was just me acting spoiled.
Like if he crooked his finger, I'd have to crawl over on my knees, no questions asked.
I stared at him, and suddenly, the old me felt downright pathetic.
All for some arrogant jerk like him, I actually sacrificed the Bernard family's pride built over a hundred years.
I rose slowly to my feet.
I wiped the tears from my eyes, my gaze turning icy and resolute.
"General Adolph, you must be mistaken," I said, my voice unwavering.
"I will never look back."
Gabriel's brows furrowed suddenly.
"Don't test my patience, Shirley.
"I'll get Grace to bring you some medicine for your forehead.
"She already admitted she was wrong. What else do you want from her?"
I laughed.
I laughed at myself, but there was irony in it too.
"Medicine, huh?
"Tell me, General Adolph, have her precious hands stopped swelling yet?"
Gabriel's face darkened.
He said coldly, "Are you seriously still holding onto this?
"Grace is pure-hearted. She never meant to hurt you.
"Is ruining the reputation of both families really what you want?"
I shook my head.
I pulled a letter from my sleeve.
I'd put together a stack yesterday, the letters Gabriel sent me over the years.
And mixed in were the IOUs he wrote when he borrowed money from the Bernard family to fund his army.
Right in front of everyone, I ripped those letters up, piece by piece.
I said, steady and clear, "General Adolph, face is something you earn yourself, not something handed to you.
"These are the IOUs. Altogether, that's 300,000 gold coins.
"That covers all the expenses your family racked up over the years, and the favor you owe the Bernard family.
"Time to settle your debt, General Adolph."
The crowd was stunned into silence.
Gabriel's composure shattered in an instant.
All eyes were fixed on Gabriel.
300,000 gold coins was a staggering amount even for the wealthiest nobles, especially for the Adolph family, who earned their noble status through battlefield glory rather than inherited wealth, that kind of money was no small matter.