Chapter 113 She and He Share Honor and Disgrace
Emma's face instantly turned pale, and she instinctively moved to block the sack containing Mark's body.
At that moment, a guard approached with heavy footsteps, his voice resonant—
"Ms. Hamilton, Prince Miguel requests your presence."
Cressida closed her eyes, her breath carrying a barely noticeable sense of relief.
Miguel and I are finally going to meet face to face, honestly.
The guards escorted her carriage to an inconspicuous mansion.
She was led to a door. As it opened, she stepped inside to see a tall figure in black and gold robes, standing with his back to her.
"Prince Miguel, Ms. Hamilton has arrived."
"You may leave."
The guard left, and the door closed behind him.
Cressida took two steps forward: "Cameron pays respects to Prince Miguel."
She stopped pretending, because she knew that Miguel's appearance at this moment meant he had accepted her true identity.
In the candlelight, Miguel slowly turned around, his handsome, sharp features covered in frost.
His brows were like blades, his expression chillingly intimidating, his eyes deep and surging with hidden currents.
He looked down at Cressida from his height, his entire being radiating an irresistible sense of oppression.
"I've only been away from Emerald City for a few days," he spoke, his voice low and cold, "and you couldn't wait to side with Marshall?"
Cressida bowed her head: "Prince Miguel is perceptive. If you truly believed I had sided with Prince Marshall, you wouldn't be standing here now."
Miguel sneered: "You've got some nerve, using even me as a pawn in your game?"
Cressida remained silent. Miguel's slender fingers slowly caressed the hilt of his sword, and he walked toward her with measured steps.
His presence pressed down like a mountain, making it hard to breathe.
"General Hamilton, you're quite something, fooling the entire world."
"I had no choice! When my father was urgently ordered to the front lines to deal with the military fortress crisis, he broke his leg at a critical moment. Going to the battlefield would have meant certain death. I disguised myself as a man to join the army in his place—it was my only option!"
"And faking your death to return to Emerald City, was that also unavoidable?" Miguel's voice was sharp, thunderous.
"The King was about to arrange a marriage. If I married the princess and then revealed my identity, it would have angered His Majesty even more—an unforgivable crime."
Miguel's tone was icy: "You're extremely clever. Marshall and Yosef each have their advantages. Why did you choose me?"
Cressida raised her eyes.
Though there was a height difference between them, their presence was equally cold and profound.
"Prince Marshall has been the heir for years, with deep-rooted power and many capable people around him. He wouldn't risk taking on my burden. Prince Yosef, though unstoppable, is erratic and rash—not a good master. Only Prince Miguel—you need someone like me."
"You faked your death to escape punishment, and disguised yourself as a man to join the army. Each of these is a crime of deceiving the King, punishable by death. Wouldn't it be simpler for me to hand you over to the King directly, rather than take you under my command?"
"Prince Miguel could certainly do that," Cressida's demeanor was calm as water, "I was prepared for that before I came."
"Then why did you dare to come?"
"Because I'm betting—betting that Prince Miguel values talent more than Prince Marshall, has more patience than Prince Yosef, and more than both of them—" she paused as the candlelight flickered, "wants that throne more."
A sudden silence fell, making the thunder and rain outside sound even more explosive.
Heavy rain pounded on the roof tiles, crackling loudly.
Her honesty was laid bare.
A cold, light laugh came from above.
"Cressida, you're not afraid of death. If so, why don't you go tell my father yourself who you really are?"
"Because I'm a woman. Society won't accept a female general. In these peaceful times, His Majesty may not make an exception for me."
A cold glint flashed in Miguel's eyes.
It seemed Cressida's transparency and ability to read the situation surprised him.
There was one thing Cressida hadn't gotten wrong—he lacked someone with her military talent.
"What do you want from me?"
"I want to reclaim the honor I deserve," Cressida said frankly. "Three years! Just three years. I'll help Prince Miguel win the throne, and then, please restore my rightful position as a female general under the name Cressida!"
The thunder and rain outside grew louder, and the candles on the table flickered.
As Miguel approached, his shadow stretched longer in the firelight, making him appear even more imposing.
Cressida met his scrutinizing gaze.
Then Miguel extended his hand to her.
"Become my wife. My fate will be your fate."
"From today, we rise and fall together. Three years—if you betray me, you'll die without a burial place."
"Now, tell me, do you dare take this position?"
Cressida looked at his palm, her eyes shimmering.
After a moment, she grasped his hand and stood up with his help.
"I'm willing to work with Prince Miguel to win the world."
Meanwhile, Rose had also received the news.
Cressida had escaped!
And Rodolfo had searched every dock downstream but couldn't find her.
Soon, Yosef's people would come with soldiers to search the Hamilton Mansion under the pretext of "catching a fugitive."
Rose immediately informed Clio.
"They just need to see that Cressida isn't in the house. Prince Yosef has his own ways to make Cressida's crimes stick."
Clio frowned, feeling things were getting out of hand.
She asked: "It won't implicate the Hamilton Mansion, will it? Rose, did you tell Prince Yosef that we just wanted to drive Cressida away..."
Before Clio could finish rambling, Rose grasped her hand.
"Mother, of course I told him, but how could Prince Yosef prioritize us? Now we can only cooperate. But don't worry, the Hamilton Mansion has General Hamilton's honor to protect it. Nothing will happen."
"I hope the plan goes smoothly." Clio patted her uneasy heart.
Clio told herself this would be the only time—just drive Cressida out of the estate as a criminal woman, and that would be it.
After that, the entire Hamilton Mansion could return to how it was before.
Soon, officials arrived at the door.
Patrick was stunned when he heard they were searching for a fugitive.
He followed behind the officials: "Everything's peaceful at home. How could a fugitive be hiding in our mansion?"
The official glanced at him: "We heard the fugitive fled from the south bank of the Hudson River in this direction. Better to search once to put Mr. Hamilton's mind at ease!"
Patrick's face turned pale at these words.
Had Cressida been discovered when she gave Mark the gold?
The officials ordered all the Hamilton family members to gather in the main courtyard.
They checked names against a roster and found four people missing.
Nanny quickly explained: "Mrs. Mabel Hamilton, Mrs. Brynn Hamilton, and Mr. Michael Hamilton went to the church. They sent word to the estate this afternoon that the thunderstorm made it too dangerous to come down the mountain, so they'll stay at the church overnight and return tomorrow morning."
The official asked: "Who's the other person?"
Nanny looked troubled.
"Speak!" the official demanded.
Clio had no choice: "It's my daughter Cressida. She must be in the mansion—she wouldn't go out."
"Whether she's in the mansion or not, we'll know after searching." The official raised his torch and had a servant lead the way to search Cressida's courtyard.
Watching them leave, Clio quickly said: "Rose, help me go with them. Don't let Cressida suffer."
Patrick panicked and grabbed Noah.
"Has Cressida come back?"
Noah shook his head. They had servants watching both the front and back doors, ready to receive Cressida immediately, but she hadn't returned yet!
Patrick thought to himself: It's over, everything's over!