Chapter 124 Rose's Background
The night had deepened.
But Clio sat by the window in the west wing, looking out at the courtyard.
Her eyes were vacant, and from crying so much, they were swollen like walnuts.
At least she'd stopped crying now, but she seemed to have lost her soul, just sitting there in the chair without making a sound.
Michael had been here keeping her company at first, but later he got tired too, so Rose sent him back.
Nanny had brewed several bowls of medicine. Rose tried to feed it to Clio, but Clio wouldn't move at all.
Rose said softly, "Mother..."
Suddenly!
Clio swung her hand back and slapped her hard across the face.
Rose was stunned by the blow. Covering her face, her eyes reddened in shock.
"Mother, why?"
"Why? Why did you come up with such a terrible idea? Why did you give that packet of medicine to Wilder!"
Clio seemed to come alive, hysterical, her eyes completely unfamiliar.
Rose's face turned pale. "You agreed to this, Mother."
"You deceived me! If it weren't for this trick, Patrick wouldn't have wronged me. It's your fault, Cressida's fault. How did I end up raising cursed children like you!"
Clio beat her chest, wailing and crying, her hair disheveled, looking like she was about to lose her mind.
Nanny quickly stepped forward, supporting Rose. "Ms. Rose Hamilton, Mrs. Clio Hamilton is in a bad mood. Please be understanding. It's getting late, you should go rest. I'll take care of her."
Rose felt wronged too. How was this her fault? Hadn't Clio given her consent before she did it?
Thinking this, Rose didn't want to stay and attend to her anymore. She turned and left.
Nanny watched her figure disappear before closing the doors and windows.
"Mrs. Clio Hamilton, why did you do that? If Ms. Rose Hamilton finds out about her background, won't that cause trouble?"
"Nanny, my heart hurts so much, it's squeezing so tight I can barely breathe." Clio gripped Nanny's hand tightly, her face haggard.
Only then did Nanny notice that Clio seemed to have aged several years.
Before, Clio had always been dignified and graceful, but at some point, her crying had made her eyelids look increasingly puffy.
Nanny consoled her softly, "Mr. Patrick Hamilton is just angry for now. Everything will be fine. Take care of yourself, and you'll have a chance to make a comeback."
"Didn't you see how Patrick dotes on that bitch Echo! I want to tear her apart."
"So what? Even when the bastard in Echo's belly is born, how old will it be? But Mr. Michael Hamilton is already grown. With Mr. Michael Hamilton backing you up, who would dare shake your position as mistress of the house?"
With this persuasion, Clio suddenly felt much better.
She wiped her tears, regaining some rationality.
"You're right. Echo can give birth, but whether she can raise the child is another question. Michael is almost at marriage age too. When Michael's child is born, what status will Echo have left?"
"Exactly. Take care of yourself. When Mr. Michael Hamilton's child is born, you'll be the one running the whole household!"
Clio looked at the candle nearby, then raised her head to look around the west wing's furnishings.
The room was cramped, hot in summer and cold in autumn, nothing like her main courtyard.
She had managed the Hamilton family for over twenty years, and this was what she got.
Clio laughed bitterly, then tears fell again.
"I'm just afraid Patrick will live a long life."
Hearing this suddenly, Nanny's face turned pale with fright.
She quickly lowered her voice. "Mrs. Hamilton! You mustn't say such things."
Clio wiped the tears from her chin.
"If my family hadn't fallen on hard times back then, desperately needing money, and if Patrick's mother hadn't given such generous wedding gifts, I would never have married into this family."
"I know all about your suffering."
"Nanny, help me send a letter to my cousin. Tell him when his term ends, to hurry back to Emerald City."
Nanny's brow twitched. "Mrs. Hamilton, are you planning to..."
Clio lowered her head, a snake-like hatred coiling in her eyes.
"I need his help. After Cressida's time on the battlefield, her thinking has really changed from before. I can't rely on just Rose and Michael alone. I need help!"
Nanny hesitated, but Clio kept urging her, so Nanny had no choice but to agree to deliver the letter.
Thinking of Cressida, Clio felt like there was a hole in her heart with cold wind blowing through.
What use was keeping Cressida, a daughter who sided with Patrick's mistress? She must make Cressida leave Emerald City in disgrace!
Three or four days passed.
Cressida took the initiative to arrange a meeting with Miguel in a private room at a teahouse.
She always arrived thirty minutes earlier than the agreed time.
After waiting a while, Miguel arrived.
Today he wore black formal attire with dark gold thread embroidering patterns on the collar and cuffs. He was tall and upright.
As soon as he entered, an aura of battle-hardened authority spread through the room. He carried a natural commanding presence, and the noble bearing in his bones made him appear stern.
Seeing him, Cressida immediately said, "Thank you for your help, Your Highness Miguel. The matter at the estate has been resolved."
Miguel sat across from her. "Was Wilder dealt with?"
Cressida nodded. "He was driven away."
Miguel's eyes were like cold stars, a flash of displeasure crossing them.
He seemed to think it was a pity Wilder hadn't been killed.
Cressida pulled out blueprints from her sleeve and handed them to him.
"The improved firearm design. Please review it, Your Highness Miguel."
Miguel took them and after just two glances, his eyebrows lifted slightly.
Cressida thought to herself.
He must be very satisfied with this.
Having been on the battlefield, I know that the firearms currently available in the military camps have poor accuracy, and the artillery often misfires.
The firearms I've researched and improved can be both accurate and have increased range.
Actually, I had already developed this before I faked my death, but I hadn't had time to implement it in the military camps yet.
Miguel accepted the design.
"Some bandits have been roaming around the military fortress Sovereign City recently, extremely vicious. They must be Eldoria remnants. With your firearms, they won't escape."
Eldoria was also an enemy nation that Cressida had destroyed.
It was certain that Eldoria had remaining soldiers that needed to be gradually cleared out.
Cressida asked, "Is it serious?"
Sovereign City was both a military and commercial fortress. If chaos broke out there, it would be like choking Novaria's economic lifeline.
When she was at the military fortress, she had always stationed heavy troops to protect it.
Miguel said, "My generals have already been stationed there. News should arrive soon."
Cressida nodded lightly. Miguel had many capable generals under him, so there should be no need to worry.
After that, they discussed the arranged marriage.
Recently Doyle had suffered a relapse of an old illness, so it wasn't a good time to bring up this matter.
So Miguel told Cressida they would have to wait on this.
Of course Cressida wasn't in a hurry. The anxious one should be Miguel. If he didn't bind her to him in this way of sharing life, death, glory and disgrace, he probably worried every day that she would betray him.
Seeing there was nothing else to report, Cressida handed over a box of pastries she had bought.
"This is for Anthony," Cressida said.
Miguel frowned. "That sickeningly sweet flavor again?"
Cressida's eyes widened slightly. "Your Highness Miguel has tried it?"
Miguel didn't admit it or answer directly. He only said, "It doesn't taste good."
"Anthony likes it."
Cressida left.
After she was gone, Miguel opened the pastries and tried one.
He frowned deeply. "Truly awful."
Cressida had just returned home when she saw the household was tense and heavily guarded.
Noah came running to tell her.
"Ms. Cressida Hamilton, people from the gambling house are here. I heard Mr. Michael Hamilton owes a lot of debt. Mr. Patrick Hamilton just flew into a rage!"
Cressida's face remained expressionless. She said calmly, "I'll go take a look."