Chapter 69 Must Confirm He Is Really Dead
Miguel's eyes darkened.
He stood up: "I'll go check."
Marshall stared at him intently.
Miguel walked to the curtain and looked inside.
He paused, then pushed the curtain aside and stepped back to let Marshall see clearly.
There was no one behind the curtain, only a large pearl lying on the floor.
Miguel bent down to pick it up and walked over to hand it to Marshall.
"Odette gave it to Anthony to play with recently. The child probably dropped it here."
"You're quite good to Anthony. It's just a pity you've been single for so long, and still..."
Miguel interrupted Marshall: "Marshall, let's not discuss these matters for now. Just tell me, if I compete for control of the Royal Guard, what are my chances?"
Marshall looked at him seriously: "My people will help you. Tomorrow in court, argue with Yosef's faction until Father speaks up and puts you in charge."
Miguel pondered: "I'll compete on my own merit, but I won't use General Hamilton's reputation. He once took an arrow for me. I can't just find some random skeleton and pretend it's him to receive worship."
Marshall fell silent, looking at Miguel for a long time before saying: "You're still so kind-hearted. Fine, we'll do it your way."
Marshall didn't stay long before leaving.
Cressida hid in the darkness, listening to Marshall's footsteps fade away.
She didn't rush to move, but waited until Miguel opened the cabinet door and saw her curled up inside the wardrobe.
He paused, a faint smile appearing on his stern face.
"Your martial arts are quick. You knew to hide in here."
Miguel extended his hand. Cressida was crouching uncomfortably and could only use his palm to climb out.
Fortunately, she had practiced martial arts since childhood and was flexible, otherwise she couldn't have squeezed into this half-height cabinet.
The moment he touched Cressida's palm, Miguel froze.
Her hand was delicate and soft, with almost no calluses, completely different from when Miguel first touched it.
He looked down at Cressida's hand. In the candlelight, her skin was smooth and fine. Had she deliberately removed the calluses?
Cressida had already withdrawn her hand. She bowed properly: "Thank you, Prince Miguel, for your help. I accidentally knocked the pearl down just now and almost let Prince Marshall discover me."
Miguel's expression remained unchanged as he walked back to the table and sat down.
"It wouldn't matter if he discovered you. If I said I was interested in you and meeting privately at night, he couldn't do anything about it."
Hearing Miguel's words, Cressida's steps froze.
Miguel looked up at her, his voice low: "Don't worry, I'm not that tasteless. Sit."
He pointed to the seat across from him. Cressida sat down and took the cup of tea he handed her.
Cressida: "Now I understand why you've been holding back. With everyone asking you to take control of the Royal Guard, naturally no one suspects you."
Miguel glanced at her and chuckled.
He lowered his head to pour tea and said: "I'm still curious how you could predict all this so accurately."
Cressida was silent for a moment: "Cameron once said, know yourself and your enemy and you'll win every battle. I just guessed based on Marshall and Yosef's personalities."
"Really? Then you see them clearly. How do you see me?"
"I can't see through you, Your Highness."
"Is that so? I thought since I fought alongside Cameron, you should have heard more about my deeds."
"I'm poorly informed." Cressida lowered her head, avoiding Miguel's intense gaze.
Miguel didn't speak for quite a while.
The tea in Cressida's hand was getting cold.
Finally he asked: "That night of the Flower Festival, how did your family matter turn out?"
Cressida knew Miguel was asking about Michael's incident. Verity had probably already told him.
Cressida had no intention of hiding it anyway, so she told him everything.
But Miguel frowned: "Is Michael actually dead? You didn't confirm it?"
Cressida paused: "Two blows with the stick, I used force. Most people wouldn't survive."
Miguel put down his teacup: "Too careless. When you do things, you can't leave loose ends. You must confirm he's completely dead before making arrangements."
Being lectured by Miguel, Cressida said quietly: "Thank you for your teaching, Your Highness. I'll be sure to next time."
Miguel smiled slightly: "Next time? How many people do you plan to kill?"
Deep inquiry and sharpness rose in his eyes.
Cressida immediately became alert. An ordinary person wouldn't have such deep hatred for family members. In Miguel's eyes, her killing Michael just because her family didn't favor her was actually bad behavior.
She lowered her head: "I'm preparing myself to kill for Your Highness next time. I didn't want to kill Michael at first, but he drugged my drink and tried to have me sold to a brothel."
What would happen to a girl sold to a brothel was obvious.
Miguel's expression darkened, showing danger.
"What a scumbag." Miguel cursed, then said, "I've prepared some things for you."
He clapped his hands, and a subordinate came in carrying a box.
The box was about half a foot long and seven inches high.
When the box was opened, it was filled with beautiful earrings and necklaces.
Cressida frowned.
Miguel was giving her things again?
"Your Highness, why do you keep giving me things? Last time with Richard, I didn't solve it for you."
"You work for me, so naturally I should treat you well. I'm just not very good at taking care of women. It's best if you tell me what you want."
Cressida was stunned, not expecting Miguel's reason to be so straightforward.
Seeing she lacked money, he gave her money.
In a way, Cressida felt her judgment was good—she had found a wise person to follow.
"Thank you, Your Highness." Cressida accepted.
She was now deeply connected with Miguel and couldn't let him sense her distance. She should accept what she should accept.
When she returned from the Prince's palace to her room, it was past eleven-thirty at night.
Before Cressida returned, Miguel's subordinate had quietly placed the box full of jewelry on her table.
Emma asked: "Ms. Hamilton, what should we do with the things in this box?"
"Put them all away in the cabinet." Cressida didn't plan to use them.
There's no such thing as kindness without reason—it all has to be repaid.
Two more days passed, and Michael still hadn't returned. Patrick finally realized something was wrong.
Patrick sent people to search everywhere, asked people to report him missing to the relevant authorities, and posted missing person notices.
Patrick found nothing.
Clio cried until she had two heart attacks. Mabel had Clio rest quietly in the courtyard.
After several days, Clio finally had some energy.
On this day, while Cressida and the others were all taken out by Mabel for an outing, Clio took a carriage directly to a remote area outside Emerald City that belonged to the Hamilton family.
Rose wore coarse cloth, very different from before.
When she saw Clio, Rose's face lit up with a smile: "Mother! You finally came to see me."
However, Clio showed no expression and had the Nanny hold Rose down and slap her twice.
Blood trickled from Rose's mouth as she knelt on the ground, disbelieving: "Mother?"
Clio looked down at Rose from above, her hands trembling.
"Rose, I've treated you well, yet you dared to give Michael money to gamble. The gambling house creditors came to the house. He's been missing for days now and hasn't come back. It's probably because you made him afraid to come home!"
Rose was stunned: "No, it wasn't me. Although I gave him money, I didn't encourage him to gamble!"
Clio closed her eyes: "It's too late for anything you say now. Nanny, tie her up and sell her."
"Mother! Don't sell me, Mother!" Rose struggled and cried.
The Nanny forcefully tied Rose's hands.
Rose could only cry out: "I know where Michael went, Mother, let me go and I'll tell you!"