Chapter 102 Clio Takes the Blame for Rose
"Rose, Rose!"
A desperate cry rang out as Clio rushed in.
Cressida had arranged for someone to watch her, but unexpectedly, Clio had broken free.
With her hair disheveled, Clio looked like a lost soul.
Having heard that Rose was being beaten, Clio had rushed over without even putting on shoes.
As soon as she entered, Clio threw herself over Rose, using her own body to shield her.
"Mr. Hamilton! Stop hitting her, if you keep going Rose will die!" Clio begged through tears.
Patrick pointed his stick at her: "Get out of the way, or I'll beat you too!"
Clio held Rose tightly: "Mr. Hamilton, please spare her."
"Do you know what Rose did? She secretly conspired with Prince Yosef!" At this point, Patrick lowered his voice fearfully, "If she reveals our family secrets, it's all your fault, you foolish woman. I haven't even dealt with you yet!"
Clio shook her head desperately: "No, no, it's not like that. She wouldn't dare say anything!"
"Still making excuses!" Patrick struck down hard with the stick in fury.
Even with Clio shielding Rose, he didn't stop.
Cressida watched quietly as Clio held Rose tight, as if protecting her own child.
Cressida couldn't help but recall her past life.
After Michael had broken Cressida's ten fingers, Rose had come to see her.
Rose had said: "Cressida, I pleaded for you about your broken fingers, but guess what Mother said?"
Rose's smile had been sweet and innocent, with a pampered charm.
"Mother said I shouldn't get involved. She just made sure I wasn't there when they broke your fingers, afraid it would scare me. See how good Mother is? She always thinks of me. She doesn't like you—you should reflect on why people don't like you."
Cressida closed her eyes.
She suppressed the intense murderous intent rising in her heart.
"Father," she reminded Patrick, "this matter should be handled quickly."
Patrick suddenly snapped back to attention and ordered the servants: "Are you all dead? Pull Mrs. Hamilton away!"
Clio held Rose tightly, refusing to let go.
"Mr. Hamilton, stop! Rose went to deliver a message for me!" Clio suddenly shouted hoarsely.
Patrick's raised stick stopped, and he stared at her darkly: "What did you say?"
Clio's tears fell: "I kept it from you because I was afraid you'd be angry. Now that things are like this, I might as well tell you. At the boat race last time, Rose spoke with Prince Yosef. After that, Queen Odette sent the court physician to treat Michael. I thought Rose was lucky to have caught Prince Yosef's eye."
"So I wanted Rose to help me ask Queen Odette to let Michael come back to me. But I couldn't meet Queen Odette, so I could only have Rose ask Prince Yosef for me."
Patrick's expression was uncertain: "What are you saying? Rose caught Prince Yosef's eye?"
Clio pushed Rose: "Rose, quickly take out the jade token Prince Yosef gave you."
Rose's bloodied fingers trembled as she shakily pulled out the jade Yosef had given her from her chest.
This was originally her token to enter Yosef's palace, but now it came in handy.
Patrick immediately grabbed it to examine. It indeed had Yosef's name on it: Yosef Russell.
Patrick suddenly seemed at a loss. He stepped back two paces, looking at the jade pendant, then at Rose.
If Rose really was meeting privately with Yosef, and he had beaten her like this, wouldn't that anger Yosef?
At this thought, Patrick blamed Clio for not telling him earlier.
"Foolish woman!" Patrick roared, veins bulging at his temples. "How dare you air our dirty laundry!"
He suddenly raised his hand.
A loud slap landed on Clio's face.
"You didn't mention this earlier, hiding everything from me. Do you still consider me your husband?"
"Rose and Prince Yosef are just getting to know each other. How could I dare say anything? What if I misunderstood and angered Prince Yosef?" Clio sobbed.
Cressida turned to see the anger on Patrick's face instantly dissipate.
Patrick was exactly this kind of person—all about self-interest.
If Rose revealed secrets, she deserved to die.
But if she had a chance of becoming Yosef's concubine, then her existence had value.
Cressida knew that tonight, Rose's life was saved.
Patrick threw down the punishment stick: "What are you all standing around for! Carry Rose back and get every doctor on the estate to see her!"
Finally, he pointed at Clio: "If you hide things like this from me again, I'll divorce you!"
The servants carried the bleeding Rose away, with Clio following beside her, constantly calling out in distress.
"Rose, my Rose, you must be all right."
After they left, it was Patrick's turn to panic.
"Cressida," he paced back and forth, "do you think I should test Prince Yosef's attitude?"
Patrick believed Yosef liked Rose, and injuring her would surely anger Yosef.
Cressida knew Patrick had always lacked vision and intelligence.
So she said calmly: "Father, Rose is your goddaughter in name. She left the estate in the middle of the night, and you didn't know the details. However you disciplined her was right."
"Even if outsiders found out, they'd praise your strict household rules. Isn't that a good thing?"
With Cressida's reassurance, Patrick immediately relaxed.
"You're right. Even if it's Prince Yosef, there's no reason to invite our daughter out in the middle of the night. Prince Yosef can't blame me!"
At this point, Patrick complained about Echo again: "It's her fault too, always fussing. Too hot in summer, then too cold at Cool Breeze Manor."
Cressida said: "Carrying a male child makes one more particular. Father, do you remember? When Mother was pregnant with Michael, she couldn't stand heat or cold either."
Patrick was startled: "A male child? Who said so?"
"The doctor. I saw Echo's medical records a few days ago and found out."
"Wonderful, that's truly wonderful!" Patrick's displeasure vanished completely. "I must go see Echo. She must be exhausted from the journey."
Watching his departing figure, Cressida's expression was cold, her eyes like frost.
Rose had barely escaped with her life. Her left leg was injured and she needed bed rest.
That day, thunder and rain poured down.
The plants in the courtyard swayed wildly under the heavy rain.
A maid was serving Rose medicine when the beaded curtain at the door lifted and a figure entered.
The maid immediately bowed: "Greetings, Ms. Hamilton."
Hearing the maid's words, Rose reacted as if bitten by a snake, immediately propping herself up to sit.
Cressida removed her apricot-colored rain cloak and handed it to Emma.
She instructed the maid: "Leave us. I have something to say to Rose alone. Don't come in without my permission."
The maid was about to nod when Rose urgently said: "Don't leave! Cressida, whatever you have to say, just say it directly."
But Cressida still looked at the maid: "Leave."
Her words carried tremendous weight.
Thunder rolled outside, lightning occasionally illuminating the dim room, making Cressida's upright figure seem even more oppressive.
The maid was terrified—Cressida was still in charge of the entire estate.
"Ms. Hamilton, I just remembered you need your medicinal paste. I'll go heat it up and bring it to you right away." She quickly bowed and fled.
Rose screamed: "Come back! Come back!"
Cressida walked over, dragged a chair, and sat by the bed.
Rose immediately retreated, pressing her back against the bed rail, looking wary.
"What do you want? Cressida, I've never provoked you. I'm already like this—won't you let me go?"
Cressida's face showed no smile, only a chilling coldness in her eyes.
"Rose, are you afraid I'll kill you right now?"