Chapter 28 Not a Wife
The Titan Old Lady looked at Anne with some hesitation. "This... since this happened at the Titan estate, why don't you leave it to us? Once the investigation is complete, I'll have Holden deliver the results to the Virlet estate."
If she kept the assassin, she could still find a scapegoat to brush this matter aside. But if Anne took the person away, whether she investigated herself or handed it over to the palace, with attempted murder of a duke involved, it wouldn't be something a small Titan family could handle.
How could Anne not understand this logic? But she believed in not attacking unless attacked first. If someone had already tried to take her life, why should she leave herself vulnerable to future trouble?
"Since this concerns me personally, the Titan family needn't trouble themselves. And there's no need for Holden to come before me - I have no time to receive him."
With that, she turned to Conor with a smile. "Thank you for making this trip, Lord Conor. If you have time later, please do visit the Virlet estate."
Conor looked at her with a smile. "This isn't the palace - just call me Uncle Conor like before. I arrived late for a reason - I made a special detour to the Virlet family territory. His Majesty and I both have things for you, especially Queen Mother Smith..."
"In the future, when you have the chance, please visit the palace more often, Miss Anne. The Queen Mother misses you very much."
Anne thought of that gentle, loving figure from her memories. Last time when she went to see the King, everything was too rushed, and she didn't dare let the Queen Mother see her in such a miserable state, so she had to leave quickly.
Her eyes reddened as she nodded to Conor. "I understand. Thank you, Uncle Conor, and please thank His Majesty for me as well. Once I've handled matters on my estate, I'll remember to visit again."
Only then did Conor smile and lead the carriage convoy away, paying no further attention to anyone from the Titan family.
Including Holden.
The Titan Old Lady was already stunned. Though she knew Anne was the duke's daughter, how could she call the King's close attendant "uncle" and receive the Queen Mother's care without ever telling her?
She had hidden this way too deep!
She looked at Anne with dissatisfaction, but didn't dare show it too obviously, only clenching her fists unwillingly.
Anne watched Conor's party leave, finally withdrawing her gaze. Her face returned to that calm, detached expression as she nodded to the Titan Old Lady. "I'm going to pack my things. Excuse me."
Holden suddenly strode up to her. "Anne, I'm asking you one last time - do you really want to divorce me?"
"Do you know what a woman faces after divorce?"
Anne nodded. "Of course, I know it all."
"Then you still insist on divorcing me? I don't understand - can't you just be my wife properly?"
"Wife? Have you ever treated me as your wife?" Anne laughed bitterly in anger. "Since you came back, hasn't Candy been your only wife? I'm the obstacle, the burden, the villain behind your backs. I can be anything except your wife."
Holden froze. He asked, "Can't you give me a chance to make things right?"
Anne looked at him with surprise, as if seeing Holden for the first time. "Why should I give you a chance to make things right, and why should I accept your betrayal? You might as well ask yourself - do you truly want to keep me now, or is it because you covet the duke's title, or because you're afraid of what people will say about you being heartless and ungrateful, afraid of losing the connections from my father's faction?"
Holden's thoughts exposed, he staggered back several steps. Then he heard Anne say, "When you and Candy accused me of scheming and manipulation, I already told you - I look down on your character, and I don't care for it."
With that, she turned and left. Elisa felt vindicated and looked around proudly before chasing after her young lady - no, her lord duke!
Trion also took the opportunity to slip away quietly. She had been caught in the middle all along, not daring to offend either side. Naturally, she hurried back to her room to discuss with Mephist what to do next.
Holden and the Titan Old Lady still stood there. Even though Anne was no longer before them, they still couldn't understand how Anne could suddenly inherit the duke's title, and how her husband could even inherit it.
This was unprecedented, wasn't it? How could a noble title be inherited by someone outside the family?
But the royal decree was clear - if Holden hadn't broken things off with her, he might have become Duke Holden..
But there are no such "ifs" in this world.
The Titan Old Lady walked back to her room like she'd lost her soul, swaying unsteadily. Her husband Delona was at the door. Seeing her return, he said quietly, "Actually, Anne has always been a good daughter-in-law."
The Old Lady paused. "I know."
"Our family just doesn't have that luck."
"I know."
It was as if all her strength had suddenly been drained away, leaving her unable to say anything else. Delona glanced at his wife, said nothing, turned and slowly walked away.
The Titan Old Lady sat in her room for a long time, until she heard someone knocking at the door.
"...Come in." The knocking was disturbing. She finally recovered some strength and casually allowed the person outside to enter.
She thought it would be a servant bringing dinner, or perhaps one of her children. But when that figure appeared before her, she was still surprised for a moment, then sneered, "What are you doing here?"
Anne sat down nearby without invitation. "Because I heard about something, so I wanted to come ask you."
The old lady frowned. "What?"
By now, she no longer needed to pretend in front of Anne. What was there left for them to discuss?
Anne seemed completely unbothered. She just laughed lightly and said, "Just now the guards from the basement came to report that half an hour ago, a servant went to deliver food, and then they discovered that the food given to the assassin had been poisoned."
"So, who do you think did that?"