Chapter 21
Tessa said, lowering her eyes with regret, “It’s just a shame for Avery. If I had such a good brother, I’d beg for a thousand
formulas for him.”
She wiped away tears that weren’t even there.
Joshua turned to look at her.
Seeing her break out in cold sweat from stomach pain but still speaking up for Margaery, he couldn’t help but sigh.
“If she were half as sensible as you, we wouldn’t have to send her to the Laundry Bureau. But look, keeping her in the lumber room didn’t work.
“She dared to cause trouble at the Royal Medical Hall today; tomorrow she’ll do it at the King. I think she needs to be taught a lesson by being sent to the Laundry Bureau.
“Only then will she realize how important it is to have a strong family!” He comforted Tessa, “Don’t worry about her. Focus on getting better yourself; that’s what’s most important.”
Avery was also deeply moved, thinking Tessa was way better than Margaery.
So he made a solemn promise to Tessa, “From now on, you’re my only sister. I’ll do everything I can to cure your stomach problem.”
Raul also looked at Tessa with affection and nodded. “What you said makes me more determined to send her to the Laundry Bureau. She needs this lesson. Otherwise, one day she’ll ruin our entire family.”
“Should we let her come in now?” Tessa was overjoyed inside.
Finally, she could get rid of Margaery from this family forever.
Though she wasn’t too familiar with Sinderin, her tutor had told her that the Clan Court dealt with royal descendants. For regular folks, going in meant either death or disability.
Even if Margaery survived inside, when she came out, she’d be sent to wash clothes in the Laundry Bureau. In this freezing weather, it was not known if she could make it till spring.
If her luck was really bad, she might end up in the Labor Division.
Surviving ten days there would be tough.
Even if she somehow made it through all that, her reputation would be ruined.
No high–ranking official would marry a/woman with a criminal record; even a lowly county magistrate wouldn’t want her.
‘In the end, all Margaery could end up with was some commoner, and she’d still have to bow and scrape, calling me “Miss Wallen” to my face. Thinking about this made Tessa feel triumphant.
She weakly pleaded for Margaery, “Daddy, can we let Margaery come in? It’s so cold outside today.”
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Chapter 21
She lowered her head and shed tears. “My fault, really–putting rebellion in Margaery’s heart. If I hadn’t shown up, she’d have treasured Father and brothers. After all, they’re such fine men. Others would die for brothers like ours.”
Hearing this, Raul was heartbroken. “You’ll have a father too in the future, and your brothers will take care of you.”
Joshua also tried to comfort her. “Yeah, Tessa, just focus on getting well. We’ll figure out a way to get her to hand over the medicine for your stomach.
“Plenty of good days ahead once you’re back on your feet.”
Tessa looked up at him with red eyes, tears still hanging from her lashes. She said timidly, “Maybe we should let Margaery in so I can apologize.
“After all, she’s my sister. After she yells or hits me a bit, she might calm down. As long as she doesn’t cause trouble with Avery anymore, I’ll do anything.”
“What are you apologizing for!” Raul’s anger boiled over at her prodding. “Leave her standing outside. She’s the one who’ll be apologizing!”
Just then, Astrid’s voice came from outside. “Sir, Lady Margaery has left.”
“What?” Raul was taken aback.
Astrid entered with a shocked expression. “By rights, when I locked the front door, she should have known what you wanted and started banging on the door like usual while crying and begging not to be abandoned.”
“But this time there wasn’t any noise outside at all.”
“I found that strange and went out to check. Turns out there wasn’t a trace of Lady Margaery out there–vanished like smoke.
“I asked the snow sweepers, and they said she’d bolted the moment she arrived, didn’t even stick around long enough to catch a chill.”
Raul widened his eyes in anger and stood up abruptly. “She left?
“After causing such chaos, how dare she just leave like that?”
He was almost driven mad.
Previously, when he used this tactic on Margaery, it always worked perfectly.
Growing up motherless, she feared losing him more than anything else; Every time he didn’t want to see her, she’d throw fits and refuse to budge, giving him pounding headaches.
Funny how quiet she was today, he’d thought moments ago.
He assumed she’d finally matured–or was too scared to fuss after her own mess. It turned out she just turned and left,
‘How dare she?!‘ Raul trembled with rage as he stared fiercely at Astrid as if it were entirely her fault that Margaery hadn’t come crying for him to open the door.
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Chapter 21
Astrid lowered her head and whispered softly, “Yes… she did go back to her yard.”
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“Haul her here now. I’ll beat the life out of her today, or dishonor her mother’s death to bring her into this world!” Fuming, Raul gave the order on the spot.
Astrid nodded, leading Paige and two other maids to the Gracewind Garden, marching in like they owned the place.
A moment later, they dragged Margaery over.
Margaery didn’t struggle. She had expected this and had her cards ready.
“Once we get there, you’ll see what’s coming for you!” Astrid glared at her, acting all high and mighty. “Hurry up already!”
Margaery ignored her and stepped into the courtyard, looking at the people inside.
“Margaery, Father called you here. Why did you leave first?” Joshua came out of the door, eyeing her with a grim expression.
To him, this sister had changed so much in just a few days.
This was the first time Joshua really looked at her, his brows furrowed.
“Astrid locked the door. I thought Father didn’t want to see me,” Margaery said with a cold smile, raising her eyes to meet her big brother’s gaze. “I can’t fly or anything. I figured Father wouldn’t expect a sane person to scale the walls?”
“It’s been a while since we last saw each other. You sure have gotten sharp–tongued,” Joshua remarked, his eyes turning stern. “So, why did you go to the Royal Medical Hall? Don’t you know what will happen because of what you did today?”
He worked for the King and had picked up some moves from him. When he spoke, he carried an air of authority that wasn’t obvious but made people feel intimidated.
In her previous life, Margaery relied on him the most but also feared him deeply.
With Father swamped by state duties and Mother gone since her infancy, Joshua was her father in all but name. When she was a child, it was him or her wet nurse–no one else.
Ever since she could walk, she’d trail after him like a devoted duckling. She used to call him “Brother” in a sweet voice over and over again.
Back then, Joshua doted on her more than anyone else.
Whenever he had free time at home, he would play with her. Any treats given by the King or ladies in the palace, he would save them for her.
But it was this very same person who later cut out her tongue to save Tessa.
She would never forget how it felt when he dislocated her jaw with one hand and sliced through her mouth with a blade- utter agony!
Margaery’s gaze fell on that hand of his as she clenched her fingers slightly.
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