Chapter 27
After all, they had spent five years together.
She truly believed there was no way Frederick would just stand by and let this happen to her.
Inside the drawing room.
Frederick stood opposite Arthur, but before he could say a word, his father struck first.
“If you’re here to beg for Maeve, you can save your breath p>
Frederick frowned deeply. “Dad! I know Maeve was wrong to push Zoe, but she’s never endured physical punishment like this. If you want to discipline her, find another way. Forcing her onto the stones is too far p>
Arthur scoffed. “Precisely because she hasn’t suffered, she needs a harsh dose of reality. She has to remember this lesson, or her petty jealousy is going to trigger a real disaster down the line p>
Frederick remained entirely unconvinced, his scowl deepening.
Arthur’s tone grew iron-hard. “I know you care for her, but your constant pampering is exactly what inflated her arrogance to this level. She actually tried to harm the child growing in Zoe’s womb! If a crime of this magnitude goes unpunished, who knows what atrocities she’ll commit next p>
He then stood up, stepping closer to Frederick and dropping his voice.
“Don’t you ever forget—if it weren’t for what happened between you and Felix that day… Felix wouldn’t be dead. Zoe, the baby she’s carrying, and Charlie are all that’s left of his legacy. You owe it to them p>
Frederick’s gaze darkened, his voice plunging to a sub-zero chill.
“I’ve always taken full responsibility for my mistakes, Dad, but that has absolutely nothing to do with Mae p>
“Are you really going to spoil that woman until she destroys this entire family before you feel any regret? It’ll be too late by then!” Arthur snapped, cutting him off. Seeing the furious tension in his son’s face, his tone softened slightly.
“Haven’t you noticed how much Maeve has changed? She used to be so gentle, but now she’s hostile and defensive. She’s consumed by jealousy over Zoe and refuses to coexist peacefully. Is this the future you want? Simply put, if you don’t break her ego now, your marriage won’t last p>
Frederick lowered his eyes, his mind actually absorbing the words.
He thought about how she had rejected his kiss the other night. He recalled her irrational paranoia regarding his relationship with Zoe, and the ultimate betrayal hiring Jonathan Giles to draft those damn divorce papers.
If things continued down this path, there was no way she would ever make peace with Zoe. She was clearly intent on burning their whole world to the ground.
But Maeve was his wife, the matriarch of their household, and a guardian figure to Felix’s children.
It was her duty to share the burden of taking care of Zoe and her kids.
They were a family; peaceful coexistence wasn’t optional, it was mandatory.
Before coming to the Capital, Maeve had been a pampered princess in her own home, shielded from any real hardship. Now. the suffering she was experiencing felt magnified. Maybe she really did need to be kept out on those rocks to learn her lesson. That was the only way she would learn to obey.
He absolutely could not afford to be soft-hearted right now!
Out in the courtyard, Maeve was on the verge of collapsing entirely. She could practically smell the metallic tang of her own blood. Frederick and Arthur had been talking for ages—surely they had to be finished by now?
Pushing through the pain, she forced her head up and saw Frederick shift his posture. He must be coming outside to get her.
A spark of desperate hope ignited in her dimming eyes.
He was finally coming to save her. Her legs were in sheer agony; they felt completely shattered.
But Maeve waited, and waited, only to watch Frederick walk over to an armchair right beside Arthur and sit down.
He casually picked up his cup, taking a slow sip as he stared out at her with the exact same cold, aristocratic indifference as his father.