Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Feeling troubled and restless, Raul didn't want to stay any longer and turned to leave the room. རེ45% Standing on the stairs of Sunbeam Court, he looked up. It suddenly hit him that the building used to be called Blissom Hall, the place he had promised to Margaery. Because of that promise, he had even ordered the demolition of Twilight Retreat, Margaery's former residence, ahead of schedule. For a moment, Raul could almost see Blissom Hall as it had looked when it was first completed. He had brought Margaery over and said to her, "Margaery, Blissom Hall is all finished. The paint's still drying, but once it's ready, you can move in." "Really, Father? Thank you!" The young girl threw herself into his arms in joy, her head resting right against his chest. Raul wondered when he started to grow distant from her. He hadn't patted her head for a long time, not to mention hugging her. Those happy days when they spoke and laughed together felt like a distant memory. Unknowingly, Margaery had already been living in Gracewind Garden for a year. She no longer pleaded for his forgiveness or hoped for his love. She had apologized to Tessa, chatted and laughed with Prince Dashnell, drank with Bernard, become close friends with Simon despite the age gap, taken Norman Stonier as her mentor, and become a bringer of luck to the emperor. By the time Raul realized it, all of that had already happened. Paige had said Tessa had fallen off the artificial hill herself after she had gone to show off in front of Margaery. And that day, Margaery had climbed up there intending to take her own life. 'Paige was the sole witness I trusted to have seen Margaery push Tessa down the hill, but if the witness had lied... Raul stumbled back a step in shock at that thought. He had made Margaery kneel in a blizzard for an entire day and night until she was covered in snow. He had also locked her in the woodshed, making her starve for a few days. Apart from that, he had even humiliated her in front of everyone by forcing her to apologize to Tessa. Raul couldn't help but wonder if Paige was telling the truth. "Sarah, go to Paige's room..." Raul said, sounding a bit dazed as he gave orders to the maid beside him. But then he changed his mind. "No, never mind. I'll go myself." He didn't dare think about what it would mean if there really were gold coins under Paige's bed. Feeling distraught, Raul headed toward the servants' quarters. Tessa heard her father's footsteps grow distant, then the sound of Paige being dragged out, and vaguely caught him telling Sarah to check Paige's room. All of it made her break into a cold sweat. She gripped Dominic's sleeve anxiously and said in a trembling voice, "Dominic, what if Paige is framing me? If Father and you don't like me anymore, I'll end up all alone in this world..." Dominic lowered his head and saw her tears streaming down her face. His heart ached for her. "Tessa, Paige is just a maid. 1/3 11:06 Thu, 21 Aug O S570 Chapter 50 Mr. Wallen won't believe her. Just rest well and don't let your thoughts run wild." ༥ .45%- After thinking for a moment, he added. "Even if I end up not liking myself anymore, I could never stop liking you." Being with Tessa always filled Dominic with a quiet sense of contentment. As the eldest son of the Hadley family, he still hadn't earned an honorary title. Though he had secured a minor post in the Ministry of Rites, that department didn't offer much promise. One of his younger half-brothers had become an official and might soon surpass him in rank. Even Prince Marcus and Lady Alicia had shown favor to that half-brother of his. So, Dominic couldn't hold his head up in his family. In the Wallen family, things were worse. Raul held a higher office than his father. Joshua served directly before the King, and Avery had been a physician in the Royal Medical Hall. Dominic's status paled in comparison. And then there was Margaery, who was the eldest daughter of the Chancellor, born and raised in privilege. For some reason, every time he saw her, he felt unworthy. He remembered Margaery had stood talking with the princesses at the Queen Mother's party. Even though Margaery wasn't dressed in anything particularly extravagant, she gave off the presence of a true princess. To Dominic, Margaery was the kind of woman whose presence made him feel inferior. He was proud to have such a remarkable fiancée, but it also quietly disturbed him. But Tessa was different. Though also a daughter of the chancellor, she grew up in the countryside. Yet she hadn't picked up the rough habits of the rural folk. On the contrary, she was so sweet and gentle that she naturally drew others' care and affection. Dominic was confident that he was more than capable of protecting Tessa. And in front of her, he felt like a real man. Thinking that, he tightened his embrace around Tessa and gently comforted her. "Don't be afraid. Soon, you'll be my wife, and I'll protect you. No one will ever bully you again. If any maid dares in my family dares step over you, I'll kick her out." Tessa nodded, her voice trembling slightly. "You're the best, Dominic." But deep down, she still couldn't shake the unease. Paige's room was near Gracewind Garden. When Margaery went out to dump the medicine dregs, she saw Raul sneaking around, walking on tiptoe to the servants' quarters. He looked so lost in thought that he didn't even notice her coming out. Amber was surprised. "My lady, that's where the maids live. Why would Lord Chancellor go there alone?" "No idea, Margaery said, shaking her head. "Where he goes has nothing to do with us." With that, she turned and went back inside. It was during the day, and the servants were all out doing their chores. Raul entered the empty courtyard and, guided by the nameplate at the gate, found the room shared by Paige, Amber, and a few others. 2/3 11.06 Thu, 21 Aug 060 Chapter 50 Following the bed numbers on the headboards, he located Paige's bed. 45% After rummaging for a bit, he felt something hard under the mattress near the foot of the bed. The moment he touched them, his heart dropped. He pulled it out and saw some gold coins. There were ten there, and it was the exact pocket money he had previously given Tessa. His heart skipped a beat as he mumbled, "Did I... blame Margaery wrongly? And everything Tessa said was just a lie?" All of a sudden, the gold coins in his palm and the proof of the harsh truth felt like an unbearable burden. Raul stumbled out of Paige's room in a daze and stood frozen at the gates of Gracewind Garden for a long, long time, unsure how to deal with what he had just discovered. Should I go and apologize to Margaery? he thought. But Raul couldn't bring himself to do it. It would undermine his pride and authority. If anyone found out that he, a chancellor, couldn't even handle the drama between his daughters, it would be difficult for him to maintain his position at court, and the servants might think less of him. So he concluded that he couldn't apologize and let it get out. Raul closed his eyes, and after a brief hesitation, he decided to check on Margaery. He tucked the gold coins into his sleeve and walked into Gracewind Garden. The doors clattered in the cold wind. The lock was broken. Margaery had used a piece of scrap wire to hold them shut from the inside. Whenever the wind blew, the doors would slam inward, leaving a gap wide enough to fit a grown man's arm. Raul felt a pang of guilt when he saw that. He had never set foot in Gracewind Garden before. At the time, he simply remembered it was unused, so he brushed off Margaery's complaints and sent her there. He never imagined that after all these years, Gracewind Garden would be this run-down And yet his eldest daughter had been living in a place like this. 3/3 AD Comment Send gift No Ads Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!