Chapter 124.6  Tears streamed down Malcolm’s face as he knelt before his dad. “Dad, His Majesty no longer favors our family. Why must you force me to offend Hell Monarch’s household as well?”  “Then let me die,” Gerald replied, his voice barely above a whisper. “If I die, you will all be free.”  With those words, he closed his eyes again, his energy all but spent. The few words he managed to say drained him completely.  Kylie had long since harbored a deep hatred for Carissa. The Quinton family, once at the height of power, had been struck a devastating blow by her actions. It left them severely weakened and ruined their reputation.  As a result, Kylie was also implicated.  Once outside, she said to Malcolm, “Since it is Grandfather’s wish, then let us call for her. It’d be best to summon Mr. Murray as well. At least then, we’ll have a witness to see how she’s the one who’s driven Grandfather to his death.”  Malcolm abruptly lifted his head. “What are you saying? Do you truly want to see your grandfather die? Is that what you want?!”  “Dad,” Kylie said, wiping away her tears. The cold calculation in her eyes was unmistakable. ” Grandfather’s right. Once he dies, our family will finally be free. As long as he lives, we’ll be under scrutiny. Once he’s gone, people will start to celebrate his accomplishments. In time, they’ll forget about him going to the gentlemen’s retreats. All they’ll remember is the good he has done.”  Malcolm could hardly believe what he was hearing. “Are you out of your mind? This is just your grandfather’s angry outburst! How can you take this seriously?”  “Listen to me,” Kylie said, holding up her hand for him to calm down. “Isn’t Carissa to blame for what happened to Grandfather? He blamed her. That’s why he wanted to see her–to die in front of her. This is his way of getting revenge, but also a way of freeing our family. Being devoted is about following his wishes. If he wants this, then as his descendants, we must comply. That’s how we show our respect.”  Malcolm disagreed. “No! We don’t need to make an enemy of the Hell Monarch’s household. Carissa may have done things I don’t agree with, but she is a righteous person. Her actions to cleanse the gentlemen’s retreats were the king’s orders, and there were Sandoria spies there. This wasn’t a targeted move against our family.”  Kylie was livid. “Dad, you’re blind to the truth! Whether we intended it or not, our family has already crossed paths with the Hell Monarch’s household. We may try to walk the righteous path, but they’ll be scheming behind our backs!  “If we don’t act first, we’ll only end up manipulated. Right now, our family is suffering. The  $26 BONUS  only way forward is to unite and help Connor secure his place as Crown Prince. After a few more years of patience, we’ll return to our former glory.  “Right now, the Hell Monarch’s household has already shown they don’t support Connor. The Hell Monarch and Lady Sylvia’s dad, Lord Patrick are too close. If he backs Lady Sylvia’s son, our family will never rise again!”  When Malcolm remained unmoved, Kylie’s frustration boiled over.  “Dad, you said it yourself–Connor lacks the talent to secure his future on his own. You’ve worked to strategize for him before. Why have you stopped now? Have you given up on him?”  Malcolm was now in a state of confusion and unable to sort out his thoughts. He repeated himself in circles, lost in his indecision.  “This is different. Offending the Hell Monarch does no good for Connor or our family. Bringing Carissa to see your grandfather won’t benefit us, either. If our two families become enemies because of this, it will be irreversible.”  Kylie felt a pang of disappointment in her dad.  “Once this opportunity passes, there’s no turning back. We don’t want to wage war with the Hell Monarch’s household, but Carissa is at fault here.  “Even if it’s not because of Grandfather, she should have spoken up for King Sigmund’s sake. Now, Grandfather specifically wants to see her, and I happen to be here. I’ll summon her myself. She won’t dare refuse.  “If Grandfather dies in front of her, the Hell Monarch’s household will have no choice but to avoid us from then on. I don’t understand what you mean by offending them. Hearing such words–words that lift others while diminishing our strength–coming from my own dad’s mouth truly leaves me disappointed and heartbroken.”  After she finished speaking, she ignored the continued attempts by Malcolm to persuade her and immediately sent someone to summon Carissa and Jeremiah.