Chapter 658

Tears welled in Carmen's eyes. "Dad, as long as we can save Mom and take down that venomous woman, I would give my life a thousand times over."

Henry pulled her closer, his tone warm. "I'm doing all this so we can live peacefully as a family, silly girl. No one needs to die."

Carmen knelt, resting her head on his knee, her eyes reddened. "I've been waiting for that day for so long! I just want you and Mom to be safe. I want my sister and I to be by your side."

Henry's eyes softened, tinged with red. He gently stroked her hair. "Stand up. Don't embarrass yourself in front of the princess consort. You're too old to act like a child."

Carmen wiped her tears, standing a little embarrassed. "I apologize, Your Grace."

Carissa offered a faint smile, dismissing the scene. "Before I reveal my plan, tell me what the grand princess has been up to recently."

Henry replied, "I don't know much, but she's trying to marry someone off to Thomas. The woman was originally in a performing troupe from Stonebridge County. Skilled in martial arts, she was left to fend for herself after the troupe disbanded and was later attacked by bandits. Grand Princess Eleanor rescued her and brought her to the capital. Initially, I thought she'd be forced on me as a concubine, but that wasn't the case. The grand princess kept her at the estate and taught her etiquette."

"How could the Farrell family agree to a marriage with someone of unknown origin? So, she's fabricating an identity, right? What identity?" Carissa asked.

Henry nodded. "Exactly. I'm Grand Princess Eleanor's prince consort, so she'll pose as my distant cousin, a daughter of the Sanford family from Stonebridge County. She'll be Lisette Sanford. If the Farrell family investigates, they'll confirm her background."

Stonebridge County was Eleanor's fiefdom, making a false identity easy to create.

"What was her original name?" Carissa asked.

"Darin."

"Is she at Grovehill Estate, or still at Harmony Palace?"

"She's at Grovehill Estate as my 'cousin,' and my mother is the matchmaker. Thomas's grandmother and my mother are cousins, so the marriage is practically set."

Violet's eyes narrowed. "A woman with such an unclear background would never marry into the Farrell family."

Carissa calmed her, placing a hand on Violet's. "It's not a big deal. Grand Princess Eleanor's goal is to control Thomas. If we station him in a remote area, her control will be useless."

A hint of mockery flickered in Henry's eyes.

Chapter 658 (Continued)

Typical women. So narrow-minded, yet they talk like warriors.

Violet frowned, then said, "But Prince Rafael saved Thomas. If we don't use him, wouldn't that effort be wasted?"

"What do we need him for? We have no major plans requiring his involvement. As long as Thomas remembers the debt, that's all that matters," Carissa explained.

Violet nodded reluctantly. "Alright. We won't interfere."

Carmen, however, was anxious. "How can we let that happen? Thomas has done so much for the kingdom, he's the hero who reclaimed the Southern Frontier. We can't let his marriage be manipulated! What if we secretly tell Thomas the truth? Warn him her identity is fake?"

"That would alert the enemy," Carissa replied, her gaze softening. "I understand you don't want to see a loyal man manipulated, but even if the marriage is finalized, we can reveal the truth after we take down Grand Princess Eleanor."

"Then we need to act quickly," Carmen urged.

Henry lifted his cup. "So, share your plan."

Carissa nodded. "Since we're allied, I don't mind. We've set the date for October fifteenth, the Illumina Festival. Grand Princess Eleanor invites Spirit Elders to her estate to set up an altar and pray for blessings. She claims it's for the kingdom's prosperity, and many noblewomen and officials' wives attend."