Chapter 119

Fermin rose to leave. Henry and Eloise accompanied him all the way to the gate, only straightening up after watching his carriage disappear into the distance.

Henry’s sharp, commanding gaze swept across everyone present, and he barked, “All of you, come here!”

The crowd followed behind him, while Willow nervously glanced at Athena. To her surprise, Athena’s expression remained calm, as if she had no idea why Henry was so furious. Willow pressed her lips together without speaking and moved a little closer to Eloise.

Once they arrived in the main hall, Henry glared at Athena with fury in his eyes.

“And what wrong have I done?” Athena met his eyes squarely, her tone defiant.

“Who told you to meddle and report it to the authorities? Do you understand what kind of disaster you’ve brought upon this household? If not for Prince Fermin’s intervention, Joseph would be dead by now!” The mention of the matter made Henry’s face pale with rage.

Ever since Athena returned, she’d been clashing with the family at every turn. He had originally thought she was simply harboring resentment and would come around with time. But in these past few days, she’d only grown more brazen. Suddenly, Henry realized he could no longer indulge her.

Seeing Henry’s anger, Eloise looked at Athena with a sorrowful gaze and pleaded softly, “Athena, please, don’t be so stubborn. Make peace with your father.” Her eyes were red, her voice trembling with emotion. “You truly were in the wrong. No matter what happened, Joseph is still your brother. How could you do something so cruel? Have you forgotten how he used to protect you when you were little?”

Athena scoffed. “Joseph protected me?”

“Didn’t he?” Henry snapped.

Athena glanced over at Joseph, who avoided her eyes guiltily before stiffening his posture, as though he truly was the righteous one, just as Eloise claimed. But that wasn’t the truth.

“Back then, when you skipped class and Father wanted to punish you, wasn’t it Joseph who begged for mercy on your behalf?” Eloise said with heartfelt emotion. She truly didn’t want to see the siblings torn apart. They were a family, yet they schemed against each other.

Willow, supporting Eloise’s arm, softly added, “Mother, please don’t be too upset. Athena is just confused for the moment. Once she comes to her senses, she won’t make such mistakes again.”

Eloise choked up, unable to speak. Her gaze toward Willow was full of tenderness and gratitude.

“Athena, just admit your mistake already,” Willow urged anxiously. “Can’t you see how upset Mother is?”

Athena felt waves of disgust as she looked at Willow’s hypocritical facade. She sneered, “What I do is none of your business. Spare me your phony act.”

Willow was shocked by the retort. She lowered her head with tear-filled eyes, trying hard to hold back tears. She said with great grievance, “I know you hate me. After all, I took your identity and Father’s love. I deserve this.”

Hearing this, Henry’s expression softened with pain as he looked at Willow. When his eyes turned to Athena, they were full of coldness. Sometimes, he truly wished Willow were his real daughter, rather than Athena, the rebellious one who constantly infuriated him.

Eloise, equally distressed, said to Willow, “Don’t say such silly things. You’re both my daughters.”

But her words did not move Athena. Because Athena knew she had never been. She was never the one Eloise held dearly in her palm.

“The one who skipped class back then was always Joseph, not me,” Athena said with a cold smile. “He begged for leniency only because he was afraid I’d expose him.”

She looked at the now-panicked Joseph and continued, “Duke Henry, if you don’t believe me, feel free to search his room. Let’s see whether it’s hiding any filth. He’s only gotten better at gambling and whoring over the years.”

Her words sounded all too credible.

Henry turned to look at Joseph, who hurriedly defended himself in panic. “Father, don’t listen to her! She’s slandering me!”

“Then let’s search and see,” Athena said lightly.

Eloise’s eyes flickered with panic, as if she knew something. She said, “Let it go. We just overcame a major crisis. Isn’t it better to be joyful? Why stir up more trouble?”

She appeared to be acting in the family’s best interest as she turned to Henry and pleaded, “What’s past is past, let it be.”

“How can it just be let go? You were just about to hold me accountable, Duke Henry. But when it comes to your son, now it’s ‘let it go?’” Athena’s cold gaze pinned Eloise in place. Eloise flinched, feeling a sharp pain in her heart.

Eloise looked away and tugged on Henry’s sleeve. “My lord…”

Henry was filled with unwillingness. He refused to believe that his son was as depraved as Athena claimed. Joseph was just a bit playful. He couldn’t have stooped to gambling and brothels…

“Men, search Joseph’s room,” he ordered. He would prove to everyone that Joseph was not that kind of man.

With that, he strode off with his men toward Joseph’s residence.

“Father! Father!” Joseph called after him several times, but Henry didn’t turn around once.

Panic overtook Joseph’s face. He turned and tried to run.

But Athena had expected that. “Take Lord Joseph with you,” she ordered.

Servants blocked Joseph’s path, leaving him no way to escape. He could only follow the group to his courtyard.

At Henry’s command, servants rushed into the room and began rummaging.

Eloise clutched her chest in dread, constantly peering anxiously into the house.

Soon, the servants emerged with a pile of objects and laid them before Henry: gambling dice and a few thick booklets.

“What are these?” Henry asked in confusion.

Joseph let out a terrified shriek. “Father, it’s nothing! It’s nothing!”

The more frantic he acted, the more suspicious it seemed.

Henry stepped forward and opened the booklets.

He stood frozen. They were sexualized and explicit illustrations. The thick volumes were filled with them.

Alongside them were women’s sachets and undergarments.

But the most shocking discovery was a packet of Five-Stone Powder.

It was a stimulant that induced intense arousal and could lead to addiction. It had long been banned. And yet, it had been found in Joseph’s room.

Henry’s eyes went bloodshot. Rage surged through his head, leaving him dizzy and disoriented.

He swayed unsteadily, and Eloise cried out as she rushed to support him. “My lord, please don’t get too angry.”

She helped him steady his breath while glaring furiously at Joseph. “Kneel and admit your mistake!”

“Father! Father! I was led astray by others! Please forgive me this once!” Joseph sobbed. This time, he was truly terrified. Mere drinking and whoring might have earned him a beating, but Five-Stone Powder was a direct offense to Henry’s bottom line.