Chapter 164
Fiona cast an anxious glance at the gatekeeper, hoping he would make an exception.
With an icy expression, the gatekeeper ignored the money altogether and shook his head. “Miss Monson doesn’t receive outsiders,” he said firmly.
Though Fiona didn’t identify herself, the gatekeeper immediately recognized the distinctive carriage of the Monson family. These were all Ferris’s trusted subordinates, who naturally knew all about Athena’s situation. Cast out as she was, they knew Athena would not possibly meet with anyone from the Monson family.
Fiona rushed forward a couple of steps, her voice quivering with desperation as she pleaded, “Please, I beg you to announce me. Though I am a member of the Monson family, right now I’m just a mother. My son Cedric has had a raging fever for days that won’t break. I beg the miracle healer to save him!”
In the bitter cold, Fiona clutched her frail child Cedric in her arms, presenting a truly heart-wrenching sight.
The gatekeeper hesitated; by the rules, he knew he shouldn’t announce her. But seeing the frail Cedric, the gatekeeper’s heart softened with pity.
After a moment’s hesitation, his heart softened. “Alright,” he said, “I’ll let Miss Monson know you’re here, but I can’t promise she’ll see you.”
“Thank you, kind sir!” Tears of joy welled up in Fiona’s eyes as she hugged her child tightly, her eyes red. “Cedric, you’re going to be okay now.”
Inside the house, Athena’s smile instantly faded upon hearing the gatekeeper’s words.
Athena waved her hand weakly and said, her voice flat, “No, I won’t see her.”
I want nothing to do with anyone from the Monson family, Athena thought to herself.
The gatekeeper returned after receiving Athena’s orders.
“My lady says she will not see you,” the gatekeeper announced.
The joy instantly drained from Fiona’s face. “Young man,” she asked urgently, “did you tell Miss Monson that I’m not here as Mrs. Monson? I’m just a mother begging for help.”
The gatekeeper looked troubled and said, “Madam, why do you have to trouble Miss Monson again? All she wants now is a little peace and quiet.”
“But…” Fiona tried to protest, her voice trailing off in helplessness.
“Madam, you’d best be on your way now,” the gatekeeper said impatiently.
Fiona took two dejected steps back, but her gaze remained fixed on the courtyard, unwilling to give up.
Only Athena can save my son now, Fiona thought desperately. If I go back empty-handed, Nicolas will surely give me hell.
After much deliberation, Fiona stood her ground, clutching her child.
“I’ll stay here until she sees me!” With that, Fiona began lowering herself to her knees in desperation.
Just then, an elderly voice echoed from within the courtyard. “Madam…”
Fiona looked up to see the tightly shut gates swing open. Marquita Huynh and Trina emerged from the courtyard. Ever since Athena left, Marquita had loyally stayed by her side.
Marquita was Margaret’s trusted attendant, whom Fiona immediately recognized.
Seeing Marquita step out, Fiona’s face lit up. “Does this mean Miss Monson is willing to see me?” she asked eagerly.
Marquita offered a polite smile, though her eyes stayed cold and unreadable.
She said, “Mrs. Monson, you’re forcing Miss Monson’s hand.”
Fiona’s face flushed with shame as she stammered, “I truly had no other choice.”
Marquita glanced at the child in Fiona’s arms. Cedric looked deathly pale, the very picture of illness. A flicker of conflicted compassion crossed Marquita’s face.
She said, “In this vast world, is there truly no illness that can be treated without Miss Monson’s intervention? If Nicolas is willing, he could easily summon Imperial physicians to the estate.”
Marquita’s words struck a nerve, leaving Fiona too ashamed to even meet her gaze.
Marquita didn’t mince words and continued, “Mrs. Monson, by staying here with your child at Miss Monson’s door today, you’re putting her in an impossible position. Those who don’t know the truth would think she is unbearably arrogant or downright cruel. Lady Athena never seeks conflict, but if pushed to the brink, she won’t hesitate to cast aside all decorum. Since Miss Monson is too proper to confront you directly, let me speak plainly on her behalf.”
Fiona’s face flushed with alternating shades of red and white, while Sirena beside her glared, her eyes blazing with fury. “How dare you speak like that?” she spat. “Mrs. Monson came here with sincere pleas. If you refuse to see her, so be it, but how dare you insult us on top of that?”
Marquita tugged at her sleeve, putting on a deliberately simple-minded smile. “I’m just an uneducated old woman, hardly know a word. If I’ve said anything wrong, please, your ladyship, show some mercy and let this old fool off the hook.”
Sirena said, “Marquita, don’t think you can throw your weight around just because you serve Margaret! My lady may be kind, but I won’t let you off that easy.”
Sirena was absolutely furious. After all, Fiona was still a member of the Monson family. Naturally, Sirena couldn’t stand by and watch. She was determined to stand up for her.
No sooner had Sirena finished speaking than Marquita dropped to her knees with a dramatic thud.
Marquita immediately began wailing at the top of her lungs, dramatically prostrating herself. “Mrs. Monson, spare my life!” she cried. “I am sorry that I have offended you. Please have mercy and forgive me!” All the while speaking, Marquita dropped to her knees, pounding her forehead against the ground in an exaggerated display.
Fiona had never encountered such a spectacle before; startled and panicked, she stumbled backward again and again.
“What… what are you doing?” Fiona stammered.
As Fiona stumbled backward in panic, Marquita relentlessly shuffled forward on her knees, wailing with theatrical sobs, tears and snot streaming down her face in a pitiful display.
Common folks lived around this place.
With Marquita wailing at the top of her lungs, a crowd of curious onlookers soon gathered around to watch the commotion.
The crowd muttered among themselves, pointing at Fiona. “Think she’s so high and mighty just because she’s Mrs. Monson? Using her status to bully people like that?”
“Look at that poor old woman! How heartless can someone be?”
A curious bystander squeezed through the crowd, craning his neck for a better look. “What’s all the commotion? What happened?”
Someone nearby cut in. “Isn’t it obvious? They’re just throwing their weight around!”
Fiona panicked, stumbling backward. Sirena swiftly stepped in front of her, shielding her mistress and urging in a low, urgent voice, “Mrs. Monson, let’s go! These people are nothing but troublemakers!”
As the crowd grew larger and more hostile, Fiona had no choice but to clutch Cedric tightly and scramble into the carriage.
The coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage bolted away in a cloud of dust.
Once the carriage had disappeared into the distance, Marquita calmly got up from the ground, dusted herself off, and let out a relieved sigh.
Marquita dusted off her clothes with her waistcloth, then beamed at the crowd. “Thank you, kind neighbors, for standing up for me; if not for you, I would have been done for today!”
The crowd chimed in enthusiastically. “We’re just common folks, gotta stick together! Nothing grinds our gears more than those high and mighty rich folks putting on airs.”
A person said, “Don’t you worry, Marquita. If she comes back to cause trouble for you again, we’ll all have your back!”
“Thank you all so much!” Marquita thanked the crowd.
The crowd waved back with a smile and soon dispersed.
Trina stared at Marquita in awe. “Marquita, that was absolutely brilliant!” she exclaimed.
“Let’s go home,” Marquita sighed. “I’d never have stooped to this if it weren’t for Miss Monson. When it came to the scoundrels from the Monson family, she knew she just had to fight fire with fire.”
Marquita led Trina back into the courtyard, where Athena had been listening to the entire exchange.
Athena felt a smile tug at her lips when she saw Marquita return. “Marquita, I had no idea you were such a good actress!”
Marquita flushed with embarrassment. Though she was a bit rough around the edges, years spent serving Margaret had inevitably allowed some of her refinement to rub off on her. She picked up the whole hooligan act from others.
Flustered by Athena’s teasing, Marquita chuckled awkwardly. “Anyway, at least we got rid of her. If she’d really stayed here, Miss, people would have…”