Chapter 506
Athena values Xander’s protectiveness. No matter what happened, he could always unconditionally stand by her side.
“Have some too. The chicken soup is so delicious,” she said.
Athena scooped up the chicken soup and fed it to Xander, who accepted it readily, nodding repeatedly. “It is very delicious.”
Seeing his expression of still wanting more, Athena then realized that the spoon was the one she had used.
She scoffed and said, “Shameless.”
Xander looked serious. “I’m talking about how delicious the chicken soup is. How is that shameless? Or is it that you have misunderstood?”
His audacity exceeded Athena’s imagination.
Athena wouldn’t gain anything by arguing with him, so she simply ignored him.
She got up and walked out. “I’m going to see Randolph and Bernie.”
She had only taken two steps when she was lifted into the air.
“Hey, what are you doing?” Athena looked at him in a panic.
But Xander looked unsatisfied and carried her quickly into the inner room.
“Why look at them? You should dote on me more.”
At night, the candlelight flickered, and the curtains hung low.
Xander carefully wrapped his arms around Athena’s slender waist and held her in his arms.
His warm breath brushed against her ear. “From now on, I will share more of the affairs of the house for you, so you can rest assured, okay?”
Athena nodded gently and gradually fell asleep in his arms.
She slept until the next day when it was bright.
Alexandra was not so rigid and did not let Athena pay her respects every morning and evening. Only on major holidays, she would ask Athena to do it symbolically.
In Alexandra’s words, if it weren’t for ancestral rules, she wouldn’t even want to pretend. Mainly because she couldn’t get up either, so why bother tossing and turning like this?
Others were envious of how wonderful Athena’s life was.
Trina served Athena and Xander breakfast, and the table was set with chicken and various kinds of dishes. Athena found the dishes very palatable, and Xander kept picking up food for her. The couple chatted and laughed, and the atmosphere was very harmonious.
Just then, a maid walked in hurriedly.
She bent her knees to Athena and reported, “Princess Consort, Lady Cavendish is crying and making a scene in Alexandra’s courtyard, saying not to let Gracie stay in the manor.”
Hearing this, Xander frowned. He got a headache just listening to women’s affairs.
He looked to Athena for help, but she met his gaze with a calm expression, picking up a handkerchief and wiping the corner of her mouth.
She said to the little maid, “Understood. Tell Alexandra that I will be over in a moment.”
Xander joked, “Hedda has always been cunning. She must be crying and making a fuss in front of Mother, disturbing her peace. That’s why she’s brought you here as a savior.”
Xander carefully watched Athena’s expression, noting that she didn’t look upset. Only then did he gently hook her finger with his hand and coaxed, “I am so grateful to you for taking the trip to deal with it.”
Athena glared at him unhappily, “If I don’t go, who else will? I don’t have anyone to help me in this huge manor, so I have to deal with it alone.”
Hearing her words, which were full of complaints, Xander did not dare to refute her and only nodded repeatedly in agreement. He said, “Your hard work will be remembered. Please calm down.”
Athena looked at him seriously, “Have you ever thought about taking a concubine?”
Xander’s eyes widened instantly, and he looked at Athena with disbelief. He wanted to see a hint of joking in Athena’s face. But Athena’s serious look made him feel like he had fallen into an ice cellar.
“You want me to take a concubine?” Xander was already very uncomfortable when he said this. He believed that his relationship with Athena was unbreakable and had never thought that there would be a rift in their relationship.
Xander had mixed feelings.
Athena suddenly regretted saying this, but since she had already said it, she wanted to explore Xander’s meaning. After all, it was common for men from aristocratic families to take concubines. She didn’t think she had so much charm that Xander could be obsessed with her until old age. What she wanted was simple, a peaceful life together, hand in hand, until old age. As long as Xander had her in his heart, that was enough.
So, Athena nodded against her conscience. She said, “It’s common for men to take concubines. Although you don’t have one now, you will have to in the future. This is the face of a noble family, and it’s also your reputation. What’s more, I don’t want outsiders to say that I’m jealous and don’t understand the rules.”
Xander put down his fork when he saw that what she said was becoming more and more outrageous. He looked at Athena with a deep gaze, pointed at her with his finger, and nodded repeatedly. He wanted to say something harsh to make Athena angry. But when he thought that he had sworn to himself that he would never hurt Athena in this life, he swallowed the words that came to his mouth.
Xander got up and said, “I’m full.”
Then, he walked away with a sullen face.
Athena was stunned. She blinked and asked Trina, “Is he angry?”
Trina glanced out cautiously and saw Xander kicking a tree hard when he went out. She thought for a while and replied, “I don’t think he is angry, but acting like a spoiled child.”
If he were angry, he would definitely argue with Athena with a sullen face. But he didn’t quarrel, and he took his anger out on the tree. If it wasn’t acting like a spoiled child, what was it? That look was just short of telling Athena, “Come and coax me.”
Athena glared at Trina angrily. “You’ve become so bold that you even dare to make fun of me.”
Trina stuck out her tongue, not afraid at all.
Thinking of the mess at Alexandra’s place, Athena had to change her clothes first and clean up the mess for Alexandra.
Just arriving at the entrance of the courtyard, she heard Hedda’s cries. “Alexandra, you must stand up for me! My two daughters are of marriageable age. Now that the Xander Manor is keeping Gracie, who is divorced, people will think that the Xander Manor’s family style is not upright if it spreads out. What if my daughter is criticized and can’t get married?”
Alexandra sat at the head, her face so gloomy that water could drip out. “Hedda, you must not talk nonsense. Gracie is a victim. It is my and Athena’s intention to keep her in the Xander Manor. What does it have to do with your daughter’s marriage?"
She lived a comfortable life. When she was a young lady at home, she never came into contact with the infighting in the inner house. Later, she entered the palace and became a noble consort. With the late King backing her up, no one dared to yell in front of her like this. Now that she was a mother-in-law, she felt a little powerless. Alexandra was annoyed by these things in the inner house. She couldn’t wait to abandon the manor and run away to find some peace. But her two little grandsons were the apples of her eye, so she had to stay in the manor.
“Alexandra, that’s not right.” Hedda’s face was still covered with tears as she wailed, disregarding her manners. “Now all of Pidence City knows that Gracie is a divorced woman. If the Xander Manor keeps her, others will definitely say that our manor cannot tolerate decent people, but only immoral women! If my daughter’s reputation is affected, which young man will dare to marry her?”
Athena said, “What are you saying? Gracie is a victim of divorce approved by the Queen Mother herself, and is recognized by the royal family as innocent. How did she become an immoral woman? The Xander Manor is keeping her to protect the victim, to uphold the law, and value morality. How did it become a bad family style?”
Alexandra was excited and burst into tears when she saw Athena appear. It was no different than seeing a savior.