Chapter 513
Jessie paused with her coffee cup in her hand, a glint of understanding flashing in her eyes. But she didn’t expose it, only smiling as she followed up, “I wonder what Benson’s opinion is on the Incident at Tyler Gate?”
As soon as these words came out, Hedda’s smile instantly froze on her face. She didn’t know anything about that. She had only picked a familiar book title when making up the story. She never thought that Jessie would ask in such detail.
She looked at Athena as if for help, but Athena seemed not to notice. Athena was only preoccupied with slowly using a silver spoon to scoop up a piece of cake, gently blowing on it, and putting it into her mouth.
Xander was even more dazed and scratched his head, “The Incident at Tyler Gate? What is that? Is it better than ‘Song of Rainbows and Feathers’ in Beau Pavilion?”
“Shut up!” Hedda’s face turned pale with fright. She hurriedly covered his mouth, her voice trembling, “What… what nonsense are you talking about, you child?”
Hedda glared at Benson fiercely, scaring him into not daring to speak anymore.
Afterward, Hedda gave Jessie an apologetic smile. “Princess Consort, please don’t be offended. Benson has been studying too hard recently and is muddle-headed. That’s why he mixed up history books and songs! At home, he is very diligent. He studies until late at night every day.”
Jessie put down her coffee, her tone still gentle, but with a bit more distance. “Hedda, children are innocent and simple, more genuine than adults.”
She scanned Hedda’s flustered face. “Erick, the Imperial College Instructor, resigned last month due to old age and returned to his hometown. Now, the Imperial College instructor is Quincy Shepherd.”
Hedda felt cold all over, as if she had been splashed with cold water, and sat slumped in the chair, unable to say a word. She had thought a few polished words would be enough to gloss things over – but to her surprise, Jessie saw right through it. She even knew the finer details, turning the whole thing into a spectacular joke at her expense.
“Athena, say something – help me out here!” Jessie saying that meant she no longer cared about saving Hedda’s pride. As for a marriage? That was never even on the table. After all, Jessie would not marry her daughter to a good-for-nothing.
Athena sighed softly, covering up for her a bit. “We are here for afternoon tea today. Why are we talking about children? Jessie, please try the pastries from Star Pavilion. They are really good.” She dropped the topic, which gave Hedda some face. But she felt that Athena was deliberately not helping her to make the connection.
Under the table, her hands clenched into tight fists. Jessie, always one to maintain appearances, chose not to press the issue once Athena smoothly shifted the conversation. The meeting wrapped up not long after, and the guests all quietly took their leave.
On the way back, Hedda fumed. “Athena, how could you take their side? That was a perfectly good marriage alliance, and now it’s gone!” She never once stopped to reflect on whether her own son might be the problem. She thought it was Athena’s fault for not speaking on her behalf.
Even Athena, patient as she was, found it hard to hold back. She stopped walking, turned to Hedda with a face like ice, and said coldly, “Those things you said today, they’ve already cost the Xander Manor its dignity. Do you really think Jessie let it go because she’s gracious?”
With every word Athena uttered, Hedda’s face went a shade paler. She stared, speechless, at Athena – she looked terrifying. Like a storm about to swallow her whole.
“If it weren’t for the Xander name behind you,” Athena continued, her voice even colder, “do you really think you’d be standing here right now?”
Hedda, guilt-ridden but still unwilling to back down, muttered, “But you’re the Princess Consort… If you had just put in a word or two, Jessie would’ve had to give you face. Maybe she would’ve agreed. But no–you just sat there, watching the show, didn’t lift a finger.” She was blaming Athena now.
“To lie and mislead Jessie for your sake?” Athena gave a sharp laugh, her voice rising slightly. “The Garrick family isn’t some clueless household. Jessie sees things clearly – do you really think one word from me would make her marry off her daughter to a spoiled brat who’s never even heard of the Incident at Tyler Gate but knows every brothel tune by heart? If you think you can climb the ladder through deception, go try it elsewhere – but don’t drag the Xander Manor’s name down with you.”
Trina chimed in from the side, her voice equally blunt. “Exactly. If Athena had lied for you and Jessie found out afterward, it wouldn’t just be Athena’s reputation in ruins – the whole Xander Manor would be dragged into it. Instead of reflecting on what went wrong, you’re pointing fingers at the one person who held her ground. How is that fair?”
Hedda’s face flushed and blanched in turns, especially with nearby passersby beginning to glance over, whispering behind their hands. Seeing Athena’s expression still stony and unrelenting, she finally began to crack.
“But… but I only wanted what’s best for Benson,” she said, her voice weakening. “He’s not getting any younger… If he doesn’t find a good wife soon, what’ll become of him?”
Athena cut her off, her tone firm but less harsh. “If you truly wanted what’s best for him, you’d teach him discipline. You’d pull him out of the brothels, make him pick up a book once in a while – at least know the basics of history. Instead, you think a handful of lies will land him a noble bride? No, Hedda. The fault today isn’t that I didn’t help you. The fault is that you’ve grown greedy, foolish – and completely blind to your own worth. And worse still, you’ve failed to raise your children.”
She turned toward the carriage, her voice cooling once more. “If you must blame me, go ahead. But from this day on, stop using the Xander Manor’s name to secure meetings with nobles. And don’t expect me to cover your lies. This manor’s reputation can’t withstand another mess like today’s.”
Seeing that Athena was about to leave, Hedda snapped out of it and rushed to block her path, trying to play it off with a sheepish smile. “You know I speak without thinking – don’t take it to heart,” she said, giving herself a couple of light slaps. “Listen to me, running my mouth and upsetting you like this.”
But the street was crowded, and Athena had no intention of sharing her humiliation. Her face like frost, she said curtly, “Get in the carriage.”
“Alright, alright,” Hedda muttered, scrambling up after her. Once seated, she tried again, her tone honeyed. “Won’t you show me the right path?”
Athena sat upright, her gaze cutting sideways. “There is a path. I’m just not sure you’re willing to take it.”
“I’m willing! Of course I am. Just say the word.”
“Starting tomorrow,” Athena said slowly, “you’ll hand Benson over to me. No visits. He doesn’t return to your courtyard. Everything – his food, clothes, study, routine – will be managed by my household. Do you agree?”
Athena was not someone who meddled in other people’s business lightly. The only reason she was willing to take Benson under her wing – this pile of unshaped clay – was because of Xander. Terence had been his elder brother, and they had been close since childhood. But misfortune took Terence early. Before he passed, Xander had promised to look after his wife and children. And so they had remained under the protection of the Xander Manor all these years. Because Benson and his sibling had lost their father young, Hedda had spoiled them endlessly – only to raise them into entitled, incompetent brats. Athena was doing this for the sake of the dead.
Hedda looked at her in shock. Her expression was steel – unshakable, imposing. In that moment, she looked remarkably like Xander himself. They say couples grow more alike with time. The saying couldn’t be truer. And beyond that, Athena wasn’t just anyone. She had stood shoulder to shoulder with dragons. In that war, she had walked through fields of corpses and rivers of blood.
She wondered, ‘Could Benson survive being molded by her?’ Hedda wasn’t so sure anymore.