Chapter 196: Persuading the Sharp Family

Doug looked at her. “Are you addle-headed? Who would marry you now?”

Tears welled up in Isolde’s eyes. “Back then, he proposed to me. Furthermore, the Marquis also mentioned our marriage in front of many people. Whether he comes back or not, I have to marry him.”

Doug, having just dismissed her as nonsensical, now saw her seriousness. He restrained his expression and scolded, “Nonsense! The Marquis is just saying it. How can it be true? You are not engaged. It doesn’t count. No one will take it seriously, and no one will say anything about you.”

But Isolde said stubbornly, “I took it seriously. I don’t care if others didn’t.”

“You fool!” Doug was furious. “He’s gone. How can you get married? Tell me, how do you get married?”

“I’ll marry him, even if he’s just a dead body!”

“Nonsense!” Doug was furious. His face turned ashen. “You are a living girl! What nonsense are you talking about? I won’t allow it!”

Isolde remained silent, her expression cold.

“Stop!” Doug chased after her and grabbed her arm. In his anger, he saw tears in her eyes. His heart ached, and his tone softened slightly. “There are still many things you can do for him. It’s not worth losing your life.”

Isolde’s heart was desolate. She didn’t mind giving up her life; it was very short anyway. She didn’t care. She just had to do what needed to be done.

“I’ve decided, Doug. Don’t say it again.” Isolde reached out and hugged him, throwing herself into his arms, greedy for the warmth of a father’s love. Just like when she was young, her voice was clear, but her tone was soft. “I have an irreconcilable feud with some people in the Valen family. I’m not just doing this for Oliver.”

“What do you mean?” Doug was shocked. He held her shoulders and looked into her eyes. Deep hatred burned within them. “Is it to end the engagement?”

“No, it’s not.” Isolde shook her head. The hatred and disgust in her eyes did not diminish; on the contrary, it intensified. She gritted her teeth and said, “What Margaret and William did was even worse than what Prudence did to my mother. Doug, don’t ask, and don’t meddle. If I don’t take revenge, I will not die in peace.”

Doug was suddenly shocked. “Tell me, what exactly did Margaret and William do to you?”

“I’ll tell you everything if you agree to my marriage with Oliver,” Isolde pleaded.

She couldn't do this alone; even Pablo wouldn't agree.

“No, no, I can’t ruin your life.” Doug didn’t know what she had experienced, but he couldn't let her marry a dead man; her life would be ruined.

Chapter 196: Persuading the Sharp Family

“Lady Sadie Bourbon said my illness is incurable. At most, I only have three years to live. Isn’t it very compatible for a dying person to marry a dead person?”

Doug’s face turned pale as he glared at her. “I don’t believe it.”

“Ask Sadie yourself if you don’t believe me.”

Doug said in a deep voice, “I don’t believe it! Even if it’s true, there must be a way to save you.”

“Sadie has mastered the medical skills passed down by the Queen Mother. If she says there’s no hope, then there truly is no hope.”

Doug gritted his teeth. “That old woman is so vicious!”

“Doug, help me. I want to marry Oliver and take revenge.” Isolde forced back her tears. Seeing her like this, he felt very sad.

If she had a choice, she wouldn't have let him know this.

“Marry Oliver so that I won’t have anyone to rely on after I die,” Isolde said with tears in her eyes.

Doug was extremely sad. He closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. “We’ll discuss it after I meet with Lady Sadie Bourbon.”

“Regarding the battle…”

“Not this for now. I’ll gauge the Queen Mother’s opinion in a couple of days, and then we can discuss it further.”

He was so weighed down by his thoughts that he couldn’t speak. He sent Isolde back first and then went straight to find Sadie.

When Sadie confirmed Isolde’s words, Doug felt only a sharp pain in his heart. He had cared about two women in his life: Prunella, and Prunella’s daughter, Isolde. He had already treated Isolde as his own daughter. She had, at most, three years to live, and all medical treatments had failed.

He staggered out of the Bourbon family residence. Having served as the Chief of the Southern Watch for many years, for the first time, he found himself at a loss for how to cope.

Sadie sighed softly. Behind her, her maid, Vita Mills, asked, “Lady, why didn’t you tell Doug that if the County Princess marries, she might be able to extend her lifespan?”

“Since Isolde didn’t say anything, there’s no need for me to say it,” Sadie said.

Doug returned to his residence and thought about it for a long time. In the end, he had no choice but to look for Garrett.

“You’re saying that she wants to marry Oliver?” Garrett was also shocked. “Why?”

Chapter 196: Persuading the Sharp Family

Doug couldn’t bear to tell him. He only said, “She and Oliver are already deeply in love. She insists on it.”

“He’s already dead. So what if she’s deeply in love? The marriage with a dead man will ruin the rest of her life.” Garrett rejected immediately. “No, I won’t agree.”

Doug sighed. “This child has the same personality as her mother. If she decides on something, she won’t be able to pull it back.”

Garrett couldn’t accept this. Although he knew that Oliver was Douglas’s son and held him in high regard, if Oliver was alive, he would have wished for their marriage, but now that Oliver was dead, he absolutely wouldn’t allow it.

He said, “I think there’s a young man called Anthony Bentley who’s wholeheartedly loyal to Isolde. I’ll talk to her.”

Anthony had frantically searched for Isolde after she went missing. Someone reported this to Garrett, who then took notice of the young man.

“It’s useless. I’ve said everything that needs to be said. She still insists on marrying Oliver. This child is extraordinarily stubborn.” Doug sighed.

“No matter how stubborn she is, she can’t be so ridiculous. Is she treating her marriage as a joke? No, no.” Garrett waved his hand.

Doug felt conflicted. Of course, he didn’t want Isolde to marry Oliver’s dead body. However, her own life expectancy was limited, with three years being the maximum; it could be as short as a year or half a year. Wouldn’t it be better to simply let her have her way? he thought.

At the thought of this, he could only tell Garrett everything. Isolde has an illness that can’t be cured. Sadie says that she has no more than three years to live. “If she likes it, let her be. As long as she’s happy, there’s nothing more important than her being happy.”

Garrett’s expression changed drastically. “Nonsense!”

Doug said with a heavy expression, “It’s true. I’ve been to the Bourbon family and asked Lady Sadie Bourbon. She said that it was because Prunella had been consuming poison for a long time when she was pregnant with Isolde. Fortunately, Isolde had practiced martial arts since she was young. Otherwise, she would have died long ago.”

Garrett was stunned as he listened to this. His heart ached. ‘Impossible, impossible. If Natasha finds out, it will be terrible… How could this be? Why is destiny so cruel to this child?’