you?”
At that moment, Alistair entered the room.
Suddenly, Isabem sank to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, “Your Majesty! My betrothal gift the token of your love–has gone missing! The precious keepsake you gave me when you promised to marry the
Elvira’s heart skipped a beat.
“What is this about?” Alistair furrowed his brow.
“I only saw my sister to
Today…” Isabeau gave Elvira a pointed look. “She must be the one who stole it.”
“I did not!” Elvira’s face paled.
But before she could protest further, a servant found the shattered token under Elvira’s pillow.
“Reel It’s destroyed!” Isabeau cried, her voice breaking. “Elvira, you knew what this meant! Was jealousy so unbearable?”
Alistair’s gaze shifted between the two women, his eyes finally settling on Elvira. “Did you do this?”
Elvira tell to her knees, her voice calm, “Your Majesty, I know my place and have never harbored any inappropriate thoughts. Please, judge me fairly.”
A flicker of something conflicted passed through Alistair’s eyes. He was about to speak when two more servants suddenly knelt, speaking in unison.
“We saw Lady Elvira smash the token!”
“She cursed the duchess to die!”
At the mention of those words, Alistair’s face darkened, his voice cold. “So this is what you call having no improper thoughts? It seems that I’ve been too lenient with you. I’ve spoiled you, and now you’ve become audacious!
“Seize her! Take her away and punish her!”
Elvira was forced onto a long bench, the whipping sound echoing as the pain surged through her body. Her vision blurred, but she bit her lip tightly, not uttering a sound
With every strike, Alistair’s cold voice rang out: “Do you admit your fault?”
Each time, she gritted her teeth and replied, “I do not.”
His gaze grew darker with each passing moment. Finally, with a wave of his hand, he stormed. “Punish her until she admits her wrongdoing!”
Twenty lashes later, Elvira’s back was a mangled mess of firsts and blood
Isabeau seized the opportunity, leaning close to her ear and whispering snugly, “Did you see that? Even if I’m married to another, his heart still belongs tome Why else is the harem empty? Why else did he destroy your child? His interest in you was nothing more than because you resemble me.”
She laughed coldly. “Il you dare dream of him again, I’ll make sure you die without a prove!
Elvira, dizzy with pain, alluyed a faint smile to play on her lips.
She wouldn’t have to do it bersell.
Soon, she would be “dead” beyond recovery.
