The Slave Queen - Chapter 102: Chapter 102

Fortunately, Isabel and Katherine, with their swift reflexes, rushed forward to steady Julia before she could collapse.
Isabel and Katherine hurriedly helped Julia back onto the chaise lounge and wrapped her in a thick fur-lined cloak in a flurry.
Isabel said anxiously, "My lady, please take care of your health. You mustn't catch cold again."
"Get away from me!" Julia snarled while shoving Isabel violently.
Julia snapped, "Didn't you hear what she said? Shawn personally escorted Raelynn to Lunebloom Hollow.
Julia's eyes burned crimson as she whirled to face Vania. "Let me ask you. Is he still at Lunebloom Hollow?"
She was referring to Shawn.
Vania flinched again at Julia's outburst. After a stunned moment, she finally grasped what Julia meant.
Vania shook her head hastily, her voice trembling. "Lord Shawn has already left, but before he did, he specifically inquired about Lady Raelynn's favorite flowers."
At those words, Julia was so enraged she nearly ground her teeth to dust.
Julia fumed, her heart twisting with jealousy, 'How could their relationship progress this fast?
'Wasn't Shawn supposed to be someone who never shows any interest in ordinary women?'
Besides, over the past few days, Julia had already made sure of the facts.
Julia seethed inwardly, 'The engagement between Raelynn and Shawn is carefully orchestrated by Margot.
'Shawn doesn't have any feelings for Raelynn at all.
'That is why I am confident to steal him from her.
'If Shawn has no feelings for Raelynn, yet even she can catch his attention, then I'm definitely a cut above her.
'Not only will I win Shawn over, but I'll crush Raelynn beneath my heel.
'What else is all this elaborate scheming for?
'Yet Vania claimed that Shawn clearly has feelings for Raelynn.
'How dare Raelynn make Shawnn fall for her?
'What makes her so special that she gets the attention of a man like Shawn?'
This realization nearly drove Julia to insanity with rage.
Julia fumed inwardly, 'And to make matters worse, that idiot Verda made me lose face today!
'And the other key player in this farce is none other than Shawn.
'If Shawn is truly this devoted to Raelynn, then haven't I completely become the laughingstock of Hazond City today?
'Raelynn must be over the moon!'
At this moment, consumed by madness, Julia completely failed to realize one obvious fact. Since Shawn was the one who brought Raelynn back, he must have also encountered Gabriel.
Something might have happened between them that Julia was unaware of.
Yet at this moment, Julia was far too consumed by her own emotions to consider any of this.
Katherine watched Julia in such a furious, near-hysterical state and couldn't help but resent Vania inwardly.
Katherine thought irritably, 'Sure, I told Vania to watch Lady Raelynn, but that didn't mean she had to report every little thing!
'Now that Lady Julia is provoked, won't it be Isabel and I who end up suffering the consequences?"
Vania had clearly never witnessed such a furious display before, and was so terrified she didn't dare utter another word.
After a good while, Julia finally managed to compose herself. Her gaze settled on Vania, who was still on the ground. When Julia spoke, her voice carried a barely concealed lethal edge. "Is that all you saw? Didn't you notice anything else?"
At that moment, it suddenly dawned on Julia.
She thought, 'Vania may be greedy, but she's certainly no fool.
'For her to brave a snowstorm and show up here in the dead of night, it can't possibly be for something trivial.'
Sure enough, at Julia's sharp questioning, Vania swallowed hard and gave a quick nod. "Yes, my lady. I did hear something else."
Nervously, Vania wasted no time recounting every single detail of what had just transpired at Lunebloom Hollow.
Upon hearing that Margot had actually given Raelynn several properties, Julia's eyes flared red with fury.
Tangible assets like those property deeds being handed over to Raelynn were even more devastating to Julia than Raelynn winning Shawn's affection.
Ever since Julia was a child, she knew Margot never truly cared for her.
Julia thought bitterly, 'Back then, even though I didn't know why, I genuinely regarded that old hag as my grandmother.'
After all, before Raelynn came back, even though Margot was always biased toward Gabriel, she never truly mistreated Julia.
Whenever Gabriel received gifts during festival seasons, Julia would receive exactly the same.
So, when Cecilia said that Margot's belongings would one day go solely to Gabriel, Julia wasn't exactly pleased, but she didn't raise any strong objections.
After all, Julia knew that Cecilia would make sure she had a proper wedding gift.
Before Raelynn came back, Julia had always honestly thought that Margot was simply biased towards Gabriel.
Julia never would've guessed it that Margot absolutely loved Raelynn.
Julia thought bitterly, 'I just can't figure out how that old hag could, through pure instinct, sense that I wasn't truly a Lennox by blood.
'So that's why she's always kept me at arm's length.
'The moment that bitch Raelynn returned, Margot immediately lavished all her affection on her.
'Now, even the very things Margot swore she'd never give to any granddaughter have fallen into Raelynn's hands.'
Julia could practically see it now. The moment Raelynn married into the Lindsay family, Margot would give her entire fortune to Raelynn as her wedding gifts.
Julia vowed inwardly, 'I'll never let this happen!'