The Slave Queen - Chapter 110: Chapter 110

A flicker of hesitation crossed Cecilia's face as she murmured, "Wouldn't this be too unfair to Raelynn? She's already suffered so much injustice..."
Cecilia's heart still ached uncontrollably as she recalled the wounds she'd seen on Raelynn that day in Lunebloom Hollow.
Cecilia continued, "Besides, Gabriel, didn't you say Lord Shawn has been showing special interest in Raelynn lately? If he truly becomes serious about her and discovers we've switched brides on the wedding day, wouldn't that ruin your father's reputation and even endanger your own political career?"
The concern was legit.
Everyone in Hazond City had heard of Shawn's ruthless methods.
Moreover, he was at the zenith of his power and enjoyed the king's exceptional favor.
If he was enraged over this and decided to turn against the Lennox family for Raelynn, they would surely take a big fall.
Cecilia thought, 'What if Shawn takes his anger out on Julia?'
Growing increasingly fearful, Cecilia was just about to object to the scheme.
Little did Cecilia know that, in Julia's eyes, Cecilia's gesture was nothing more than a mother blatantly favoring Raelynn.
Jealousy and hatred burned like wildfire in Julia's heart.
Yet, she allowed no trace of it to show on her face.
Years of practiced cunning made tears spring to Julia's eyes on cue.
With feigned resignation, Julia said, "Father, Brother, Mother is right. I can't be so selfish. If marrying the man I love would bring ruin upon the Duke's estate, I could never live with myself."
Though her words were a refusal, she made it clear that Shawn was the one she truly loved.
This only made Gabriel even more determined.
Gabriel thought, 'Julia is such a fool. Her heart belongs to Shawn, yet she wants to sacrifice herself for that thoughtless Raelynn.'
Gabriel said gently, "Julia, don't worry. I will never let you be wronged. No one can ever take away your loved ones."
He turned to Hugo and Cecilia. "Father, Mother, I'll handle this. I'll make Raelynn admit that she loves Ian and that she insisted on marrying him."
By then, even if Shawn truly loved Raelynn, it wouldn't matter.
If Shawn truly loved Raelynn, after hearing that she genuinely wanted to marry Ian, it would not be likely for him to make an issue of it.
Naturally, the Duke's estate would be spared from any trouble as well.
Most importantly, this would completely absolve Julia from any involvement in the scheme.
Julia would only appear wronged in all this.
He mused, 'With things turning out this way, even Shawn might show Julia a bit of compassion.
'Honestly, with how gentle and tender Julia is, I can't imagine anyone not liking her, not even someone as cold as Shawn.
'Once Shawn truly falls for Julia, the Duke's estate will be destined for boundless prosperity and glory.'
The thought sent a thrill of excitement through Gabriel.
Upon hearing Gabriel's plan, the cloud of worry in Hugo's eyes began to dissipate.
Hugo looked at him with quiet satisfaction while placing a gentle hand on Gabriel's shoulder. "Gabriel, you've grown up. You've learned to think ahead. I'm proud of you, my son."
If Gabriel did not possess such strategic mind, Hugo could never have entrusted his family to him in the future.
Gabriel met Hugo's gaze. "Father, I won't let you down."
Of the four in the room, only one remained silent.
Noticing Cecilia's lingering hesitation, Gabriel patiently reassured her, "Mother, you needn't worry about this being unfair to Raelynn. Had it not been for what happened to her that led her to the palace, she was always meant to be with Ian.
"Don't you remember how deeply in love they used to be? Ian even vowed he'd marry no one but Raelynn. This bride-switching is simply setting right what once went wrong.
"Trust me, once Raelynn marries Ian, their love will rekindle in no time.
"Besides, she grew up without a proper family or upbringing and later ended up as a palace servant. Her reputation is already notorious.
"Given her questionable reputation, if she were to marry someone like Shawn and he eventually grew tired of her, even our family would be powerless to protect her. But if she marries Ian, it's different.
"After all, you and Father watched him grow up. He's a decent guy, perhaps a bit lacking in ambition, but honestly, that actually makes him a perfect match for Raelynn.
"In the future, Ian will probably just away from the court affairs. If he ever dares to mistreat Raelynn, our family will still have enough leverage to protect her."
Hearing this, Cecilia finally relaxed her furrowed brow.
She said, "You're right, Gabriel. You've thought this through so thoroughly. This aspect never even occurred to me."
Seeing Cecilia finally come around, the other three broke into relieved smiles.
The atmosphere in the room instantly brightened, all traces of the earlier gloom swept away.
Of them all, none was more delighted than Julia, the one who stood to gain the most from this scheme.
Feigning shyness, Julia snuggled into Cecilia's arms while thanking his family for making this happen for her, though her eyes gleamed with undisguised triumph and eager anticipation.
Julia thought bitterly, 'If I'd known Gabriel had such an ace up his sleeve, why did I even bother trying to cozy up to Shawn?
'Not only did I humiliate myself for nothing, but I also gave Raelynn the perfect opportunity to laugh at me!'