The Slave Queen - Chapter 15: Chapter 15

Hugo followed Margot's gaze and looked behind him.
But Raelynn had already rushed forward. She dropped to her knees beside the bed, clutching the edge of the mattress. "Grandmother!"
Just that one word—and her voice gave out.
Her throat felt like it was blocked with grief.
Margot had always fought for her, always tried to protect her. And now, even after falling ill, the first thing she did when she woke up... was look for her.
"My sweet child..."
Margot gripped her hand tightly, her eyes brimming with tears. "Don't cry, my good girl. You've suffered enough..."
Raelynn shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "No, Grandmother. As long as you're here, nothing hurts."
But Margot's gaze suddenly shifted—and landed on Gabriel.
The warmth on her face vanished, replaced by sternness.
Still coughing, she barked, "You ungrateful child. Kneel!"
Without hesitation, Gabriel dropped to his knees.
Hugo and Cecilia exchanged puzzled glances, both frowning. Hugo tried to explain, "Mother, Gabriel already told us everything. He knows he was wrong. And really, wasn't it Raelynn who started all this? You—"
"Enough!"
Margot snapped, so furious it triggered another round of coughing, so violent it sounded like she might cough up blood.
Hugo didn't dare speak again, but in his heart, resentment toward Raelynn only deepened.
He thought, 'Raelynn—still so willful, so ungrateful.
'Even now, she won't plead for Gabriel's sake.
'Truly, a heartless child.'
Just then, Julia stepped in with impeccable timing. Her voice was soft and choked with emotion. "Grandmother, we all understand what happened. It's my fault. I haven't been well lately and just wanted more sunshine, to be around flowers and greenery, so I begged Mother to let me move into Lunebloom Hollow.
"If you're upset, I'll move out right away..."
Her voice cracked at just the right moment, tears glistening in her eyes.
Hugo and Cecilia's hearts ached instantly.
Hugo sighed. "It's just a courtyard. Why make such a fuss over it?"
He didn't dare speak too harshly in front of Margot.
But Margot wasn't backing down. "A courtyard? And that justifies taking it from Raelynn?"
"Mother!"
Hugo's expression darkened.
"She's already taken Raelynn's father, her mother, her brother—even her fiancé. And now she wants her courtyard too?
"Hugo, have you ever stopped to think—just how biased are you?"
The more she spoke, the more agitated she became. The coughing worsened.
Raelynn quickly leaned in, gently rubbing her back. "Grandmother, please, don't strain yourself. Take it easy."
Hugo, who had spent decades as a respected official, was long used to praise and deference. Rarely was he ever rebuked—let alone so directly.
And now, the one scolding him... was his own mother.
He held it in. He didn't dare argue back.
Not with her in this condition.
Margot pointed a trembling finger at Gabriel.
"Gabriel, since you've already explained why I hit you, then repeat what you said to Raelynn—word for word.
"I want to hear how the noble heir of the Duke's house insults his own sister—and how his father dares to defend it."
Hugo frowned, his expression tight.
For the first time, he started to suspect that perhaps... things weren't exactly as he'd been told.
Cecilia turned to her son. "Gabriel, speak. What exactly did you say to Raelynn that made Grandmother so angry?"
Gabriel looked up, his eyes red. He hadn't expected to meet Raelynn's gaze—but suddenly, there it was.
And what he saw terrified him. There was nothing in her eyes.
Not pain. Not hatred. Not even disappointment. Just... emptiness. As if he no longer existed to her.
His hands trembled.
A single tear slipped down his cheek. He lowered his head and opened his mouth—but no sound came out.
At that moment, Esther stepped forward.
She'd just heard everything from Sienna Hamilton—a second-tier maid who typically handled chores, but whom Margot had sent ahead to clean up Evermist Hall.
As fate would have it, she had witnessed the entire confrontation between Gabriel and Raelynn.
Esther said, "Forgive me, Lord Hugo, but I must speak up. Lord Gabriel misunderstood Lady Raelynn. He thought she'd begged Lady Margot to interfere and have the courtyards switched, so he came and scolded her... harshly. He even said she never should've been brought back. That she ought to have stayed in Aether Sanctum and suffered for a few more years.
"He called her... 'born rotten.' But that incident—everyone knows she took the fall for someone else."
As she finished speaking, Esther gave a pointed glance at Julia.
Julia's face went pale. Her eyes immediately filled with tears.
"Raelynn... so you still blame me..."
"Silence! Who said you could speak?" Margot snapped.
No one disgusted her more than Julia.
Because of her, the granddaughter she loved most had suffered years of hardship and injustice—and now she still had the nerve to play innocent?
If Margot had her way, she would've had her shipped off to the family estate, never to return.
Julia might have her own resentment toward Margot, but she didn't dare push her luck.
She shrank back and hid in Cecilia's arms.
"M-Mother... I didn't mean to. I really regret it, I do. But... but..."
Cecilia gently stroked her hair, but for once, didn't offer comfort.
Her gaze turned to Raelynn, and her eyes were faintly red.
She knew.
Of course she did.
And yes, she loved Raelynn. That was her daughter—her own flesh and blood. But Julia had grown up beside her. She had poured all her love, all her care, into raising her.
Even now... if she had to make the choice again, she'd still protect Julia.
Because Raelynn would always be her biological daughter. Their blood tie could never be broken.
And surely, surely... Raelynn should understand that.