The Slave Queen - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Julia stared at Gabriel as if she didn't recognize him. Her voice wavered with disbelief. "Gabriel... what's gotten into you? I was the one who got slapped by Raelynn!"
Ian jumped in, equally upset. "Exactly, Gabriel! How can you take her side? Julia's the one you've always spoiled since we were kids!"
Gabriel looked at them both, disappointment written all over his face.
Raelynn was his biological sister. Standing up for her wasn't "taking sides" — it was family.
And it wasn't as if he was blindly defending her. He was just stating the truth.
So instead of answering their complaints, he turned to Ian and said firmly, "Ian, you've fallen for both of my sisters now.
"I get it — love can make people irrational. I'm not blaming you for your feelings. Raelynn's had a hard life... but you've already hurt her once. I just hope you don't hurt her again. And more importantly, don't shift your feelings again and drag Julia into it too."
That made Ian flush with shame.
But he had no way to argue back.
Julia bit her lip, her eyes shimmering with tears as she looked at Gabriel, voice low and soft. "Gabriel, don't say that about Lord Ian. This isn't his fault. If Raelynn hadn't entered the palace back then, Ian never would have—"
The moment she mentioned the palace, Gabriel's expression darkened — visibly and instantly.
Julia's heart sank.
And sure enough, the next second his voice came, colder than before. "You know perfectly well why she entered the palace, Julia. No one knows it better than you."
"I..."
Julia's face went pale.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came. What rose in her chest instead was a burning wave of resentment.
She thought, 'Why?
'Even Gabriel — the one who has always adored me — is siding with that wretched girl now?'
But no matter how angry she felt, she couldn't refute him.
Gabriel gave them both a long, quiet look, then sighed. "Julia, I need you to understand — Raelynn has suffered a great deal because of you. She's borne more than you think. You both are my sisters, and I care about you both. But look at your life — you have our parents, you have Ian. And Raelynn? She doesn't even have her fiancé anymore. I just want to give her a little of what she's lost."
He thought his words were fair, even kind. He expected her to understand. But instead, Julia's face twisted in frustration.
She grabbed his sleeve, her voice cracking with emotion. "Gabriel, did Raelynn say something to you? Is that why you're treating me like this? Do you... hate me now?"
"No," Gabriel replied, his tone tired as he rubbed his brow.
He'd just come from the cemetery and had originally planned to visit Raelynn at Lunebloom Hollow.
But he'd stumbled across Julia and Ian on the way — and now, here they were, spinning themselves into this mess.
They were like two people caught in a fever dream.
After a moment's pause, he offered a few perfunctory words of comfort, then turned and walked away.
Julia was left standing there, fuming and panicked.
Gabriel — the one who had always protected her without question — was slipping away.
And that loss of control made her chest tighten with anxiety.
Before long, tears were rolling down her face like falling beads from a snapped string.
Ian was heartbroken at the sight.
He reached out to gently wipe her tears, speaking in a soothing voice, "Don't cry, Julia. Gabriel's clearly been brainwashed by that woman — Raelynn!"
His face twisted in anger, and he couldn't help but spit the words out.
"I never imagined she'd be so scheming! I must've been blind to ever fall for someone like her. A woman like that belongs in Aether Sanctum — maybe there she'll finally learn some humility!"
His words came out in a rush, thoughtless and bitter.
Had there been anyone else present, they might've been shocked. The famously gentle, refined heir of the Lindsay family — now cursing like a man scorned, full of venom.
But to Julia, every word was deeply satisfying.
She only wished he would go even further.
Unfortunately for her, he didn't.
After venting for a moment, Ian fell silent. Then, as if struck by a new thought, he muttered darkly, "A woman like her doesn't deserve to be my uncle's wife.
"I'm going to speak to my uncle. I'll convince him to cancel the engagement with Raelynn."
That was music to Julia's ears.
Her eyes lit up like stars.
If Shawn really called off the engagement with Raelynn... wouldn't that mean she had a chance?
She glanced at Ian with a new softness, her gaze full of affection — but her words still carried that carefully brewed charm.
"If you really go through with breaking off their engagement..."
But Ian didn't even hesitate. "Our family doesn't take just anyone as a daughter-in-law. She has to be noble in name and in character. Aside from holding the title of a duke's daughter, what does Raelynn have?
"That engagement was forced by Lady Margot. For the good of the Lindsay family's future, there's no way someone like her can be allowed in."
He spoke with such conviction, so self-righteously.
And he didn't notice — with every harsh word he said, Julia's smile only grew sweeter.