The Slave Queen - Chapter 50: Chapter 50
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Only Cecilia stepped forward, gently patting Julia's hand. "Don't cry, Julia. Matters of the heart are unpredictable. Raelynn won't blame you."
She spoke like a marionette, her reason long overwhelmed by her blind affection for Julia.
Without hesitation, she forgave Julia—on Raelynn's behalf.
Raelynn heard this and gave a faint, mocking smile.
She was long used to Cecilia's constant concern for Julia. So used to it, in fact, that she no longer felt a thing.
Julia continued dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, still pretending to cry, but then, Margot's voice cut through the air, sharp and displeased.
"If you know stealing Raelynn's fiancé was shameful, then keep your mouth shut. Or do you think saying it aloud makes it any less disgraceful?"
She didn't spare Julia even a shred of dignity.
Julia, who had been faking her tears a moment before, was now crying for real.
If they weren't in front of so many people, she might have lunged at Margot then and there.
But to protect her image, all she could do was cry softly, playing the part of the delicate, wronged girl.
Cecilia's heart ached even more. She tried to intervene. "Mother, Julia was only speaking out of joy for Raelynn. She didn't mean anything by it. Please don't scold her so harshly."
"Didn't mean anything?" Margot snorted. "She's been raised at your side for all these years, and she still can't speak properly? Thank heavens Raelynn wasn't raised by you too—she might've turned out just as useless."
Not even Cecilia was spared—she was left without a shred of dignity.
Cecilia froze, lips parted, but dared not respond.
All she could do was glance desperately at Raelynn.
But Raelynn lowered her gaze, pretending not to see.
The weight in Cecilia's chest grew heavier.
There had been a time when Raelynn would've defended her without hesitation.
But now... Now she wouldn't even look at her.
Something passed through Cecilia's mind, draining what little color remained in her face.
Just then, Shawn, who had stayed silent this whole time, finally spoke.
"As the Prime Minister," he said calmly, "if I were to marry a woman with a tarnished reputation, it would indeed bring shame to the marquis' estate."
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire room shifted.
Julia's eyes lit up with hope. Raelynn's face went visibly pale.
Even Margot and Malcolm frowned slightly.
Hugo, Cecilia, and Gabriel exchanged awkward glances, unsure of what to think.
But then Shawn continued, his voice smooth and unhurried.
"However, this engagement was arranged by our elders, with a formal matchmaker. It is not something to be easily undone.
"Since that's the case, I must ask Lord Hugo and Lady Cecilia to put some effort into clearing up the accusations against Lady Raelynn. Surely that isn't too much to ask."
His words fell like a beam of sunlight breaking through thick clouds.
Raelynn looked up at him in shock.
She hadn't expected him to step in for her.
Let alone use his official authority to shield her.
A mere Duke was a third-rank noble, while the Prime Minister held the highest civil post in the empire—a first-rank minister, and the king's most trusted advisor.
There was no comparison. And anyone with a working brain knew exactly what Shawn had just done.
He was backing Raelynn. Publicly.
For a moment, the entire Lennox family—except Margot—looked as if the color had drained from their faces.
Shawn's demand was, in essence, impossible to fulfill.
But when a man of his rank made a request like that, who dared say no?
The air in the hall turned suffocatingly still.
Especially for Julia. She had fully intended to expose Raelynn's past in front of Malcolm to force the Lindsay family to break off the engagement and destroy Raelynn's reputation in the process.
But now? Now she'd handed Shawn the perfect opportunity to assert his authority and silence everyone. She'd hoisted the stone only to drop it on her own foot.
Julia's legs wobbled. She looked like she might collapse.
Her eyes welled with tears again as she looked at Shawn, pitiful and fragile, barely whispering, "Lord Shawn, I think you've misunderstood me. I didn't mean to offend you. I can explain—"
But Shawn only offered a faint, cool smile. "Misunderstood?" He raised an eyebrow slightly, his voice as sharp as ever. "Unless... it was you who offended the noble consort back then and my fiancée took the blame for it. Is that why you're so eager now? So guilty?"
The words hit like a slap.
Julia's composure snapped. Her meek facade shattered. She shrieked, "How could it possibly be me? It was her! She broke the rules!"
A low scoff from Shawn—half laugh, half disdain—cut deeper than any shout.
She spoke like a marionette, her reason long overwhelmed by her blind affection for Julia.
Without hesitation, she forgave Julia—on Raelynn's behalf.
Raelynn heard this and gave a faint, mocking smile.
She was long used to Cecilia's constant concern for Julia. So used to it, in fact, that she no longer felt a thing.
Julia continued dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief, still pretending to cry, but then, Margot's voice cut through the air, sharp and displeased.
"If you know stealing Raelynn's fiancé was shameful, then keep your mouth shut. Or do you think saying it aloud makes it any less disgraceful?"
She didn't spare Julia even a shred of dignity.
Julia, who had been faking her tears a moment before, was now crying for real.
If they weren't in front of so many people, she might have lunged at Margot then and there.
But to protect her image, all she could do was cry softly, playing the part of the delicate, wronged girl.
Cecilia's heart ached even more. She tried to intervene. "Mother, Julia was only speaking out of joy for Raelynn. She didn't mean anything by it. Please don't scold her so harshly."
"Didn't mean anything?" Margot snorted. "She's been raised at your side for all these years, and she still can't speak properly? Thank heavens Raelynn wasn't raised by you too—she might've turned out just as useless."
Not even Cecilia was spared—she was left without a shred of dignity.
Cecilia froze, lips parted, but dared not respond.
All she could do was glance desperately at Raelynn.
But Raelynn lowered her gaze, pretending not to see.
The weight in Cecilia's chest grew heavier.
There had been a time when Raelynn would've defended her without hesitation.
But now... Now she wouldn't even look at her.
Something passed through Cecilia's mind, draining what little color remained in her face.
Just then, Shawn, who had stayed silent this whole time, finally spoke.
"As the Prime Minister," he said calmly, "if I were to marry a woman with a tarnished reputation, it would indeed bring shame to the marquis' estate."
The moment the words left his mouth, the entire room shifted.
Julia's eyes lit up with hope. Raelynn's face went visibly pale.
Even Margot and Malcolm frowned slightly.
Hugo, Cecilia, and Gabriel exchanged awkward glances, unsure of what to think.
But then Shawn continued, his voice smooth and unhurried.
"However, this engagement was arranged by our elders, with a formal matchmaker. It is not something to be easily undone.
"Since that's the case, I must ask Lord Hugo and Lady Cecilia to put some effort into clearing up the accusations against Lady Raelynn. Surely that isn't too much to ask."
His words fell like a beam of sunlight breaking through thick clouds.
Raelynn looked up at him in shock.
She hadn't expected him to step in for her.
Let alone use his official authority to shield her.
A mere Duke was a third-rank noble, while the Prime Minister held the highest civil post in the empire—a first-rank minister, and the king's most trusted advisor.
There was no comparison. And anyone with a working brain knew exactly what Shawn had just done.
He was backing Raelynn. Publicly.
For a moment, the entire Lennox family—except Margot—looked as if the color had drained from their faces.
Shawn's demand was, in essence, impossible to fulfill.
But when a man of his rank made a request like that, who dared say no?
The air in the hall turned suffocatingly still.
Especially for Julia. She had fully intended to expose Raelynn's past in front of Malcolm to force the Lindsay family to break off the engagement and destroy Raelynn's reputation in the process.
But now? Now she'd handed Shawn the perfect opportunity to assert his authority and silence everyone. She'd hoisted the stone only to drop it on her own foot.
Julia's legs wobbled. She looked like she might collapse.
Her eyes welled with tears again as she looked at Shawn, pitiful and fragile, barely whispering, "Lord Shawn, I think you've misunderstood me. I didn't mean to offend you. I can explain—"
But Shawn only offered a faint, cool smile. "Misunderstood?" He raised an eyebrow slightly, his voice as sharp as ever. "Unless... it was you who offended the noble consort back then and my fiancée took the blame for it. Is that why you're so eager now? So guilty?"
The words hit like a slap.
Julia's composure snapped. Her meek facade shattered. She shrieked, "How could it possibly be me? It was her! She broke the rules!"
A low scoff from Shawn—half laugh, half disdain—cut deeper than any shout.
End of The Slave Queen Chapter 50. Continue reading Chapter 51 or return to The Slave Queen book page.