The Slave Queen - Chapter 81: Chapter 81

Julia coughed weakly. "A physician has already examined me. He said my constitution has always been rather delicate, and I should recover after a few days of rest. As for today's incident..."
Julia was on the verge of tears, too choked up to continue.
Hearing her bring up what happened today, Ian suddenly realized why he had rushed over in such a panic.
But the moment he entered and saw Julia looking like a delicate, sickly beauty, he was so flustered that he completely forgot his original purpose.
After hesitating for a moment, Ian made his way back to Julia's bedside.
After some hesitation, Ian pulled up a chair and sat down.
Ian asked, "Julia, I heard from Miss Carlson that you're actually in love with my uncle Shawn. So all this time, have you only ever seen me as your brother-in-law?"
As he spoke, Ian's voice was low and muffled, tinged with a subtle nervousness and heartache that were hard to detect.
He had to admit, four years ago, he had truly been smitten with Raelynn.
He had even secretly vowed that once Raelynn was freed from her servitude in the palace, he would make it all up to her.
But over these past four years, having Julia by his side day in and day out, everything had changed for him.
He slowly came to realize that a gentle, refined girl like Julia was exactly the kind of wife he had always envisioned.
More than anything, Julia's unwavering affection and constant care made him believe she had harbored feelings for him for a long time. He absolutely couldn't bring himself to betray her.
Somewhere along the way, Julia had quietly claimed his heart.
He had eyes for no one else.
Sometimes, he'd even find himself thinking, 'Love is blameless, but Raelynn is a criminal, after all.'
Ian was the heir to the Marquis' estate.
Though he couldn't match Shawn in military or political talents, Shawn wouldn't covet the Marquis' estate's position since he had obtained the most powerful position in the court.
Ian knew that the Sutherley Marquisate was destined to be his.
To inherit the marquisate, he'd naturally need a wife with an impeccable family background and an untainted reputation.
Ian felt that Raelynn was unworthy of him.
'Only Julia deserves to be the Marchioness of Sutherley,' Ian thought.
He truly believed that he and Julia shared a deep understanding, so much so that he even called off his engagement with Raelynn for her sake.
That was why, when Verda claimed that Julia was in love with Shawn, he was utterly enraged and found it completely unacceptable.
After asking the burning question, Ian stared intently at Julia, his nerves stretched taut.
He couldn't afford to miss even the slightest flicker of emotion on her face.
Julia, upon hearing this, was bathed in tears.
When confronted with Ian's pointed question, she neither denied nor admitted it.
Julia sobbed, subtly steering the conversation elsewhere. "Ian, no matter how much Raelynn usually despises me, she still shouldn't have humiliated and slandered me like that at the Ice Party.
'A young woman's good name is everything, isn't it? Yet she..."
This time, however, Ian simply wasn't having it.
Instead, Ian stared at her with even greater anxiety.
Ian said, "Raelynn was indeed at fault for today's incident. But Miss Carlson is your closest confidante. She wouldn't lie to me, would she?"
Ian muttered to himself, as if struck by a thought, "And besides, while Miss Bond and Miss Ward may have been jealous and tried to ostracize you in the past, Miss Carlson has always spoken up for you in every word she said. She wouldn't deliberately spread rumors to harm you, would she?"
Hearing this, Julia's face froze, a flicker of panic in her eyes.
Julia shot Isabel an urgent look, pleading with her eyes for Isabel to come to her rescue right away.
Isabel caught Julia's signal and was just about to speak up when three figures appeared in the doorway.
Hugo entered with a stern expression, Cecilia's face etched with worry, while Gabriel appeared deep in thought.
For Julia, their arrival was nothing short of salvation.
Julia cried out desperately through her tears, "Father, Mother, Gabriel!"
The moment Cecilia saw Julia's delicate, tear-streaked, haggard face, she instantly rushed over and pulled her into a tight embrace, sobbing as if her own heart would break, "My darling!"
Ian had yet to receive an answer, but out of respect for the elders present, he had no choice but to take a step back, forcibly suppressing the anxiety gnawing at him.
Cecilia had taken Julia's hand while fussing over her with motherly concern.
Julia quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Just then, Gabriel's voice abruptly shattered the heavy silence in the room.
Gabriel said firmly, "Julia, I don't think Miss Carlson is a good influence. From now on, you should stay away from her.
"Today, she actually forced Raelynn to announce her engagement to Lord Shawn in front of everyone."
Julia froze on the spot upon hearing this.
She stared at Gabriel in utter disbelief. "Gabriel, what did you just say?"
Gabriel simply assumed that Julia was just bitter about being upstaged by Raelynn.
He let out a weary sigh and continued, "Miss Carlson is nothing but a foolish, ill-bred bastard. From now on, you must be more discerning and stop letting her deceive you."
Originally, they had also been fiercely opposed to Raelynn marrying Shawn.
That way, Julia and Raelynn, who were once equals, would become aunt and niece. It would be an awkward shift in family dynamics.
They simply couldn't bear to see Julia suffer such humiliation.
So, even knowing it might hurt Raelynn, Gabriel and Hugo had been scheming for days about how to make her call off the engagement.