Chapter 144
Chapter 144
Athena’s lips curled into a mocking smile. “ Just as I expected,” she thought.
Athena crossed her arms in front of her, a mocking smile on her lips as she looked at him. “Lord Nicolas, the person you should be asking is Mrs. Mcgee, not me. ”
“ You… ” Nicolas was so furious, his breath hitched. After suffering repeated setbacks before Athena, he finally realized she responded better to honey than to vinegar.
Nicolas softened his tone and said with feigned concern, “As your brother, I only want what’s best for you. If you settle your marriage soon, Grandma will finally be at ease. Can you really bear to let her worry about you every single day p>
Nicolas knew his words lacked conviction, so he brought up Margaret, hoping her name would add some weight to his
argument.
Unfortunately, Athena wasn’t buying it.
Athena didn’t want to prolong this argument. With feigned surprise, she countered, “Are you unaware Mrs. Mcgee decreed my marriage won’t be discussed until after Willow’s wedding p>
Nicolas froze. “After Willow’s wedding p>
Nicolas’s brow furrowed, clearly troubled by this unexpected obstacle.
Athena couldn’t help but wonder, ‘What is Nicolas so anxious about?
‘Why on earth is Nicolas so eager to finalize my marriage arrangement with the Mcgee family as soon as possible p>
“Weddings are no small matter,” Athena said pointedly, “Trying to handle two at once would stretch us too thin. You have to take things one at a time. Where would we find the resources for double the preparations p>
Athena’s words carried a probing tone, but Nicolas was so wrapped up in his own affairs that he completely failed to notice.
Nicolas nodded slowly, his brow furrowed into a knot. “You’ve got a point there,” he conceded, his tone tinged with reluctance.
Athena studied his expression and thought to herself, ‘So the Monson family really is running out of money, just as I suspected.
‘But the Monson family is a centuries–old noble house, after all, it wouldn’t fall into ruin so easily.
‘There must have been a major incident.
‘Otherwise, Nicolas wouldn’t be so eager to push through this marriage with the Mcgee family p>
Athena dismissed Nicolas with a cold glance and strode away.
At the garden entrance, Nicolas‘ guards still blocked the path. Athena’s face was frosty as she snapped, “Get out of the way p>
Although her tone wasn’t harsh, the glacial glint in her eyes made everyone shiver involuntarily.
The attendant turned toward Nicolas, but a sudden pain shot through his shoulder, his body went limp instantly. Before he could react, Athena had already slipped past him like a fleeting breeze.
By the time he came to, Athena had vanished.
1/2
4:11 pm
Chapter 144
The attendant’s eyes widened in terror, for a split second, he had completely lost control of his arm.
He thought, ‘ Was that just my imagination p>
Nicolas had already caught up. Watching Athena’s figure disappear into the distance, he glared daggers at the attendant beside him.
“Useless! Can’t even keep a woman in check,” Nicolas snapped.
The attendant lowered his head in terror.
Nicolas’s expression darkened as he strode toward Lady Eloise’s quarters.
Eloise looked up in surprise at his sudden arrival. “What brings you here at this hour p>
Ordinarily, Nicolas would be taking his midday rest at this hour.
He showed up at this unusual hour, so there must be something important.
Nicolas’s expression darkened. He waved his hand dismissively. “All of you, leave p>
Eloise, observing his solemn demeanor, sensed he had something important to say and promptly dismissed the servants from the room.
Once they were alone, Nicolas spoke, his voice tinged with concern. “Willow’s wedding gifts can’t be embarrassingly meager, but with the estate’s finances stretched so thin, Grandma certainly won’t provide for it. So what are we to do about her wedding gifts p>
Eloise’s brow furrowed in worry, she’d been troubled by this for days. “She has a deep–seated prejudice against Willow,” she sighed. “We’ll just have to figure something else out p>
She hesitated for a moment, then cast a tentative glance at Nicolas. “Perhaps… we could liquidate a few of the family’s manors … ”
Sara Lili
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.