CHAPTER 52: CALM AND FURY

Even though the Morrigans clearly hated Jeffrey’s decision, none of them dared to go against him. James looked torn. I could almost feel his thoughts twisting through him. He didn’t want Camilla tied to Julian. That bond would destroy whatever good was left of Julian’s name. But he also kept glancing at the gift Jeffrey gave me earlier the jewelry set reserved for someone the family truly welcomed. That alone said everything about who the house wanted beside Lewis.

If I ever carried Lewis’s child, the entire line would shift. Everyone could see that.

So James had his own plan. Keep the baby. Cut Camilla loose. That way Julian could hold onto some place in the legacy without being chained to her. It was all strategy with him. Always angles. Always gain.

But Julian... he was done.

He didn’t lift his head. He just let himself be taken to his room, quiet and empty.

The Morrigans were escorted out next. Once the door shut behind them, Jeffrey turned to me.

"Riley," he said, voice low but steady, "you really don’t like Julian, do you?"

There was no point pretending. The truth was already out, clear as day. I met his eyes.

"No, I don’t. I’ve heard everything he’s done... and tonight, I saw how he and Camilla acted. Betrayal like that on a wedding night? In a place like this?" I shook my head. "I couldn’t pretend I didn’t see it."

Jeffrey listened the whole time without interrupting. Then he gave a slow nod. "You’re a good person, Riley. I can tell." His tone shifted firmer, older, guiding. "But now that you’re stepping into this family, your voice carries weight. What you say, how you react... it reflects on all of us. Tonight was just family watching. Imagine if outsiders were here. The damage could have spread far."

He wasn’t scolding me. He was warning me like someone who cared what happened next.

"I understand," I said quietly. "I’ll be careful."

Some of the tension in his shoulders eased. "I’ve heard about what happened with your own family... the Ashbournes." His expression softened. "Whatever they put you through, you won’t face anything alone here. If anyone treats you unfairly, tell me or Lewis. And don’t mind Lewis’s cold face he feels more than he shows."

Something warm moved through me. more like being seen after years of walking in shadows.

"Thank you, Jeffrey," I whispered.

He gave a small smile. "Now, focus on the banquet arrangements. Think of it as a first step. Soon, this home will be under your care. Our men deal with outside threats. Inside this place will follow your lead."

"I won’t disappoint you," I said. "Lewis is a good man. I’ll stand with him... always. By the way, is there a theme for the banquet?"

Jeffrey thought for a moment. "You and Lewis never had a formal engagement, and after everything the family just lost, a full wedding wouldn’t be right. The banquet is our way of announcing you as Mrs. Hale."

"I’m honored," I said softly. "I’ll make everything perfect... Dad."

His eyes warmed. "Good. If you need anything, speak to Gune. He’ll handle the details."

"I will."

When I stepped out of his study, the cold air brushed against my skin. Snow had finally stopped, but the night still felt sharp.

Gune was unbelievably patient with me. He spent the whole afternoon walking me through everything that came with running the Hale estate. Staff schedules, supply logs, old agreements, even the quiet rules no one wrote down but everyone followed. He explained it all without rushing, like he was passing on something sacred.

When we finally finished, he placed a heavy ring of keys in my hand.

"These open the family vault," he said calmly.

I stared at the keys. The vault?

"Are you sure I should hold onto these?"

Gune dipped his head slightly. "You’re Mrs. Hale now. This comes with the role."

The title... it sounded elegant, but holding those keys made it feel real. Heavy. A single mistake could ruin trust built over centuries. I tightened my grip and silently promised not to fail.

By the time everything was in place, darkness had already wrapped around the estate. Quiet.

It was time to see Camilla.

I asked the kitchen to prepare chicken soup, then carried the bowl myself, with a maid named Jane trailing behind me. Jane was small, jittery, but her voice could shake walls if she wanted. Exactly what I needed.

We reached Camilla’s room. Jane tapped lightly, then pushed the door open.

Camilla lay curled on the couch, pale and drained. The sharp-tongued, confident woman I remembered... gone. The heavy circles beneath her eyes told their own story.

How fitting.

She used to stand beside Julian with that same delicate face, pretending sweetness while cutting into me whenever no one was watching. Back then, I was always tired, always hurt, and she was always glowing.

But now, the roles had flipped.

Her glare snapped to me the moment I stepped inside. "What are you doing here?"

I kept my expression gentle, the same way she used to fool others. "You haven’t eaten all day. I brought chicken soup. It’s warm. Please have some."

She stared at the bowl, fighting between pride and the obvious weakness in her body. Hunger won. Her hand lifted.

I leaned in slightly, my voice soft. "You should eat. You need your strength. I heard your heart isn’t doing well... and if something happens during surgery losing both you and the baby wouldn’t all your sacrifices go to waste?"

Her face drained of color. She understood immediately.

Even someone like Camilla still had some instinct to protect what she carried. That much, at least, was real.

She gripped the bowl so tight her knuckles whitened then her expression twisted in rage.

Without warning, she flung the steaming soup at me.

"You disgusting woman! How dare you say that?!"

The burning liquid splashed over my hands and chest. Pain stabbed through me so fast I gasped and stumbled backwards, collapsing onto the floor.

"Aahh!" The scream tore from me before I could swallow it down.

Jane rushed in, horrified. "Oh no! Mrs. Riley! What happened?!"

The skin on my hands was already turning bright red. My dress clung to me, soaked and burning. Tears spilled down my face not only from the pain, but from knowing exactly what this scene would trigger.

Jane’s voice rang down the hall. "Help! Someone help! Mrs. Riley’s been burned!"

Footsteps thundered toward the room.

Camilla froze, panic flickering in her eyes. This wasn’t what she expected. She thought it would stay between us.

"Stop pretending," she snapped. "Just get up."

Too late.

The room filled quickly.

"What happened here?" James demanded, marching in. His eyes locked onto me curled on the floor, clutching my burning hands, and his jaw tightened.

I looked up at him through tears. "I... I only wanted her to have some soup. She hadn’t eaten. I didn’t mean anything bad. She just threw it at me..."

Julian rushed in next. His gaze moved from my hands to the shattered bowl on the floor. Anger ripped through his features.

Camilla opened her mouth to defend herself, but he didn’t let her.

His palm cracked across her cheek in one sharp, brutal motion.

"You heartless woman!" he shouted. "What were you thinking?!"