The divorced military queen awakens novel

Chapter 535 Who Was Behind It Petty . The word deepened the frost in Laura's gaze until it could have cracked glass . +10 Free Coins To them , her old visit had been a footnote , no more disruptive than a fly buzzing near their champagne flutes . She herself had been comic relief - a provincial cameo they could chew over at cocktail hour . " Petty , am I ? " She lifted her chin . " Then blame Mr. Windore for treating my ' petty ' pain with respect . Or are you afraid I might convince him to stop digging - because you're the one who ordered the servants to keep me out that day ?

" " Ridiculous ! I ... I never gave such an order . I didn't even know you came ," the accused sputtered , voice wobbling . " Then how can you be certain my visit was over a trivial matter ? " she shot back . Memory slammed into her - the night she bundled every shred of courage into a single desperate knock . It had been a crossroads , a plea uttered at her lowest ebb . The man swallowed hard , words strangling before they reached the air . A subordinate approached Weston and bowed . " Mr. Windore , we've brought in the rest of the people from that day .

" Weston stood at the center of the vast marble foyer , his voice slicing through the hush like the crack of a whip . " Bring every last one of them here , right away , " he said , not shouting , yet carrying an authority that made the chandeliers tremble . Laura stepped closer , confusion knitting her brows . " Who exactly have you dragged in this time , Weston ? " Weston folded his arms , refusing to elaborate . " When they get here , you'll understand ," he murmured , the faintest flicker - regret , anger , something darker - ghosting across his features .

Less than five minutes later , footsteps echoed down the corridor and the heavy oak doors swung open . Six people were ushered inside in single file - some still charged with the restless energy of their twenties , others marked by the fine lines of middle age . Weston caught Laura's wrist and guided her toward the six bewildered people . " Among them are the guards who manned the villa gate that day , and the servants who received the guests , " 1/3 19:53 Thu , Nov 6 Chapter 535 Who Was Behind It 449 49 +10 Free Coins he said . " Look closely .

Tell me whether you still remember which one told you I refused to see you . " Laura froze , blindsided by how far Weston had gone over a single sentence she had uttered only days earlier . He had not only tracked down every guest from that long - ago gathering but had even summoned the servants and the gatekeepers - faces she had assumed would remain footnotes to a forgotten afternoon . Laura pursed her lips , a single sound of uncertainty catching in her throat . " I ... " she faltered , turning her gaze toward the six anxious faces arrayed before her .

She had been certain the years would have erased the features of that messenger from her mind . Yet as her eyes drifted from one person to the next , memory surged back with startling clarity . That distant afternoon had branded itself so deeply into her bones that time had never truly dulled it . She lifted a trembling hand and pointed at a young woman whose posture shrank beneath the accusation . " It was her . " The woman - Lily Clarke - flinched . " No , no , you've made a mistake !

I never delivered any such message ," she cried , her voice skittering across the marble floor like loose change . Laura's expression remained composed , as though she had anticipated the denial long before Lily opened her mouth . " You were the one ," Laura said , calm yet implacable . " Back then , your hair was cut short , and you wore a maid's uniform . Someone called you Lily . When I reached the gate , you were chatting with the guard , and you bragged that the bracelet on your wrist cost three thousand .

" Even Laura felt a flutter of amazement at the detail spilling from her lips ; she had not realized until this moment how precisely she remembered . Color drained from Lily's cheeks , leaving her skin almost translucent . A middle - aged guard stepped forward , eager to distance himself from the brewing storm . " Yes , yes , I remember now . When this young lady arrived to see Mr. Windore , it was Lily who questioned her and Lily who went to inform him ." Weston fixed Lily with an icy stare . " Oh ? If you were the one who announced her arrival , tell me exactly what you told me .

Because I remember nothing about anyone asking to see me . " Lily's shoulders quivered . " I ... I ... " Weston's voice dropped to a near whisper , all the more terrifying for its softness . " Tell the truth now , and I will merely exile you from Jexburgh . Lie , and when I discover the deception , I will 2/3 19:53 Thu , Nov 6 Chapter 535 Who Was Behind It crush your throat so you never form another sentence . " 49 +10 Free Coins Panic shattered Lily's composure . " I'll talk , I'll talk ! It was ... it was Ms. Rowe who told me to do it .

I'm just a servant ; I had no choice but to follow orders . " At the confession , Weston slowly turned his gaze toward a figure standing off to the side . The others followed , every eye in the room converging on the same person . Claudia Rowe had been Weston's junior at university - a privileged beauty whose family money opened every door before she even knocked . Most within their glittering circle had long suspected she harbored feelings for Weston . Yet , to universal astonishment , Weston had chosen to date Laura instead . The surprise was not mild .

Claudia's striking looks and celebrated pedigree far outshone Laura's modest background , and many had assumed she was the inevitable choice . Someone who was close to Claudia spoke up , voice trembling . " Claudia , tell me this isn't true ... You didn't really do that , did you ? " 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.