Larissa's Game of Thrones (Larissa) novel Chapter 31

A moment later, Honora’s voice, sharp and venomous—a stark contrast to her usual gentle tone—filled the room.

“Larissa, why must you be so ungrateful? Mom and Dad only brought you back so you could marry Haskell in my place. A country girl like you should be thanking your lucky stars for the chance to climb the social ladder. Why are you making things so difficult for yourself by siding with Neville and Sapphira? Now you’ve made yourself an outcast on both sides. How awkward.”

“And you don’t really believe they like you, do you? They only agreed to take you in because you have Judson blood. They’re just hoping that if Grandpa is generous, you’ll inherit a piece of the family fortune.”

“Do you know what this building is for, Larissa?”

“This is where the Judson children are educated. I’ve spent my life in here, learning from the best private tutors money can buy. Music, painting, languages… I’m proficient in all of them…”

“I wonder how many of those skills you possess?”

“None, I’d imagine. What a pity. You’re too old to start learning now.”

“But don’t worry. You know how to plant vegetables and do laundry. I don’t know any of that. I’ll have to ask you for lessons sometime.”

With every word, Kiernan’s expression grew darker. Larissa knew that the personal insults were secondary. The real poison was the mention of the Judson family fortune. For the patriarch, who still held absolute authority, any discussion of his inheritance while he was still alive was a taboo on par with princes plotting for the throne before an emperor’s death.

She had deliberately turned up the volume for that part.

“It was my voice,” Honora stammered, “but that’s not the whole story! She was insulting me over and over again, and I couldn’t take it anymore, so I said those harsh things…”

Leopold stared in disbelief. He couldn’t believe the person in that recording was the kind, gentle sister he knew. But he quickly convinced himself that Honora was telling the truth. Larissa must have provoked her beyond endurance.

He redirected his fury at Larissa, his eyes practically shooting sparks. “Honora’s right! Who knows what horrible things you said to her before this to make her snap like that!”

Larissa gave him the middle finger and silently mouthed the word: “Idiot.”

Kiernan snorted. “Leopold, the evidence is right in front of you, yet you’re still too blind to see the truth. Larissa was right, you deserved to be hit. Maybe it would knock some sense into you!”