THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 761

Eating ice crystals? From deep within a glacier? The idea was absurd.

Rosemary's eyes narrowed. "Miss Gonzales, while I am also from Eldermere and believe we should support our own abroad, I simply cannot stand by and listen to this. What sane person would eat ice from a glacier? You are merely taking advantage of the fact that Patriarch Brock is in a coma and cannot refute your claims. You're just making things up."

"You're from Eldermere too?" Caitlin arched an eyebrow. "I see you've worked hard to forget your roots." Though she didn't know Rosemary, her polished demeanor and style screamed of someone who had long since abandoned her homeland. There was no shame in that, but there was shame in tearing down a fellow countryman with such smug satisfaction.

Forget her roots?

Rosemary froze. What was that supposed to mean? Was Caitlin calling her a sellout, someone unworthy of her heritage? That little bitch was insufferable! Rosemary clenched her fists. She hadn't done anything to provoke Caitlin, yet the girl had insulted her so viciously. It had to be deliberate. Caitlin was trying to humiliate her. Like mother, like daughter—both of them bitches.

"Who I am is none of your concern, Miss Gonzales," Rosemary retorted, struggling to maintain her composure. "You should be more worried about yourself. You're nothing but a charlatan, trying to swindle the Palmer family. Do you really think Mrs. Palmer is so easily fooled?" She turned to Mrs. Palmer. "Mrs. Palmer, you cannot let this fraud get away with this! If word gets out, everyone will think the Palmer family is a soft touch!"

Mrs. Palmer stood frozen, unable to process what was happening. The ritual of consuming ice crystals from the Skedahar Glacier was a closely guarded secret of the Palmer family. Not even Celia knew about it. If Celia had told Caitlin about the trips to the glacier, how could she have known about the ice crystals?

Legend had it that swallowing the ice crystals from deep within the glacier would earn the favor of the goddess of fortune, ensuring the family's continued prosperity. For generations, every male heir of the Palmer family had made the pilgrimage upon turning twenty.

Celia's face hardened. "Miss Vance, watch your tongue! Miss Gonzales is an honored guest of the Palmer family, not a fraud. If you continue to speak so disrespectfully, I won't hesitate to have you thrown out, regardless of your connection to the Windsor family." Without that connection, Rosemary would never have been granted entry to Palmer Castle in the first place.

Rosemary's eyes narrowed. She wasn't intimidated. Brock may be incapacitated, but Celia wasn't the one in charge here. Any moment now, Mrs. Palmer would surely reprimand Celia for her insolence.

Only then did Leroy halt.

Mrs. Palmer turned her attention back to Caitlin. "Miss Gonzales, you are correct. Not just Brock, but every male heir of the Palmer family has consumed the ice crystals from beneath the glacier after arriving at Skedahar."

A stunned silence fell over the room. No one could believe it. Caitlin had been right. So… Brock really was infected with a parasite?

Mrs. Palmer's voice broke as she spoke, her words choked with emotion. "Miss Gonzales, now that you know what's wrong with him, please, you must save him. The Palmer family cannot lose him."