The Rise Of The Unwanted Girl (Athena) novel Chapter 296

Chapter 296

Noticing Willow’s distraught expression, Eloise quickly steadied her.

Willow’s eyes were bloodshot, her voice laced with fury. “How could he treat me like this? How could my husband do this to me?”

These past few days, Willow had been staying at the duke’s estate, her mind consumed with just one hope: that Michael would finally come to take her home.

From dawn till dusk, she waited anxiously, her hopes dashed again and again, each time, she tried to convince herself to keep going.

Michael was a marquis, after all, with his own pride to uphold. It was not so easy for him to swallow it and make the first move.

Thinking back on her past with Michael, Willow found her confidence.

Michael loved her. She believed she still mattered to him.

It was this unwavering conviction, this belief that Michael still cared, that kept Willow going.

However, reality slapped her hard in the face. All this time Michael hadn’t shown up, he’d actually gone to see Athena instead.

Willow clenched her jaw. “That bitch Athena, why won’t she just disappear?‘

“Mother,” Willow sobbed, her voice trembling with anger and hurt, “how could Michael treat me like this?”

Eloise was equally humiliated, but now wasn’t the time for that.

Eloise knew she had to get Willow back to the Osborne family immediately, Kelsey was already furious about the situation.

Thus, she gently urged, “Willow, don’t cry. You’d better hurry back to the Osborne family now.”

Willow sniffled at the thought of Kelsey’s wrath, nodding reluctantly. “I understand, Mother.”

Willow dared not linger at the duke’s estate. With her maid Nona, she hurried back to the Osborne family.

As soon as Willow stepped inside, she saw Kelsey seated, her face frozen in displeasure.

Kelsey glared at Willow, her face livid as she said with biting sarcasm, “If I hadn’t come to drag you back, you wouldn’t have returned at all, would you?

“This Osborne household clearly isn’t grand enough for someone of your stature. If the title of Marchioness is too much trouble for you, there are plenty of women who’d be thrilled to take your place.”

Each word landed like a stinging slap across Willow’s face.

Not daring to act spoiled any longer, she immediately dropped to her knees, begging for mercy. “Please calm your anger. I truly didn’t mean to stay away from home, it was only because my own mother was gravely ill…”

Her voice trailed off into a whisper.

Kelsey had always known the truth behind Eloise’s so–called illness.

She simply turned a blind eye in the past, out of respect for the Monson family.

But those days were over. The Osborne family could barely keep themselves standing, let alone cater to another family’s pride.

“After everything, you still dare to lie?” Kelsey thundered, her piercing glare locking onto Willow.

Willow collapsed to her knees in terror, her body trembling like a leaf. “Please forgive me,” she pleaded, voice cracking. “It’s all my fault. I beg you, punish me if you must.”

At this point, Willow dared not offer any excuses. She could only sob and beg Kelsey for mercy.

Kelsey merely wanted to teach Willow a lesson, she had no real intention of punishing her.

After all, the Osborne family still needed Willow’s resourcefulness to navigate their current predicament.

Seeing Willow finally yield, Kelsey let out a weary sigh. “I wasn’t trying to make things difficult for you, Willow. It’s just that the Osborne family is facing a real crisis right now.”

6

*

9:14 PM

Chapter 296

Kelsey’s sudden shift in tone left Willow utterly perplexed.

She stole a cautious glance at Kelsey, noticing her face clouded with worry and her brows deeply furrowed in distress.

Willow asked in a hushed tone, “May I ask what’s troubling you? Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Please get up,” Kelsey said gently. Willow hesitantly took a seat.

Kelsey gave her a long, troubled look before saying solemnly, “Michael has offended the Queen, and now Her Majesty is furious. do you have any solution to this?”

Willow’s talents were exactly what the Queen valued.

The Queen had gained numerous valuable innovations from Willow. Papermaking, gunpowder, glassmaking, and other innovations, all of these earned the Queen a fortune.

The Queen saw Willow as her personal goldmine, naturally indulging her every whim.

Kelsey was no exception this time, She pinned all her hopes on Willow, desperately counting on her to devise a way to save the Osborne family from ruin.

Those so–called ways were really just ingenious ideas Willow came up with herself.

Willow let out a slow breath of relief. ‘As long as I’m still useful to the Osborne family and the Queen, Kelsey won’t dare cast me aside so easily, she thought.

She hesitated, then turned to Kelsey and asked carefully, “May I ask what offense my husband has committed to make Her Majesty the Queen so enraged?”

Willow was no fool, she knew her tricks wouldn’t work forever. Her trump card would only be played as a last resort.

Kelsey caught Willow’s meaning immediately, it was clear Willow already had a solution in mind.

Kelsey said, “Athena has undermined the Queen’s interests, Her Majesty cannot let her live. But Michael…”

At this, Kelsey cast an apologetic glance at Willow. “Michael has been completely bewitched by Athena, he’s actually daring to defy Her Majesty the Queen for her. Isn’t he playing with fire, putting both his own future and the entire Osborne family at stake?”

A bitter ache twisted in Willow’s heart as she listened to Kelsey’s words.

Willow was both shocked and furious. Not only did Michael go to see Athena, but he even dared to defy the Queen for her.

He was really willing to risk the entire Osborne family and even his own life for Athena.

Seeing the disappointment on Willow’s face, Kelsey instead comforted her, “Don’t take it too hard. Michael wouldn’t dare go too far. I called you back because only you can rein him in.

“Just give Michael a child or two, and he’ll naturally stop looking elsewhere.”

Willow now understood the full situation, and a calculated plan took shape in her mind.

With red–rimmed eyes, Willow nodded to Kelsey. “I understand. But to appease Her Majesty the Queen, I’ll need your help to keep Michael from acting recklessly. If this happens again, I’m afraid the Queen won’t be so forgiving.”

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