Chapter 1013

No.1

"To what do I owe this honor?" The legendary beauty's smile still dazzled. "Too much free time? Must you micromanage such trifles?"

Her gaze shifted to Ethan. "How incompetent are you that Lord Alex needs to oversee a simple delivery?"

Ethan kept his head down.

She'd noticed her son immediately. The delayed greeting was pure spite.

"Well? Don't just stand there." She beckoned. "I need to speak with you."

Alexander finally approached.

Overnight, his bruises had faded. Dark circles now underscored his eyes, though his expression remained icy.

No.2

The Kingsley matriarch ruled through beauty and terror. Even her son knew better than to cross her when displeased.

Upstairs, Alexander spoke first. "Mother, you're enabling her. She's grown reckless from your indulgence."

"Oh?" Her laugh was sharp. "What's done is done. Need I remind you who saved your life?"

Her face darkened. "I only regret Evelyn lacked ambition. Any other girl I spoiled would've become royalty. She settled for being a bedwarmer!"

"Mother!" Alexander's expression turned murderous. "Who told you that?"

"What?" Her smile widened. "Your sieve of a mansion can't keep secrets, yet expects me to hear nothing?"

Alexander's jaw clenched.

No.3

He rarely interfered with Royal Gardens' staff—many were his mother's appointments.

Besides, hadn't Evelyn lived there too?

The man handled external affairs; household matters were the woman's domain. If servants gossiped, wasn't that her failure?

"Why so tense?" Madam Kingsley nudged her son.

Her carefree nature had somehow produced this ice sculpture of a man.

She teased, "You've never cared about servant chatter before. Their words don't reach your exalted ears, do they?"

"Did Evelyn tell you this?" Alexander could think of no other source.

No.4

"Please. If Evelyn had half their sharp tongues, she wouldn't have—"

"Mother." His voice could freeze hell.

He humored her whims, but even mothers had limits.

"Fine." She changed subjects smoothly. "Look what I found..."

She produced a booklet.

Alexander reached for it—

Ethan burst in, panic-stricken. "Lord Alex! Emergency! Evelyn—"

No.5

The teacup in Eleanor Kingsley's hand suddenly slipped and shattered on the floor with a crisp sound.

Alexander Kingsley turned sharply.

Ethan Miller stood at the doorway, his face deathly pale.

"What's going on?" Eleanor demanded sharply.

Ethan swallowed hard. "It's about... that article from Horizon Media..."

Alexander's gaze turned icy.

A cold sweat instantly broke out on Ethan's back.

No.6

"Wait," Alexander said coldly.

He flipped open the photo album Eleanor had handed him, glanced at it once, then slammed it shut.

"What is this?"

Eleanor swiveled her chair, tapping the desk lightly with her fingertips.

"I haven't told your grandfather about you and Evelyn yet..."

"What about us?" Alexander's voice rose abruptly.

Eleanor ignored him. "With your grandfather's eightieth birthday approaching, you'd better bring a new girlfriend home."

No.7

A vein throbbed at Alexander's temple.

"Mother, enough."

Eleanor opened the album, displaying photos of society debutantes one by one.

"These are all carefully selected. Pick one soon so I can arrange things for Evelyn."

Alexander narrowed his eyes.

"Arrange what for her?"