Happened 277

Chapter 277 

Michael was inside the room, close enough to hear every word Willow uttered. 

He sat behind his desk, his expression growing noticeably darker 

For the very first time, he began to truly doubt Willow’s moral character. 

In his memory. Willow had always hochi kind hearted and delicate. 

Yet now that she had manied him and gotten everything she wanted, she still stooped to slandering Athena behind her back. He couldn’t understand what she hoped to gain from t 

Michael’s brews knitted tightly, his deep disappointment in Willow was plain to see 

The servant entered cautiously, casting a hesitant glance at Michael as he debated whether to relay Willow’s word: 

However, Michael simply waved his hand wearily and said, “You may leave.” 

Seeing this, the servant had no choice but to withdraw 

Seated at his desk, Michael held the book for ages without turning a page. 

Athena’s image kept flashing before his eyes; her smile, her wounded lock, every facet of her being 

It suddenly struck him. It had been a gas since Athena had truly smiled. 

At the very least, not so brightly in front of him. 

, whenever Athena saw him, she was cold, even resentful. The one thing she never did was smile at him. 

Now, w 

“When exactly did I wound her so deeply?” he asked himself. 

Then Michael stepped outside, aimless as a lost soul, and somehow ended up in front of Athena’s place. 

The house, with its red walls and green tiles, stood quietly before him, Athena was just inside 

He earned to push open the door and see her. 

But his legs felt like lead, he couldn’t take a single step 

“Even if I see her, he thought bitterly, how can I face her? How can I possibly ask for her forgiveness? 

Aher gazing at the house for a long time, Michael sighed and turned away. 

In the days that followed, Michael was nowhere to be found. 

Willow, who had started out brimming with confidence, ended up utterly dejected 

A full seven days passed with Michael avoiding hey refusing to see her ever once. 

Willow was so furious that she smashed everything insight in her room 

Fortunately, Eloise sent someone to fetch her, saying she was needed back at the Morsen estate to tend to a sick family i 

cute and returned to her family home. 

ber. Willow seized the 

When she arrived, her cheeks were wet with 

and her eyes red and puffy 

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wilow rushed to Eloise, breaking down as she poured out everything she’d been holding in. It took a while, but Eloise eventually managed to calm her 

As Willow stepped out of Lloise’s courtyard, she bumped into Nicolas 

Since Willow got married, Nicolas had rarely seen his little sister 

The moment be noticed her tear 

Tell me what happened, I’ll t 

Hace, concem clouded his expression Guiding her gently toward the gazebo, he asked, “Did Michael upset you? 

At his words, the tears she had fought to hold back finally spilled rant. 

Nona immediately stepped forward. “From the day Lady Willow joined the Osborne family, Lord Michael has treated her with coldness and distance. Out of respect for the family, she chose not to speak of her troubles so soon after the wedding 

“Their bond had only just begun to mend when malicious rumors reached Lord Michael’s ears. He now wrongly believes that Lady Willow slendered Viscountess and blamed her for the rift between you and your wife. I swear on my life, she said no such thing!” 

Nicolas’s brows furrowed deeply as he listened. 

“What does what happens between me and Fiona have to do with you, or with Athena?” he snapped. 

Still seething, he slammed his fist on the table and roared, “That bastard Michael How dare he treat you like this? I make him pay!” 

Nicolas shot to his foot, furious and about to storm off to confront Michael, but Willow quickly intervened, stopping him. “Nicolas, please don’t if you confront him like this, it’ll only strain our marriage even more.” 

As she pleaded, herred–rimmed eyes were filed with worry. 

“Even now, you’re still defending him?” Nicolas fumed, though beneath his anger was only helplessness and heartache. 

Willow was head–over heels in love with Michael, always putting him first, yet he never cherished her 

“stay at the family estate for a while longer and let him stow I’m one he’ll come to his senses,” Willow said. 

With no better option at the moment, Nicolas let out a cold short. “Just stay here and don’t worry. No one would dare gossip about you.” 

Willow, looking deeply touched, nodded gently. “Thank you, Nicolas 

Perhaps from a recent chill, Willow was suddenly wracked by a harsh ft of coughing 

Seeing her in such a pitiful state, Nicolas quickly unfastened his cloak and draped it over her shoulders. 

He even meticulously fastened the straps for her. 

Both were grown adults, and such intimate gestures should have been tempered with discretion, 

Yet Willow and Nicolas saw no impropriety and felt perfectly at ease. 

They were siblings, aher all. There was no need for anyone to overthink it 

Willow threw herself into Nicolas’s arms, nuzzling him affectionately “‘s so good to be home, with my big brother protecting me.” 

Meanwhile, Nicolas held her in a gentle embrace, his expression soft with fondness. “Still the same as ever, always clinging to me 

Suddenly, Willow from 

Not far oft, Fiona appeared in the garden, córrying ( 

? Cedric 

Through the flowering hedge, she watched a Willow and Nicolas stood locked in an imbrace. 

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in the past, the would have been comumed by jealousy and utter shock. 

But at the moment, the merely cast them a brief, indifferent glance before looking 

ona’s whole world was Cedrit now, Cradling her child, she turned to leave and cooed, “My sweet Cedric, am you warm enough today some steamed egg custard later, okay?” 

Cedric’s little face was rosy, and he was already habbling 

He waved his tiny, chubby hands as if answering in his own language. 

Finked his soft check, her face glowing with contentment 

Willow hastily pulled away from Nicolas’s embrace, looking up at him with feigned innocence “Oh no, Nicolas, what should I do? Fiona must have misunderstood me. Let me go explain it to her.” 

As she spoke, she started after Fiona, but Nicolas grabbed her arm and yanked her back. 

His face was stony, unconcerned with Fiona’s feelings. “Why bother? You did nothing wrong 

Fiona had been giving him cold looks these days, and Nicolas was thoroughly sick of her attitude. 

it it weren’t for the child, would I ever have made a woman like her the future Lady Moon? She’s just a merchant’s daughter, and now give me attitude? What a joke, Nicolas thought with disdain. 

Willow tilted her head, pretending to be innocent. “Oh, Nicolas,” she said with a soft sigh, “you’ve been through a lot. Fiona used to be so different. It really breaks my heart to see you two drifting apart.” 

“Used to colas mused 

He remembered that back when Athena wasn’t around, he and Fiona actually got along well. 

But ever since Athena returned to the estate, Fiona gradually changed. She no longer centered her life around him. First, giving Nicolas the cold shoulder. then openly confronting him, 

Now, they were like worn enemies 

Willow’s words made it clear to Nicolas that Athena was the source of all these problems. 

He clenched his fists, a dark resolve settling in. It was time he taught Athena a lesson, 

“Willow, go back and rest,” Nicolas said gently 

“Okay” Willowreplied softly, her obedient tone bringing a satisfied smile to Nicolas’s face 

To him, this was how a younger sister should be. Not like Athena, who was nothing but a constant source of trouble. 

Nicolas pondered. Alexandra’s birthday was just days away. 

She was sure to host a lavish party, and Athena would undoubtedly attend 

Nicolas summoned his right hand man and ordered coldly, “Spread the word, Athena is cheating” 

Even if he couldn’t deal with Athena himself, there were always others who could put her in ber place. For example, Alexandra, who prized reputation above all else, would never tolerate such rumors 

111U THU 17 JU 

Chapter 278