Rufus chuckled. “I think so, too. But we have no proof yet. I’ve already instructed my men to investigate the matter, so the truth will come to light soon enough.”
Rufus’ POV
We chatted for a little while longer. Then Sylvia needed to go to class, so we reluctantly got off the phone.
I headed out of the study to attend a meeting. Just then, Maya approached me to report the latest finding.
“Miss Quinn is in the queen’s place right now.”
As she spoke, I took my suit jacket from an attendant. “I suppose now’s a good opportunity to show my mother just what kind of she-wolf the girl she likes is.”
“Prince Rufus, please bear in mind that you have a meeting later,” the attendant reminded me.
“Postpone it,” I said flatly.
“Okay.”
On the way to my mother’s place, I ran into my father and Richard.
“Father!” I greeted him. I was planning to leave after saying hello, but to my surprise, Richard stopped me.
“Where are you going in such a hurry, dear brother?” Richard asked, smiling warmly at me.
He always pretended that we were close whenever my father was present.
“To Mother’s. Care to join me?” I asked dryly.
Richard’s expression changed subtly. “No, it’s okay. I have something to deal with at school. I’ll visit Mother some other day.”
I sneered and didn’t say anything more. He had always been at odds with Laura, so I knew he wouldn’t go see her. At most, he would simply pretend to be a dutiful son in front of our father.
“But Rufus, your favorite slave is really something. I wonder if Mother knows that. You went out of your way to send her to the school for training, but your effort was in vain. She hooked up with another man there,” Richard added snidely. And he emphasized the word “slave” on purpose.
“She has a name, you know? And Sylvia is not a slave. She was admitted into the school because she passed the exam on her own. You should use your brain first before you speak, unless you don’t have one,” I said coldly, restraining my raging anger.
Richard was like a pest that kept testing my patience over and over again.
Richard gasped exaggeratedly. “Oh, so, her name is Sylvia! I never knew you had such high expectations for her.”
My father gave me a meaningful look and coughed. “I’ve heard about her, too. She’s an excellent girl, but she should be more careful with her private life.”
Richard pretended to look remorseful. “If you like her so much, Rufus, there’s nothing we can do about it. I could only say that such a character as hers must have something to do with one’s upbringing.”
“Nonsense!” All of a sudden, Maya exploded in anger. “Prince Richard, how can you say that when you don’t know the truth?”
“Oh, isn’t this the truth? Or do you have any other explanation for her raunchy behavior?” Richard feigned a smile.
Since our father was here, he didn’t dare to act too aggressively.
“Things have changed now, Prince Richard.” Maya looked at Richard with disdain. “And anyway, Miss Todd isn’t like that. She was the victim of slander.”
An attendant beside my father stepped forward and explained the latest development. Now that he knew the whole story, his expression softened. “Oh, so it was all just a misunderstanding.”
Richard’s smile stiffened. “Well, I suppose it’s better that it’s a misunderstanding.”
“Oh, please, Prince Richard.” Maya exposed Richard’s hypocrisy. “It’s you who should pay more attention to those around you. Your fiancee-“
“Enough!” I interrupted her, shooting her a meaningful look. She took the hint and immediately shut up.
I didn’t expect that Maya would talk about Lucy’s affair.
I knew she was simply defending me, but it was a royal scandal after all. It was too reckless for her to talk about it in front of the king and all these guards present.
Rufus’ POV
My father’s expression darkened and he cast a sidelong glance at Maya. Finally, he turned and snorted at Richard. “Take care of your own mate. Quit making a fool of yourself.”
I heaved a sigh of relief. Fortunately, my father didn’t blame Maya.
Richard’s face instantly fell. He retorted, “Those are all rumors. They’re not true at all!”
My father didn’t want to listen to his excuses. He waved his hand dismissively. “You can leave now.”
He was always a man who had the final say. Richard had no choice but to leave with his attendants.
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll go to Mother’s place first.” I turned to leave after saying goodbye to my father.
But he stopped me. He leaned towards me and whispered in my ear in a voice so low that only the two of us could hear. “Don’t forget our agreement. If Sylvia’s identity as a traitor’s daughter can’t be redeemed, no matter how many achievements she attains, she will always be a slave.”
I didn’t say anything. I simply nodded to him then left with Maya.
As soon as I arrived at the gate of the queen’s residence, I heard peals of laughter from inside.
The guard at the gate saw me approach and showed a look of surprise. He immediately rushed inside to announce my visit.
I didn’t wait for the guard to come back and invite me in. Instead, I entered the palace and went straight to the hall.
There, I found Alina and my mother chattering about. My mother looked amused.
“Rufus, what brings you here?” When she saw me, my mother stood up in surprise and walked over to receive me. “You rarely visit me. Aren’t you busy with work?”
“Not right now. I came to see how you’re doing.” We walked to the sofa and sat down. An attendant handed me a cup of coffee, which I accepted gratefully.
“Nothing’s changed. I’m still the same as before. But thanks to Alina, I feel much better these days.” She winked at Alina and pushed her towards me. “You two should talk!”
Alina stood in front of me obediently and smiled at me softly.
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