Alpha's Rejected Mate Returns as Queen

354 A Boring Conversation

Selma Payne’s POV:

I wanted to avoid going along with their wishes and ignored the hints in their conversation as if I were interested in the weather and family affairs they were discussing. This successfully made the young Evaria couple’s faces turn green.

Finally, the other party understood that I had ill intentions toward them and no longer hid their intentions.

“Actually, we’re here today to ask you for an explanation,” the young Mr. Evaria said carefully. “Why did you ask Sir Aldrich to lead troops to capture my people in the middle of the night? If they have offended you in any way, I won’t argue for them, but at least let us know the reason for all this.”

“Why don’t you know?” I asked with a half-smile. “I thought you were involved in this.”

The young Evaria couple’s expressions instantly changed, but when they saw my smiling eyes, they suddenly realized I had tricked them. They pretended to be calm and said, “I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“You don’t have to understand. You’re not the main character in this. It doesn’t matter how much you know.” I slowly sipped the hot tea and saw a drop of cold sweat sliding down the forehead of the young Mr. Evaria. “Compared to me, I think Earl of Marlowe would be more willing to answer your questions, right?”

“My father asked us to ask you for instructions.” The young Mr. Evaria looked like he was about to faint. “I’m sincerely asking you, Your Highness. For Emma’s sake, please believe in our loyalty.”

I suddenly felt indifferent when I saw two faces that were filled with fear and uneasiness yet refused to let go of their pride that came from nowhere. I didn’t want to continue talking about such nonsense, so I waved my hand and called for someone to take them away.

“Emma is not the same as you. Go to the dungeon and see your clansmen,” I said. “Ask them what they did, and ask yourself if you know what they did.”

The young Evaria couple wanted to say something but stopped. Finally, they left with the guard, looking back at him three times with every step they took.

I believed they must be dissatisfied with this conversation that came out of nowhere and had no information at all. They might even be suspicious of my dark and unclear attitude.

However, I didn’t care. These little rats were destined to be unable to cause any waves. Let them torture themselves as they wished. This was the price they should pay for their actions.

Back in the baby’s room, Aldrich was guarding the incubation box and handling a few military documents. He said that Emma had just come to see me but left after seeing that I wasn’t there.

I sighed softly. It was obvious why Emma had come.

The conflict between her and her family had not been properly resolved. Earl of Marlowe valued this little granddaughter who had become the princess’s attendant, but this importance was not enough in the face of the family’s interests. The prideful and old-fashioned young Evaria couple was also unwilling to ‘bow their heads’ in front of their daughter, acknowledging that her social and political status had long been higher than theirs.

They treated her daughter coldly and cruelly, but Emma couldn’t bear to break up with her family. Because of this, she was often in pain. I saw it, but as an outsider, I couldn’t do anything other than comfort and support her.

It was not impossible to order the Evaria couple to disappear from their daughter’s sight forever, but what was the use of that? Emma’s restraints did not come from one or two people, and if the root of the contradiction were not removed, she would never have peace.

I asked someone to invite Emma over. She was still forcing a smile when she faced me. First, she reported the results of her internal affairs but didn’t say a word about her parents.

“Your parents came to see me just now,” I said. “Last night, I had people capture the Evaria family members involved in the attack.”

Emma’s forcibly put-together face suddenly collapsed. She covered her face and cried, “They used me to threaten you, didn’t they? I’m very sorry, Your Highness. I’m very sorry... I don’t know how to communicate with them. I’ve tried everything I could to break down the logic and analyze it for them to hear, but it’s useless! They were still so stubborn and stupid! I’m sorry, Your Highness. I’m really sorry...”

I immediately went up to hug him while Aldrich considerately left the baby room to give us some private space.

“Hey, hey, good girl, don’t cry. This isn’t your fault. You have no reason to apologize to me.” I gently wiped away her tears, but more tears came gushing out in the next second. “Even without you, your parents would have come to me. This is related to a political struggle, not personal feelings.”

“But I became your obstacle.” Emma sobbed. “My grandfather, my parents, my people, they used me to placate you because you are a kind and good king...”

“Then, they’re wrong. There’s nothing that can restrain me. If there is, it’s because I’m not strong enough. I can’t blame you.”

I held Emma in my arms and patted her trembling back as if I were coaxing a baby. “I love you, Emma. You’ll always be my friend. But no one can use you to threaten me because I know I’m not a purely good person. Nothing can stop me before I achieve my goal.”