Chapter 467 Is She Pearl or Ashley?
Ethan swiftly deployed the royal forces to neutralize Earl Marc and his faction. They were placed under house arrest with all communications cut off. Using Mary's attempt to poison the Prince as justification, Ethan stripped Marc of his position and military authority, effectively ending his influence at court.
"Damn it!" Marc raged, pacing in his quarters. "The King might have shown some restraint, but Prince Ethan has left me with no dignity! He's made me a laughingstock of the entire nobility!"
"Marc," his wife whispered anxiously, "Mary has been in the dungeons for so long... will she survive this?"
"I will not let my daughter die," Marc hissed. "They underestimate me if they think my only power lies within the royal court."
Unable to use his phone, Marc summoned his most trusted servant. "There's a hidden passage in the corner of the garden. Escape through it and contact the person we discussed. He'll arrange Mary's rescue."
"Yes, my lord," the servant nodded before slipping away.
The internal turmoil in the royal household left everyone on edge, each person treading carefully to avoid becoming the next target of royal displeasure.
Diannel and Nick, staying in the palace guest quarters, were shocked yet impressed by Ethan's decisive action. No one suspected that Ethan had done all this for Ashley's sake.
That afternoon, Ethan convened a second council meeting.
"Your Highness, the dairy company we selected last time has excellent quality milk according to the test reports. Perhaps we should finalize this selection?" suggested a councilor.
Ethan reviewed the reports with a troubled expression. His relationship with Pearl was complicated enough, and knowing she was connected to Atticus made matters worse. By any standard, he was the interloper in their relationship, yet his moral reservations couldn't overcome his desire to keep Pearl by his side.
If he requisitioned the Muse Fresh Dairy Company, the gossip would be merciless.
"Let's not rush this decision," Ethan said finally. "We should consider other options as well."
The council members exchanged confused glances. They had thoroughly reviewed all the farms in Gold Valley District, and Muse's farm had clearly been the superior choice with perfect test results.
"Ian," Ethan instructed, "arrange testing for the other companies' products as well."
"Of course, Your Highness."
Ethan closed the file. "Meeting adjourned."
As everyone filed out, Diannel remained behind. "Ethan, the Muse Dairy Company exceeds all others in every metric. What's holding you back?"
With no one else present, Ethan simply replied, "Personal reasons."
Diannel looked surprised; Ethan was known for separating personal feelings from state matters. Was this because of the woman who resembled Ashley?
"Come to Azure Palace," Ethan said. "We need to talk privately."
At the palace, Ethan led Diannel to his bedchamber where Ashley lay sleeping.
"Good heavens!" Diannel gasped. "Isn't she..."
Ethan motioned for silence and led him back to the sitting room.
"There was an... incident last night," Ethan explained. "She's mine now."
"But isn't she Mr. Grayson's wife?"
Ethan's eyes darkened with jealousy. "Ian is investigating whether they're actually married. We'll decide on the dairy contract later. As for Pearl, her past doesn't matter to me, but her future is with me alone."
Diannel sighed, unsurprised by Ethan's possessiveness.
"Diannel," Ethan asked suddenly, "I've been wondering—how can two people look so identical? Is she Pearl or Ashley?"
After a moment's thought, Diannel replied, "I'm not certain, but I do recall Ashley had a red birthmark behind her ear."
Ethan made a mental note of this detail.
"Tell me more about her," he requested.
While Diannel shared stories about Ashley, the woman in question was awake in the bedroom, examining her ear in the mirror. There was no birthmark.
Ashley's expression fell as the bitter realization hit her. Ethan wanted her not out of love, but merely because he considered her his possession. The thought left her with a surprising ache in her heart.
Later that afternoon, it was time to collect the children from kindergarten.
When Angela, Andy, and Nate saw Ethan waiting outside, they ran to him excitedly.
Angela greeted Ethan warmly.
"Fa—I mean, Uncle..." Nate caught himself, blushing.
Andy's face lit up. "Uncle, you really came for us!"
"I promised to pick you up today, didn't I?" Ethan smiled, embracing the three children. "Let's head to the Grayson estate."
In the car, Andy asked, "Uncle, Mommy didn't come home last night. Is she safe now?"
Ethan's expression darkened momentarily. He couldn't tell the children what had really happened—it would only frighten them.
For the first time, he lied to them. "She's at the palace... my grandmother took a liking to her and wanted her to stay a while longer."
He hesitated before continuing, "Andy, Nate... would you like to come live at the palace permanently?"
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