Queen of Mean

CHAPTER 34

"THIS IS your fault." Tessa's words rang with malice; her eyes glinted with burning hate for Tori. The latter kept her face calm even with the shame she was feeling as Tessa's words hit her hard. Tori knew that her stubbornness was at fault, but she promised Cory that she would move forward. So she decided not to dwell in her past even her mistakes as she continued to move forward.

Setting the teacup down, Tori replied collectively to Tessa who looked like someone that would murder with the anger from her eyes. Tori's red eyes coldly addressed Tessa. "You talk big for someone who was conspiring against him from the beginning."

Tessa's eyes averted hers, Tori continued. "Is your anger really because of your fear that Cory will die? Or is it because you had hoped? Hope that Cory truly loved you as you fell for him terribly?" Tori smiled slyly at Tessa. Seeing that the latter did not reply, Tori went straight to the reason why she called Tessa. "Well, you are not here to discuss Cory's affairs. You answered my call with the hopes to save him, am I wrong?"

Tessa's obvious anger towards her vanished faded, replaced by a determination that made Tori raised her eyebrows. Tessa replied, "Prince Corean deserves to rule this empire."

Indeed. "How far will you do for him?"

Tessa's eyes were clear from deceit as she locked eyes with Tori's speculative ones. "I am willing to commit treason so whatever you are planning, count me in."

Good.

"Then let me test that."

PORRIDGE ATTEMPTED MASSACRE, the common folks called the incident when Lady Sabina Rozenreff distributed poisoned foods under the sponsorship of the first prince which resulted in hundreds of commoners in critical condition.

The capital's hospital was not enough to accommodate the affected commoners. To save his daughter from the anger of the masses, Duke Luwen Rozenreff set up tents outside the Rozenreff Duchy's estate.

Inside the Duke's office, he argued with the Headmaster Eyzana of Trifacta Academy whom he summoned an hour after Sabina frantically called him from his meeting with the emperor. "It is poison, isn't it? The aristocratic faction prepared for this!" Gone was his rationality as he addressed the well-respected Headmaster with frantic eyes.

Headmaster Eyzana sat calmly, not minding the furious duke. "The commoner faction is one of the three pillars that support the empire. This event that was organized by your daughter and sponsored by the first prince is an attack on the noble faction." A very smart move. "But the commoners do not care about the trifling war between the noble faction and the aristocratic faction. What they know right now, hundreds of commoners are on the verge of dying because of Lady Sabina and Prince Lauren, and the person who planned this knows that. So you must avoid igniting the flame that has sparked because of this incident. People talk and even walls have ears, Duke Luwen. We must be mindful with what we say."

Duke Luwen Rozenreff sat in front of the Headmaster as he tried earnestly to relinquish his anger with the aristocratic faction. He was blaming the opposing faction for everything. Should Victoria listen to him and not those fools in the aristocratic faction, then his first-born daughter should not have suffered this humiliation. And now, the aristocratic faction was targeting his second-born daughter. They were taking his daughters away from him.

"Then how can we counter this one?" The prideful duke lowered his pride; he refused to let another daughter of his suffered from the aristocratic faction.