I don't want to be loved (Book II)

Chapter 209: It's Too Late (2)

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The man who caused such commotion was Raymond. Jungkook realized the strangeness of the situation as Raymond threatened the royal guards, who were approaching him with swords in hand.

Shouldn't his Grand Chamberlain be among the people by his side as soon as he opened his eyes? Why were they trying to block him from entering the room?

"Raymond, what's all this...?"

"Jungkook!" Raymond started crying when he saw him. He threw his sword and quickly went to Jungkook's side.

"So you are really awake. The Queen is..."

"Raymond!"

The Queen Mother yelled with rage.

"What are you trying to tell someone who'd just regained consciousness? Don't say useless things and leave, now!"

"Your Majesty, Queen Dowager! You can't do that. I need to tell His Majesty the truth immediately!"

"You dare oppose my orders? I've been to indulgent with you for too long, and now you dare talk back to me? Guards! Take him!"

Upon the Queen Mother's orders, the guards approached Raymond. However, they were stopped by Jungkook.

"Back away."

"Jungkook!"

Jungkook grit his teeth. "Did you forget, mother? The ruler of this nation is me!"

Jungkook's strength came back to him, his fragile appearance gone. While the Queen Mother was astounded, Raymond quickly freed himself from the guards and kneeled beside Jungkook's bed with teary eyes.

"Right now, the Queen is in prison."

Jungkook could not process his words.

He did shield her with his body, but she fell down the stairs nonetheless. She couldn't possibly be without injuries. Shouldn't she be in bed, recovering? Why would she be in prison?"

"Prison? Why?"

"She was imprisoned under suspicion of treason."

"Treason? What the hell are you talking ab-?"

"The letters. They found the letters the Queen used to exchange. Those letters were used as evidence and..."

Jungkook knew that Lalisa's cousin became Chrichton's Crown Prince. He also knew that Lalisa used to exchange letters with him since long ago. However, those letters only contained friendly banter. Why would anyone accuse her of treason based on her letters?

While Jungkook pondered about this, Raymond was blatantly staring at the Queen Mother with unmistakable loathing in his eyes. His mother, on the other hand, had her face turned away, avoiding Raymond's gaze.

Just then, Jungkook remembered something. There was one letter, but it wasn't Lalisa's. A letter that detailed the incident in which his mother sold off secret Arundell information in exchange of the poisoning of Chrichton's royal family. Jungkook had previously threatened his mother with this.

"...was it you, mother?"

Jungkook asked with a shaking voice. He desperately wished for his worst suspicions to be false. His mother surely loved and treasured Lalisa, even in her own strange, unconventional ways. He never thought his mother would be capable of doing such a terribly cruel thing to her. What's more, wasn't Lalisa pregnant with his child? She would never undermine his child that way.

"Please tell me, Mother. Did you frame Lalisa for your crime?"

Jungkook really wished she'd deny it, that perhaps he was misunderstanding something. His mother, however, remained silent.