Even if he no longer likes Iger, he is still his own biological son. Moreover, Iger’s birth mother is a woman who loves him as much as her own life. As a man, even if he cannot tolerate Iger’s mother’s strong personality, he cannot remain unmoved by her feelings. Especially considering that Iger has been neglected and suffered grievances for all these years and is now facing life and death, how could he not feel heartache?
Now, knowing that all of this could possibly be the doing of the person lying beside him, how could he not feel alarmed and chilled to the core? In his eyes, the queen has always been gentle and delicate, never making excessive demands on him. So, in many instances, he has been indulgent. However, that doesn’t mean she can be endlessly tolerant.
The king’s anger is still evident on his face, but the queen has had over twenty years of affection for him. Now, with a slap across her face, the red mark is so conspicuous. Her pitiful appearance makes him feel a slight pang of remorse, but the feeling of betrayal is making it difficult for him to control his emotions.
“Do you dare to say that Iger’s affairs have nothing to do with you? I can’t help but suspect now. How much of these things have you done behind my back in all these years?”
The queen is frightened by the king’s fierce anger, trembling and almost panicking as she thinks about a solution. After all, if the accusation of conspiring against the royal family is proven true, it’s not just her who will suffer; even Ian will be affected.
Yes, no matter what, she cannot let Ian be implicated.
Ian has been reluctant to marry according to her wishes, and her maternal family’s influence is not strong. But Iger is different. She initially thought that as long as he divorced Osbourne, he wouldn’t pose any threat to Ian. However, things took an unexpected turn. Supported by the Bo’an family, he now has a child, making the situation unimaginable. How can Ian compete with him now? In her eyes, Iger must die!
But she did not expect that things would be discovered so quickly!
The queen had many thoughts in her mind, but her face still wore a look of misery and helplessness, as if she had suffered a great accusation and injustice. After all, she and the king were a united front, and this man cared most about his image. Just on this aspect alone, he would surely suppress it for her.
The king, annoyed by her tears, was also undecided.
After letting the queen cry for a while, he slowly helped her up, sighed, and said, “Don’t rush to cry. Stay in the palace until the outcome of this matter. If you’re innocent, I won’t wrong you.”
The queen finally stopped crying after hearing this but saw the king hesitate for a moment before speaking again in a cold tone, “But if I find out that you’re involved in this, you should be aware of the consequences.”
The king’s sharp gaze stared at her, causing the queen’s heart to tremble. Involuntarily, she lowered her head and said in a low voice, “Your Majesty, I understand.”
The king softened his expression a bit and began to console her.
However, at this moment, a servant at the door respectfully knocked and said, “Your Majesty, General Osbourne has something to discuss with you. He also said… he hopes the queen will be present.”
The queen, who had just relaxed, felt her heart rise again with a faint sense of foreboding. She turned to look at the king’s expression, only to find his face dark and unreadable. “Let him in,” he said.
She had to gather herself once again, fix her appearance, and sit beside the king.
As the king’s words fell, Osbourne appeared at the door of the study. His handsome face showed no extra expression. Normally, his silent demeanor might give off a distant and cold feeling, but at this moment, it inexplicably sent shivers down people’s spines.
The queen lifted her eyes to look at him, feeling uneasy. However, her expression changed completely when she came into contact with the person behind him. Her entire face turned ashen in that moment.
The king, of course, noticed her change and furrowed his brow, twisting the jade ring on his thumb. He asked Osbourne, “What business requires you to come specially?”
Osbourne respectfully bowed to the king, no longer beating around the bush. Instead, he directly said, “I presume Your Majesty has already received the documents. Regarding the assassination attempt on Prince Iger, I have some questions for Queen Consort, which I’d like to ask in person.”
As he spoke, his gaze turned to the queen sitting beside him. When her eyes met his icy blue pupils, she suddenly felt as if a snake had crawled over her body, an inexplicable discomfort settling in.
She lowered her eyes and spoke softly, “His Majesty has just informed me. However, I truly don’t understand. If Your Majesty’s seal was stolen, why does General Osbourne insist on suspecting me? There is no solid evidence to be so certain. I wonder what General intends to do?”
Osbourne smiled slightly after hearing this. “Queen Consort is right. There is indeed no concrete evidence. So, let’s put that aside for now. But does the queen recognize the person beside me?”
He slightly stepped aside, revealing the man who had been standing behind Osbourne all along. After hearing the question, the man’s body trembled, cold sweat slid down his forehead, and with a thud, he kneeled before the king. His lips trembled as he said, “Your Majesty.”
Osbourne’s gaze seemed casual, but no one noticed how tightly clenched his hand was at his side. It seemed he had finally lost patience, and in a calm voice, he said, “Vice Admiral Sylle, do you want to explain yourself, or should I do it for you?”
The king glanced at him; his expression was inscrutable. “Speak.”
The man kneeling on the ground glanced at the queen beside him, then spoke cautiously, “Half a month before the assassination attempt on Prince Iger, General Beckner, the brother of the queen, approached me. At that time, a third of my subordinates were temporarily replaced, and some of them were selected as Prince Iger’s royal guards.”
Initially, he was puzzled because the number of people involved was too large, and he didn’t connect those names to the current events. It wasn’t until the news of Prince Iger’s assassination attempt reached him that he finally understood the connection. Even without the queen’s explanation, he understood the gravity of the situation. Unknowingly, he had been manipulated by the queen. If the truth were revealed, not only would his future be in jeopardy, but the queen wouldn’t spare him as a traitor.
The queen’s mind was in chaos as she turned to look at the king. She knew too well what the king’s bottom line was. Sylle, as the captain of the Royal Guard, was responsible for the safety of the entire imperial family. The involvement of the queen’s brother in royal affairs was a direct violation of a major taboo for him. Moreover, the matter had been brought to her attention, indicating that there might be irrefutable evidence, much more convincing than the seemingly insignificant document from before.
“Queen Consort, do you know anything about this matter?” the king asked.
The queen’s lips trembled, and her face turned paper-white. It took a moment before she managed to squeeze out a broken syllable, “Your Majesty…”
The king coldly chuckled. “If it weren’t for your consent, Beckner would be just a minor vice general. How could he have the authority to mobilize the Royal Guard?”
“How much does Ian know about this? Bring him to see me.”
Hearing this, the queen’s heart sank completely, and she quickly shook her head, denying, “Your Majesty, Ian is completely unaware of this. It’s all my fault!”
Disappointment was evident in the king’s gaze. “Have I not been good enough to you all these years? Hasn’t Ian received enough? I even planned to leave the position of heir to him. Why can’t you accept Iger?”
The queen’s originally charming face twisted with resentment due to the humiliation on her face. She looked maliciously at Osbourne standing nearby and exclaimed, “It’s because of him! Why does the king still agree to this marriage to Iger, and why does the honor of the Bo’an family all go to Iger? Isn’t he a bastard? Ian is a thousand times better than him!”
Osbourne’s gaze turned cold as he looked at the queen. His expression seemed to be regarding a dead person. “Your Majesty, since the queen has confessed, please impartially handle this based on justice, not personal feelings. The dignity of the royal family cannot be offended. Moreover, I hope Your Majesty can provide an explanation for the still unconscious prince.”
His words completely lost the usual respect and became somewhat assertive. The king suddenly raised his eyes to look at his trusted general. There was a profound meaning in his expression. Osbourne, with his calm demeanor, surpassed even his father. The king appreciated him for this, but it was the first time Osbourne had shown such a dominant attitude.
The king felt displeased, though he didn’t show it on his face. He said, “General, rest assured, that goes without saying.”
He glanced at the kneeling queen and Sylle, a hint of weariness apparent in his expression. “Bring her into confinement in the palace. She is not to step out without permission. Vice Admiral Sylle will be stripped of the title of the Guard Captain and will be detained in the Leekington Prison, awaiting trial.”
The news of the assassination attempt on the second prince of the empire finally spread on the third day. The entire empire was in an uproar. Many supporters of the second prince organized protests on the busiest commercial street in M City, hoping that the royal family could catch the mastermind behind the scenes. As a symbol of the empire, harming members of the royal family was a significant challenge to the imperial authority.
At the same time, speculation about the identity of the assassin and the motives behind the attack grew. More and more people spoke out about the incident, and the public anger reached an unimaginable level.
—What is the Royal Guard doing? I seriously doubt whether Supreme General Osbourne is really protecting the prince. If he knew the previous accident was not an accident but intentional, why did he give the assassin a chance this time? Such a serious dereliction of duty is unforgivable!
—I couldn’t agree more. With such a grand arrangement, they couldn’t even protect one person. Is the Royal Guard’s brain rusty from eating royal provisions?
—If something happens to the second prince, the face of our imperial family will be truly lost, and unfortunately, we will lose a talented individual in our empire. Praying that the second prince will be safe.
This discussion continued to ferment on the Star Network for many days. Finally, the royal family made a statement, announcing shocking news that stunned all the people of the empire.
The mastermind behind the assassination attempt was none other than the current empress, the birth mother of the eldest prince. But that was not all; the queen’s brother, General Beckner, was also involved. General Beckner’s reputation among the people was not good, and many believed he secured his position solely through his relationship with the queen, lacking any military capability.
This scandal was a massive blow to the current emperor, a profound embarrassment that struck at the very core of his role as a man. It wasn’t just a matter of state affairs; he had failed to manage his own household.
Soon, videos from the special court hearings involving the queen and General Beckner circulated through major media outlets. The two appeared extremely disheveled in the videos, devoid of any royal demeanor, a stark contrast to their usual noble elegance at various events.
However, their king and the second prince, Ian, who was closely associated with this incident, had yet to make any public appearances.
—What a ridiculous plot! We’re in the imperial era, and they’re still playing out ancient palace intrigue. Has the queen’s brain been eaten by zombies? Does she really think the second prince would vie for the heir position with his own son? Come on, what kind of persecution delusion is this? Please step out of your world and see. The second prince has no such intentions. He is solely dedicated to scientific research, much more elegant and classy than her and her son!
—I can’t believe it. This woman is both foolish and malicious. I’m speechless. I can’t help but hate this pair of dog siblings who are still missing the talented and extraordinary second prince!
—Does the eldest prince know? I don’t believe he doesn’t. Why is he pretending now? His mother did all this for him. How can he act like he has no mother? If the second prince is really gone, does he have to become the future king of the empire?
However, despite the fervent condemnation on the Star Network, public opinion overwhelmingly favored the second prince. Yet Osbourne felt increasingly desperate day by day. It seemed as though he couldn’t see any hope, as if the Grim Reaper had raised his scythe, and he was just waiting for the final verdict. Still, he clung to a faint hope, wishing for a miracle and hoping his prince would wake up healthy and stand before him.
But day by day, he hates himself more. Just as some people say, knowing from the beginning that someone is harmful to His Highness, why didn’t he protect him? What has he done?
If he hadn’t used the child as a threat to force His Highness into a remarriage, the queen would not have suddenly harbored murderous intent towards His Highness.
But the thing he can’t forgive himself for the most is that if His Highness hadn’t pushed him away at the beginning, he wouldn’t have suffered such severe injuries.
Osbourne stood outside the ward, with deep pain suppressed in his eyes. Now he can’t even see His Highness once. When His Highness is fighting against death, he can’t do anything.
The passing nurse, seeing the situation, had slightly reddened eyes, and they also hoped that the Second Highness could wake up. However, according to the situation, this possibility is getting lower and lower, unless a miracle really happens.
“The indicators of the fetus are developing normally. You used the least after the surgery, probably because of your strong mental power and good physical qualities. However, now is different from before, and there are still many things to pay attention to.”
The doctor put away the instruments, pushed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, and smiled politely at Osbourne.
Osbourne buttoned up his shirt and followed the doctor’s instructions to look at the screen on the side. There was no happiness on his face like that of other Omegas when they saw the small shadow of the child in the ultrasound. He just nodded nonchalantly to the doctor.
At this moment, the door of the examination room was pushed open with a bang, and due to the force, it bounced back heavily. Osbourne looked at the person who came in, and before the other person spoke, he stood up abruptly, scaring the nearby examining doctor back a step.
“What happened to His Highness?”
The person who came was Osbourne’s most trusted subordinate. Every time there was news about Iger, he would inform him first.
However, even before he could speak, Osbourne had already preemptively asked, as if he had already foreseen the terrifying consequences that he could not bear in his heart.
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