Her Majestic Battle Cry

Silverstone Estate was in chaos.

Riley had slapped Viola across the face several times. Aside from the patients in Arcane Sanctum, passersby also witnessed the scene and stopped to stare.

Poppy mentioned that amidst the confusion, someone had shouted that a princess consort was inside Arcane Sanctum, advising everyone to stop before they acted disrespectfully.

Zoey was surprised at first, but then realized the princess consort in question must be Carissa, who frequently visited Arcane Sanctum. But no matter which princess consort it was, the news had already spread. The reputation of the Earl of Silverstone’s family was now completely ruined.

Zoey took a moment to drink a cup of coffee in the outer courtyard. She sat there for quite a while before finally going to see her mother–in–law.

Evelyn grabbed Zoey’s hand, tearfully pleading, “Just tell me what we can do. We have to cover this up somehow, or find Mrs. Lewis and give her whatever she wants. Let her clear things up and say it was all a misunderstanding. Only then can we put an end to this.”

Zoey listened, knowing that though Evelyn was distraught, she had already thought through a few options. This was the only one that might work. She glanced at Luna, who sat quietly beside her with a flat look on her face, already numb from the ordeal.

Luna and Caspian were a loving couple with children. As a family, their fortunes were tied -this scandal would affect them all. Even if the matter was too shameful to mention directly, no one could bear to talk about it openly. Luna felt powerless, so she simply waited to see how her elder sister–in–law would handle it.

Zoey sighed. “Right now, that is the only option: I’ll go look for Mrs. Lewis.”

Zoey was seething with anger. If not for the risk to her children’s futures, she wouldn’t care at all. Let Viola’s reputation sink for all she cared.

Her voice was cold as she added, “There’s only one thing to keep in mind. You need to prepare yourself, Mother. If Barrett finds out, he won’t settle for just a divorce. He might even cast Viola out directly instead. Once that happens, it won’t matter if Mrs. Lewis clears things up or not.”

“If she clears things up, then surely Barrett won’t cast Viola out?” asked Evelyn, who had stopped crying. novelbin

She knew her eldest daughter–in–law wouldn’t ignore this matter. Zoey had the means to handle it and would take care of it.

“Clearing it up doesn’t change the facts. It’s just for appearances. Barrett may be slow- witted, but a man can’t abide such a scandal. And don’t forget, Viola was the one who kept

threatening to divorce him over Serena’s return to her family,” said Zoey.

To put it bluntly, Viola had a dirty conscience herself but was quick to criticize her husband’s shortcomings. She blamed him for being incapable and complained about her sister–in–law being cast out.

True, Barrett and Serena weren’t exactly worth defending, but Viola should have first taken a hard look at her own faults.

Some things couldn’t be buried as if they never happened. It was nothing but self- deception. Even a bird’s call left a trace, so how could water pass without leaving a ripple?

Now in a panic, Evelyn wrung her hands. “What should we do, then? If Viola gets cast out, how will our family ever keep a foothold in the capital? What will become of the children’s marriages?”

That was a blow to Zoey, hitting her where it hurt most. She clenched her teeth in anger. She was trapped in this situation with no means of escape, yet she couldn’t let Viola keep relying on her for everything.

In a calm but distant tone, she said, “There’s nothing to be done. If it doesn’t work out, the men may marry women of humble origins, even from the lowest ranks. A woman of any background may be taken as a wife.”

Evelyn’s eyes widened in panic at her words, and she turned to Luna for help, silently pleading with her to speak up.

But Luna’s thoughts had always aligned with Zoey’s, so she clenched her jaw and remained silent. There was nothing to say. If things reached a breaking point, Zoey’s words were the reality they would have to face.

Seeing that neither her eldest nor second daughter–in–law would speak up, Evelyn trembled, her frustration building to a boil.

“Perhaps we should just cast Viola out. Let her die on the streets. We will provide a coffin for her and that will be the end of it. It’s the least I can do out of motherly love,” she snapped.

Zoey’s voice was cold as she replied, “If you truly decide on that, I’ll have someone take her away.”

Evelyn sighed heavily, but remained silent.

A long moment passed before she spoke again, this time in a quieter voice, “Zoey, please. For my sake, let’s just resolve this matter first. No matter what mistakes children make, ultimately, it’s their parents‘ fault for not teaching them properly. The responsibility falls on me and her dad.”