Page 161 of Hawthorne

“I…” Her face morphs, a wide range of different emotions fleetingly travelling over it. “I was trying to get back what’s ours!”

The admission hits me like a wall of bricks.

“Ours?” I question, appalled.

“I–I mean yours!”

“There is nothing inside this fucking building that is mine,” my voice booms. “Not that place!” I point at where Camilla is still seated. “Nor any kind of royal chair. Not the Crown.Nothing!Do you understand me? My claim to the throne ended the moment she was proved to be Joseph’s daughter.”

“You were–”

“You are right,” I cut her off. “Iwas!Not anymore. I am the duke, and that is fucking it. You orchestrated a plan to get me something I never fucking wanted in the first place.”

“Brother–”

“No,” I shout, stunning everyone into silence. “She knew it! I told her I was going to give it all away. Make you duke instead just so I could stay with Camilla, and what did she do? Blackmailed me into keeping an engagement I never asked for. Forced me to run for a position I never wanted!”

“I did it all for you,” she wails, trying to stand, only to be pushed back down by the guard.

“You did it for yourself,” I snap. “And honestly? I hope you get what you deserve because someone who can hurt their children just to reach their ambitions deserves no mercy.”

I throw the papers onto the hall’s ground, at the queen’s feet, with a gaping Edgar looking at me.

“Hang them both for all I care,” I growl.

It’s not a thing. I know it isn’t. She’ll just be arrested, go through trial, and be in prison for a very long time, but if it were, I don’t think I’d care anymore.

Losing a mother I never really had. Losing Camilla. Being shot. Having to stay here and not even be able to see her, talk to her...I’ve been bent and broken enough.It’s enough.

“Bro–” My sombre expression is enough to cut him off.

I am angry.Enraged.To the point I feel like biting someone’s head off and not fucking caring about the consequences.

“I am going back to my house today,” I cut him off, looking straight into Camilla’s eyes. “Thank you for all the hospitality, but that ends today...I am no charity case.”

“As you wish,” Camilla’s monotone voice sounds slicing through me.

With an annoyed huff, I walk back to my bedroom through the endless corridors.

Fucking huge-ass palace.

I reckon they are keeping my mother detained while waiting for court. There is no hope for her. And that means I can go back home without any danger–if I ever was in any.

But I can’t shake this weight off of me, this revolt. It’s all-consuming and exhausting. Such a den of vipers in this motherfucking place.

A maid startles when I storm inside the bedroom, her eyes widening upon seeing me.

“Please take all my belongings out and stuff them inside my bag,” I order her, not bothering about formalities.

“Y-your Grace, I–”

“Did I stutter? Get all of my stuff packed in ten minutes, please.” I will not stay in this place a second longer than what is fucking necessary.

“Vincent.” All the hairs on my body raise to attention, in a chill.

The only person, besides Edgar, who will call me by my name.When she is not trying to avoid me...

“Now you want to talk?”

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