Chapter 78

Victoria Sterling was moved to a standard hospital room after being discharged from the emergency ward.

The physician confirmed her condition was stable. While the laceration wasn't insignificant, it fortunately didn't require sutures.

Her collapse had been primarily caused by extreme psychological distress.

"Victoria! Thank heavens you're conscious!"

Margaret Sterling sobbed hysterically at the bedside, behaving as though her daughter had narrowly escaped death. "I thought I'd lost you forever!"

"Enough. Cease this melodrama." Penelope Whitmore stood near the window with crossed arms, her expression dripping with disdain. "Nathan isn't present to witness your performance. Must you shatter my eardrums with this nonsense?"

"Have you formulated a strategy to manage this debacle?" Penelope demanded.

"What debacle?" Margaret wiped her tears, confusion etching her features.

Penelope scoffed derisively. "Are you truly this incompetent?"

Her lip curled as she regarded her foolish sister with contempt. "Useless, the lot of you! I've expended considerable effort elevating your status. Without my intervention, would your daughter have ever secured Nathan's attention? Did you imagine your dimwitted family could arrange such an advantageous marriage unaided? Delusional!"

Victoria suppressed her simmering resentment. She too blamed her mother's carelessness.

To supplement the Sterling family finances, Margaret had sold the necklace Nathan gifted Victoria. Had she retained the jewelry, it wouldn't have surfaced at the pawnshop, nor been auctioned by the Kingsleys. This incident had severely damaged Victoria's relationship with Nathan.

"Aunt Penelope, you share responsibility for this!"

Having endured Penelope's condescension since childhood, Margaret finally snapped under the humiliation of being berated before her daughter. "Victoria and I were making excellent progress earlier. We'd nearly crushed that country mouse Evelyn, until your youngest daughter interfered at the critical moment! If Eleanor hadn't intervened, we wouldn't be in this predicament!"

"How was I to anticipate Eleanor's presence in the restroom?" Penelope's eyes flashed dangerously. "I trained you better than this, Victoria. How could you be so reckless? Failing to notice an observer is inexcusable!"

Penelope seethed with anger. Though partially culpable herself, she redirected all blame onto Victoria's carelessness.

Victoria pursed her lips in sullen silence.

"Regardless, it's a matter of conflicting accounts without evidence." Penelope massaged her temples, her voice icy. "Victoria, if Nathan inquires, play ignorant. His affection for you should suffice to dismiss this incident."

She added ominously, "Should that prove insufficient... I possess methods to ensure his forgiveness."

"Thank you, Aunt Penelope."

Victoria's thoughts turned to how Lillian Hartwell had shielded Evelyn earlier. Jealousy contorted her features. "Does Evelyn share a child with Sebastian? Is that why the Kingsleys favor her so? The way Mrs. Kingsley protected her—one would think Evelyn was her biological daughter! If this continues, that peasant will surpass us all!"

Penelope's expression darkened at the mention of Lillian.

"Lillian is merely a concubine. I address her formally out of courtesy, yet she dares disrespect me!"

"Indeed! Aunt Penelope, you're Leonard's lawful wife. How could Lillian compare?" Victoria flattered obsequiously, needing to maintain Penelope's favor to secure her position in the Blackwood family.

Margaret suppressed a sneer. How dare this mistress label others as such? Had Nathan's birth mother not been naive enough to fall for Penelope's schemes, she'd never have married into the Blackwood dynasty!

"I won't permit Evelyn's social climbing through the Kingsleys." Penelope's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Lillian's influence means nothing unless Harrison Kingsley acknowledges it. Leonard mentioned Harrison prioritizes family reputation above all. As his heir, Sebastian would never be permitted to wed some provincial nobody. We have time. Let the wretch enjoy temporary respite before I reduce her to tears."

The ward door burst open as Penelope concluded her venomous declaration.

An arctic chill permeated the room as Nathan's imposing figure filled the doorway.

"Nathan!" Victoria adopted a pitiful expression, her fingers tightening around the bedsheets as she shot Penelope a desperate glance.

"I require clarification on certain matters." Nathan's voice held no quarter.

"Nathan, Victoria just regained consciousness from severe stress. Whatever you wish to discuss can surely wait until—" Penelope began placatingly.

"Some questions demand immediate answers." Nathan remained implacable, his sculpted lips forming a forbidding line.