Sacrificial Bride to the Feared Lord Hastings-Chapter 148: A mother’s love (2)
Giselle stormed out of the bedchamber since she couldn’t take anymore of Theo being harsh with her.
Despite not spending time with her children, Giselle was always good at putting a roof over their heads. They had enough to eat and only worked in return.
They were rude, yet couldn’t understand why she didn’t want to care for them now. Ophelia and Theo were both of age to care for themselves now. Why did she need to keep them as her burden?
"Don’t send the doctors to him today. Let him learn the consequences of his foul mouth," Giselle instructed a maid.
Giselle thought Theo was unappreciative of the life he lived. Despite all the doctors saying he would not live long enough to see his teen years, Theo proved them wrong, but he was ungrateful.
Theo didn’t thank the one who made it possible for him to be alive.
"Was it Ophelia who sent the doctors? Who argued with her husband to save you? Ungrateful bastards," Giselle snapped.
Days like this made Giselle wish she had left Ophelia and Theo in their old home and come to the castle without telling Joel she ever had children. Maybe then he would have had a child with her.
Giselle left the small quarters as the area didn’t suit her and made her way to see Bella. Bella was the light in Giselle’s dark world at the moment. She loved how much attention Bella gave her now that Freya wasn’t around.
"Where are you going in a hurry?"
Giselle stopped and looked to her right to find Nigel sitting by a window.
"Nigel. Didn’t your father send you to train with the guards? It is what he told me that he had planned for you," Giselle said, looking around to see if anyone was near. "You mustn’t anger him."
"My father is always angry, and he still holds onto losing the palace event, but I think nothing of it. Isn’t he becoming tiring for you as he is for me? The castle would be so much better if he were out of it," said Nigel.
Giselle shushed Nigel. "You mustn’t say such things."
"Do you mean ever, or just not out loud? I know you fear my father no longer being a lord because you think your time here would be over, but I assure you, I will keep you here forever," Nigel promised. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢
"Your father could have us both beaten or have me imprisoned for speaking of this. He will not harm his heir, but I could be in danger. You mustn’t speak of him ever," Giselle warned Nigel.
"Do you know that the king is slowly losing interest in my father? Edward only wants my father to help him kill Dante. When that is over, what will become of us? Old men are sitting in positions for far too long. When are they going to give their sons a chance?" Nigel wondered.
Giselle sighed, knowing trouble was coming soon. "I will take it as you are drunk now, so you speak of nonsense. Should anyone else overhear you, I will explain to your father that it was nothing to take seriously. I urge you to be careful."
"I have been careful all my life. It is time to do what I want. My father thought I was the one who needed to get close to the king, but he failed to focus on his own ties to the king. Now Edward meets without my father."
"Did the crown prince speak of this to you? Have you told your father?" Giselle asked, hoping Nigel wasn’t keeping secrets.
"I told him a bit of it. That is why he is angry. It is not all about Freya. He’ll try to take his anger out on you, but I will protect you. You only have to do one thing for me. I’ll hear you’ll be leaving with the little bastard to see your daughter," Nigel said, standing up from the window.
"Yes, your father has decided on me to go. Surely, he wouldn’t send his son to enemy land. I must take Theo and bring him back at any cost. I am certain Ophelia will try to keep him," said Giselle.
"I’m sure she will. You must allow me to finish with my demands. I want your daughter back in this castle when you return, or you will leave the castle," Nigel said, his patience no longer present. "Each day she spends with that man spoils her."
Giselle was tired of the men in her life asking her to carry out impossible tasks.
"Your father will personally send me out of the castle if I return with Ophelia. I lose either way, and at this time, I have to follow his wishes. He is my husband," Giselle reminded Nigel.
"I said I will care for you. I will need someone to raise Bella, and I see no one more fitting than you. I can have a house bestowed upon you along with many riches. My father doesn’t spoil you as you want to be spoiled. I suggest you lean on me," Nigel advised Giselle.
Giselle didn’t like the feeling Nigel was giving her. It sounded as though Joel was going to disappear.
Nigel was too unpredictable for Giselle to trust that he would care for her. All Nigel wanted was Ophelia, and the only person he truly cared for was Bella.
What Nigel felt for Ophelia was merely an obsession, and he only cared for Giselle so far because she brought Ophelia into his life.
"Bring your daughter to me if you want to have a place in this castle. I am the future lord, and with the shifting ties in the palace, I am the one who will keep this family close to the royals. Bring her here and make her look pretty," Nigel requested.
"You always said your father gives me tasks he cannot do by himself, and now you are giving me one that is impossible. I cannot simply take Lord Hastings’ wife from him. You saw how those two behave as if they are in love. My duty is to take Theo and find secrets," said Giselle.
Until Nigel showed that he had some power to go against his father, Giselle had to listen to Joel.
"You are a woman who knows how to survive, Giselle. You will find a way to bring Ophelia back where she belongs, and there will be a grand reward awaiting you. You must start planning how you will succeed. Go," Nigel shooed Giselle away. "You need all this time."
