Her Graceful War Song

"How is Leona doing now? Is the baby really gone?" Rafael asked.

"Yes. She almost bled out, but luckily, Sebastian was here. She survived, but it'll take her at least a year and a half to recover. She's fast asleep now, but I'm afraid she'll be heartbroken once she wakes up," Carissa replied, her voice heavy with sorrow. Rafael sighed. "She carried the baby for nine months. I'm sure she will be."

Carissa's complexion paled. "She nearly lost her life too. Raf, we can't let Samuel get away with this. He needs to spend a few years in prison at the very least."

"Leave it to me," said the prince.

Watching his wife stand there, delicate yet strong against the autumn wind, a pang of sadness welled up in his heart. When Leona was giving birth, Carissa must have been terrified of losing her cousin.

Rafael's gaze turned icy.

Samuel Langley!

"Let's wait until Leona is away from here before we take action," Carissa suggested. "We don't want to complicate things. If we arrest Samuel now, a horde of people will surely rush to Leona. I don't want her to be disturbed."

"Alright. I'll head back to the Supreme Court for now. Once you take Leona away tomorrow, I'll send someone to arrest Samuel. He harmed his legitimate wife and caused their child to die in her womb. Him pushing Leona down the stairs is considered attempted murder of a royal relative. That's more than enough to arrest him," said Rafael.

"But he's still one of the top scholars, and he has a status..." Carissa lamented.

"I'll speak to Mr. Murray and have him bring it up with the king."

Rafael had nearly forgotten about that. Although Samuel didn't have an official position anymore, he was still considered one of the king's favored candidates. They first needed to ensure Samuel's name was struck from the National Examination Register to avoid offending Salvador.

Carissa reached out and grasped her husband's sleeve, her expression betraying her reluctance. She might have appeared strong in front of others, but today had genuinely frightened her. Because of that, she showed her vulnerability in front of Rafael at this moment. The prince longed to hold his wife, but they were at Gracehold Estate. Many people filled the side hall, and there were servants bustling about outside.

He settled for squeezing her hand and gently saying, "Don't be afraid. I'm here for you. Whenever you need me, I'll be right by your side."

Carissa's eyes glistened with tears as she choked out, "You should talk to Mr. Murray. I'll stay with Leona. I'm worried she'll be scared if doesn't see me when she wakes up."

"Alright, go ahead. I'll wait until you're inside before I leave. I still need to have some words with these people."

Rafael straightened up and stood tall in the corridor, exuding a sense of security that eased some of Carissa's tension.

When Carissa returned to her cousin's room, she found Heather sitting by Leona's bedside. The older woman was holding her daughter's hand and calling out to her.

Anger flared up within Carissa. She exchanged a glance with Ivy, who immediately understood the unspoken message and stepped forward.

"Lady Heather, Lady Leona is exhausted right now. Sleep is the best medicine. My mentor has instructed that Lady Leona must sleep as much as possible, so please don't disturb her."

Heather had initially intended to

wake Leona to discuss the divorce.

But upon seeing that Carissa had returned, she realized the discussion wouldn't go anywhere. There was nothing she could do except retreat awkwardly.

Carissa took Heather's place by Leona's bedside. She glanced at her cousin, noting that she was still asleep.

Carissa calmly said, "Ivy and I will stay here. Everyone else, please leave."

"I'm her mother. I should be here with her," Heather hurriedly insisted.

Carissa shook her head. "No. You weren't there for her when she needed you, and she doesn't need you now. If you really care about her, help her pack her dowry items." Heather sighed heavily. "Carissa, a divorce wouldn't be good for her."

Carissa didn't respond. There was no need to talk to Heather any longer.

Violet deliberately chimed in, "I'll organize her stuff. We'll take everything that can be moved. Who cares who it belongs to? Even if it belongs to the Earl of Gracehold's family, it's fair game." Exclusive content from NôvelDrama.Org.

Upon hearing that, Heather quickly followed Violet out. If the divorce was inevitable, Heather refused to give anyone the chance to use it against her. Once everyone had left, Kate and Hazel stood on the other side of the curtain, leaving only Carissa and Ivy in the bedroom.

As for Samuel, Alana had released him. He knelt on the ground and sobbed uncontrollably, his voice raw from crying.

Alana grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him out. "You can cry outside."

Even though she had released him, Alana kept a watchful eye on him to ensure he didn't leave Gracehold Estate.