Even though Edward knew Annie was hinting at her importance, hearing her say those words still ignited a fire of anger within him. His eyes darkened with fury as he glared at her.
“So what? Yes, you played a role in this family’s success, but because of you, we’re now in decline! Are you saying you bear no responsibility? Have you done nothing wrong? As your father, do I not have the right to discipline you?”
If he couldn’t even do that, what authority did he have left as a father? How could he expect his family to respect him after this?
Annie understood his reasoning, but that didn’t make standing there, being publicly reprimanded, any easier. It felt as though her dignity was being crushed underfoot.
“You have the right to correct me, but I’ve already told you—I was set up!” she nearly shouted, her voice raw with frustration.
It was bad enough that no one in the palace had believed her. But even back home, she was met with the same disbelief. That realization only stoked the fire inside her. She glared at Edward, refusing to back down. Edward knew arguing further was pointless, but his anger just wouldn’t subside. Turning to the servants lingering in the house, he roared, “What are you all standing around for? Get out of here!” At once, they scattered, not daring to stay any longer. The last thing they wanted was to get caught in the storm.
Edward exhaled sharply, forcing himself to cool down before speaking again. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
If someone had set Annie up, that meant their entire family was under threat. And he needed to find out who was behind it.
Annie touched her still-stinging cheek, glanced around warily, then said, “Let’s talk privately.”
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They made their way to the study.
The moment Edward took a seat, Annie got straight to the point. “It was Lois. That bitch was definitely behind it. But we couldn’t find evidence on the surveillance footage. I have no idea what she did to cover her tracks.”
Even the King’s men had found nothing, which only meant one thing—Lois had been prepared.
Edward frowned, the name barely ringing a bell. “Lois?” Then, as if something clicked, he continued, “The Boyle girl?”
The Boyle family was small and insignificant in his eyes. He had never paid them much attention, which was why the name had initially escaped him.
Annie nodded and recounted the entire incident. By the time she finished, Edward finally understood why she felt so wronged. Something was indeed off.
A small family like the Boyles shouldn’t have the resources to pull off something like this. Were they really foolish enough to go up against his family?
His expression turned cold, and he slammed his fist on the table. “They dare scheme against us? Fine. Then no one from the Boyle family gets to walk away unscathed.” His voice was calm, but his words carried an undeniable threat.
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