Stolen by the Rebel King
Chapter 292: Scandal! I

Chapter 292: Scandal! I

Duchess Hazelle had been wary of the time for the entire duration since the birthday celebration had started. From her little corner, she watched as Duke Lanperouge offered a dance to Princess Daphne, while Princess Drusilla slipped some powdered herbs into Daphne’s glass of whiskey before giving it a good shake.

Judging by the disgusted expression on Drusilla’s face right before a faint blush colored her cheeks, Hazelle knew that the herbs she had procured were the right ones.

What she hadn’t expected, however, was for Drusilla to end up dancing with the duke instead right after Daphne’s dance ended. That woman truly could not live without men. Unfortunately, Hazelle had been dragged away after that and had no opportunity to watch how everything went down.

"Did she drink it?"

"Yes, Your Highness," the maid said, bowing her head. "Princess Daphne finished the glass’s contents. She was then led away to a different room by Princess Drusilla. Duke Lanperouge followed after them shortly after."

"Good."

A sneer tilted Hazelle’s lips. She would’ve preferred to make sure of things herself but she couldn’t seem too focused on them or too detached from the rest of the party. Hazelle didn’t need her husband to pin new blame on her.

Hazelle adjusted the long sleeves of her dress. The bruises that Alistair had left on her arms couldn’t be covered by makeup and she had to resort to using this stuffy autumn dress despite the raging heat outdoors. Thankfully, the queen had thought of using her magic to maintain a cool temperature inside the lake house.

"Gather the guests near the rooms so that they will be able to hear the commotion," Hazelle instructed before turning away and leaving, not waiting for even a second to hear the maid’s reply. She wanted everyone who was anyone right at the scene of the crime.

The rest of the party went on without a hitch. It was so peaceful that Hazelle had wondered if the plan had failed in the end. After all, Drusilla still hadn’t returned to the ballroom.

Then again, Drusilla could have simply decided to spend the night with another man. Hazelle knew her husband’s favored sister wasn’t as pure as she looked.

It was more important that Daphne was still absent. If the plan failed, Daphne would have emerged from the room, angry as ever. She might even raze the house down, judging from her sudden temper.

Of course, that was assuming she was lucid enough to protest her treatment. Hazelle couldn’t help but smirk as she thought about the state Daphne Molinero would be in after ingesting a highly potent aphrodisiac, more commonly used in brothels.

More specifically, it was meant to break in young girls for brothels. Women who still hung onto their decorum would gradually lose their minds and be made to lust for carnal pleasures, begging for the touch of men. When the drug finally faded from their bodies, they would be too horrified at their past behavior to put up any fight.

If Duke Lanperouge had gotten cold feet because of her earlier warning, there would be no shortage of men willing to take his place. Perhaps Daphne might even grab a passing servant and order him to sate her lust! Just the very thought made her chuckle in amusement.

Being cucked by a noble was terrible enough, imagine the mighty King Atticus being cucked by a servant!

Unfortunately, her play was missing the main spectator. Hazelle’s smile fell, and she grew more anxious. The night was growing long.

This entire show had been organized for King Atticus so that he could catch his cheating wife. Yet, ever since he had parted ways with Daphne earlier, no one caught sight of him, not even the servants that Hazelle had working under her.

She chewed on her nails, trying to calm herself down. This was their one chance. It was difficult to get that sickly sweet couple away from one another and now that they were, it seemed like they were planning on staying apart.

It was almost as though the heavens were mocking her!

Just as Hazelle was shackled by anxiety, desperately trying to think of a way to lure King Atticus back into the lakehouse, murmurs started to spread through the crowd. The man himself, the star of Hazelle’s show, had reappeared. This time, with his faithful dog trailing after him.

Good.

It would be all the better for another citizen of Vramid to witness their queen cuckolding their king.

Hazelle straightened her dress, tidied her hair, and composed herself. She needed to maintain a perfect image so that the king wouldn’t suspect her.

"Your Majesty," she greeted, wearing a pleasant smile on her face as she approached King Atticus.

He barely even turned to face her; without his wife by his side, this man was just as cold as the frigid winters of his kingdom. The man’s demeanor was a stark display of disinterest. His lips were pressed into a thin line, and his posture remained rigid and unyielding. It was as if he had built a fortress of indifference around himself, unwilling to entertain even a hint of engagement in the conversation.

But he still stopped in his tracks. Hazelle wasn’t sure why but she wasn’t willing to give him the time to reconsider his actions.

"Might you be looking for Daphne?" Hazelle asked, still maintaining a friendly disposition despite how she wanted to dash anywhere else but stay. She was, after all, lying to the same man who had easily cut off her own husband’s hand as if it was nothing more than a piece of paper.

At the mention of his wife, King Atticus’s expression seemed to lighten up just the slightest. Then, as if he thought Hazelle had done something to harm her, he frowned.

"Where is she?"

"My sister-in-law mentioned that she was feeling a little lethargic," Hazelle said. "She’s waiting for you in one of the lake house’s guest rooms. I can lead you to her if you would like?"

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