Chapter 96

Agnes was taken aback with what Lucianne just said but she stubbornly insisted, “No, I did. It was me. Please. I’ve always h-hated Ellia Morgan, a-and I wanted her j-job, a-and…”

“Who do you love most, Agnes?” Lucianne interrupted her with a seemingly-unrelated question.

Agnes was confused but seeing Lucianne’s warm, encouraging smile, she nodded with uncertainty and uttered, “M-My child, your Hi-Highness.”

Lucianne smiled wider and leaned closer as she asked, “A boy or a girl?”

“G-Girl.” She was still lost.

“What’s her name?”

“B-Bethany… we call her Beth.”

Only then did the men know what the Queen was doing. She was getting Agnes to trust her enough to open up. But Lucianne wasn’t done yet, and she asked with interest, “How old is she?”

“Four. Well, five next month, my Queen.” Agnes said, stuttering and fidgeting less than before.

“Is there anything in particular that Beth likes?” Lucianne asked, and when Agnes looked into her eyes, she saw no manipulation, no hidden agenda. It looked like Lucianne was genuinely interested to know about her little girl.

Agnes cleared her throat before she offered a small smile and said, “Chocolate, especially fondue.”

“Oh, so does my niece! We always got her chocolate fondue instead of a cake for her birthdays.” Lucianne shared.

Agnes was sucked into the conversation so she said, “That’s actually a good idea. Peter and I never thought of that. Probably time to do away with the cake tradition.” Lucianne chuckled lightly, encouraging Agnes to smile wider.

Agnes suddenly remembered where she was and what she was doing. Lucianne caught her regaining awareness too so she reached for her hand again and said, ‘Agnes, we know you didn’t d o it. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell us who asked you to do it but I need you to tell me something.” This piqued Agnes’s and everyone else’s curiosity. Wasn’t finding the culprit the whole point of questioning Agnes?

Lucianne peered into the woman’s lilac eyes and asked in worry, “Beth and Peter, are they safe?”

widened and she was going to break down again but Lucianne leaned closer towards her and said with determined eyes, “Agnes, tell us where they are. We can protect them. We‘ve been looking after Ellia and the others for days. They’re all safe. The three families are safe. We can offer you the same protection. But you have to let us help you. You don’t have to tell us anything yet. But we need to

shocked at the same time, “H-How did

to do because they wanted to keep their families safe, too. Agnes, were

she said. What time is it, by the way?” Everyone caught the word ‘she’, and the three of them knew exactly who

over as he linked Christian, ‘I want Helena Tanner

to Chief Dalloway, and he

her phone and said, “It’s one in the afternoon. There’s still time.

Beth is in Pokey

who gave her a head nod as he linked, ‘I’ve just got Christian to send people to

from Xandar’s link, she looked at Agnes again and asked, “Is there

and wrapped her arms around her body. She got lost in thought for a moment before she said in despair, “I just… really need them to be

matched her despair as she whispered, “We all do, Agnes. What’s

hers again as she said, “If you have Ellia and the others,

a good guess but until we hear it

“Helena Tanner.” Agnes said.

Lucianne nodded sadly, “Yeah.”

Then, Xandar’s eyes glazed over for a moment before a smile graced his features. He walked over to Lucianne and caressed her shoulders lovingly before turning to face Agnes as he said, “We got them, Agnes. Your husband and daughter. They’re

relief, and tears started flowing down her cheeks. The weight she had been carrying from the moment she was threatened is now easing. Lucianne held her hands before locking eyes with her. “You did the right thing, Agnes. You saved your

knock on the door and Christian

embraced, and Agnes then wrapped

room, giving the family some privacy. Outside the interrogation room, Chief Dalloway had bad news. “Tanner is not at her office. Our team at her house couldn’t find her there either. We tried contacting her husband and sons but they seem to have vanished. Neither

then asked, “Camera

house have been disabled since

before that could be helpful?” Christian

that we know as of

cousins exchanged worried glances before Xandar asked, “How is the progress with the rogue

cooperative, your Highness. But I don’t know how much more he knows. There seems to be no end to his knowledge of everything

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Comments ()

0/255