Chapter 1006 Birthday Party (Part Two)

Lucia never expected Carla to be so competent. She paused and gave it some thought.

When Arthur asked his people to open the other gifts, the people in the two front rows gasped at what they saw.

"Lucia, what's happening?"

Dorothy asked Lucia who was visibly shocked. She looked at the box and she too was shocked when she saw what was in it.

They already had the gold crown. How come there was another one? Lucia was dumbfounded and did not know what to make of the situation.

She was stunned as she watched Arthur. He carefully brought out the gold crown for all to see.

She just sat there, unable to move as the scene unfolded before her. It took some time before she got back to her senses.

"Arthur, is that the Gold Phoenix Crown? The one that we thought we had lost forever?"

Eleanor asked in disbelief as she motioned someone to help her stand up. She then walked slowly towards Arthur to take a closer look at it.

"Yes, this is the Gold Phoenix Crown that we lost many years ago. It eventually found its way back to our family at long last!"

Arthur exclaimed in a gentle yet triumphant tone. He sighed in thankful relief as he walked towards the approaching Eleanor to meet her.

Eleanor touched the gold crown with a trembling hand. Her eyes were also twitching as tears started to fill them. "How thoughtful of Andrea and Carla to do this! The loss of this crown has haunted me ceaselessly for years!

Now that it's back to the family, I can finally stop feeling guilty."

The Gold Phoenix Crown was passed down by the ancestors of the Yu Clan from one generation to the next. When it was lost, Eleanor was beside herself with guilt for her inability to keep it safe. The relief that she felt now was indescribable. She could now consider her reign a successful one because of the return of the crown before she stepped down from the throne.

"Go and bring Andrea and Callie up here,"

Eleanor immediately ordered after she had a servant and a couple of guards put the crown away.

One of the servants left hurriedly at the command of the matriarch to summon Andrea and Carla.

It didn't take long for both Andrea and Carla to get to the upper floor. They walked slowly towards Eleanor.

Lucia's body shook in anger as she watched Carla approach the matriarch. She gritted her teeth until her jaw hurt. She felt an urgent need to bring serious harm to Carla.

"Mother, I wish you a long and happy life!"

Andrea said as she bowed to Eleanor.

"Grandmother, happy birthday to you. I wish that you all the happiness in the world!"

Carla said in a lively tone as she bowed to Eleanor as well.

"Now, have a seat,"

Eleanor said as she gestured for them to sit down.

Lucia found it hard to calm herself down as she watch her own grandmother, the queen, treat Carla kindly. 'Callie, you dared to deceive me!' Lucia thought angrily.

Her grandmother's excited reaction to Carla's gift made it

o reject Arthur's suggestion.

"Grandmother, Steven is my boyfriend! He can't be with Callie!"

Lucia exclaimed.

"Well, Lucia, the news that you drugged Steven on Eastern Island and violated him has spread all over the city. Everyone already knows about it. Nothing forcibly taken is going to last a long time. Just set Steven free,"

Arthur said in a calm tone of voice and yet his disapproval of Lucia's actions can easily be heard from his words.

"But, Grandma...,"

When Eleanor heard what Lucia did to Steven, she frowned at her with displeasure. She always loathed members of the royal family who resorted to using such shameless acts.

"But Grandmother, Steven is already my man!"

Lucia argued in an angry tone of voice.

She knew that arguing would only further irritate her grandmother against her. But she had no intention to just give Steven up.

"Mother," Dorothy said gently, joining the conversation. "Steven and Lucia had been together for some time already. Isn't it inappropriate to separate them now?"

Dorothy continued. She defended her daughter without a thought of any possible consequence of her doing so.

But she knew that Steven was not only a skillful painter, but also a competent counselor. If he could work for Lucia, it would certainly be an advantage for her.

"Silence!"

Eleanor said coldly. She then waved her hand at Steven and said, "Steven, come over here," Eleanor said in a gentle voice as Steven walked slowly towards her.

"I will give you the chance to make your own choice. Who would you choose? Lucia or Callie?" she continued in the same gentle voice as she stared straight into Steven's eyes. She didn't want to sound intimidating in any way.

Eleanor had known Lucia as someone who always took advantage of her power to bully people and to get what she wanted.

Steven was a talented man and it pained her to think of the possibility that he would suffer injustice while she reigned.