Chapter 85

85 The Secret

Selma Payne’s POV:

It was an ordinary Saturday, and the southern Duke was ‘reminiscing’ in the living room with my father. At the same time, Carolyn was sent away with my mother with the excuse of ‘choosing her graduation dress’.

She was a little reluctant, but even a witch should know that the Queen’s room was not a place that other men could enter as they pleased.

“See you later, Dad.” She kissed the southern Duke’s cheek. “I’ll miss you.”

The southern Duke kissed her again and smiled as he watched his daughter leave.

What a good picture of a loving father and filial daughter. If I hadn’t heard the threat in Carolyn’s words...

“I’ll miss you.” Did that mean that she would always be monitoring the scene here?

The werewolf grandmaster had disguised himself as an attendant to supervise my mother. He would not use sorcery unless necessary to prevent magic fluctuations from leaking and alerting the enemy.

However, any strange movements from Carolyn would not be able to escape his eyes.

My father teased the southern Duke like an old friend, “Come on, Lennon. Don’t be so reluctant. Women always have a unique understanding of beauty. I believe that Carolyn will have a happy day, right?”

He placed his hand on the southern Duke’s shoulder to give him a hint. Perhaps it was a unique tacit understanding that they had developed during the war. In short, the southern Duke instantly relaxed. The smile on his face was no longer as friendly as before.

“Stop joking, Your Majesty,” he said half-jokingly and half-seriously. “No father can be at ease with their daughter. You should know that.”

He looked at me as he spoke, making me feel like I had fallen into an ice cave.

What did he mean by that?

Father, daughter... Could it be that he already knew my identity?

But that was impossible. Only a few people knew my true identity. My parents, Aldrich, and Duke Frank, Kara, and Tracy. They were either close or loyal friends. No one would reveal this secret!

My father clearly understood the seriousness of the matter. He immediately said with a dejected expression, “Oh, old friend, you know how much I want to experience the heart of a loving father, but my Madeline... Sigh, you know.”

In the eyes of the outside world, ‘Princess Madeline’ was killed shortly after she was born. If the southern Duke did not know the inside story, he should comfort my father as a friend.

But he didn’t. He just looked at my father and then at me without saying anything.

This made the hearts of everyone present sink.

Unless the southern Duke had installed a surveillance camera in the palace, there was no way he would know about this. Unless someone told him that – the witch pretending to be Carolyn, or perhaps she had used some method to verify my identity.

This was not good.

“I was wondering if you would like to have some tea?”

Duke Frank broke the deadlock and motioned for Kara to prepare some refreshments for us.

“Of course,” the southern Duke replied. “Is there a special recipe for the black tea in the palace? After drinking it, Carolyn really liked it. I think she’s currently pestering Her Majesty for some desserts to go with the tea. A girl in her youth always has a great appetite.”

My father exchanged a look with him and then said to Kara, “In that case, please send some refreshments to Helena as well. If Carolyn has any needs, do your best to satisfy her. Don’t let our little guest suffer.”

‘Keep Carolyn in check and send more guards to wait for orders. Don’t let her become a threat to Helena.’

I understood this.

Dorothy had been standing in the corner of the living room without saying a word, like a real servant, silent and inconspicuous. The southern Duke did not seem to notice her. He was talking and laughing with my father and Duke Frank.

“Time really flies. In the blink of an eye, Carolyn is about to graduate from high school.” He said, “This time last year, she was still a shy little girl. This year, she has completely changed. Her personality has also become more cheerful. A girl changes eighteen times as she grows up.”

That meant, ‘You guys guessed it right. A witch has completely replaced my daughter. I don’t know who this person beside me is.’

My father took it with a smile. “That’s how children are. They grow up in a blink of an eye.”

‘When did this happen?’

“Do you still remember last year’s Moonlight Festival? I was going to bring her to the Lycan Pack to meet you and the Queen. Unfortunately, I don’t know which of the girl’s sensitive heartstrings I touched, but Carolyn, who has always had a mild temper, got angry with me and secretly ran away from home. I was so scared that I searched for her for more than a week before I found her in a manor near the edge of human society.”

‘My daughter was kidnapped by a witch during the Moonlight Festival last year. That should be the time.’

“I don’t know what grievances she suffered outside, but Carolyn’s temperament has changed greatly. I’ve talked to her before, but she would not tell me anything. She’s also very against psychologists and even has suicidal tendencies.”

‘The witch hasn’t made any threats so far. The werewolf master I sent to disguise as a doctor has also been seen through. She threatened me with Carolyn’s life, so I can’t act rashly.’