Chapter 345 Emotional Manipulation

Harold could tell the woman had followed him inside the room, but he did not turn to look at her. Instead, he acted like he was busy checking out the supplies in the storage as he thought of the best way to force the truth of the questions he wanted to ask out of her. He wasn't the type to beg people for answers or do things peacefully. Nah. Peace was never an option.

"Prince Harold. You should consider it. I know it may be hard on you to let them go, but this is as far as I can go as their mother." She spoke to his back in a pleading tone.

Harold turned to face her, deciding to go straight to the point. For some reason, he could tell that Susan and her mother behaved alike, which meant that this woman was just as nosy. So there was no way she wouldn't have any idea about all that had happened in this palace, especially since her husband was a member of the noble court.

"Sir Evan has been a member of the court for as long as you have both been married. I am sure that you are aware of every decision that has been made in the court."

The woman was a little startled, not sure where this was coming from.

"I... I do not get involved in the things of men." She answered, blinking rapidly.

"You do not have to get involved. But you must have known." He spoke softly as his eyes went to the wooden table and chairs in the corner of the room where the supplies are documented. They needed to talk.

"I... do not know anything." She repeated, shaking her head.

Harold smirked at her. It was obvious she was lying, and there was no way he was going to let her out of the room without getting answers to his questions.

It was as though she could tell what he was thinking because she moved to the door, intending to escape. But obviously, Harold was faster, standing between the woman and the door, sending her heart rate spiraling.

"What... are you intending to do?" She asked, fear obvious in her voice as she stepped back from him, shaking.

Harold just looked pointedly at her and tried to think fast. He didn't think threatening her would be a good idea in this case because the woman would be more wary and decide to be tight-lipped. Threatening her with the lives of her kids is going to make things even worse because she would never trust him and would deliberately still try to hide some information from him. What should he do to get her to talk willingly?

What would Alicia do in this case? He thought quickly and remembered how emotionally manipulative Alicia could be.

"Let... me leave." The woman said, trying to sound tough even though she was shaking.

"Aunt," Harold called in a gentle tone, scaring the hell out of the woman as she looked at him with wide eyes.

He had never called her that before. In fact, he had never given her a second of his life since he was born.

"I have always treasured you and seen you as a mother even more than the queen."

He cringed internally. Well, this was awkward.

But he had to continue.

"Seeing how you are trying to protect your children makes me wish I had known my mother. Would she have been a kind mother too?" He gave her a heartbroken smile and stepped away, walking past her and keeping his back to her.

Victoria's maternal instinct kicked in, and instead of running away now that he was out of the way, she hesitated and just stared at him pitifully.

Poor boy. He was still a child, after all, even though he tried to act tough. He never got to meet his mother, and the only woman who had been a mother figure to him had also died when he was a child. Also, he had never spoken this much to her before.

Her sad eyes followed him as she wondered if he was crying since his back was to her. She had never seen him so vulnerable to her.

"I'm sorry for being like this. You should leave." Harold said in a vulnerable tone, but he swore in his head that if this woman stepped out of that door after he had embarrassed himself like this, she was never going to be alive to see another day in this embarrassing world.

Instead of leaving, the woman stepped closer to him, slowly and fearfully touching his back. "It is okay. You... can always consider... me your m-mother."

Harold almost snorted, but he turned around to look at her with soft eyes as he asked, "Really?"

"Of course!" She nodded eagerly.

"But you don't like me." He reminded her, almost showing his true colours.

"When did I say that?" She asked defensively.

"You look at me like you do not like me."

"That... is all in the past." She said, a little flustered, and immediately changed the topic. "About Susan and Williams--"

"I also want to let them go." He cut in.

"But it is not going to be good for them."

She gave him a questioning look, and he continued, making sure to show her how passionate he was about their new-found bond.

"My cousins have been engaged in everything that has been happening, including going against Prince Ivan. The best place for them to stay is in the palace..."

She was still hesitant. "But..."

"They can leave as soon as we get answers to everything. So the earlier it happens, the earlier everyone can leave." He said with a soft sigh and added, "But it seems it's going to take a while because a lot of herbs and potions are involved. And Williams is the only one I can trust who is knowledgeable in that part." He turned again, sighing.

Alicia was a bad influence.

"Really? What herbs and potions?" The woman asked with interest.