Samuel was furious and embarrassed.


    He snapped, "You think so little of me, yet you''re still eager to cling to me? Our feelings were never truly mutual. Our marriage was your obsession from the start, and I was simply pressured by the influence of the royal family..."


    "Be quiet." Leona''s eyes were red, and her lips trembled again as he spoke of their marriage. She felt deeply ashamed and distressed.


    "I did have feelings for you, but you also imed to have feelings for me. That''s how this wretched union came about. If my family had any power, would you have dared mistreat me?"


    Her tears fell uncontrobly despite her best efforts to hold them back. Though she tried to remainposed, her natural weakness meant that her emotions got the better of her, and the tears flowed freely.


    She was so thin and fragile, and she was trying to stifle her sobs but failed. Her appearance stirred a fleeting sense of guilt in Samuel.


    Yet, this guilt was short-lived. He had vowed to be loyal to Ruby and not to show any interest or pity toward other women.


    He responded coldly, "I mistreated you? Why don''t you talk about how you mistreated her? You livefortably in Gracehold Estate, while Ruby has to stay in that shabby ce on Hibiscus Lane with me. No, they even say they want to take that manor back, and I''ve been stripped of my title as heir. My miserable situation with Ruby is all because of your refusal to ept her! And now, your cousin is making things worse, leading to the Oversight Department''s usations against me." "What?!"


    Leona was so enraged that she felt her chest tighten. Her earlierposure waspletely lost, and she couldn''t even speak clearly.


    In a fit of anger, she threw a pillow at him.


    "You bastard!"


    The pillow missed him entirely.


    Samuel retorted coldly, "I''ve already apologized. Whether you ept it or not is your problem."


    He turned to leave, but Leah grabbed him by the cor. As he turned, his cor was yanked, nearly causing him to stumble.


    Leah said sternly, "May I speak?"


    Samuel looked at her with disdain. "And why should you..."


    Before he could finish, Leah''s left hook struck him hard. He felt a sharp ringing in his ears, and his vision went dark. When he came to, he was lying on the ground.


    His mouth filled with a coppery taste as he spat out blood. Fury surged through him, and he was about to roar with rage when he saw Leah bowing to him with a stern expression. "I''m sorry. I apologize."


    After her apology, Leah helped Samuel up, forcing him to stand. Her expression remained serious. "Will you forgive me?"


    "Forgive you? I want to kill you!" Samuel''s eyes were bloodshot with rage.


    "If you still want to kill me after I apologized, why should she forgive you? Get out! No child would want to be born to a father like you!" Leah roared.ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    She shoved him out, throwing him onto the corridor, and then mmed the door shut behind him.


    Samuely at the base of the stone steps. The servants Abigail had summoned hurried to help him up.


    Samuel pushed them away, his face contorted with anger. "Don''t touch me! Get lost!"


    After being struck twice by the two women by Leona''s side, Samuel felt utterly disgraced. Without looking back, he stormed out of the residence.


    Didn''t they tell him to apologize? He had done it.


    His family was just momentarily angry. His grandmother would surely miss him and eventually call him back.


    Leona wiped her tears vigorously,


    her voice choking as she asked, "Am really that useless? I can''t even argue properly, let alonee up with the right words to scold him."


    naforted her, "No, you were very effective this time. You scolded him and argued with him. Though it could have been stronger, it''s progress. You used to be unable to say anything at all, which was truly frustrating."


    Leah also encouraged her, "Yes, you did well this time. Practice a bit more in theing days, and L''ff bring him back for you to scold again. You''ll definitely improve further."


    Hazel wiped her own tears and said, "Your Grace, you did really well this time."


    Leona replied bitterly, "Even you are saying I did well, Hazel. That just shows how weak I used to be."