Chapter 111: Bring Vivienne Bisset out here.

A voice emerged from somewhere in the back of the audience. "Yes, you're right. I have seen him several times at the Delacroix manor, bringing the goods."

"Me too." This time the voice was heard near the front of the crowd. "My steward spoke about him before. He's Alistair's man, through and through."

"Yes, I saw him take wagons."

Alistair's face went pale, his jaw tight, no words spoken.

"How do we know that you are not just fabricating everything? It is quite clear that you know a lot already," Nicole approached him, her chin held high, his voice strong even if there was a tension hanging around him. "And it is quite enough for you to be able to threaten this guy into telling what you wanted him to tell."

"It is quite a reasonable question." Felix nodded slowly, thinking about it. However, soon after a smile appeared on his face. "But I have proof, very strong proof, that the whole of your family is behind all these rumors."

Nicole clenched her fist tightly on her hand, her veins showing faintly on the back of it.

Diana took an unexpected step forward, grabbed the card lying on the floor made of marble, and threw it straight into Felix's face. "Stop fooling around."

Felix nonchalantly caught the card using two fingers and then held his hands out wide, showing all the hall he was in. "This whole engagement."

"You don't even know what you're talking about

"I am sorry, my Lady Mirabelle, but yes, I do. Since I received the inside information from Barbra. Information that was supposed to be known by very few. About what was really going on in this palace every day."

"And what exactly did Barbra tell you?" Osbel asked immediately.

"About who Hakimi Morrow really is." Felix calmly continued. "And what kind of importance Diana Rosberg had."

Osbel's eyes narrowed sharply. Around the hall, heads slowly turned, their faces becoming stony one by one.

"That is the reason for all of this, isn't it?" Felix directed his question towards Nicole. "Diana is the daughter of Charlotte Rosberg. You all must have known that for sure." Felix's voice grew louder this time and filled the whole room. "This whole plan was built by you. Created part by part in order to approach her when she was alone, helpless, and without any chance to realize it. You used her love for Hakimi against her. In order to connect your family to royalty."

The people started shouting.

"Royalty? The mother of Diana was—"

"It was strange for me when I saw how suddenly the engagement took place—"

"Delacroix family aiming to become royalty through marriage—"

"Silence!" Osbel shouted, his voice filled the hall. "Mirabelle, did you know about this? Were you trying to arrange the marriage of Diana in order to make your family closer to the royal bloodline?"

"No. No, no." Mirabelle crumbled instantly, hands shaking beside her body. "Nicole told me he liked her. He said he wanted to marry her, seriously. Geneviève said they made a good couple; that's all I was ever told."

Osbel turned his eyes to Geneviève, but before she had a chance to say anything, Nicole walked forward, speaking calmly and slowly.

"That is an impressive theory." His eyes shifted from Felix to Nicole's face. "To be honest, when one presents their theories in half-truths, I'm always convinced by such things." He turned to the audience and then to Diana. "Diana. Does it feel as though you have only known me the last month?"

"What?" Diana paused, her eyes flickering to Felix.

"Just an easy question," Nicole's eyes never left her face. "I'll ask a few and you answer them honestly."

Diana nodded hesitantly.

"How long have we known each other?" Nicole asked. "Be as detailed as possible."

"Four years, more or less," replied Diana in a whisper. "But I hardly knew you then. Only this year, after visiting your family home, did we get to know each other."

"So, a year and a half, give or take." Nicole nodded thoughtfully. "Now tell everyone here. Since these rumors started, have I forced you to do anything at all? Tell them the truth. Did I come to you, or did you come to me?"

"It was me." Diana's voice wavered. "I came to you. You never forced me into anything."

"And when these rumors first started getting around, what did I tell you about Hakimi?"

"That it wasn't him." Diana's eyes flicked briefly toward the doorway. "You know that better than anyone else does."

Nicole looked towards Felix, serene and unruffled. "Why don't you tell everyone here exactly what you actually know about these rumors? All of it, this time."

Felix said nothing.

Whispers filled the hall around him, a murmur among the guests about his hidden intentions.

"What are you trying to hide, boy?" Osbel's words rang out.

"I am very aware of what he is hiding." Nicole turned back to Osbel, her voice smooth, almost as if he was apologizing. "I am sorry for being late with my confession but I have been looking into these rumors as well. I just could not sit still while Diana is going through this pain."

His eyes shifted back towards Felix and his face hardened. "You never mentioned the woman you found. I wonder why that is. Did she get to you somehow? I already know she's with you."His voice rose and carried down the hallway. "Bring Vivienne Bisset out here."

Felix exhaled slowly as he looked towards the side door. "Vivi. It's time to come out."

Murmurs arose in the audience as Vivi came out of the door, disheveled hair and holding her hands tightly clasped together before her as she moved slowly to Felix's side.

"Now tell us everything." Nicole's tone was cool. "Tell everyone here who Vivienne Bisset actually is. What connection she has to Hakimi from six years ago."

"It's fine." Felix put his hand on her back. "Tell them."