Chapter 809: She Doesn’t Understand, We Shouldn’t Join in Her Foolishness

Quentin shook his head. Pursing his lips, he said, “I doubt Annabelle will be able to come anytime soon. She’s inseparable from that man right now; it’s going to take some time.”

The Empress couldn’t help but frown at this. “She’s just so young, and with us not being by her side, the poor girl is still so foolish,” she said, her voice tinged with anger. “That man has hurt her for years, yet she remains utterly devoted to him. What a silly child. No, Quentin, you must bring your sister back this time. I’ve already missed twenty years of her life. I can’t just stand by and watch her jump into a pit of fire. Make Annabelle leave him. How can a one-sided marriage ever bring her happiness?

“Annabelle is the heir to Country V. She holds a noble status, a figure countless people look up to. She’s just young and naive right now, but she’ll understand in due time. Who hasn’t loved a scumbag or two in their youth? If she doesn’t know any better, we shouldn’t be fools along with her.”

Quentin gave a slight nod. “You are right, Mother.”

“Besides,” the Empress continued, “Quinton Stratton committed a crime worthy of a thousand deaths when he secretly abducted the heir of Country V twenty years ago. Who knows what ulterior motives he might harbor?

“Women are always blind when it comes to love. If twenty years wasn’t enough to warm a heart, then that man is most likely just using Annabelle. In these situations, the onlookers see the whole picture while the ones involved remain lost in the maze. Annabelle will thank us later.”

“Indeed,” Quentin agreed.

The corners of the Empress’s lips lifted as she spoke. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked forward to the future. “My Annabelle is finally coming back. I’ve waited over twenty years for this day. This time, I will give her nothing but the absolute best.”

Over the past few days, Leona Grant had used his illness and need to recuperate as an excuse to keep Annabelle Linton waiting on him hand and foot. He insisted on being fed at meals and demanded her company whenever he slept. In short, he refused to let her leave his side for even a single step.

Given the severity of his recent poisoning, which had taken a heavy toll on his body, the doctor, the nutritionist, and Annabelle had teamed up to create a strict schedule for Leona. It detailed exactly what he was supposed to do at any given hour and mapped out his daily diet—the sort of strict schedule usually reserved for elementary and middle schoolers.

Leona had stared at the itinerary in pure disgust, rolling his eyes to the heavens. He only agreed to follow it after Annabelle finally caved and promised to accompany him through the entire routine.

Although Leona was currently out of town and had left the company in the capable hands of Roxanne Jennings and the others, any major decisions still required his explicit approval.

He had just stepped out of the study after wrapping up a video conference. He caught hold of Annabelle, intending to cash in on some sweet “benefits,” when his alarm suddenly went off.

Leona, who had just grabbed her small hand, stared at her with an incredibly sullen look in his eyes.

Annabelle pushed him away, completely deadpan. “It’s time for your nap. Two hours.”

Leona shook his head in distress, swinging her arm back and forth as he looked at her. “Tomorrow. Let’s do it tomorrow, okay?”

“Tomorrow never comes,” Annabelle said, peeling his hands off her arm. Taking his large hand in hers, she led him toward the bedroom. “Resting during this period is great for your mental state. If your mind is sharp, your body will recover faster. When it’s time to sleep, you sleep.”

She knew she wouldn’t be able to stay by his side much longer. Before she left, she just wanted to see him fully restored to health. Only then could she walk away with peace of mind.

Leona trailed after her at a snail’s pace, grumbling in frustration. “But right now…”

The last thing he wanted to do was waste his time sleeping.