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She noticed, as her carriage drove her to the estate, the stares, the pointing fingers, the whispers…

How could he?

How could he be so…

Especially after the last scandal?

What are men so bloody stubborn?!

And yes, it didn't add to her mood that she was exhausted

The journey had been long, and she had hoped… no, expected, to be met with some semblance of order, some indication that her son had maintained a shred of propriety after the embarrassing display at the ball the previous night.

But no such thing could be seen as she stepped out of the carriage.

And the silence that greeted her only served to increase her anger.

"Where is he?" she muttered, her jaw tightening as she made her way through the long corridors of the estate she knew so well.

With each step, her heeled boots clicked sharply against the polished marble floors, the echo ringing out in the otherwise quiet halls.

She had been angry before.

Of course she had

She had lived long and had suffered some infuriating circumstances

And as mother, she had been disappointed in Anthony numerous times throughout his life, but this... this was different.

This was fury.

A mother’s fury not just at her son’s foolishness but at his stubborn and obvious disregard for everything she had worked to protect—the Devlin name, their legacy, their standing in society.

Him.

Always him.

The ball last night had been intended as a statement, a display of wealth, power, and unity.

It was meant to show that. O matter what, they were still regal.

Still honorable.

Instead, it had ended in disgrace.

Anthony had dismissed the guests without a single explanation, not even a flimsy excuse, leaving her to smooth over the scandal and salvage what little dignity remained in their family’s name.

And now?

He was nowhere to be found.

Probably sulking like the overgrown child he was.

She knew letting him go to war was a mistake and she has never regretted it more than she did right now.

Her fingers fisted tightly around the emerald silk of her gown as she approached his chambers, her thoughts going through the storm of angry scoldings she was about to unleash on him.

She pushed open the door with more force than necessary, causing the heavy wood creaking on its hinges as it swung wide, only for her to stop dead at the entrance.