CHAPTER 50
Nodding in relief, Matthew showed a small uplift to his lips, this man in front of him, didn’t seem to know how to do things peacefully…He seemed to be living in the past still. But, it was a relief indeed. Matthew had considered many times, that the bodies of his mother and sister did actually turn into ashes.
Having enemies, had given him the thought that a fire was indeed something that could have been done, so, he didn’t want to bring his hopes up too much on their survival. It was commonly known, after all, that having weaknesses was something that could get you into trouble!
Through thinking this, he had thought, as well, that they may have been taken hostage…Yet, so much time had pa.s.sed, and no word had been said. The reason why he leaned towards them not surviving the fire instead, was because of this…Having no note or somebody to ask for something, even while he was in prison, just made him feel that they had not been kidnapped.
The palace may not have been the safest place to be, but the Crowned Prince had placed his mother and sister in a bad circ.u.mstance once before and the Emperor had found out. Since, the Emperor himself, has given his mother and sister people with higher cultivation bases to serve them and to keep them safe. With these actions, Matthew had placed their safety in the Emperor’s hands…He did care for his mother and sister, and still knew that something could happen to them, but he also knew that they were a weakness. As much as he didn’t like it, he acted as though their lives had not mattered enough for him to protect them himself. It was a harsh strategy, when he did genuinely care for them, but it had seemed to work…For the most part.
Luckily, the Emperor stating his care, seemed to help protect them enough, so that they weren’t used against him.
Having his family in such unfavourable circ.u.mstances, gave him the chance to use his anger to think of a big strategy of containing everything he needed, to be rid of his thorn.
Smiling to the fortune of his mother’s and sister’s health, Matthew said, “Very well. Now I understand everything. But, this prince is currently busy and will have to converse with you another time.”
“So cold! My boy, I heard about what happened with Isabella. Are you like this because of her?”
Matthew looked at the other man and sighed. His mother must have told him that he had changed somewhat, since the time of Isabella. “It isn’t anything to worry yourself over. I had already gotten revenge.”
The other man walked closer and raised his eyebrows, “Ah, well, you can say to your mother that I had mentioned it then.”
Looking away and letting out one small chuckle to the words ‘so cold’, Matthew looked back and said, “I’ll tell her that.”
“That’s my boy! So…Where are you going? Why are you in such a hurry?”
Watching the other man with a keen eye, Matthew wondered if he really wanted to know, “To bring someone back.”
“Uh.”
His short response didn’t surprise Matthew at all.
“Matthew?”
Turning his head to the feminine voice, he found his mother coming closer to him from a distance.
Smiling, he saw his sister as well, coming from behind his mother, “Mother. Madeline! I’m glad you are safe!”
“Matthew, we didn’t know. I’m sorry. If I had known what your father was going to do, I would have said something.”
Matthew looked at the man, who took his mother into his embrace. She looked…Different. Matthew decided to not talk about her ‘difference’, if he could help it. But it was even more obvious on why they had broken out of the palace now, making everything make sense.
Watching his father instead, it seemed obvious that man only had eyes for his mother, and nothing else…
“It’s nothing, I’m glad you and Madeline are safe.”
“Your father wishes to take us away, like he had said...”
Nodding and breathing out, Matthew was indifferent. Giving his sister a small hug, Matthew stood back again, not expecting affection from his mother. Having had to live in the harem, had made his mother a little cold, as well. She had kept a relatively low profile, while in the harem, happily giving much of Matthew’s upbringing to the Empress and the Empress Dowager.
Having done this, she was able to keep her secret and stay safe with her children.
It can’t have been easy, to be a wife of an Emperor and bare two children that wasn’t even his…