CHAPTER 315: MELINDA’S LAST CHANCE

Melinda watched Nolan leave, her expression stiff. His last words had terrified her.

"Survive the schemes of princes and concubines?" She swallowed hard.

As exaggerated as it sounded, it wasn’t impossible. The battle for the throne was bloody, and everyone had to be ready to face the consequences—one of which was death.

Even as a concubine, her chances of dying were high. The Imperial family now consisted only of Ragan, his children, and his wives because of the massacre he had carried out against his own siblings.

After ascending the throne, Ragan executed the princes, while the princesses were spared. Of course, there was a reason for this.

Most princesses had no ambition for the throne. Many had married into other kingdoms or noble families outside the Great Velmora Empire.

Meanwhile, some of the previous emperor’s concubines had fled to other empires, while others had been killed. Cruel as it was, that was the reality for anyone born into or connected to the imperial family.

Only those who seized the throne could survive, and only those on the winning side could enjoy glory.

The losers paid a heavy price—often with their lives.

Nolan’s words were not just meant to scare her; they were a warning, a threat.

Suppressing the fear in her heart, she quickly left Isabella’s compound.

Though she had failed to persuade Nolan and had made an enemy of him, she still had a chance to prevent something worse.

"Claire... I have to find her!" she muttered, gritting her teeth.

***

"So, can I know exactly what you two were talking about?" Isabella asked curiously, glancing at her son.

Nolan shrugged. "Nothing important."

That careless answer annoyed Isabella slightly, but she didn’t press him.

"Sit next to me," she said, patting the sofa to her right.

Nolan didn’t hesitate and immediately sat down beside her.

"Did you cause the chaos in the eastern region?" she asked sharply, narrowing her eyes.

Nolan was momentarily taken aback but quickly regained his composure.

"What do you think, Mother? Am I the culprit or not?" he said, resting his right cheek on his palm.

His gaze was playful, as if teasing her.

Isabella rolled her eyes, reached out, and pinched his cheek a little harder.

"Ouch!" Nolan groaned, making Isabella feel thoroughly satisfied.

"That’s what you get for teasing your own mother. Still want to do it again?" She grinned widely.

"No, I won’t do it again! Let go, Mother!" Nolan pleaded, his face full of exaggerated sadness.

Unable to resist any longer, Isabella finally released his cheek.

Nolan let out a relieved sigh and rubbed the sore spot.

"Tell me, did you do it or not?" Isabella folded her arms across her chest and stared at him intently, as if examining every detail.

Nolan let out a small sigh and shook his head. "I didn’t do it, dear Mother. I’m just a lazy, useless prince. Do you really think I’m strong enough to create chaos in the eastern region?"

"Is that so?" Isabella raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Then why did your sister say you helped her gain support from the Austin family? And ever since you settled in the eastern region to handle what you call ’business,’ chaos has occurred there. The effects are obvious, with Belfor stumbling into a major case. So, how do you plan to deny it?"

Nolan leaned back against the sofa, calm as ever.

"I don’t know, Mother. I really didn’t do anything dangerous or that could shake the eastern region. Maybe it was just a coincidence. You’re overthinking it."

Isabella fell silent, considering his words.

Could I really be overthinking things? she murmured.

She studied her son’s face, seeing no sign of deceit. Finally, she sighed softly and gave up.

"Alright, I understand. Forgive me for accusing you," she said gently, stroking his head. "By the way, we haven’t had lunch together in a long time. I’ll prepare something. You have time, right?"

Nolan wanted to answer, "No, I’m very busy."

But his mother’s words, carrying an unmistakable threat, left no room for refusal.

"You do, don’t you? Right?"

Although Isabella was smiling, it felt as if a terrifying demon were staring at him. Nolan swallowed hard and replied weakly, "Yes, I have time..."

...

"Damn... Why has everything turned out like this? Am I really going to be eliminated from the battle for the throne?"

In his room, Zarak paced back and forth, his face pale. Once confident and composed, he now looked disheveled and worn out.

Ever since his grandfather had been charged with multiple crimes, he hadn’t slept peacefully.

More than two weeks had passed, and during that time, rest had eluded him entirely.

His once-fat body was beginning to waste away from the frustration and fear brought on by this uncertain situation.

"Grandfather has fled, and now Red Obsidian has declared bankruptcy. Damn it! I’m finished!" He cursed, biting his right thumb.

Without his grandfather and the Red Obsidian Trading House, he felt like a lone figure in the middle of a dense forest, surrounded by predators—his siblings: Aldric, Cedric, Cassian, Adalen, and even... Elina.

He had once mocked Elina for lacking a claim to the throne, but now the tables had completely turned.

Just as panic and fear began to close in, he heard footsteps outside. The door opened, and Melinda entered, her steps hesitant but anxious.

She quickly composed herself and greeted him softly. "What are you doing?"

Zarak rushed toward her, his voice frantic. "Mother, what should we do? The Red Obsidian Trading House has declared bankruptcy. How could this happen? Didn’t you say we would be fine?"

Faced with this barrage of questions, Melinda’s pent-up anger finally erupted.

"Be quiet! Didn’t I tell you to be patient?"

Her sudden outburst made Zarak stumble back a few steps.

"Mother, you..." He wanted to speak but was too afraid to continue. Since childhood, her strictness had made him hesitant to act in her presence.

Melinda quickly realized her mistake and calmed herself. Rubbing her temples, she apologized softly, "I’m sorry, Zarak. The news of Red Obsidian’s bankruptcy has me overwhelmed. But you don’t need to worry; I will do my best to restore the trading house to its former status."

Hearing this, Zarak could only sigh and nod heavily.

"I understand, Mother..."

Melinda nodded with satisfaction before continuing, "For now, you must calm yourself first. Strengthen your ties with the heads of the noble families who support you, and don’t let them slip away. Even though Red Obsidian has been declared bankrupt, they are still bound by the agreements your grandfather made. Meanwhile, I will work to reclaim Red Obsidian from those who don’t deserve it."

Her eyes flashed coldly as thoughts of one person—Claire—crossed her mind.

Zarak straightened and replied firmly, "I will follow your instructions, Mother!"