The room stood still for a breathless moment.
There had been a dead silence.
"How can you say such a thing?!" Nanny Nia gasped in horror.
Anna smirked.
A smirk that only she and Nanny Nia understood.
And then Nanny Nia understood what Anna had meant the previous night that it will be too late for Jasmine.
Nanny Nia clenched her teeth. "Jasmine’s baby is Alpha Xaden’s how and where did she even meet someone else to get pregnant?"
Anna glared at her. "You’re calling me a liar? You don’t know Jasmine as much as I do. You don’t know what she is capable of."
"This is ABSURD!" Nanny Nia said.
Xaden said nothing for a while and then Anna chipped in.
"I’m sorry you had to find out this way," she said gently. "I truly am."
No one still said a word.
Then Xaden stood up slowly, pushing his chair back with a groan.
His eyes—darker than storm clouds—locked on Erik’s.
"Search her room."
Erik blinked. "Xaden—"
"Now." His voice left no room for argument.
Anna lowered her gaze, hiding her wicked smile behind a mask of sisterly sorrow. She had done it.
The match was lit. Now all that was left was to let it burn.
Erik hesitated. He turned toward Fiona, who looked ready to stand up and fight.
"This is ridiculous," Fiona snapped. "You can’t honestly believe this? We all know Jasmine. She—"
"I know Jasmine," Xaden cut in, voice harder than steel. "But I also know something is wrong. And if there’s even a chance—"
Nanny Nia was already on her feet. "Then I’m coming with you."
Anna got up.
"But I won’t come with her my lord." Nanny Nia said her eyes wary of Anna.
Anna frowned.
"She is the one who dropped the allegations. She shouldn’t come with us." Nanny Nia stated.
"I’ll stay waiting with her." Fiona interjected.
Anna started to speak. "But I want-
"You should stay." Xaden said firmly and Anna knew BETTER than to disobey.
Anna sat back down, calmly picking up her goblet as though nothing had happened.
Lily looked pale beside her.
Fiona remained frozen at the edge of her seat, fists clenched.
Don’t follow them, Anna silently prayed. You’re too late.
She hoped to herself that she had dropped the letters somewhere they will find them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Inside Jasmine’s Room
Xaden stepped into the room first, the scent of jasmine and rosewood washing over him like a memory.
His chest tightened.
Nanny Nia and Erik followed behind him. She moved straight to the wardrobe like a hawk, checking everything. Erik began combing through the bookshelves, desk drawers, linen boxes.
And then Xaden knelt near her bed.
He reached beneath the pillow and pulled out a folded parchment.
Erik walked over just as he unfolded it.
Nanny Nia leaned closer, frowning.
"My lord the maids change the beddings every day when Jasmine was here, I’ve never seen that before." She said.
He ignored her and read aloud
Xaden read the first line aloud, his voice hollow.
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