Reborn To Change My Fate-Chapter 303 - Three Hundred And Two

Liam’s eyes narrowed at the mention of the Duchess’s name. He gripped the handle of the whip tighter.

"She deliberately set a trap," Ashlyn cried, tears washing tracks through the dirt on her cheeks. "She set a trap to frame me and you. She knew you wanted her. She sent the first letter to trick you, and she sent the second letter to trick me. She planned for the Princess to find us! She is the one who ruined everything!"

She looked at Liam, hoping he would see the logic. Hoping he would direct his anger at her sister instead of her.

Liam stared at her for a long moment. He did not look sympathetic. He did not look convinced. He looked at her as if she were the stupidest creature he had ever seen.

Slowly, Liam crouched down. He bent his knees until he was at Ashlyn’s level. He brought his face close to hers. Ashlyn shrank back, terrified of the violent look in his eyes. She could smell the sour wine on his breath and the sweat on his skin.

"If not for you foolishly changing the address," Liam whispered harshly, "how could she have tricked me so easily?"

Ashlyn stopped breathing. Her eyes widened in absolute shock. All the color drained from her face, leaving her pale as a ghost.

How did he know? She asked herself in her mind. Her thoughts raced in panic. How could he possibly know about the address? I did it in secret. I only spoke to the guard.

She stared at him, her mouth opening and closing without any sound coming out.

As if Liam could read her thoughts, a cruel, mocking smile spread across his bruised face.

"Do you think," Liam asked, his voice dripping with condescension, "you can bribe my guards without me knowing?"

Ashlyn swallowed hard. A lump formed in her throat. She felt completely exposed.

"My royal guards," Liam explained slowly, as if talking to a child. "The men who eat my food, take my coin, and swear their lives to me. You gave one a few pieces of silver to change the delivery of my letter. Did you truly believe he would keep your secret forever? He brought the silver straight to the captain this morning , feeling guilty."

Ashlyn’s heart sank into her stomach. She realized her own cleverness was nothing but arrogance. She thought she was playing a grand game, but she was just a pawn moving exactly where they allowed her to move.

Marissa had predicted her envy, and Liam was punishing her for falling into the trap.

She looked down at the floor, totally defeated. She had no defense left. She had brought this disaster upon herself.

Liam stood up. As he rose to his full height, the cold logic vanished. The memory of Dahlia’s cold eyes, the memory of Marissa’s mocking smile, and the stinging pain in his cheek rushed back into his mind.

His anger returned, burning hotter than before.

He raised his arm. He swung the whip down hard.

Crack!

The leather struck Ashlyn across the back. She screamed and collapsed onto the floor, sobbing uncontrollably.

He turned and whipped Carlos again.

Crack!

"You and your husband," Liam shouted, his voice echoing in the large hall. He paced around them like a predator circling its prey.

He pointed the whip at Carlos.

"One utterly incompetent," Liam sneered. "A man who acts reckless for merit, disobeys orders, and makes his family a laughing stock in the kingdom."

He pointed the whip at Ashlyn.

"And the other one," Liam continued, his voice full of venom, "perfectly capable of ruining things. You thought you were smart. You thought you could scheme. Instead, you walked right into Marissa’s trap, bringing my wife straight to my bed."

He stopped pacing. He looked down at them with pure hatred.

"You made me lose all face!" Liam roared. "You made me look like a fool in front of the Crown Princess! You cost me the General’s spies!"

He raised the whip to hit them again, but he stopped. He was exhausted. His arm ached, and his chest was heaving. He realized beating these two fools would not get his power back. They were worthless. They were nothing but trash.

He uncurled his fingers. He let go of the whip.

The heavy leather weapon fell from his hand. It hit the marble floor with a wet, slapping sound, leaving a long streak of blood.

Liam turned his back on them. He walked toward the large fireplace at the end of the hall. He stared into the empty hearth, his hands resting on his hips.

His mind shifted from the two bleeding fools on the floor to the woman who had truly bested him. He pictured Marissa’s face in the hallway of the Golden Swan. He remembered the way she dusted her shoulder after he touched her. He remembered her smirk.

"Marissa," Liam whispered to the empty fireplace.

He clenched his jaw. His hands tightened into fists again.

"You dare provoke me," he scoffed. A dark, evil chuckle escaped his lips. It was a sound devoid of any warmth or humor.

She thought she had won. She thought because she exposed him, he would sit with his arms folded m. She did not understand who he was. He was the Crown Prince. He did not lose. If someone knocked him down, he burned their entire world to ashes.

"Then I will play with you till the end," Liam vowed. His voice was a low, terrifying promise. He would destroy her husband. He would destroy her family. He would strip her of her title, her pride, and her safety. He would make her crawl to him and beg for mercy.

He turned around to face the hall.

Carlos and Ashlyn were still crying on the floor.

Liam looked at his guards, who were standing silently by the doors, watching the whole scene without any emotion.

"Guards," Liam commanded coldly. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

The captain stepped forward and bowed. "Yes, Your Highness."

Liam pointed at the bleeding couple on the floor.

"Throw them out of my residence," Liam ordered, his voice filled with disgust. "Drag them through the streets. Let everyone see what happens to useless tools. Throw them into the dirt where they belong."

The guards moved instantly. Two men grabbed Carlos by the arms, lifting him roughly to his feet. Carlos cried out in pain as his torn back stretched. Two other men grabbed Ashlyn. They did not care about her torn dress or her bleeding cuts. They pulled her up, her feet dragging on the marble floor.

"Please, Your Highness! Give us another chance!" Carlos begged as he was dragged toward the large wooden doors.

Ashlyn did not beg. She just wept, her spirit completely broken.

Liam did not watch them leave. He turned back to the fireplace, his mind already spinning new webs, planning his revenge against the Grand Duchess who dared to make a fool out of him.