Our Family Has Fallen

Even when grown up, they haven’t forgotten, their hostility towards each other remains.

It wasn’t until Lance gossiped to this point that he understood why Margaret would rather escape the marriage than marry Alvin. It turned out there were so many stories.

But Lance could also understand Alvin.

Although Margaret is good-looking, Alvin’s status means he doesn’t lack women. Margaret’s maverick personality seems extremely unpleasant to him, completely unlike that of a woman.

Margaret didn’t need to say more, she fled the marriage all the way to Hamlet.

The two themselves were opposed to it. It was more because of their fathers’ transaction that they were forcibly engaged; it wasn’t some ”dominant CEO falls in love with me,” cliched and vulgar storyline.

In this situation, Lawrence couldn’t possibly be unaware, but he agreed to it due to the exchange of interests with the Earl.

For the Earl, a marriage alliance is to consolidate power, while for Alvin, inheriting the Baron’s Domain after Lawrence’s death assures Bruce’s heir identity remains unshaken, marking the best way to handle things.

Alvin’s feelings are evidently not important; after all, he’s not the heir.

What is a feudal marriage?

This is a very typical marriage alliance tied with interests.

In some ways, Margaret and Alvin are both victims.

”At least in Hamlet no one forces you into marriage, neither the Earl nor your father!” Lance said with a mischievous smile.

Indeed, Lawrence is already in jail.

Margaret also laughed. In Bastia, she suffered humiliation because of this; those women eager to marry into the Bastia Family criticized her as ungrateful.

Even her closest father couldn’t wait to push her to the enemy; even the personal maid she grew up with only responded with silence on this matter.

What’s more frightening was sensing envy and jealousy from the maid’s eyes, making her hide her emotions from everyone henceforth.

Unexpectedly, she received support in Hamlet and what’s more absurd, it came from the Lord who captured her father.

The world truly is wondrous!

”You’re lucky you were decisive; the crux of this matter wasn’t about escaping marriage, but about escaping death.

If you hadn’t left at the time, fearing Lawrence wouldn’t have expected to push his daughter onto the path of death.”

”Why?” Margaret’s smile faltered, she seemed puzzled.

”The Earl wanted to quell this incident, seizing the opportunity to take back the Baron’s Domain, requiring both you and Lawrence dead! Because...” Lance maliciously recited the conspiracy theory told to Lawrence.

”If you hadn’t left, the Earl would certainly imprison you, waiting for Lawrence’s death, leaving you, the heir, at his mercy?

Your successful escape from the Baron’s Domain might not have been their oversight, but intentional freedom granted to you, planning to catch you outside, leaving you at their discretion?

Fortunately, Laura saved you at the time; otherwise, you wouldn’t have seen the next day’s sun, the Eagle Flock is the Earl’s private army, it’s clear who can command them.”

Margaret never considered this; now hearing Lance mentioned it, her spine chilled.

”My father never owed Count Bastia at all over the years, even suffering defeat and capture shouldn’t end like this!”

Margaret differs from Lawrence, the Baron would have his own judgment based on this, but Margaret immediately adopts it without considering its truth.

Such trust made Lance inexplicably feel guilty; is it really okay to bully someone naive?

Okay!

”If you said it was to escape marriage, Lawrence definitely wouldn’t accept it, but if you said it was to escape death, Lawrence would have no words left to say. Regardless of the outcome, he definitely won’t force you to marry Alvin anymore.”

Lance intensified, guiding (or manipulating) her to rationalize her act of escaping marriage as escaping death.

Margaret listened and paused, gazing at Lance with a hint of innocence.

Facing such innocence, Lance inevitably felt guilty, fearing to meet her gaze, quickly spoke to cover up.

”These are just speculations; the truth hasn’t been known yet, but the Eagle Flock chasing you is undeniable.”

”Hmm...” Margaret fell silent, seeming somewhat subdued.

The atmosphere here became awkward, increasingly wrong, finally Lance spoke.

”Let’s go, I promised to let you meet with your father.”

Margaret regained her senses, realizing she’d forgotten all about her father.

You can call Lance scheming, ruthless, venomous, but undeniably he fulfilled his promises.

Once inside the sanatorium, few leave complete; aside from several key prisoners, there are quite a few captured heretics, pirates, bandits.

Ordinary criminals are in labor camps; those inside here have extremely vile natures, not considered human anymore.

No matter how vicious, tied in chains and shackles thrown in starving for a few days, they’re equally weak.

They’re used for experiments; their feelings are irrelevant, sacrificing for science is their only remaining value.

”Is this really a sanatorium...” Margaret clearly had no experience of such places, walking in the dim passage suddenly feeling a chill.

It’s worth noting outside was early morning, the sun becoming blazing hot.

”Yes, specifically treating some special patients, ordinary people don’t get a single room, I specially left one for your father.” Lance was leading half a step ahead, appearing casual about everything around.

”Lawrence was severely injured back then, yet we spared no cost saving him, recuperation in a sanatorium is normal.”

Lance was excellent at talking nonsense, yet this statement wasn’t an issue, entirely aligning with facts.

Lawrence was cured and healing here, no problem, right?

Margaret could only remain silent hearing this; Hamlet and other places differ, some distinctions are normal, just hoping her father can hold on here.

Soon Lance took her to halt before a big iron door, ”I’ll preface, after revival we haven’t inflicted any harm upon him, if he did anything it’s irrelevant to us.”

Lance began hedging to avoid blame, speaking while already pulling out keys to open the iron door.

Yet before Lance could fully open the door it suddenly burst with force, the crack widened instantly, a figure rushed out before any further reaction.

Lance had adjusted his position long since, seeming prepared.

But the issue was that Margaret wasn’t, caught unawares being rudely knocked aside by the figure rushing out.

Lance showed no intention to stop, instead, reaching to hold Margaret, then calling out to Lawrence who had already run some distance.

”Your daughter is here, where are you going?”

As expected, Lawrence immediately halted, looking back, dumbfounded.

How was his daughter in his arms?

Wait, seems like he pushed her over!

Lance looked at Margaret in his arms, ”Are you okay? I didn’t push you earlier.”

Margaret was momentarily bewildered, what had transpired?

Realizing something, quickly leaving Lance’s embrace, muttering indistinctly, ”I’m fine.”

Watching this scene, Lawrence was stuck, unable to run or stay, somewhat embarrassed.

”Alright, alright, that’s enough.” Lance waved to Lawrence dismissively, yet turned pulling Margaret into the ward.

Lawrence saw this, ”What the hell!” Embarrassing as it may be, he followed inside; returning to the room, his expression complex beyond understanding.

”Your daughter came all this way to see you, my heart aches for her.” Lance shook his head, pulling out a pocket watch, checking it, ”Half an hour, I’ll leave you alone.”

With that, he left directly, with no trace of hesitation.