Chapter 423

The princess of Stoslo was adored by her people, celebrated as the most approachable royal the kingdom had ever known. Her business acumen was unmatched, and her influence stretched far beyond the palace walls. King Maxwell himself had declared her leadership skills rivaled even those of his sons.

Yet this beloved princess, who cherished her nation above all else, faced disgrace when she fell for Philip Goldmann—a man deemed unworthy of her station.

This scandal ignited the royal family's internal strife.

The court fractured into two factions. The left-wing, including the current Kents, rallied behind Prince Reginald, the princess's younger half-brother. The other faction remained loyal to the princess.

"The princess affair" became the left-wing's weapon to undermine her claim to the throne, using her relationship with Philip as political ammunition.

When a devastating epidemic struck, the people's faith in their princess wavered.

But without Philip's intervention, the left-wing would have executed their coup. Contrary to their propaganda, Philip wasn't the bloodthirsty villain they portrayed—his hands were stained only with the blood of those who deserved it.

Edmund Lincoln slowly turned, his piercing gaze settling on Evelyn Vanderbilt's face. "The left-wing targets the Goldmanns because royal blood flows in their veins. Eliminating them removes a threat to their power."

Evelyn's lips parted. "What about the de Armas?"

Edmund stepped closer. "They were originally left-wing allies, but when Philip took young Harrison hostage to force the Count's withdrawal, the family became neutral. After the Count's accidental death, Harrison refused involvement in their schemes."

Evelyn's mind raced as she coldly observed, "Could the left-wing have manipulated the rift between de Armas and Goldmanns?"

If Harrison's account was truthful—and if Theodore hadn't lied—three possibilities emerged from that fateful incident.

Someone might have exploited Philip's release of Harrison to frame the Goldmanns.

If the de Armas were truly innocent, then like Nathan suspected, they'd been framed in his mother's death fifteen years prior—just as Dominic Kent used Rosalind as bait. Even her death would have been blamed on the Goldmanns. The left-wing had weaponized the families' feud, turning the de Armas into pawns for their purge.

Edmund's lips curved. "Perhaps."

"Uncle Edmund," Evelyn said calmly, "you're still keeping secrets. Always saying 'later' or 'when you're stronger.' Is this connected too?"

Before learning her mother's true identity, Evelyn hadn't questioned these mysteries. But now she saw the tangled web connecting the Goldmanns to the royals—and even Edmund's shadowy past.

He'd protected her by withholding the truth, fearing she'd become another sacrificial piece in their deadly game.

Edmund neither confirmed nor denied. "Had Nathan Goldmann not entered your life, I might have told you sooner."