Chapter 857

In that moment, the atmosphere in the great hall of Vance Castle seemed to freeze solid. Nᴇw novel chapters are publɪshed on
It wasn’t just Dowager Vance whose face was a mask of grey despair. Rosemary stood motionless, turning to the butler as if her ears had failed her.
Freya Gonzales?
The butler met the Dowager’s terrified gaze. “The person the royal family was searching for is Miss Freya Gonzales.”
Hearing Caitlin’s name confirmed a second time, the Dowager swayed on her feet, her breathing becoming shallow and rapid.
How could this be? How could Caitlin possibly be the royal family’s benefactor?
No. It was impossible.
Rosemary’s face was ashen. “You’re wrong! You must be wrong! Freya is just a little guttersnipe! How could she be a benefactor to the royal family? It must be someone with the same name!”
The Vance family had to provide Valerium with critical intelligence just to earn the protection of the Windsor family. On what grounds could Caitlin become a benefactor to the entire kingdom?
It had to be a case of mistaken identity!
“It’s not a different person,” the butler said, his own face grim. “Miss, I also heard that Queen Sally and Mr. Zach personally rescued Miss Gonzales from the dark room at the Royal Police Department.”
There might be another person named Freya in Valerium, but there was only one Freya Gonzales in the custody of the Royal Police.
THUD.
At those words, Rosemary collapsed to the floor, all strength leaving her limbs. It took her a long moment to recover. She scrambled over to her mother, clutching at her clothes, her voice trembling with fear. “Mom, what do we do? That little bitch has the Queen backing her now! She’ll never let us go!”
No one could understand the terror gripping Rosemary. When she thought about how she had tortured Carey, the fear intensified, and she began to shake uncontrollably.
If only she had just killed Carey. Then Caitlin would never have come looking for the Vances, and none of this would have happened.
But it was too late now. Regret couldn’t turn back time.
“Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid,” the Dowager said, pulling her trembling daughter into an embrace, trying to keep her own composure. “I’m here. I will protect you.”
Rosemary was the last of the Vance line. If something happened to her, the family name would die Carey had already cost her a son. She would not let Carey’s daughter take her daughter as well.
As a mother, she had to save her child. The Dowager forced herself to think clearly.
Suddenly, the main doors to the hall were violently kicked open.
CRASH!
Rosemary flinched at the sound.
A group of men in uniform stormed in.
“Diana and Rosemary Vance, I presume?” the man in the lead said, stopping directly in front of them. He produced his credentials, his voice firm and uncompromising. “I am Sanger Miller, the new Chief of the Royal Police. You are both under suspicion for several crimes, including false imprisonment and conspiracy to frame an innocent person. By royal decree, I am here to
seize all assets belonging to the Vance family and to take you both into custody.”
He fixed them with a hard stare. “Please cooperate with our investigation.”
Seize all assets?
Take them into custody?
Rosemary felt as if her world was ending. She gripped her mother’s arm tightly, her voice a desperate
plea “Mom, save me! Save met don’t want to go to prison! I can’t go to prison!”