"Finally, you are free from your evil sisters’ claws now!" Vivian huffed. "If only I can stand the gore, I would have gone to watch it. I have always wanted to see the fall of that arrogant Cassandra."
After the execution earlier that morning, Lauren went to meet Ethan and Vivian in the Sullivan family’s establishment where they usually met up together. Back when she was unmarried, she would go straight to Vivian’s brothel and seek entertainment, but now that she was renewing her reputation, she was being careful with the rumors.
"I can only imagine how many vases the Queen had broken right now," Ethan said while playing chess with Lauren. Vivian was sitting by Lauren’s side, eating grapes.
"Father said the court trial about stripping the Crown Prince of his title has been abolished," Ethan added but Lauren knew beforehand what her father would most likely do.
King Martin had no choice but to put up with Alec because he didn’t have any qualified successor. Of course, she was never considered an option.
"Woah, does that mean nothing can stop you from becoming a queen now?" Vivian asked giddily. "You should grant me a one-week vacation in the castle after you cast away your father and his evil queen, Lauren."
"Talking about the Queen, have you found out what is her relationship with Jasper Owens?"
Lauren shook her head at Ethan’s question.
"Ah, the son of the lord who owns most of the gambling houses in the town. Do you want some help?"
Ethan narrowed his eyes at Vivian. "What? Are you offering yourself as bait? That man is dangerous, Viv. He’s a vampire notorious for his debauchery. So stop being silly."
Vivian rolled her eyes. "I doubt they are lovers. Lauren said that Jasper told her that the woman who gave him the necklace was a family. What if he was saying the truth... what if Jasper is the fruit of the Queen’s affair with Lord Owens?"
"I have also thought of that. But is there even a way to prove their blood ties without alerting them?" Lauren asked. The mage doctors had a way of examining the compatibility of the body composition of people to know if two persons were related by blood. She heard the council doctor was an expert on it.
"Why don’t you seek help from your capable husband? Maybe he knows something," Ethan said playfully and knocked down Lauren’s chess piece. "Checkmate."
"Wait, what was that? You cheated!"
Ethan chuckled. "I did?"
She threw her king to his face but Ethan was quick to dodge it.
"You are so childish, Ethan. Instead of playing dirty why can’t you just admit that you can never outsmart Lauren?" Vivian shook her head and threw him a grape which Ethan caught with his mouth.
"Fine. I lost. Happy now?"
Later that night, the three of them went to the theater. It was one of the things they liked doing when something good happened.
It was already past nine when they went out of the theater. Lauren rode on Ethan’s carriage when they left his family’s establishment, and she was about to tell him to give her a ride to the castle when she saw the carriage parked across the street.
Matthias who was standing beside the carriage bowed to her when their gazes met.
"Isn’t that Everston’s carriage?" Vivian said.
"You two should go. I will take a look if Alec is in there," Lauren said to Vivian and Ethan before crossing the street.
"Your Highness," Matthias greeted.
"Is Alec inside the carriage?"
"Yes, he is waiting for you."
Lauren’s brows furrowed. Waiting for her? But how did he know where she was? She did not even tell him she would go meet her friends when they parted after Cassandra’s execution earlier that morning.
When she went inside the carriage, Alec’s dark eyes watched her as she sat in front of him.
"Got some business around here, I suppose?" She asked, wondering why he was at that part of the town.
"Yes, I do. I’m fetching my wife who went out with another man late at night."
Lauren’s jaw dropped. "Went out with another man? Are you serious? It was just Ethan, and Vivian was with us."
Her eyes narrowed at him, the corners of her lips tugging up. "Why do you sound like a jealous husband?"
He remained serious.
"Your sisters may be out of the picture now but the Queen is still breathing, Lauren. You shouldn’t lower your guard. If you want to go out of the castle, bring some guards with you. My men, not your father’s."
She had her own people though. Some of them were guarding her in the shadows. But she chose not to say a thing about it.
"I’m not lowering my guard. Besides, it is not every day I walk around the town at night. You should not worry about it, I can manage." Her forehead creased. "Wait, did you seriously come here just to fetch me?"
He cleared his throat and didn’t say anything.
She fought the urge to smile.
"How did you know we watched theater anyway? Don’t tell me you are spying on me?"
"Why would I?" He scorned. "Some roving officers just happened to see you entering the theater. I came across them when I checked something nearby and they mentioned you. That’s it."
"Really?" She eyed him suspiciously. But she doubted if her secret cavalrymen wouldn’t know if she was being followed. Darius trained them himself which meant they were very skilled.
"Really."
"Well, I just want to make it clear. I don’t like being followed. If that’s the case, then we are good." Lauren nodded.
Looking over the window while the carriage drove to the central part of the town, Lauren’s eyes widened when she noticed the bakery she used to visit months ago was open again. It had been closed three months ago. She heard the owners went to the south to have a vacation in their married son’s house.
"Wait! Stop the carriage!"