Chapter 173

[Third-Person’s POV]

Leonard wanted to question why Evelyn and Alexander refused to continue their conversation in the living room. Instead, he turned to head back toward his private study.

He resumed his earlier position behind his desk while Evelyn and Alexander took the two available chairs across from him. The older Alpha was still having a hard time comprehending what he’d been told. Even more so, he couldn’t believe the physical pain his one daughter had endured.

It didn't make sense. Why would anyone want to target her?

Leonard had become a man of very few words as the years went on, but he was always somewhat aware of Evelyn’s light-hearted nature. She was nothing like Samantha. Her focus and attention was usually placed on something that held more meaning and consequence.

He was faintly aware of her studies. While Samantha chose to become a socialite, Evelyn chose to learn the inner workings of how a pack was supposed to operate. It was useful, sure, but he’d been worried that Evelyn’s particular personality would drive off any possible suitors in the future. Meanwhile, Samantha focussed all her attention on being the prettiest woman at any social gathering, yet she failed to comprehend basic pack systems.

When the marriage offer came in from the Alpha King, Leonard was wary of the idea of Samantha being matched with Alexander. For such an accomplished Alpha, there was no way he was going to tolerate someone like her.

Nonetheless, at the time, everyone believed Alexander to be paralyzed and disfigured, Isabella outrightly refused to let her chosen child be paired off with such a ruthless and unappealing man.

As time went on, Leonard was more than surprised to find that Evelyn had not only made her marriage with Alexander work but discovered that the two were naturally dynamic with each other. More so than Samantha and Liam could ever be.

Hell, when that marriage came about, Leonard merely shook his head. It had been a horrible match from the very beginning.

Now that both of his daughters were married and out of the house, all that was left was him and Isabella—and, of course, Edward.

Edward...

Anytime Leonard would allow his thoughts to drift to his poor son, his chest was always filled with the most agonizing feeling. The chances of Edward ever coming out of his coma were always slim. And then by some miracle of a chance, Edward’s vitals were growing stronger. The chances of him finally waking up actually seemed possible.

However, when Edward’s health had taken that sudden turn for the worse, that glimmer of hope had instantly dissolved. Yet, somehow, Evelyn found a solution.

Leonard had taken his daughter’s words to heart after she'd scolded him for not taking any care or interest in Edward’s well-being. He’d tried to check in on his son a few days following Evelyn’s sudden departure, only to find that the door was being heavily guarded.

The guard had told him that with all due respect, no one was allowed to enter Edward’s except for his physician. Leonard was taken aback by this order that had been unknowingly set in place by his own daughter. Why on earth would Evelyn refuse to let their own family in to see Edward?

He attempted to confront Isabella about the development but was instantly shut down. She sneered and rolled her eyes, not wanting to take any part in the conversation. He found her bitter temperament on the matter rather odd.

From that moment onward, Leonard noticed Isabella’s mood grow increasingly grimmer. She was quick to let out a biting remark at anyone who dared to approach her. He wouldn’t have thought that her behavior would ever be connected to Edward.

“What you saw out there was distilling equipment,” Alexander started. “It would appear that your wife has been playing chemist, Mr. Silverwood. She’s been experimenting with Hemlock.”

Leonard’s brows furrowed. “Hemlock? How the hell would Isabella manage to get her hands on that?”

“The same way she did the aphrodisiac she gave over to Samantha,” Evelyn said briskly. “Do you recall the night when Michael had made that unexpected appearance? Isabella saw it as her opportunity to try and destroy my marriage and my reputation.”

“She slipped a bit of that same aphrodisiac into her tea, making her openly vulnerable to any other male around,” Alexander snarled.

Evelyn calmly reached over to take her husband’s hand.

“Isabella has been using Hemlock to try and kill Edward,” she said.

Leonard’s initial reaction was to deny such an insane claim. Unfortunately, deep down, he knew it could very well be right. That awful feeling he’d been shoving to the back of his mind for weeks was finally rushing to the forefront of his mind.

It was something he never wanted to believe was true—because if that was the case, it would have meant that he had been trapped into a marriage by a psychopath. A horrible truth that he’d been burying for years.

He let his gaze fall to the desk as the words slipped from his mouth. “That’s why Edward’s health began to fail him out of nowhere...”

“Yes. Edward’s physician reached out to me recently and told me that he’d found traces of Hemlock in the IV bags. Isabella had managed to use a distilled version of the plant and inject it into Edward’s treatments,” Evelyn explained.

“We're all under the agreeable assumption that Isabella’s intentions were to make it appear as though Edward’s body was rejecting the medicine. When, in the end, it was all because she’d been poisoning it.”

“But why?” Leonard asked.

“Because she wants control over the Silverwood Pack. I guarantee it’s why she got herself pregnant in the first place. With a new heir, all she had to do was find a way to get Edward out of the way.”

Evelyn watched her father run his hands over his face, struggling to grasp the situation.

“Is this why Isabella attacked you?” he questioned. “Because you had discovered what she’d done?”

Evelyn curtly nodded. “Partially. She wasn’t pleased to find out that her plans to get rid of Edward had been put to an abrupt stop. Isabella has harbored a special kind of hatred toward me for years. It’s only now that she’s decided to let it out.”

Alexander spoke up. “She doesn’t like the fact that her own daughter’s marriage is a failure and that Evelyn has been making incredible strides.”

Leonard let out another deflated. “I can’t believe that all of this has been happening under my own roof,” he acknowledged. “Evelyn, I’m...I’m so sorry.”

She raised her brows with slight astonishment. “It’s not as though you could have done anything—”

“No,” he denied. “I’m sorry for what I’ve allowed to happen for the last several years. When I lost your mother, I let the rest of my life fall apart. To be honest, I never had any real intentions of ever remarrying.”

Evelyn shook her head. “I know. Isabella practically admitted the fact that she’d taken the opportunity to swoop in when she could. She took advantage of the situation.”

“I never wanted things to turn out this way,” he claimed weakly. “Not for you or your brother.”

Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.

Alexander pulled out his phone and found a new message from Oliver. His stomach churned.

“Evelyn, I have to go. Oliver’s just reached out, the Alpha King has summoned me to stand before the Royal Court.”

There was not a lingering doubt in anyone’s mind. Alexander’s secret had finally made its way to the King.