Chapter 2 A Fruitless Raid

• "Mr. Alvarado, for the sake of Remus, could you please show a little mercy?"
• Melissa Bennett, Remus's grandmother, felt a deep ache in her heart as she surveyed the War God's Estate, now reduced to a mere shell of its former glory, ravaged by the royal guards. A wave of sorrow washed over her.
• "Mrs. Heyward."
• The man leading the charge was none other than Louis Alvarado, a former general who had once served under the War God. He looked down at the gathered women with an air of smug satisfaction.
• "By the king's command, Remus has been accused of treason and caught in the act. Given his previous service, he won't face execution; instead, he's been stripped of his military rank and reduced to the status of a commoner, with his residence raided. This is already a generous decision from the king."
• His proclamation only made the women of the War God's Estate sob harder, fully aware that they were ensnared in this calamity, with no time to mourn the loss of their once-magnificent home.
• "Remus has treated you well; is this how you repay him?"
• It was Remus's younger brother, Daniel Heyward, his eyes blazing with fury as he glared at Louis.
• If it hadn't been for Remus's backing, this man would still be nothing more than a gatekeeper!
• Now he was all too eager to ransack their home, clearly acting as a puppet for Wilbur!
• Louis scoffed, ignoring the animosity emanating from Daniel, and waved dismissively.
• "Search thoroughly. We must find proof of Remus's treason, and seize all valuables!"
• The royal guards surged forward, striking down any servants who dared to obstruct them. Tammy stood quietly in a corner, finally able to piece together the plot of the book.
• In the original character's reckless attempts to rise socially, the estate was raided just the day after she married into the War God's Estate, leaving her as a duchess for a mere moment.
• However, even in her exile, the original character's reckless spirit persisted, provoking the antagonists' disdain and ultimately leading to her downfall.
• Sigh!
• The original character had been dealt a poor hand from the very beginning, but I refuse to back down. Even with a difficult hand, I'm determined to play it beautifully.
• As she contemplated her situation, Gloria, the woman Tammy had previously clashed with, suddenly pointed an accusatory finger at her.
• "It's her! It must be her!"
• Gloria fumed, glaring at Tammy. "You're a jinx! You just had to come in here and ruin everything!"
• Her hatred for Tammy burned fiercely. "If it wasn't for our rivalry, I wouldn't have married in, nor would I be facing exile now!"
• Gloria's accusation instantly drew the attention of everyone at the War God's Estate. Melissa tightened her grip on her cane, narrowing her eyes as she glared at Tammy with suspicion.
• "That's right. It must be that jinx, Tammy, who's brought us all this misfortune."
• "We used to hold such prestige; ever since she arrived, our War God's Estate is being raided!"
• "I don't want to be exiled! Sob ... "
• Finding someone to blame seemed to uplift their spirits, and the resentment directed toward Tammy was palpable. Tammy returned Gloria's cold glare.
• "We both entered the estate at the same time, so how could you pin this on me? It's hard to determine who the real jinx is!"
• At such a critical moment, Instead of figuring out a way to flee, she is actually intent on retaliating against me—this woman is truly the epitome of foolishness.
• "It's you!"
• Gloria's voice pierced the air, her eyes shimmering with rage. Daniel, who had just spoken with the royal guards, shot Tammy a look filled with disdain.
• Just as tensions were about to escalate, Melissa interjected, shouting, "Everyone, quiet down!"
• Having weathered many storms in her life, Melissa recognized that the king had made his decision regarding their fate; no amount of protesting would alter that reality.
• After all, Tammy was the rightful daughter of the Waltons. Even if they faced exile, her family might still offer some assistance, making it wise not to provoke her.
• Additionally, their whole household's current survival hinged on Remus; although he didn't love Tammy, she was still his wife.
• Gloria seethed in anger after being silenced, but at that moment, Remus, who had been summoned to the palace, was brought back.
• However, he was carried in!
• His lower body was soaked in a horrifying amount of blood. Ivy Cooper, still recuperating, fainted upon witnessing her son in such a horrific state.
• "Remus!"
• Daniel rushed forward, and the usually brave Remus now lay there, barely clinging to life, his complexion ashen and his future uncertain.
• He was the husband of the original character, as well as the antagonist!
• Tammy quickly approached, her delicate hand resting softly on Remus's wrist as she called out calmly, "Duke Heyward!"
• Good heavens!
• The king really did a number on him!
• From the memories of the original character, he had been fine just that morning, and now he lay half-dead, visibly gasping for breath. This was a vicious assault—he might survive, but he would likely be left severely impaired!
• Seeing Remus in this condition, the women in the estate, who had held onto a flicker of hope, felt their spirits crash.
• It's all over! We are finished!
• With great effort, Remus opened his eyes, taking in the devastated faces surrounding him, sorrow flooding his heart.
• It was his failure that had left his family vulnerable.
• The striking man appeared dazed, broken, and for reasons she couldn't explain, Tammy found him incredibly beautiful in his anguish.
• "Mr. Alvarado!"
• Suddenly, the royal guards who had gone to search the estate burst into the courtyard, their faces ashen as they shook their heads at Louis.
• "The storeroom is completely bare!"
• "There's nothing in the kitchen either."
• "Not in the main hall!"
• The royal guards were baffled. When the king had summoned Remus to the palace, no word of that had gotten out.
• They had raced to the War God's Estate anticipating to uncover treasures. Surely the valuables couldn't have been whisked away that quickly!
• Are we going to end up empty-handed in this raid?
• Louis, who had initially planned to capitalize on the situation, now bore a grim expression.
• The residents of the War God's Estate, upon hearing the guards' reports, were equally confused. They all turned to look at Remus.
• Could it be that Duke Heyward cleverly stashed the valuables away beforehand?
• Louis shared the same suspicion and quickly directed his gaze toward Remus. "Duke Heyward—oh, you're no longer a duke. Remus, do you realize that hiding your assets only adds to your guilt?!"
• "I-I didn't hide anything."
• Remus had sensed something was amiss even before arriving at the palace, but what he had concealed was his own personal belongings outside the estate; there had been no opportunity to hide anything within.
• At that moment, he felt completely baffled.
• Louis didn't believe him and raised his sword, aiming it at Remus, but Tammy swiftly kicked it away.
• "The king has already dealt with him; it's not your place to punish my husband!"
• After all, Remus was the original character's benefactor, so she felt compelled to protect him a little, as a form of gratitude.
• Daniel, snapping back to reality, fiercely stood between Remus and Louis, his eyes glaring like a wolf ready to pounce.
• Feeling the weight of Daniel's glare, Louis became unsettled. Just then, a Royal Guard burst into the room.
• "Mr. Alvarado, there's bad news! The palace and Prince Wilbur's residence have been burglarized; the king is summoning you."
• "Keep a close watch on them! All valuables from the War God's Estate are to be seized—under no circumstances are they to be allowed to leave!"
• Before departing, Louis issued strict orders, and the women of the estate, adorned in jewelry, were compelled to remove their accessories.
• Tammy touched the plain accessory in her hair, relieved she had anticipated this; they couldn't strip her of anything.
• She quietly exhaled in relief, but then sensed a gaze fixed on her. Looking down, she met Remus's bewildered eyes.
• Tammy fell silent. In her space, she did have some medicinal powders and wound ointments, but it wouldn't be wise to bring them out in front of the royal guards.