Chapter 291: Rise of the Phoenix 2
The silence hung heavy in the steamy air of the bath chamber. The servant clutched her arm, trembling, not just from pain but from the shock of being struck—by Linnea of all people.
Linnea stood still, her breathing shallow, hand slowly lowering to her side as the echo of the slap faded.
Eloisa’s voice cracked the tension. "You’ve overstepped, Linnea. You don’t have the right—"
"I do," Linnea cut in, her voice low but charged with emotion. She turned toward the duchess, something in her eyes unrecognizable—an old fire, long buried. "Because I am his mother. And I will never stand by while someone hurts my son again. Not a servant. Not a noble. Not even you." She glared at the duchess. "He was taken from me before, and I knew you lent a hand to that Duchess."
Eloisa’s jaw clenched. "How dare you slander me? You forget who gives you a roof over your head—"
"No," Linnea interrupted softly, "I remember—every single day. I remember how you kept me silent. I remember how I had to pretend I didn’t see the bruises on my son’s arms. I remember how powerless I felt while he flinched at a raised voice. I remember how you taught me obedience so well, I almost taught it to him too. Yet, despite my silence and obedience, you still had my son kidnapped even when he was disguised as a girl."
Her eyes welled up, but her voice didn’t waver.
"But not anymore."
Sandoz, still sitting in the tub, watched his mother like she was both new and familiar. His small hands trembled just slightly under the water.
Eloisa’s lips parted, but she couldn’t summon the usual bite. For the first time in years, Linnea looked like someone she could no longer predict, no longer mold.
The servant whimpered quietly, backing away, but Linnea didn’t spare her another glance.