Lily Evans looked up at the Empress with an expression reserved for the simple-minded. "If you really wanted to kill me, would you go to all this trouble just to bring me into the palace and poison my food? You detained me because you want to use me—and the child I'm carrying—as leverage against my husband. If I die, what would you use to threaten Prince Alexander?"
As Lily spoke, she continued eating with relish. She even thoughtfully picked up some food and placed it in the Empress's dish. "Your Majesty, I noticed you haven't eaten anything. You must be hungry. Come on, have a proper meal."
After speaking, Lily gave the Empress a meaningful look. "You'd better enjoy this last meal—eat well, eat your fill, and savor every bite..."
The Empress felt chills run down her spine under Lily's gaze.
Clearly, this was supposed to be Lily's last meal, but the way she said it, it sounded like it was the Empress's last meal instead.
The Empress was both irritated by Lily and intimidated by her aura, feeling a sense of fear.
Realizing her own fear, the Empress felt her cheeks burn with shame. She was the mother of the nation, yet here she was, frightened by a pregnant prisoner!
Surprisingly, the Empress actually stayed and joined Lily for the meal.
But the Empress had little appetite and ate only a little. Lily noticed and teased, "Your Majesty, you really don't have much of an appetite. Is something weighing on your mind?"
The Empress was flustered at being so easily read and glared at Lily viciously. "Lily Evans, you're about to die and still have the nerve to run your mouth! Prince of Qin's Manor has already been taken, and your so-called good husband is nothing but a brute—he foolishly led his men to attack the palace. Hmph, he should've run away; maybe he'd have survived, but instead he came here to die, all to save you! Lily Evans, you're nothing but a troublemaker. If Alexander Hayes dies, it'll be all your fault. You're the reason Prince of Qin's Manor was raided, and now he's storming the palace for you. Your man is doomed, and it's all because of you!"
The Empress stared at Lily's face and spat out venomous words, hoping to see pain and fear on her.
But even after staring so hard her eyes nearly popped, Lily showed no sign of pain or fear.
Seeing Lily's unflappable attitude, the Empress grew even more frustrated and shouted venomously, "Lily Evans, are you deaf? Your man is going to die because of you!"
Lily's eardrums buzzed from the Empress's yelling. She rubbed her ear, looked up with a bright smile, and replied, "I'm not deaf, so of course I heard you. Oh, by the way, Your Majesty, didn't the Emperor send Prince Ling to besiege Prince of Qin's Manor? Now my husband has brought his men to attack the palace. Aren't you curious what happened to your son, the one responsible for attacking my husband?"
The Empress's pupils contracted sharply; she'd spent the whole afternoon worrying about Prince Ling's safety.
Even though the Emperor had said Prince Ling led six thousand men while Prince of Qin's Manor only had a few hundred guards, and that Prince Ling would surely be fine...
But the Empress couldn't help worrying about her son. She'd spent the whole afternoon comforting herself, telling herself Prince Ling would be safe. Yet with one jab from Lily, all the confidence she'd built up in that afternoon instantly crumbled.
The Empress felt her hands trembling uncontrollably, and the chopsticks slipped from her grasp, clattering to the floor. The large end struck the ground and shattered, making her feel an inexplicable sense of dread...