Despair Falling from the Clouds to the Dust

When she was seized, Lady Min still tried to gamble, hoping her status as birth mother would soften Ninth Royal Uncle’s heart. But after a brief clash, Lady Min realized she had no chance; even though Prince Nolan came from her womb, he would show her no mercy.

She had lost, utterly and completely, with no hope of reversal. Now, all she could wish for was that Ezra Phoenixfield would escape with Jason Lan’s son and raise him well—perhaps, someday, another chance would come.

Clinging to this last hope, Lady Min’s bitterness faded just a little. She straightened her messy hair, glanced at the shadow guards blocking the doorway, and fixed her gaze on Prince Nolan, snapping, “Nolan Dongling, I am your mother. How dare you treat me like this?”

“There’s nothing I wouldn’t dare.” Prince Nolan’s eyes flashed with cold authority. “Take her away.” He didn’t see Lady Min as a mother at all. Panicking, Lady Min blocked the shadow guards, pleading, “Wait! I still have things to say to you. Make them leave first.”

Lady Min’s mind raced, searching for anything that could stall Nolan or change his mind. She finally thought of a secret about the late emperor, but as soon as she opened her mouth, she met Prince Nolan’s piercing gaze. “Mother, even in defeat, lose with pride. Don’t make me despise you.”

“Pfft—” Exposed and humiliated, Lady Min spat out a mouthful of blood in fury.

Blood splattered across the floor. At Lady Min’s sudden movement, Prince Nolan reacted instantly, dodging aside.

The shadow guards dared not move, lowering their heads and pretending to be invisible.

A flicker of pain flashed in Lady Min’s eyes.

Her son!

“Aunt Min, are you alright?” Clara Phoenixfield rushed forward, supporting Lady Min and gently wiping the blood from her lips. Then Clara turned, her eyes brimming with anguish, to Serena Feng.

“Serena, aren’t you going to plead with His Majesty? No matter what, Aunt Min is his mother—how could he treat her this way?” Even now, Clara Phoenixfield couldn’t grasp her defeat. In her mind, Lady Min’s status as mother meant the emperor would never truly harm her.

Clara’s brazen confidence, thinking herself untouchable, was nothing but self-delusion in the eyes of Prince Nolan and Serena.

“Serena? You flatter yourself. I have no niece like you. Don’t let me hear those words again—they make me sick.” Serena’s tone was cool and unbothered, utterly immune to Clara’s attempts to provoke her.

Clara bit her lip in fury, her face full of disappointment. “Serena—Miss Feng, how could you become like this? The Phoenixfield Clan has no daughter like you. Aren’t you afraid of letting the clan down?”

“And who are you to lecture me?” Serena lifted her gaze, eyes sharp as a blade, and strode over to Clara with slow, deliberate steps.

Serena looked Clara up and down with contempt. “Clara Phoenixfield, what right do you have to judge anyone? Did you ever consider right and wrong when you threatened your father and brothers with suicide?”

“What did you say?” Clara froze, stunned. “My father? How do you know I threatened them? Was it him? Did he tell you? Did he betray me?”

Clara clung desperately to Lady Min’s hand, horror etched across her face as she stared at Serena.

“What did you say? Ezra Phoenixfield betrayed me?” Lady Min ignored the pain in her arm, urgently questioning Serena.

Yes, that must be it. If Ezra Phoenixfield hadn’t betrayed her, how could she have failed so badly?

“There was never any loyalty, so how could there be betrayal? Don’t forget, Ezra Phoenixfield is Phoenixfield Clan. Not every Phoenixfield is as foolish as this woman.” Serena’s eyes swept over Clara, her voice full of scorn.

Other than dragging everyone down, what else can Clara Phoenixfield do?

Lady Min burst into mad laughter. “Never loyal? I was a fool, letting them play me for a fool!” Rage and despair twisted her face.

Her last hope was gone. Serena and Prince Nolan were simply too ruthless—far too ruthless.

Two silent tears slid down Lady Min’s cheeks as she stared ahead in utter despair.

She had been far too naive.

“You win.” Lady Min shook off Clara’s grip and stared woodenly at Prince Nolan, who met her gaze with icy calm—no trace of triumph in his eyes.

Clara staggered, barely keeping her balance, then pointed at Serena and screamed, “How could my father do this? He’s not my father—I have no father like that! I hate you, I hate all of you!”

The shadow guards, afraid Clara might hurt Serena, rushed to restrain her. Clara struggled wildly, her eyes burning with hatred. “I hate you! I hate you! I have no father like that! I’ll kill him! I’ll kill him! It’s all his fault I ended up like this—my son, my son…”

Clara’s eyes held only resentment for Ezra Phoenixfield—not a trace of real warmth.

Selfish, uncaring, indifferent to others’ lives—a daughter like that is better lost than kept.

Smack! Serena raised her hand and slapped Clara hard. “A daughter like you is your father’s misfortune. This slap is on Ezra’s behalf.”

Before Clara could react, Serena slapped her again. “A daughter like you is a disgrace to the Phoenixfield Clan. This one is from me. From now on, you’re not worthy of the Phoenixfield name.”

“What right—what right do you have to hit me?” The pain snapped Clara out of her hysteria. She stopped struggling, tears streaming as she glared at Serena.

“Who do you think you are, Serena? What gives you the right to hit me? If not for you, my father would never have betrayed me, and I wouldn’t be in this mess.”

“You think you’re better than me, Serena? You had a child out of wedlock too, disgracing the clan just like I did. So why—why was your son born a prince, while I had to abort mine and hide another like a peasant? Why is your son a lord, and mine doomed to nothing? I won’t accept it! Heaven, I won’t accept it!” Clara’s voice broke into sobs.

Even after her plan collapsed, Clara had clung to Lady Min’s status and her father outside, never truly afraid—still hoping. Now, with every illusion shattered, the fall from imagined glory to ruin was too much to bear. She blamed everyone but herself.

Looking back, Clara realized her ‘perfect’ life only began to unravel after Serena appeared.

“Why? Why didn’t you just die? Why did you have to block my son’s path? I hate you! I hate you all! Serena, you should never have existed—it’s you, you ruined me!”

“You’re insane.” Serena remained unmoved and waved to the shadow guards. “Take her away.”

“Yes, ma’am.” The shadow guards knocked Clara out and dragged her off without ceremony.

“You’re a cold woman.” Lady Min turned her head to look at Serena, then walked out on her own—no need for shadow guards to drag her.

If begging is useless, then lose with pride!