Completely Our Own Home

Evan Xiao's presence instantly enveloped her...

He reached out and pulled her into his arms, holding her so tightly it felt as though he wanted to meld her into his very being...

...

Minister Zhuo hated Grace Wan with every fiber of his being.

He even said he wanted to expose all of Grace Wan's crimes to the world.

He wanted to strip her of her title, erase her from the family records, and let her infamous name be reviled for generations.

But this wild idea was stopped by Dowager Lady Evelyn Zhu.

"...If you do this, Gwen Walker won't be able to stay Empress," Dowager Lady Evelyn said. "Even if you don't care, the fact that you 'don't care' will make Colin Gu suspicious! What kind of minister doesn't care about his own daughter's throne? Unless he has other motives."

Minister Zhuo hesitated.

In the end, all he could do was quietly remove Grace Wan's name from the family records.

As if venting his frustration, he knocked down the Snowdrop Garden sign and kicked out every servant who had ever worked for Grace Wan.

Chloe Zhu stood at the entrance of Snowdrop Garden, watching the stream of servants leaving the estate, her heart filled with a whirlwind of emotions.

For the first time in her life, she felt like this house finally, truly belonged to her.

Clearly, two tigers can't share one mountain.

It’s the same, whether it’s a regular family or a royal one.

"Chloe." Minister Zhuo called from behind her.

"Dad."

"How’s Evan Xiao?"

"He’s fine, just a few scratches."

Minister Zhuo nodded, his expression clouded. "Chloe, I’m sorry. I failed you. I didn’t protect you, and let you suffer so much in the past."

Chloe Zhu's eyes grew misty with tears.

She really had endured so much hardship.

She truly had been wronged again and again.

Her whole life long.

"Dad, it's not your fault," Chloe Zhu said. "It's Grace Wan's doing. You don't have to bear the blame for her."

"I should have exposed her crimes to everyone, but... weighing the pros and cons, I had to keep it quiet," Minister Zhuo said. "Can you understand me, Chloe?"

Chloe Zhu nodded. "I believe she'll get what she deserves, sooner or later!"

As father and daughter spoke, Minister Zhuo's trusted aide came up and whispered, "Prime Minister, Her Majesty the Empress has returned in disguise."

Minister Zhuo frowned. "Send her to Ziwei Pavilion."

"Yes, sir." The aide withdrew.

"Chloe, you come with me too." Minister Zhuo led Chloe Zhu to Ziwei Pavilion.

Kevin Zhuo suddenly felt like an orphan with no parents.

He'd always been the golden child, and now he was completely at a loss.

So he went to the palace to find Gwen Walker, and told her everything he'd seen and heard.

Gwen Walker came home.

She wore plain clothes, no jewelry, no makeup—her face was completely bare.

Kevin Zhuo trailed behind her.

The moment Gwen saw Minister Zhuo and Chloe Zhu, her eyes filled with tears and she dropped to her knees before her father.

"Dad, Sis," Gwen sobbed. "Kevin already told me everything about Mom. So my Phoenix Heart... it was actually yours, Sis."

Minister Zhuo looked at her with a complex expression, saying nothing.

For more than ten years, Gwen Walker had been the daughter Minister Zhuo was most proud of.

But Chloe Zhu was the one who had always disappointed and troubled him the most.

In the end... he’d been wrong about everything.

Gwen Walker turned to Chloe Zhu, her eyes brimming with tears. "Sis, I’m sorry."

Chloe Zhu said nothing.

She just couldn’t bring herself to say, 'It’s okay.'

Seeing their silence, Gwen Walker added, "I know nothing I say can make up for the pain my mother caused you and Mom. All I can do is..."