Morgan Shangguan reached out and touched the Violet Crystal Orb, saying softly, "I told you, with this on, you don’t have to worry about any poison in your medicine."
Damien Gray raised an eyebrow. He had thought she merely meant the orb would protect him from lingering side effects, but now he realized it could neutralize any poison!
Claire Yi followed behind Maxwell Jing, her heart uneasy. Why would her senior seek her out at such a moment? She asked Maxwell, but he remained silent, only deepening her anxiety.
As she walked with Maxwell Jing toward Morgan Shangguan’s room, Claire Yi grew even more nervous. Her mind raced—was Morgan truly all right, or had Damien Gray discovered something?
At the doorway, Claire Yi took a deep breath before lifting her gaze, only to be greeted by an intimate scene—Morgan Shangguan was seated on Damien Gray’s lap, her eyes sparkling with laughter as she gazed at him. Her hand rested boldly on his chest, the picture of flirtation, while Damien’s gaze lingered on Morgan’s face, a smile in his eyes as if he was about to lean in and kiss her.
The sight sent Claire Yi’s anger surging—shameless woman! In that moment, all thoughts of why Morgan Shangguan was still alive or why Damien Gray had summoned her vanished. She was so furious she completely forgot about the poisoning!
Claire Yi struggled to suppress her fury, resisting the urge to point at Morgan Shangguan and curse her out. After all, Damien Gray was present, and in front of the man she cared for, she always wanted to show her best side. She had always been gentle—if not for Morgan’s appearance, she wouldn’t have lost her composure!
Morgan Shangguan turned to her, curiosity in her eyes. "Two cups of tea—how did you know I’d drink the poisoned one?" In truth, she’d gotten it wrong; Damien Gray had actually taken the poisoned cup. Morgan couldn’t help but wonder what Claire Yi was thinking. Did she expect her to drink both?
"What? Two cups?" Claire Yi blurted out in surprise, unable to hold back. Clearly, she hadn’t known there were two cups of tea.
As it happened, Susie Yun was usually attentive, but she’d been careless that morning and forgot to bring an extra teacup. She prepared the tea in the courtyard, intending to fetch another cup, but was distracted by the barking puppy. After checking on the dog, she went back inside to wake Ryan Ouyang and brought a cup out with her. It was during her absence that Claire Yi acted, so she only saw one cup of tea.
After her outburst, Claire Yi realized how foolish she’d been. Her face turned pale as she stammered, "I... I don’t know what you mean..."
Maxwell Jing shook his head. Foolish woman—how could she dare poison the Princess Consort with such little wit? Did she think her life was too easy?
Damien Gray lounged lazily in his chair, holding Morgan Shangguan in his arms, his eyes half-closed. When he looked at Claire Yi, his gaze was icy cold. Meeting his eyes, Claire’s heart ached and her complexion grew even paler. Nervously, she said, "Senior, you believe me..."
This Damien Gray not only made her heart ache, but also filled her with dread. She’d seen him angry before—frightening, yes, but never directed at her. This time, his fury was for her alone, and it was fiercer than ever. Even without speaking, his gaze made her shiver to her core.
Damien Gray’s lips curled into a cold, mocking smile. His voice was full of disbelief. "Believe you about what?"
Claire Yi, feeling guilty, couldn’t meet his eyes. Nervously, she said, "Believe that I didn’t poison anyone."
Damien Gray gave a quiet, emotionless "Oh," his tone unreadable. He glanced at Morgan Shangguan. "What does Princess Consort think is the best way to handle this?"
Morgan Shangguan raised her brows, utterly unconcerned. "That’s your problem," she replied.
Since Morgan Shangguan had no opinion, Damien Gray did things his own way. He gently lifted a strand of her dark hair, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. His gaze flicked to Claire Yi, lips curling into a cruel, seductive smile. In a voice as light as a whisper, he uttered two words: "Cripple her."
At his words, Maxwell Jing, who had been slouching by the door, immediately straightened and stepped toward Claire Yi. Terrified, Claire Yi stumbled backward. "What... what are you going to do?"
Maxwell Jing smiled elegantly, his voice gentle but merciless. "Sorry, but it’s not that I don’t cherish beauty—it’s just that you’re too foolish. If you lack the skill, don’t harbor dark intentions! See what’s happened now..." He even sighed, looking regretful, but his words sent Claire Yi stumbling back several steps in fear.
Claire Yi retreated to Damien Gray’s side, her voice trembling. "Senior, I know I was wrong. I’ll never dare again..." She reached out to grab Damien’s arm, but Morgan Shangguan, who had been quietly watching, frowned and flicked her sleeve. Instantly, Claire Yi fell at Maxwell Jing’s feet, dizzy and disoriented.
"Senior..." Claire Yi sobbed in fear. "I’ve loved you for so long... How can you treat me like this for the sake of that witch? What’s so special about Morgan Shangguan? Can a few months really outweigh more than ten years?"
Damien Gray’s expression grew even colder. Morgan Shangguan reached over and patted his back, soothing him until his face softened. The two began whispering to each other. Damien glanced at Morgan and murmured, "Mo’er, she says she loves me!"
Morgan Shangguan raised her brows, replying calmly, "Mm, I heard her."
Seeing Morgan so unfazed, Damien Gray’s face fell. "Mo’er, why aren’t you angry?"
Morgan Shangguan couldn’t help but smile. "Whether she loves you or not is her business. Why should I be angry?" She’d completely forgotten about finding a man for Claire Yi—that would have been anger, wouldn’t it? She looked up at him, her gaze gentle. "Or do you still have feelings for her?"
Damien Gray shook his head, smiling. "My feelings are only for my Princess Consort."
Watching their intimacy, Claire Yi seethed with resentment, forgetting even to cry. But she dared not act out—Maxwell Jing stood close by, ready to strike at any moment. She knew her meager martial skills were no match for anyone in the Prince’s manor, let alone Maxwell Jing!