Bound to Clash Eventually

Dowager Lady Evelyn Zhu was a force to be reckoned with.

She immediately discussed with Minister Zhuo, gathered all sorts of evidence of Prince Cheng and Diana Su being together, and even secured the physician who confirmed Diana Su's pregnancy.

Next, they had Maya Summers stage a hanging attempt, called the imperial physician to check her, and then Dowager Lady Evelyn personally entered the palace to tell the Empress Dowager that Maya, distraught over Prince Cheng and Diana Su, nearly died by suicide.

She even threatened to call off the engagement—if the marriage wasn't annulled, Maya would end her life for real.

"...Empress Dowager, of all my children, Maya is the one who most resembles her father—bold, loyal, but stubborn to a fault. Ever since her father's passing, I've seen her as his shadow. If Maya dies, I won't survive either!" Dowager Lady Evelyn said to the Empress Dowager, her face full of grief.

"...Just a trivial courtesan, why must the engagement be annulled?" the Empress Dowager frowned. "I'll handle this matter. Go back and comfort Maya—help her relax."

Both Evan and Evan's sister are biological children of the Empress Dowager.

Of course, she wouldn't agree to the Lawrence family annulling the engagement over this.

That would ruin Prince Cheng's reputation.

"Empress Dowager, please have mercy and annul their engagement!" Dowager Lady Evelyn said firmly. "Otherwise, if anything happens to Maya, I can't promise what I might do!"

"What now? Aunt, are you threatening me?" The Empress Dowager's face darkened.

Dowager Lady Evelyn didn't back down at all. Calm and composed, she replied, "Empress Dowager, you know my temper. I don't threaten you. But if word gets out that Prince Cheng drove his fiancée to suicide over a courtesan, that won't sound good for his reputation, will it?"

As royalty, reputation is everything.

In fact, when talent is about equal, reputation is basically your future.

The Empress Dowager's face turned ashen.

"But if you issue a decree to annul the engagement right now, you can do it just like with General Evan Shaw and Princess Xinyao—use a celestial omen as the reason and dissolve the engagement. That way, Prince Cheng's reputation stays intact," Dowager Lady Evelyn suggested.

The Empress Dowager took a deep breath. "Aunt, is this engagement really over?"

"Please, Empress Dowager, save Maya's life!" Dowager Lady Evelyn insisted.

"Fine, let it be annulled! I'll issue the decree today!" the Empress Dowager said coldly.

"Thank you, Empress Dowager!" Dowager Lady Evelyn could tell she'd truly angered her.

Still, Dowager Lady Evelyn remained firm in both her demeanor and words.

She was the Late Emperor's own aunt, a true-born royal princess.

She was also a sixth-tier spiritual master.

And she was the spiritual leader of the Zhu Clan.

Most importantly, she wasn't afraid to go head-to-head with the Empress Dowager.

Because, sooner or later, it was bound to happen.

......

The engagement between Maya Summers and Prince Cheng was annulled that very day.

But from then on, the Empress Dowager definitely held a grudge against Maya—and even Dowager Lady Evelyn.

To the Empress Dowager, a courtesan was nothing, really. But all this drama—hanging, annulment—made the Lawrence family look bad.

Later, Grace heard that Diana Su was taken away by a mysterious person and never appeared again.

Grace figured that was probably the Empress Dowager's doing.

That same day, Maya Summers came to find Grace and asked her to go out together.

"Where are we going?" Grace asked.

"Outside. Prince Cheng is looking for me," Maya replied.

"Huh..." Grace blinked. "So why are you bringing me along?"

"If I can't help myself and try to kill him, you need to stand in front of Prince Cheng," Maya said, tightening her grip on her whip. "You don't have any spiritual power, so I won't hurt you."

Grace: "..."