The silence in the room was heavy, and for a moment, it seemed like Duchess Alicia was at a loss for words. But strangely, her anger turned into calmness as she smiled wickedly at Beatrice.
"Hah! You've lost your mind, Beatrice. What kind of proof do you have to defame me like that? Your own mother! Don't you have any compassion left in you at all?" she said with a trembling voice, her words dripping with sarcasm.
"I know you've been through a lot, especially with your engagement being annulled. But to blame your own mother like this? What kind of daughter have I raised?" Duchess Alicia cried dramatically in Richard's arms, as if she was the victim in all of this.
The nobles in the room began to whisper amongst themselves, unsure of who to believe. Some muttered insults under their breath, while others exchanged skeptical looks.
