The Epilogue is also uploaded today so please don't forget to read the Epilogue ^-^! I hope you guys will enjoy reading this chapter <3

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We all sat down at the dining table and waited for the servants to bring the tea and snacks. The formal prince consort never liked awkward silence so he made sure that the conversation wasn't one-sided.

"I guess you have a special reason that you've come here." I simply nodded. I can't seem to get rid of my habit of not continuing the conversation. I guess I tend to be quiet while I'm nervous.

After all, over those five years, we've never had a normal conversation.

"Is it better to be discussed privately or you can talk about right here?" Noel politely asked me.

"I think it's better to discuss it privately." I firmly answered it.

"Ah I see, since you want to discuss privately then we cannot stay here silently and not talk about something else." Noel pointed out and I simply nodded.

"So how do enjoy ruling Ravendale?" Noel asked lightly.

"I consider this question weird since it's coming from the person who also previously ruled Ravendale." I answered and Noel chuckled.

"Fair." Noel answered.

Then Noah arrived with his two adoptive daughters in the dining room and soon the maid started serving tea and snacks.

Noah and Noel respectfully held a conversation with me and my secondary husbands.

Honestly, I didn't think I will be enjoying the trip, but so far it's more bearable than I expected.

"How long are you going to stay here?" Noah asked us.

"Just for one night." I answered.

"Ah, it's a shame that your trip is short, Icemond have beautiful winter festivals." Noel commented.

"We simply have a tight schedule." Alistair and Abel apologizingly answered.

"We understand, after all, we've also been in your shoes." Noah commented.

After a few more small talks we finished drinking our tea.

Noah instructed maids to take their adoptive daughters back to their room and also show instructed my secondary to show our room.

Then they led to the lounge where we could talk more privately.

"Excuse us for being inquisitive but we are curious what made you come here." Noel asked me and I nodded the sighed.

"I came here to know about the investigation results of Cordelia's death." I revealed my reason.

They looked surprised at my answer and then they became more curious about why I was asking the investigation result.

"Ah let me guess, you were asked to investigate this incident? Am I correct?" Noel asked me I nodded.

"I was indeed asked to investigate but it's nothing to do with the fact that my grandmother won't even give the document that has all the pieces of evidence." I said.

"She is just trying to protect you." Noah answered.

"From what? From the truth?" I impatiently asked him and they sighed.

"The truth can be painful, Annabelle." Noel answered while looked at me with hesitation on his face.

"Then you rather let me live in lies?" I questioned them and they sighed in defeat.

Noah left the lounge to grab the document that has at least clues since the grandmother failed to investigate this.

"I have to warn you that your grandmother lied about the investigation being incomplete." Noel warned me.

"Oh, so it's completed then?" I asked Noel.

If the investigation is completed then why it's wasn't announced to the public yet?

"The investigation is definitely completed." Noah came back with a big folder and put on the table.

I took the folder and started running through the list of witnesses' testimonies, pieces of evidence and finally there was footage from the cameras that are in Royal Palace.

I knew that the Royal Palace would use this kind of technology to keep the place that royals residing in safe. I guess that the nobles didn't know how the Royal Palace was protected so my grandmother took advantage of it and announced that the investigation is discontinued due to lack of evidence.

My eyes landed on the photo and the folder almost fell off my hands. Noah saw me and simply took the folder from my hands and put it on the table.

"How?" my voice has wavered my whole body felt weak

"Wasn't my father was dead at the time?" I weakly uttered those words.

I truly wished it's was a prank but Noah and Noel had a serious expression.

"It's difficult to explain but we will try to simplify for you. " Noel and Noah truly pitied Annabelle.Until now she was oblivious of the wrongdoings of her father.

"How you heard the story of 'The boy and his shadow'?" Noah asked me and I weakly nodded as I waited for their explanation.

"It's the same concept the difference is that your father could summon his shadow anytime. Furthermore, his shadow can continue to live even after his death. As long the shadow will do everything that your father wished to do it after death." Noel explained to me.

"But why he would do such a thing?" I asked while looking back at my memories.

My father was never seemed to be very vengeful.

"To be honest, your father was never a good man, to begin with. We all were truly surprised that your personality ended being opposite from your father." Noah said.

"It's couldn't be true." I denied with a weak voice.

"It's true, Annabelle. We wished that we wouldn't have to tell you about this, but we wouldn't want you living in lies." Noel told me in a gentle tone.

"If you don't believe it. You can ask your grandparents." Noah suggested to me.

That day I couldn't fall asleep. I was hoping that it's wasn't true but only doubt began to unveil in my mind. My worries didn't let my husbands sleep since they were worried about me.

On the next day, I left the residence without eating breakfast.

I wanted to return and confirm that my second uncles have only lied to me.

Abel and Alistair convinced me to stop at a restaurant to eat a meal since I haven't eaten anything. I was simply feeling too nervous to eat anything so we stopped at the restaurant and we ate the meal on our way to my grandparent's residence.

Abel and Alistair tried to find out what I was told but I just didn't have a mood to reveal so I simply stayed quiet during the whole ride.

When I arrived I quickly marched to my grandparent's residence.

The guards who were in charge of keeping the residence safe were definitely confused at my presence since I didn't inform my grandparents that I will be visiting them.

Soon the residence's staff became confused.

Finally, my grandparents were shocked that I arrived uninformed. They were drinking tea in the lounge room.

"Annabelle, where are your manners? Why did you storm here?" My grandmother scolded me.

" I didn't have time to inform my visit since I wanted simply came here to talk privately with you, grandmother." My grandfather noticed the difference in my tone and they became worried.

My grandmother mentally sighed and led me to the room. While my grandfathers asked Abel and Alistair what have happened.

"Annabelle, I thought I taught you not that you shouldn't be rude in any circumstances. " My grandmother continued to scold me while we walked through the hallway.

When we arrived at her study room my grandmother demanded the reason why I stormed here uninformed.

"Now please tell me what is the special reason that made you come here uninformed?" My grandmother asked me.

"Is it true that my father managed to assassinate the former Queen Cordelia?" I was being very forward since I truly wanted to see her reaction.

I wanted to know the truth.

My strategy had worked and my grandmother definitely was shocked at my question.

"Hah, so you were brave enough to visit them? You are becoming braver than five years ago." My grandmother strangely complimented me.

"So it's true." I said.

"Then why you hid this fact about my father?" I questioned my grandmother.

"If you knew the truth about your father. What could you have done to change it?" My grandmother challenged me and I didn't expect her to ask me this question.

When I didn't answer her my grandmother sighed.

"I just wanted you to live a happier life. The nobles don't need to know how messy our royal family is." My grandmother quietly said.

My grandmother was right, if I tell the Sapphire family the whole truth the soon all of the Ravendalian nobles will know. And the Sapphire family still waiting for my answer.

"What should I do then?" I quietly asked myself.

Of course, Anastasia predicted the Sapphire family would want to see the investigation results, but she hadn't expected them to ask Annabelle about it and she surely hadn't expected Annabelle to find found the truth.

Anastasia sighed before answering.

"I gathered sources that one of the Sapphire household members is supporting the rebellion. It's not hard to pin on Cordelia's death on them." She revealed her plan.

"Wouldn't it backfire ?" I asked in a worried tone.

"Oh Annabelle, after the war your position became very secured the Sapphire family couldn't do anything about it." My grandmother gloated at the upcoming misfortune to the Sapphire family.

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I hope you liked the relevation ^-^!

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