Chapter 156: Chapter 156: Jealousy

Lu Ge Wei had always put her interests above all else, ever since she was a child. She saw nothing wrong with it; after all, every single female in the Empire was the same.

And who, despite already holding a high station in the Empire, would object to rising even higher?

She had inherited the title of Earl from her mother, but it still wasn’t enough. Since it was impossible for her to achieve a higher station on her own merits, her only option was to attach herself to a higher social class.

The first time she met Admiral Kelan was at a banquet. Initially, she didn’t think he was anything special. After all, which of the males surrounding her wasn’t exceptionally handsome?

It was only when a friend told her of Admiral Kelan’s identity—the eldest male of Duke Galliadoro’s family, already a Vice Admiral at such a young age, with a promotion to Admiral being just a matter of time—that her perspective shifted.

However, Lu Ge Wei didn’t care about his rank; she only had eyes for his family background. To her dismay, Admiral Kelan rejected her, stating that he currently had no intention of becoming anyone’s main husband and that she should consider others.

It was the first time in her life she had ever been rejected, leaving Lu Ge Wei both embarrassed and furious.

She swore that she would secure Admiral Kelan, one way or another. And in the end, she did. After all, males cared far more about their reputation than females. After they had relations and Duke Galliadoro learned of it, nothing was said. The initially unwilling Admiral Kelan had no choice but to compromise and become her main husband.

She thought she had won. After the wedding, she ordered Admiral Kelan to quit his job and stay at home, but he just looked at her with a cold smile. He informed her that he had recently been promoted to Admiral and was no longer subject to the authority of a female superior. He would not give up his work. She, however, would have to fulfill her duties as the female head of the house: she was to perform his Spiritual Soothing.

They fought for a lifetime. She would even do whatever Admiral Kelan hated most. Knowing he detested being intimate with her, she would secretly replace his inhibitors and use his heat cycles to force herself on him. She bore three female children this way and even named two of them after the concept of “pleasure,” ensuring that every time he saw them, he would be reminded of the past. It was best he never forgot.

She had thought she didn’t care much for Admiral Kelan’s affections. After all, she had gotten everything she wanted.

But ever since she heard that Admiral Kelan was growing closer to Lu Xiao, she couldn’t stop the jealousy simmering in the depths of her heart.

Before, when Admiral Kelan was distant from her and their three daughters, she had thought him a heartless monster.

But now, he was taking the initiative to grow closer to Lu Xiao. He was even willing to contact his own mother for Lu Xiao’s sake, to connect her with Duke Galliadoro and make the Duke her backer.

These were all things Lu Ge Wei had desperately sought but never obtained, and he was giving them to Lu Xiao so easily.

Even though Lu Xiao was her own daughter, it still made her jealous. So incredibly jealous!

Why? On what grounds?

If Admiral Kelan was willing to be close to Lu Xiao, why couldn’t he be a little kinder to her?

Lu Xiao had just stepped out of the shower when she received the call from Lu Ge Wei. Her hair wasn’t even dry yet when she answered the voice communication.

Seeing this, Ares found a towel and began to gently dry her hair for her.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiao listened as Lu Ge Wei spoke from the other end of the line: “Come home when you have a moment. There’s something I need to see you about. Let’s make it tomorrow evening. And come alone.”

Hearing Lu Ge Wei specifically emphasize that she should come back by herself, Lu Xiao raised an eyebrow. “Is it something you can’t say now, Mother? I’m afraid I won’t have time tomorrow.”

It wasn’t that she didn’t have time; she just didn’t want to go back. She knew perfectly well that Lu Ge Wei couldn’t possibly be calling her for anything good.

“Have my words stopped meaning anything to you?” Lu Ge Wei’s voice turned into a sudden, cold rebuke. “Don’t think Duke Galliadoro is so easy to latch onto. You’d better know your place!”

Lu Xiao paused for a moment, then replied, “Mother, you’re not calling me back just for this, are you? Heh. Are you jealous?”

Lu Ge Wei’s heart tightened. She hadn’t expected Lu Xiao to be so perceptive; she had only let a hint of her emotions slip, and Lu Xiao had caught it immediately.

“I don’t know what tricks you used to delude your father, but don’t get too smug!” Since Lu Xiao had already figured it out, Lu Ge Wei didn’t bother hiding it anymore. Right now, she was desperate for an outlet for her frustration.

And Lu Xiao was clearly the perfect target.

Her mind clouded with jealousy, Lu Ge Wei had completely forgotten that Lu Xiao had a dangerously sharp tongue.

Hearing this, Lu Xiao was taken aback. She truly had never imagined that Lu Ge Wei would be jealous of her. No matter how you looked at it, she was Lu Ge Wei’s daughter.

A mother jealous of her own child?

It was the first time she’d ever encountered such a thing. It felt bizarre, leaving her at a loss for whether to laugh or cry.

“Isn’t it perfectly normal for a father to care for his own child? How is it that when it comes to you, Mother, it becomes me using tricks to delude him? Admiral Kelan is my direct kin. Is it wrong for me to be close to him and have a good relationship? Your words hurt me, Mother. The fact that you can’t get Father’s love yourself, so you take it out on me with jealousy… that’s truly unreasonable. It wouldn’t sound good if word got out, either. You should stop saying such things. If you want to receive Father’s love like I do, perhaps you should look for the problem within yourself. Maybe then, in the decades to come, you’ll have a chance to mend things with him.”

When Lu Xiao spoke, she didn’t hold back. She intended to make Lu Ge Wei suffer. What’s more, she knew exactly where her mother’s weak spot was, so how could she not strike it?

She was not a soft-hearted person.

If Lu Ge Wei was going to serve herself up on a platter, Lu Xiao would gladly accept.

As expected, those words were enough to make Lu Ge Wei choke with rage. “Lu Xiao, you… how can you be so shameless! If you had any decency, you’d be thinking of how to help me fix my relationship with your father, not competing with me for his affection! You…”

At this, Lu Xiao suddenly burst out laughing. “Mother, when did you ever have Father’s love? Do I even need to compete with you for it?”

It was hilarious. Just looking at the way Admiral Kelan treated Lu Ge Wei, it was clear there wasn’t a shred of love there.

Although she didn’t know how the two of them, with a relationship like that, could have produced three daughters, she was certain that Admiral Kelan had likely been unwilling.

It had to be said, on a certain level, Lu Xiao was exceptionally perceptive and clever, because her guess was already extremely close to the truth.

With her last shred of self-deception so brutally torn away by Lu Xiao, Lu Ge Wei shrieked, “Lu Xiao, you deserve to die! You—”

Seeing Lu Ge Wei descend into a mad fit, Lu Xiao didn’t hesitate for a second and cut the connection. If her mother wanted to have a meltdown, she could do it on her own time. She just better not bother her with it.

The call disconnected. Lu Xiao turned to look at Ares, who was watching her with a concerned expression. “What’s with that look? Can’t you just treat it as a joke? You don’t actually think I’d be sad about this, do you?”

Ares knew Lu Xiao was strong, but he still couldn’t help but feel indignant on her behalf. “Xiao Xiao, you shouldn’t have to go through this.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep