Chapter 183: Chapter 183: Deprivation

The moment Admiral Clan and Duke Cecilia appeared, Lu Xiao realized she was no longer alone and helpless in this world. She didn’t just have Ares; she had her father and grandmother too.

For the first time in this strange world, she felt a sense of belonging.

Lu Ge Wei watched Lu Xiao walk toward Cecilia, her eyes filled with unconcealable jealousy.

But she said, “Mother, you’ve misunderstood. I was just joking with Xiao Xiao. I can’t believe we troubled you to come all this way.”

She knew full well that Cecilia was only sitting here now because of Admiral Clan.

But she didn’t dare scold Admiral Clan in front of Cecilia. That would be a direct slap in the face to the Galiodro family.

Cecilia gave Lu Ge Wei a cold look as she tried to smooth things over.

“A joke? We heard everything from outside the door. I never thought a mother could be jealous of her own female child. I also never expected you to gather so many people here. What were you planning? To kidnap Xiao Xiao? To force her, for you, her own mother, to go against her wishes and accept those good-for-nothing males?”

“Mother, that wasn’t my intention! I genuinely want what’s best for her. I was just worried about her being home alone…”

“Enough. I’m not blind, nor am I so old that I can’t tell right from wrong. I can see whether you’re sincere. There’s no need to make excuses. We all know exactly what kind of person you are. The best thing you’ve ever done in your life was probably giving birth to Lu Xiao.” As Cecilia spoke, she couldn’t hide the disgust in her eyes. “If Xiao Xiao had been the least bit weaker today, she would have been bullied to death by you lot. Thankfully, Lu Xiao is not a soft person, and she knows exactly what kind of life she wants. The life she has now is better and more fulfilling than anything you could ever imagine, see, or obtain in a dozen lifetimes. You have every right to be jealous, because you can never have it. You are rotten to the core!”

“And as for those rotten, gossipy females of the Empire who think they’re so high and mighty when they’re actually nothing—they’re absolutely disgusting, every last one of them a blabbermouth. I’m making this clear right now: if any other female dares to spread baseless rumors or to vilify and insult our Lu Xiao, I will, in the name of the Duke Garieldo Mansion, file a complaint against them with the Female Protection Association. We’ll just see what wonderful lives they’re living then!”

Cecilia’s words were meant for the females outside—the ones who had wanted to leave but were stopped by the sudden appearance of Admiral Clan.

Right now, they were all like frightened quails, barely daring to breathe.

After saying her piece, Cecilia’s expression softened considerably, as she had clearly vented most of her anger.

But she showed no regard for Lu Ge Wei’s fate, acting as if she were about to pass judgment on her right then and there.

The old matriarch sat there, accepting the tea Lu Xiao had poured for her. She took a sip to soothe her throat and continued her tirade.

“As for you, Earl Lu Ge Wei, your life is a complete mess. What right do you have to meddle in Lu Xiao’s affairs? Do her achievements today have anything to do with you, her mother? She turned out this way because she’s a strong child who refused to follow her mother’s example and rot away with you. Even Lu Huan and Lu Yu have become so much better because of Xiao Xiao. You’re the only one still rotting in the mire, trying to drag everyone else down with you. You’re a bad seed, born rotten.” At this, Cecilia couldn’t help but stand. “Today, I’m making an executive decision. In the name of Duke Galli Odello, I permit the three female children, Lu Xiao, Lu Huan, and Lu Yu, to sever all ties with your Earl Ge Wei Mansion. From this day forward, they will be registered under my name and will have absolutely no connection to you, Lu Ge Wei. They will live their lives as they see fit, and you are forbidden from ever interfering again!”

This, clearly, was Cecilia’s true purpose for coming today.

Her unquestionable tone left Lu Ge Wei no room to negotiate or refuse.

Cecilia’s words were beyond anything Lu Ge Wei could have imagined. She never thought that a moment of impulse, of jealousy, would lead Duke Cecilia to exercise her authority and strip her of her maternal rights.

If this actually happened, she would become the laughingstock of every female in the Empire. There would be no chance of a comeback.

It was a result she could not bear.

“Mother! Mother, I was wrong! It was a moment of impulse, I truly didn’t have any ill intentions, I swear! Please believe me, I didn’t! Xiao Xiao, Mother was wrong. I’ll never interfere with you again. You can live however you want to live! Kelan, for the sake of our marriage, please try to persuade Mother!” Lu Ge Wei was truly panicking now. Forgetting her pride, forgetting her dignity as an Earl, she grabbed Duke Cecilia’s sleeve and begged desperately for mercy.

But Cecilia flung her hand away and looked at her coldly. “My mind is made up. I will report this to Her Majesty the Queen in due time. Face reality, Lu Ge Wei. This is the life you wanted for Lu Xiao. How about you get a taste of it first?”

At Cecilia’s words, Lu Ge Wei’s body went limp, and she collapsed to the floor. “Why? Why are you doing this to me? For all these years, I have been nothing but respectful and reverent toward you. I’ve never slighted you for a single day. Why must you be so heartless?”

“Why? Don’t you know perfectly well? To scheme your way into the Galiodro family, what did you do to Kelan? Did you really think I didn’t know? That I didn’t care? I only acquiesced because I knew you wouldn’t have it easy even if you were with Kelan, and he, in turn, could get a promotion out of it. Otherwise, you would have met this fate decades ago.”

At this, Cecilia’s tone softened slightly. “Originally, for Lu Xiao’s sake, I was willing to let many things slide. But you just had to go looking for trouble. Her main husband just left for the front lines, and you were already this eager to recommend other males to her. What were your intentions? Do you think everyone is like you, unable to bear a moment of loneliness? While Kelan was stationed at the front, you were at home, finding one male after another. Were you really that desperate?”

Clearly, Cecilia’s silence over the years about Lu Ge Wei’s actions didn’t mean she was unaware or had forgotten. She had simply been waiting for the right opportunity to settle the score. In fact, for Lu Xiao’s sake, she had even considered letting it all go.

But Lu Ge Wei just had to tempt fate and try to destroy the happy life Lu Xiao had built.

Admiral Clan already felt guilty for disrupting Lu Xiao’s peaceful life by personally paving the way for Ares to go to the front lines. On top of that, he had witnessed firsthand the sincere love between Lu Xiao and Ares.

His self-recrimination hadn’t even subsided, and he had just sworn to protect their relationship. With Lu Ge Wei barging in at a time like this, how could they possibly let her off the hook?

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep