The courtyard fell into dead silence, broken only by the harsh wind sweeping through the branches above, creating an eerie whisper.
Richard remained frozen like stone, completely stunned.
Minutes crawled by before he finally stirred, his gaze clouded with bewilderment and desperation.
The ducal household was drowning in chaos. The precious silverware collection remained incomplete, and now this unexpected catastrophe had struck.
Both crises weighed on Richard's shoulders like crushing boulders, stealing his breath away.
At that moment, Genevieve stirred back to consciousness.
Her vision remained cloudy as she surveyed her surroundings weakly. Her stare finally settled on Kenneth.
Rage and disbelief blazed in her expression instantly.
She swung her palm across Kenneth's face with sudden force, her voice quaking as she demanded, "How could you? How could you commit such an act? That was a royal treasure!"
