Chapter 197: Caroline's Regret
Chapter 197: Caroline's Regret
Elizabeth's POV: Property © NôvelDrama.Org.
The moment I saw Caroline in that jail cell, I felt as though someone had reached into my chest and squeezed my heart out.
After all, despite our differences, she was someone I once loved dearly.
Although I no longer considered Caroline to be my loving daughter anymore, I simply couldn't bring myself to let her rot in there after all the fond memories we had of each other as mother and daughter.
"Tell them to get Caroline out of there.I must have a word with her,"
I ordered the maid standing by my side after I walked out of the prison.Before long, the maid brought Caroline to my room.
"Mrs.Jones, what can I do for you?" Caroline asked softly as she lowered her head, seemingly to avoid making eye contact.
The maid helped me sit on the sofa, and I couldn't hide the look of concern in my eyes as I sighed.
"Have a seat.Don't just stand there.It's not good for the baby."
I pointed at the sofa across me since I didn't have the heart to see Caroline in such a pitiful state.
Caroline hesitated at first, but eventually, she sat down, albeit with some awkwardness.
"I wanted to speak with you about the Love Curse.Tell me everything you know about it," I said slowly, clenching my fist to suppress my anger.
Every time the thought of Anthony's painful face appeared in my mind, I could feel the anger boiling inside me like poisonous venom.
"Okay, Mrs.Jones.I'll tell you.It all started when I tried to make Anthony forget Jennifer and take me as his mate.I asked Larry to use a spell to erase his memories of her, but I didn't expect that Larry would take that opportunity to bewitch him with the Love Curse.Later, when I failed to win Anthony's heart, in my anger and frustration, I went to Larry again.When he told me about the Love Curse, I thought it was my only chance to be with Anthony, and so I gave him permission to activate the curse.After all, if I couldn't have Anthony, I couldn't let anyone else have him either,"
Caroline said gingerly after a moment of silence.
I looked at Caroline in shock and disappointment.I never thought that she would do something like that to Anthony.
All because of her one-sided love.
"You've really disappointed me, Caroline."
I took a deep breath to calm myself down, and the maid quickly patted my back.
"I'm sorry, Mrs.Jones.I didn't expect things to turn out like this either.My love for Anthony drove me mad.I had lost my mind completely, but now I've come to realize my fault."
Caroline lowered her head in shame.
"Such being the case, it would be useless to say anything else now.You'd better think about how to make amends by removing the curse from Anthony as soon as possible," I said to Caroline, as I shot her a stern gaze.
"Yes, Mrs.Jones.I can help you contact Larry.But would you please talk to Anthony for me? I don't want Austin to die! Please let us go and I promise that I will see to it that he never fight back.I'll go away with him, somewhere far away from here!"
Caroline suddenly kneeled down in front of me, with both hands on her big belly.
My eyes widened as my mind tried to take in what she had just said.
After all, if she hadn't been infatuated with Anthony, none of this would have happened and Anthony wouldn't have been separated from his mate because of the Love Curse.
But on second thought, I thought that it might not be a bad thing if she had really given up on Anthony.
Perhaps, Caroline had learned her lesson this time and she would never make such mistakes again in her life.
"All right.I'll speak to Anthony.You're lucky that he isn't a heartless man, but I can't promise that he will spare Austin's life even if he spares yours.After all, Austin has committed heinous crimes, and the elders will not let him go easily either."
As soon as I said that, Caroline's eyes were brimming with tears.
The remorseful look in her eyes melted my heart again and I added, "But if you can help us find Larry, I promise that I will try my best to makeAnthony change his mind."
"All right! I will get to it then! Thank you for your kindness, Mrs.Jones!" Caroline stood up and bowed to me.
After we reached an agreement, I stood up and asked the maid to take Caroline back.
"I will arrange a more comfortable cell for you," I said to Caroline before she left.
After all, I couldn't let a pregnant woman live under such inhospitable conditions.
"No, thanks, Mrs.Jones.I appreciate your kindness, but I'm willing to stay locked up with Austin.I'd rather suffer with him than leave him alone,"
Caroline refused without hesitation, which surprised me.
I agreed to her request and ordered my maid to bring her back to her jail cell.
However, I couldn't stop feeling sorry for her as I thought about the cold and dark prison cell, so I walked there with them personally.
"Take good care of her and her baby.I want you to come to me at any time if anything happens to her” I ordered the guards who were guarding the prison, and they nodded in acknowledgment.
"Thank you, Mrs.Jones.I should go back to my cell now,"
Caroline said as she walked past me, and her eyes were brimming with tears.
I said nothing in response, but I nodded silently.I sincerely hoped that she regretted her actions.
Anthony's POV:
After watching most of the surveillance videos, I still couldn't find anything on how to find Larry.I glanced at the clock to check the time before I left the monitoring room.I was exhausted and the only thing I could think of was spending some time with Jennifer.
However, when I went back to our bedroom, she wasn't there.
Almost immediately, I started to panic as I feared for Jennifer's safety.
I found the maid who was cleaning Jennifer's room.
But before I could say anything, Jennifer appeared at the door with a stunned expression on her face.
"Oh! I'm so glad to see that you're fine!" I breathed a sigh of relief and asked the maid to continue cleaning the room.
"Jennifer, where have you been?"
"I couldn't fall asleep, so I went out for a walk." Jennifer smiled at me.
"What's wrong, Anthony?"
"Nothing.I was just worried about you.Everything is all right again." I gently wrapped my arms around Jennifer's waist and pulled her closer to me.
"I went to the monitoring room to check the videos just now.We have footage of Larry disappearing into thin air just outside the banquet hall, but other than that, I have no idea where to look for him He must have used some spell so that the surveillance cameras wouldn't catch where he was going."
Having noticed my worries, Jennifer leaned her head on my shoulder and said, "Don't worry, Anthony.We'll find him soon.After all, the others are helping us as well."
Jennifer's words comforted me.
I felt hopeful again, but just as I was about to say something, I heard footsteps behind me.
Jennifer and I turned around at the same time saw my mother.
"Anthony! I have good news! Caroline has agreed to help us find Larry," my mother said excitedly as soon as she came in.
I quickly sat her down on the nearest chair.
"Really? That's great!"
Jennifer exclaimed in excitement as well.
"It's true, but I promised her that I would persuade you to spare both of their lives.If they help to remove the Love Curse from you, then I am willing to forgive their sins.I think your father would agree with me if he were alive.Can you speak for them at the elders' meeting tomorrow?"
My mother held my hand and looked at me sincerely.
"All right, Mom.I will do as you say." I hesitated for a while and finally nodded.
"Great! Now, all we have to do is find Larry!" Jennifer hugged me.
It felt good to see her get so excited.
I knew that my mother must have personally brokered peace and convinced Caroline to help us find Larry.
I could tell that she was deeply invested in this.
Thinking of this, I quickly asked one of the maids to escort my mother back to have a rest.
"Mr.Jones, we found a phone and I think it belonged to Skylar.". One of my trusted subordinates, who had been sent out to search for Skylar and Jerome, suddenly came to me.
"You're right.It is indeed Skylar's phone! Why would Skylar leave her phone behind? Is she in trouble? We have to look for her!"
Jennifer recognized Skylar's phone as soon as she saw it.
She panicked and was about to run out of the royal palace to look for her.
"Jennifer, don't worry about it right now!" I stopped her in a hurry.
"It's getting late.You can search for her when you wake up."
"No! I can't sleep unless I'm sure that she's safe!" Jennifer wasn't going to change her mind.
As such, I had no choice but to follow her and look for both Skylar and Jerome.
‘'Skylar! Jerome! I hope that you two are safe."