Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale 157 Summary
In Chapter 157 of “Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows,” the atmosphere is thick with tension and regret as Joshua grapples with the fallout of Margaery’s departure from the Chancellor’s estate. He realizes that they must eliminate her to restore their power, viewing her as a significant threat if she aligns with others. The chilling weight of his thoughts reveals a ruthless side as he contemplates her demise, and Raul, his companion, agrees but stresses the need for a flawless execution to avoid catastrophic consequences for their nation.
Raul’s strategic thinking leads to a plan where they will enlist help from Lakeburgh to carry out the assassination, aiming to ensure that no trace of the act remains. As they discuss the potential dangers and the skilled fighters protecting Margaery, the urgency of their situation becomes apparent. Joshua’s determination to act quickly intensifies as he prepares to send a letter, signaling a shift from deliberation to action.
The chapter takes an emotional turn when Tessa enters, visibly distressed about her father’s injuries. Her concern for Raul highlights the familial bonds that complicate the already fraught situation. The revelation of Margaery’s departure shocks Tessa, who had previously believed they were protecting her. Joshua’s anger towards Margaery’s choice to leave deepens the emotional turmoil, as it becomes clear that their efforts to safeguard her have failed, leading them to consider lethal options.
The tension escalates further with the unexpected arrival of Russell, who confronts Tessa with accusations of betrayal. His violent reaction underscores the chaos and mistrust that have taken root among the characters. Tessa’s instinctive defense and Joshua’s attempt to shield her from Russell’s wrath reveal the fragility of their relationships amidst the brewing conflict. The chapter closes on a note of uncertainty, as the characters grapple with their choices and the impending consequences of their actions, leaving readers anxious about the future.
Continue Regular Chapter Reading Below
**TITLE: Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale**
**Chapter 157**
The weight of regret settled heavily on Joshua’s shoulders as he absorbed the gravity of the situation.
With a grimace, he spoke, “But voicing this now is already too late. Margaery has departed from the Chancellor’s estate. Our only option left is to eliminate her first.”
His gaze hardened as he turned to Raul, a flicker of ruthlessness igniting in his eyes.
“Considering her current stance towards the Chancellor’s estate, if she successfully allies herself with someone, it will only spell disaster for us.”
His heart raced with a chilling thought. “Only through Margaery’s demise can we hope to restore the status quo.”
His pupils dilated slightly, a surge of murderous intent coursing through him.
Raul regarded him with a contemplative look.
“Logically, that makes sense,” he replied slowly, weighing the implications.
“But the question remains: who should be the one to carry out this act?”
Raul’s brow furrowed as he delved deeper into the matter. “Prince Dashnell has placed a highly skilled fighter by her side. Regular individuals would stand no chance against her.”
He sighed, the gravity of their predicament weighing on him. “Moreover, we cannot afford a failure. If we botch this and the King conducts a thorough investigation, we will be implicated in the assassination of the Star of Fortune, jeopardizing the fate of our nation. The consequences would be catastrophic.”
Raul rubbed his temples, frustration evident in his posture. “The assassination of Margaery must be executed flawlessly, leaving no trace behind.”
“Someone from the martial world must take on this task,” he concluded, his voice resolute. “That would ensure a greater level of safety.”
With a determined look, Raul turned to Joshua and proposed, “Here’s the plan. You will draft a letter and send it to Lakeburgh. Let the people there handle this.”
He continued, “Although Clyde’s six masters may not be as formidable as the Thirteen Shades of Stormshade Hall, they are more than capable of dealing with the guards at Prince Dashnell’s residence.”
Raul’s eyes gleamed with a calculated glint. “Additionally, through them, we can engage assassins from the martial world.”
“This way, once Margaery is dead, even if the King orders a thorough investigation, those martial world assassins will vanish without a trace, making them impossible to track.”
After all, what would be the point of an investigation after the Star of Fortune had been eliminated?
If the truth were to surface, could the nation’s fate ever be mended?
Raul scoffed at the thought.
Joshua nodded vigorously in agreement, urgency propelling him as he hurried to pen a letter to Sullivan of Lakeburgh.
Once he released the carrier pigeon, he returned to find Raul, just as Tessa re-entered the scene.
A flicker of nervousness crossed her face, and after a quick exchange of glances with Mark and Halle, she dashed into the study.
Even before stepping inside, she called out, “Father, how are you? When I arrived, Mark was not home. I waited, but it got so late. The wound on your back…”
Pushing the door open, Tessa’s eyes widened as she took in Raul’s condition, her gaze moistening with unshed tears.
It was clear she struggled to find the words to express her concern.
Moments later, Halle and Mark entered, and Raul fixed Mark with a scrutinizing look. “Where have you been? Why did you wait until now?”
His mind flickered back to the blood recognition ritual, and a surge of murderous intent bubbled up within him.
Though Margaery had fled, the secret of her not being a true daughter of the Wallen family must never see the light of day. If it did, the ambitions of his faction and Marcus would be laid bare for all to see.
The King would grow suspicious and would undoubtedly take action against him.
Thus, with Mark present tonight, he could not be allowed to leave.
This was precisely why Raul hadn’t stopped Tessa when she mentioned seeking out Mark. It wasn’t merely about wanting Mark to tend to the injury.
After all, Dashnell had attacked him openly, and there was no sense in trying to conceal that fact.
The crux of the matter was that Mark needed to be kept here tonight.
Unbeknownst to him, Mark, in his innocence, even aided Tessa in covering her tracks.
“Lord Chancellor, my mother fell this afternoon, and I went to check on her. I lost track of time and didn’t expect you to be hurt. I truly apologize.”
As he spoke, he set down the medicine box and stepped forward to assist with the injury.
The moment the shards of porcelain were pulled from Raul’s back, pain shot through him, causing cold sweat to bead on his forehead. He wished he could pin Mark down and unleash his frustrations, but all he could do was bite down on a pen, stifling his cries.
Thus, he remained silent, enduring the agony in grim acceptance.
At that moment, Joshua entered the room.
Seeing Raul’s condition, he felt a pang of empathy wash over him.
Tessa, witnessing this, covered her face and began to weep.
“Margaery is so heartless. How could she allow Prince Dashnell to attack Father and inflict such a severe injury?”
“Even if she is upset, she should remember how Father raised her for sixteen years, enduring the hardships of being both a father and a mother…”
“Don’t even utter her name!” Joshua’s fury erupted like a volcano. “She has been expelled from the marquis’s estate by Father.”
Tessa’s eyes widened in disbelief, her mind racing to process his words. “Margaery has left?”
The revelation hit her like a thunderclap.
Just days prior, Raul and Joshua had fought tooth and nail to keep Margaery within the safety of the Chancellor’s estate.
Though she was not their biological child, they had still bent over backward to appease her.
Yet, unexpectedly, she had been cast out today.
Joshua’s anger swelled, a storm brewing within him. It was not them who had forced her out; it was Margaery who had chosen to leave, stripping them of any semblance of dignity.
Now, they were left with no choice but to resort to lethal measures.
With Margaery’s reputation as the Star of Fortune, they would have done anything to keep her within the marquis’s estate. Her departure now positioned her as an adversary to the Chancellor’s estate.
This was precisely why Raul had decreed that even in death, Margaery would remain tethered to the Chancellor’s estate as its ghost.
Yet, the outcome had veered far from their expectations.
But there was no alternative.
“She’s gone,” Joshua thought bitterly, unable to share the full truth with Tessa. It was too humiliating to admit.
Sighing inwardly, Tessa contemplated Margaery’s motivations. “I truly didn’t expect Margaery to leave…”
“Did you really drive her away?”
Suddenly, a hoarse voice erupted from outside the door, laced with anger. “I’ve told you, she is our real sister! Father’s own daughter. Why would you do this?”
Tessa’s heart raced as she recognized Russell’s voice.
Caught up in the day’s events at the Minister’s estate, she had neglected to discuss the matter of Russell’s assassination with Callum.
Now, he burst in, and she braced herself for whatever chaos he would unleash.
As tension mounted, Russell stormed into the room.
Before Tessa could react, he raised his hand and struck her.
“Tessa Wallen, you liar, you wretch! It was you at the Hadley family today who orchestrated the slander against Margaery’s innocence, wasn’t it?”
“Today, just watch me make you pay!”
Russell seized Tessa by the collar, his eyes blazing with fury, and slapped her twice before tossing her aside like a rag doll.
Caught off guard, Tessa fell to the ground, shock registering on her face as she struggled to comprehend his accusations.
“Russell, what are you talking about? I can’t make sense of any of this!”
Feigning ignorance, she sought refuge behind Joshua, her voice trembling. “Joshua, what’s wrong with Russell? Why did he start hitting me the moment he walked in?”
Tessa wore a mask of innocence, but internally, she was a bundle of nerves.
Earlier, during her time at the Hadley family, she had let slip a crucial detail in her haste. If Russell began spouting more baseless accusations, it could lead to disastrous consequences.
Joshua, noticing Tessa’s face rapidly swelling from the slaps, felt a surge of pity for her.
He stepped in, determined to put an end to Russell’s madness.
“Stop! What kind of insanity is this? The incident at the Minister’s estate was instigated by Margaery herself. What does it have to do with Tessa?”
That was the truth!
Tessa nodded vigorously, hoping to convince them both. Russell had no evidence to back his claims.
As long as Joshua believed her…
With that thought, Tessa hid behind Joshua and began to cry, “Joshua, don’t blame Russell either. Perhaps he was misled by outsiders and misunderstood me.”
Conclusion
In the aftermath of the chaos that engulfed the Chancellor’s estate, the emotional landscape shifted dramatically for everyone involved. Joshua’s heart, once filled with a fierce protectiveness for Margaery, now throbbed with a tumult of anger and betrayal. The revelation of her departure shattered the fragile ties that had bound them, leaving him grappling with the harsh reality that their efforts to shield her had been in vain. As he stood before Tessa, witnessing her pain and confusion, he felt a flicker of empathy amidst his simmering rage. The weight of their choices pressed down on him, and the urgency of their plans for Margaery’s demise loomed larger than ever, casting a dark shadow over the remnants of familial bonds that were now fraying at the edges.
With Russell’s violent outburst, the fragile peace within the room shattered, exposing the raw wounds of betrayal and misunderstanding. Tessa, caught between her brother’s wrath and her own guilt, found herself spiraling into a whirlwind of fear and desperation. Joshua’s instinct to protect her ignited a fierce resolve within him, yet he was acutely aware of the fragile balance they all teetered upon. As accusations flew and emotions ran high, the reality of their situation crystallized: the path they were on was fraught with peril, and the consequences of their actions could irrevocably alter the course of their lives. In that moment, the whispers of their past choices echoed ominously, shaping the distant tomorrows that lay ahead—a future now intertwined with darkness, betrayal, and the haunting specter of what once was.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
**What to Expect in Next Chapter?**
In the upcoming chapter, tensions will escalate as Joshua and Raul grapple with the aftermath of their drastic decisions. With Margaery’s fate hanging precariously in the balance, the stakes will rise as they delve deeper into the murky waters of betrayal and ambition. The meticulous planning of her assassination will unfold, revealing the intricate web of alliances and enmities that surround the Chancellor’s estate. As they engage with the martial world’s assassins, readers can anticipate a gripping exploration of loyalty and treachery, where every choice could lead to unforeseen consequences.
Meanwhile, the emotional fallout from Margaery’s departure will reverberate through the family dynamics, particularly as Tessa and Russell confront their own tangled feelings of loyalty and betrayal. The confrontation between Russell and Tessa will take a darker turn, igniting a fierce conflict that threatens to unravel the fragile ties that bind them. As secrets come to light and accusations fly, the chapter promises to deliver a whirlwind of drama and intrigue, leaving readers on the edge of their seats, eager to uncover how these volatile relationships will impact the fate of the Chancellor’s estate and the nation itself. Will Joshua’s plan succeed, or will the ghosts of their past haunt them in ways they never anticipated?
