Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale 184 Summary
In Chapter 184 of “Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows,” Nathaniel is confronted with shocking news from his guard, Ortis. He learns that Lady Margaery is not the biological daughter of Lord Chancellor but rather the daughter of the midwife, and she has been masquerading as Lady Tessa. This revelation sends Nathaniel into a whirlwind of confusion and betrayal, as he grapples with the implications of this scandal on his recent ties to the Chancellor’s estate. Ortis further reveals that the Lord Chancellor is implicated in the deaths of the midwife and Mark, leading to a crisis that threatens to unravel their lives.
Raul, the Lord Chancellor, is initially in disbelief but quickly succumbs to anger as he rushes to confront Tessa, whom he accuses of spreading rumors about Margaery. In a fit of rage, he strikes her, causing her physical pain and emotional distress. Tessa, bewildered and hurt, pleads her innocence, insisting that she has not spoken ill of Margaery or claimed any wrongdoing regarding the deaths. Her tears and confusion only deepen Raul’s turmoil, as he struggles to reconcile his anger with the possibility that he may have misjudged his daughter.
As the tension escalates, Joshua, Tessa’s brother, tries to mediate and defends Tessa against their father’s accusations. He suggests that Margaery might be the one behind the rumors, which adds another layer of complexity to the situation. Just then, a guard announces that the magistrate is requesting Raul’s presence regarding Mark’s suspicious death, further complicating matters. Raul’s heart races as he realizes the gravity of the situation, and Joshua urges him to comfort Tessa, who is in distress.
In a moment of remorse, Raul acknowledges his mistake in striking Tessa and begins to understand the depth of her suffering. Meanwhile, Tessa contemplates her own ambitions and the potential fallout from the chaos she has helped orchestrate. She sees an opportunity to reclaim her position within the family while harboring resentment towards Margaery. The chapter concludes with Tessa feigning ignorance about the rumors while secretly relishing the turmoil, as Raul grapples with his guilt and the looming threat of the magistrate’s inquiry.
Continue Regular Chapter Reading Below
**Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale**
**Chapter 184**
“What on earth has happened?” Nathaniel inquired, his brow furrowing as he observed the unusual agitation in his guard. It was a rare sight to see Ortis Morris, usually composed, so visibly shaken.
Ortis, his thoughts a chaotic whirlwind, cast a furtive glance at Raul before responding. “Just moments ago, we received alarming news from outside. Lady Margaery is not the biological daughter of Lord Chancellor. In fact, she is the daughter of the midwife. It appears she has been masquerading as Lady Tessa.”
His voice trembled slightly as he added, “And—and there’s more…”
Words failed him, caught in the web of his own disbelief.
Nathaniel’s eyes widened, a mixture of shock and confusion washing over him. “How can this be possible?”
He turned his gaze towards Raul, seeking answers.
Raul looked as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning, his complexion drained of color. He turned to Ortis, his voice a mere whisper, “What did you just say?”
Ortis repeated the shocking revelation, his tone heavy with the weight of the implications.
With a deep breath, Ortis continued, his voice low and serious, “But that’s not the end of it. Someone has informed the authorities that Lord Chancellor, in a desperate bid to silence witnesses, was responsible for the deaths of the midwife and Mark. This scandal has already reached the Magistrate’s Court.”
“Nonsense!” Raul exclaimed, the shock propelling him to his feet in a sudden burst of energy.
The wine glass perched precariously on the table toppled over, shattering into a thousand glimmering pieces at his feet. He felt as if he were about to disintegrate under the weight of the revelations.
Who could have spread such damaging rumors? Raul’s mind raced with anger and confusion.
His eyes blazed with fury, his body quaking with indignation.
Ortis, sensing the tension, cautiously stepped back and whispered, “There are whispers that Lady Tessa mentioned this last night, but who she confided in remains a mystery.”
“Perhaps, Lord Chancellor, it would be wise for you to return and speak with Lady Tessa directly about this matter,” he suggested, casting a careful glance at Nathaniel, who was equally stunned.
Nathaniel felt a storm of emotions swirling within him—anger, frustration, and a sense of betrayal. His fists clenched involuntarily as he thought, *I’ve only just begun to align myself with the Chancellor’s estate, and now it’s embroiled in scandal. I’ve just called Raul my father-in-law, but what does that mean for Margaery now?*
Yet, he knew he had to remain composed. Looking at Raul, he said with measured urgency, “Lord Chancellor, it might be best for you to go back and uncover the truth before things spiral further out of control.”
This was a crisis that could not involve the Eastern Palace. Nathaniel regretted his previous friendliness with Raul, wishing he had maintained a more cautious distance.
Raul had no intention of lingering any longer. He hurriedly excused himself and rushed toward the Chancellor’s estate, his heart racing with a mix of dread and determination.
Upon entering the estate, he wasted no time and dashed upstairs in search of Tessa.
As he ascended, Tessa happened to glance out the window. Spotting her father, she called out sweetly, “Father!”
But Raul’s fury was a tempest ready to unleash.
Without a moment’s hesitation, he stormed into the room and struck her across the face. “What kind of nonsense have you been spreading?”
The force of the slap spun Tessa around, causing her to collide with the bedpost. Pain blossomed on her forehead, and crimson droplets began to trickle down.
“Father, what are you talking about?” she gasped, bewildered, as she fell to the ground, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes. “What have I done to deserve this? Why did you strike me?”
Tears began to spill from her eyes, her shock morphing into despair.
Joshua, who had been quietly observing from the table, was taken aback. He stepped forward, his voice a mix of confusion and concern. “Father, what’s happening? Why did you hit Tessa without cause?”
He had spent the entire morning in Tessa’s boudoir, nurturing her, guiding her in her writing. Seeing her in distress stirred a protective instinct within him, though he couldn’t shake the guilt that lingered in his heart for not standing up sooner.
Raul, consumed by his anger, paid no heed to Joshua’s pleas.
His chest heaved with rage, spittle flying as he pointed an accusatory finger at Tessa. “Who told you to spread such vile rumors about Margaery? That she isn’t my daughter?
“Now, the word is out everywhere, and they’re claiming I silenced the midwife and Mark! This has reached the authorities! Do you even comprehend the gravity of this situation?”
He could understand the resentment towards Margaery; after all, she had usurped Tessa’s rightful place for years, enjoying a life of luxury and privilege. It was a bitter pill for anyone to swallow.
But Raul never expected Tessa to be involved in such a serious matter.
*Hasn’t she always been obedient? How could she have committed such a monumental blunder?*
Tessa, reeling from his accusations, looked at him with wide, disbelieving eyes. “Father, I swear I never said anything of the sort.
“I was at home all day yesterday, and in the evening, I went to Springcourt House. You were there; you saw me! How could I possibly have said such things in that situation?
“Even if I wished for Margaery to stay away, I would never claim that our family was responsible for the deaths of Mark and the midwife.”
Suddenly, her eyes widened in horror. “Father, what did you just say? My foster mother is dead?”
Feigning ignorance, Tessa allowed her shock to surface.
Deep down, she was acutely aware of how the situation had escalated, but the outcome was precisely what she had desired. Margaery had finally been ousted from her position.
From this moment forward, she would be the sole daughter of the Wallen family.
In time, she would orchestrate a plan so that Raul, Joshua, and the rest would be the ones to eliminate Margaery. And then, when the moment was right, she would reveal the truth to them.
That would be her moment of ultimate satisfaction.
But now was not the time for such revelations.
As her mind raced with possibilities, her face remained a mask of shock and confusion, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I had even hoped to ask Father to bring my foster mother here for the New Year, so she could enjoy a few good days.
“But I never expected…”
She curled up, sobbing uncontrollably, her body shaking with each breath.
Raul watched her, his heart heavy with uncertainty and guilt. *If Tessa didn’t spread the rumors, then who did?*
Joshua, desperate to defuse the situation, stepped in. “Father, you might have misunderstood Tessa. She certainly wouldn’t speak so carelessly.”
“Then who was it?” Raul demanded, his frustration palpable.
He glanced at Tessa, who sat on the floor, pitifully crying with blood trickling down her forehead. In that moment, he felt a pang of guilt for his rash actions.
Joshua furrowed his brow, contemplating the situation. “I think it’s more likely that Margaery orchestrated this herself. She stands to gain the most from leaving the Chancellor’s estate.”
“Are you suggesting she was the one behind these rumors?” Raul’s eyes widened in surprise.
“She has the motive, but how would she know about the midwife, the blood test, and Mark’s circumstances?” Raul pondered, his confusion deepening.
Just then, a guard’s voice broke through the tension from outside. “Lord Chancellor, the magistrate requests your presence. The Inquisition Court is also here. They find Mark’s death suspicious and have questions for you.”
Raul’s heart raced. *They’ve arrived sooner than expected.*
“Father, let me go with you,” Joshua urged, his voice steady despite the chaos.
Taking a deep breath, Joshua glanced at Tessa, who was still on the ground, her sobs echoing in the room. “You just slapped Tessa. You should comfort her. She’s been in pain all morning.”
Raul fell silent, the weight of his anger slowly giving way to a sharp pang of regret.
Finally, he instructed Joshua, “When you speak with them, be careful with your words. Make it clear that the Chancellor’s estate has nothing to do with Mark’s death.”
His eyes narrowed as he added, “He was Lady Alicia’s subordinate.”
Joshua nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. “I understand, Father.”
With that, he hurried off toward the Magistrate’s Court, leaving Raul alone with Tessa.
Raul bent down to help her up, only to discover that she had vomited blood. Panic surged through him as he realized the severity of her condition. Her clothes, his palm, and the floor were stained crimson.
“Tessa, are you alright? What’s happening?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.
“Father!” Tessa cried, not bothering to explain. Instead, she threw herself into his arms, tears flowing freely.
Her cries shattered Raul’s heart, filling him with a profound sense of remorse. “I’m so sorry, Tessa. I shouldn’t have struck you. My anger blinded me. That wretched Margaery not only spread these rumors but also framed you in the process.”
*Indeed, only Margaery could be this cruel!*
As thoughts of Margaery surged through him, Raul’s hatred flared like a wildfire.
Tessa, meanwhile, wished she could drive a dagger through Raul’s heart.
But she continued to play the role of the wronged daughter. “Father, actually, last night I overheard something, but I didn’t dare to tell you because I wasn’t sure if it was true.”
Conclusion
In the aftermath of the chaos, the emotional landscape shifted dramatically for each character, leaving them grappling with the weight of betrayal and the repercussions of their actions. Raul, once consumed by fury, now found himself enveloped in guilt as he held Tessa in his arms, realizing that his rashness had caused her unimaginable pain. The bond between father and daughter, once a source of strength, was now marred by misunderstanding and the insidious whispers of deceit. Tessa, while outwardly portraying the role of the victim, felt a dark satisfaction at the unfolding events, her mind racing with the possibilities of her newfound position. The duality of her emotions reflected the complexity of their family dynamic, where love and resentment intertwined, each feeding into the other.
As the storm of revelations loomed over the Chancellor’s estate, Nathaniel stood at the precipice of his own choices, acutely aware that his ties to Raul and Margaery were now fraught with uncertainty. No longer could he simply align himself with the Chancellor’s ambitions without questioning the moral implications of the tangled web of lies. The whispers that had begun as mere rumors now echoed ominously, shaping the distant tomorrows for them all. In this moment of turmoil, the characters were left to confront the fractures within their relationships, each faced with the daunting task of navigating a world where trust had been shattered and the quest for truth became a perilous journey. The emotional arc reached a poignant climax, underscoring the fragility of human connections and the lengths to which one might go to reclaim their narrative amidst the chaos.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
**What to Expect in the Next Chapter?**
As the tension mounts within the Chancellor’s estate, the fallout from the shocking revelations promises to unravel the very fabric of loyalty and deception. In the next chapter, readers can expect Raul to grapple with the consequences of his hasty actions, as the truth about Tessa’s innocence begins to surface. With the magistrate’s court looming, the stakes will escalate, forcing Raul to confront not only his family’s integrity but also the depths of Margaery’s cunning. Will he find a way to clear Tessa’s name and shield his family from the impending scandal, or will the chaos spiral beyond his control?
Meanwhile, Tessa’s façade of innocence will be tested as she navigates the aftermath of her father’s violent outburst. With her aspirations for power hanging in the balance, her internal struggle will intensify, leading her to make choices that could either fortify her position or doom her entirely. As whispers of betrayal echo through the corridors, alliances will shift, and unexpected revelations will emerge, leaving readers on the edge of their seats. Will Tessa seize the opportunity to manipulate the situation to her advantage, or will her plans backfire in the face of mounting scrutiny? The next chapter promises to deliver a whirlwind of emotions and suspense as the characters grapple with their own truths and the shadows of their pasts.
