Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows by Aren Cole Vale ` 68 Summary
In Chapter 68 of “Whispers Shape Distant Tomorrows,” titled “How Dare You,” Margaery confronts her brother Clyde after a heated argument that escalates to violence. As she grips a dagger against his neck, blood seeps from her shoulder, symbolizing both her physical pain and the emotional turmoil enveloping her. Margaery’s declaration to sever ties with Clyde is filled with a chilling resolve, reflecting her deep-seated anger and betrayal. She feels that her brother’s questioning of her motives is an unforgivable act, leading her to assert her independence and reject his influence.
Clyde, shocked and hurt, grapples with Margaery’s violent response and her desire to cut him off completely. He cannot comprehend how their relationship has deteriorated to this point, especially after years of being apart. His confusion turns to a mix of rage and despair as he recalls their shared past, filled with familial bonds that now seem irreparably broken. Margaery’s icy demeanor and refusal to explain her actions only intensify Clyde’s feelings of betrayal, as he struggles to reconcile the sister he once knew with the woman before him.
As the confrontation continues, Amber intervenes, urging Clyde to leave and expressing her concern for Margaery’s well-being. The tension escalates further, with both siblings hurling accusations and deflections at each other. Margaery’s sarcasm and defiance reveal her inner conflict, as she grapples with her identity and the perception of her role within the Chancellor’s estate. She challenges Clyde’s assumptions about her past and her worthiness, suggesting that he should consider marrying Tessa instead if he believes her to be so wicked.
Dominic enters the scene, alarmed by the commotion, and quickly assesses the situation. He expresses concern for Margaery and tries to mediate between her and Clyde, recognizing the gravity of the conflict. Dominic reassures Margaery of her rightful place in the Chancellor’s estate and attempts to defuse the tension by offering to help her tend to her wound. His support contrasts with Clyde’s aggression, highlighting the complexities of their relationships and the misunderstandings that have led to this moment of crisis. The chapter ends with a sense of urgency, as the characters navigate their emotions and the fallout from their actions, setting the stage for further developments in their intertwined fates.
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**Chapter 68: How Dare You**
Their gazes locked, and Margaery felt a tremor ripple through her eyes. Blood began to seep from her shoulder, each drop slowly soaking into the rough linen of her dress, creating a stark contrast against the fabric. Yet, the physical pain she endured paled in comparison to the icy dread settling in her heart. The dagger she gripped in her hand glided across Clyde’s neck, leaving a delicate trail of crimson. “From this moment onward, I sever all ties with you. You are no longer my brother!” she declared, her voice steady and resolute.
“And don’t you dare twist the truth or confront me with your lies,” she continued, her tone as frigid as the winter air. “Leave!”
With that, she released her grip on Clyde, pivoting sharply to make her way to the bed, where she sank down, feeling the weight of her decision settle around her like a heavy cloak.
Clyde, for the first time, witnessed a genuine intent to kill flicker in her eyes, a sight that sent a chill racing down his spine. He felt the warmth of blood trickling down his neck and instinctively wiped it away, only to find his palm smeared with the evidence of her rage.
“Margaery, did you really attempt to take my life?” Clyde’s voice quivered, his eyes narrowing as fury bubbled beneath the surface.
“After all this time apart, this is how you choose to treat me? You want to cut all ties? Who gave you the audacity to decide that?” His voice trembled with a mixture of hurt and anger, the words spilling out like a torrent he could no longer contain.
He was her brother, after all.
It was only natural for a brother to guide his sister, to protect her from harm. Yet, he never imagined that merely questioning her motives regarding the troubles she was stirring at the Chancellor’s estate would push her to such a drastic measure.
“Margaery! What do you mean by that?” Clyde’s voice wavered, revealing the crack in his composure.
He looked at her, and the girl he once knew—the bright, spirited child full of sweetness and laughter—seemed to have vanished.
An invisible pain gripped his heart, tightening like a vice. Clyde stared at her, his brow furrowing in confusion and despair.
“That’s exactly what I mean,” Margaery replied, her gaze fixed on the ground, her voice icy and detached. “Leave. I need to tend to my wound.”
He stood there, frozen, unable to move.
For what felt like an eternity, he scrutinized her, his expression darkening with disbelief. “Am I mistaken? You reveled in sixteen years of luxury at the Chancellor’s estate, living in Tessa’s shadow, and now that she’s returned for just a year, you’re throwing a fit? It’s merely a medicine recipe! It’s the least you owe her!”
Margaery’s eyes flicked up to meet his, and to his astonishment, she laughed—a sound sharp and bitter.
‘What does he mean, I enjoyed luxury in Tessa’s place?’ she mused, her heart brimming with irony.
‘I am the true daughter of the Chancellor’s estate. This has always been my rightful place!
‘On the contrary, Tessa is the imposter here. And now he dares to accuse me of stealing from her? How utterly ludicrous!’ she thought, her indignation flaring.
“Just a medicine recipe? Why don’t you fetch it for Tessa yourself?” Margaery shot back, her eyes glimmering with sarcasm. “You said it yourself. I’m wicked and scheming. Surely someone as malevolent as I would have no access to such a recipe.”
“But what about you?” she pressed, her voice slicing through the air.
“Aren’t you her brother? Didn’t you wish you could kill me for her? Look at her, suffering night after night, unable to find rest. Why don’t you suffer for her instead? Why don’t you go hunt down the recipe yourself?” she shouted, her words ringing with defiance.
“Margaery, how can you speak to me in such a way?” Clyde’s fury threatened to boil over, his body tensing as he fought the impulse to lunge at her.
Blood continued to seep from Margaery’s shoulder, but Clyde seemed oblivious, consumed by the argument at hand. “You…”
“Lord Clyde, get out! Don’t you realize that men and women shouldn’t be alone together?” Amber’s voice was laced with anger as she pushed him away. “Look at what you’ve done to Margaery. Are you trying to let her bleed out and die?”
“And you’re still defending Tessa? What a family we’ve become…”
Amber’s eyes filled with tears, her voice rising in desperation. “I told you to leave! Are you deaf?!”
Clyde stood at the threshold, his feet rooted to the ground.
He didn’t want to go, but remaining felt equally wrong. His chest heaved with ragged breaths, each one filled with a mix of anger and confusion.
He had to acknowledge that he had crossed a line.
But Margaery hadn’t held back either. She had nearly drawn blood with that dagger, and the fresh, stinging line on his neck was a testament to that.
What unsettled him most were her words. ‘What does she mean by severing ties? How could she say something like that?’ he thought, bewildered.
‘And why was she speaking as if she had nothing left to lose, labeling herself as evil, suggesting it was only natural for someone like her to act in such a way? What kind of person has she become to speak of herself in such terms?’ he pondered, his mind a storm of conflicting emotions.
Clyde’s body trembled with suppressed rage.
Outside the door, Dominic, alerted by Amber’s outcry, rushed in, nearly tripping over himself in his haste.
Upon seeing Margaery’s wound, he froze in shock. “Margaery, what happened? How did you get hurt like this?”
His gaze shifted to Clyde, standing off to the side, and a chill coursed through him.
Margaery glanced at him but chose silence over explanation.
Amber, her eyes blazing with fury, shouted, “Why are you questioning Margaery? Go ask Lord Clyde! He vanished for half a year, and the moment he returns, he loses it—doesn’t even greet her before attacking! If you want answers, ask him!”
Dominic looked down, and when he noticed the blood dripping from Clyde’s sword, his eyes widened in disbelief.
“Clyde, why did you attack her? You weren’t summoned back for this!” he exclaimed, disbelief etched across his face.
Originally, Clyde had been brought back to play the emotional card with Margaery, to persuade her into agreeing to the marriage, and to manipulate the King into making Avery take the fall.
Yet, here he was, having barely returned, already leaving her in such a state of distress.
He was certainly doing more harm than good.
Clyde opened his mouth, but the words eluded him.
Dominic turned to Margaery, concern etched on his features. “Margaery, what happened?”
His expression was a mix of confusion and concern.
Clyde’s attack on Margaery was unexpected, yet not entirely surprising. The Wallen family had not been particularly fond of her this past year.
But now was not the time for such conflicts.
Margaery was on the verge of marrying him, and at this crucial moment, everyone was bending over backward to keep her content, fearing she might stir up trouble or create a scene.
For Clyde to choose this moment to confront her and leave her so badly injured? It was absurd.
And now, Dominic found himself tasked with cleaning up the mess.
This entire situation was giving him a headache.
Reflecting on how gracious and composed Margaery had been in recent days, Dominic couldn’t help but curse Clyde silently.
Margaery tugged at her torn sleeve, applying wound medicine to her shoulder, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Clyde claims I’m the one who’s thoughtless, that I caused Avery to lose his position, that I’m deliberately withholding the medicine recipe from Tessa, and even colluding with outsiders to betray the Chancellor’s estate from within.”
She narrowed her eyes at Dominic. “Lord Dominic, if I truly am this wicked and ruthless, perhaps you should reconsider marrying me. Why not just marry Tessa instead? You don’t need me at all.
“I fear I’d only bring disaster to the Hadley family.
“Letting you be with Tessa would be the perfect way to repay her for all those years I supposedly enjoyed in her stead.”
She locked her gaze onto Dominic’s face, her tone seemingly sincere, but the sarcasm in her eyes was unmistakable. She was doing this intentionally.
Dominic saw right through her act. He shot a sharp glare at Clyde before turning to comfort Margaery. “Margaery, Clyde just returned. He doesn’t understand the full situation, which is why he’s upset with you.
“But I know the truth. Lord Avery lost his position at the Royal Medical Hall because of his own actions. As for the recipe to cure Tessa, it’s not like you’re refusing to hand it over. It’s with Craig. And all this talk of you colluding with outsiders? That’s just nonsense. Don’t let it affect you.
“And honestly, what does any of this with Tessa have to do with you? You’re the rightful daughter of the Chancellor’s estate. Living in comfort here is your birthright. You’re not some adopted girl—how could anyone claim you were ‘enjoying luxury in Tessa’s place’?
“Clyde has it all wrong. I understand why you feel so wronged.”
Dominic stepped closer, trying to coax her. “Margaery, how about I help you bandage that wound? It’s bleeding profusely, and you can’t really reach it yourself. Allow me to assist you, or you’ll only end up making it worse.”
Conclusion
In the aftermath of their tumultuous confrontation, Margaery’s heart felt like a battlefield, torn between the remnants of familial love and the jagged shards of betrayal. As she sat there, blood staining her dress, she realized that severing ties with Clyde was not merely a declaration; it was a desperate attempt to reclaim her identity amidst the chaos that had engulfed her life. The weight of her decision bore down on her, yet there was a flicker of clarity in the storm of emotions swirling within. She was done being the silent daughter, the shadow lurking behind Tessa. In that moment of defiance, she acknowledged her rightful place, not just in the Chancellor’s estate, but in the world that had long sought to define her by the actions of others.
Clyde, on the other hand, stood paralyzed at the threshold, grappling with the realization that the sister he once knew had been transformed by the very environment he had tried to protect her from. The pain in his heart was a reflection of his own failures—an acknowledgment that his misguided attempts to guide her had only driven them further apart. As Dominic stepped in to tend to Margaery’s wound, the air thickened with unspoken words and unresolved tensions. The emotional chasm between brother and sister loomed larger than ever, yet in that moment of vulnerability, both understood that healing would require more than just physical mending; it would necessitate a reckoning with their past and a commitment to forge a new path forward, one that embraced the complexities of their bond rather than shattering it.
What to Expect in Next Chapter?
**What to Expect in the Next Chapter?**
As tensions escalate in the aftermath of Margaery and Clyde’s explosive confrontation, the next chapter promises to delve deeper into the fractured dynamics of their relationship. With Margaery’s declaration of severing ties echoing ominously, readers will be left to wonder how Clyde will respond to the emotional and physical wounds inflicted during their encounter. Will he seek redemption, or will his pride drive him further into a chasm of misunderstanding and resentment? The stakes are higher than ever, as both siblings grapple with the consequences of their actions and the weight of their shared history.
Meanwhile, with Dominic stepping in as a voice of reason, the narrative will shift to explore the complexities of loyalty and betrayal within the Chancellor’s estate. Margaery’s struggle to reclaim her identity amidst the chaos will take center stage, as she must confront not only her brother’s accusations but also her own feelings of worthiness and belonging. As alliances shift and new revelations surface, the chapter will build anticipation for the impending confrontation with Tessa, whose return has already stirred the pot of familial discord. Will Margaery find the strength to stand her ground, or will the shadows of her past continue to haunt her? Prepare for a whirlwind of emotions, secrets, and unexpected alliances as the story unfolds.
