THE DIVORCE GAMBIT From Dumped Wife to CEO's Forever novel Chapter 785

The news struck the Dowager with such force that she nearly stumbled.

Why? How could this be? What kind of power did that girl from the Gonzales family possess? The Vance family had sacrificed so much to align themselves with the Windsors, yet with one visit, Caitlin had become the savior of the head of the Palmer family.

The Dowager took a deep breath. "Where did you hear this? Is the source reliable?"

"Completely," Rosemary assured her. "Mrs. Simpson told me herself. She saw with her own eyes that Brock has recovered."

The Dowager forced herself to remain calm, though a throbbing headache was starting behind her temples.

"Don't worry, Mother," Rosemary said, a smug look in her eyes. "What does the Palmer family matter? We have the Windsors backing us. This is Valerium. No matter how capable that little brat is, she can't touch us here."

The Dowager nodded. "You're right, but we must still be cautious. And more importantly, we must never let her meet Flavia."

She was determined to keep Flavia trapped in Vance Castle for the rest of her life, miserable and alone. It was Flavia's penance for causing Quinton's death. The Dowager also wanted the Richards family to suffer, to know their daughter was alive but endure the agony of being separated from her. Why should she be the only one to bear the pain of losing a child? She would make Hannah suffer the pain of losing a daughter, too.

The cruelest fate was not death, but a life of separation.

"Don't you worry about that," Rosemary said with a laugh. "Vance Castle is a fortress. How could that little brat possibly get in?"

The Dowager finally relaxed a bit. Rosemary was right. This was Valerium, not a place where some girl from the Gonzales family could do as she pleased.

***

Flavia, clutching her bruised cheek, had just returned to her room when Shirley, another maid, arrived with her medicine. "Ma'am, it's time for your medication."

"I know," Flavia nodded. "Just leave it there. I'll take it in a moment."

Shirley didn't put the medicine down. Instead, she held it out to Flavia. "Ma'am, your condition is very serious. If you delay taking your medicine, you could have an attack at any time. The Dowager has instructed me to watch you take it."

Flavia sighed, took the pills, and swallowed them with a glass of water. Only then did Shirley seem relieved. "I'll leave you to rest then, ma'am. Call me if you need anything."

Shirley had seen the fresh bruise on Flavia's face, but she knew her place in the castle. Getting involved was not an option.

As Shirley headed downstairs, she ran into Tina, who was on her way up.

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