Chapter 2 The Loser Of Drakmont

Julian's eyes widened, his expression shifting from smug amusement to stunned disbelief. "Dead?" he stammered, his voice low. "How did you know Asher was dead?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief. Juliet crossed her arms, a cruel smirk playing on her lips. "Of course, I'm sure. The news came weeks ago. Asher Blackmoor isn't coming back-ever." Julian raised an eyebrow, curiosity flashing in his eyes. Meanwhile, Juliet smirked, her face cold and unreadable. "Two years ago, Asher lost his sight in battle," she said, her tone sharp.

"He was too ashamed to return home, Juliet scoffed, her lips curling into a bitter smile." She continued, "He was ashamed to return home, like the coward that he is, so he stayed in the army camp, pretending everything was fine." she spat, her voice dripping with contempt. Eleanor's face turned red with fury, her trembling hands clutching her chest. "He is no coward!" she retorted sharply, her voice rising in defense of her son. "You are the coward, Juliet! Beating a defenseless woman like this, and for what? A man who once loved you!" Juliet's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer, her presence overwhelming. "Oh, don't play the martyr now, Mother," she mocked, her tone venomous. "Your precious son couldn't even muster the courage to come home after everything he fought for. How could you defend such weakness?" Eleanor gasped, her frail body trembling. "No...no, that can't be true. My son...he promised he'd return." Her voice cracked, tears welling in her eyes. Juliet scoffed, her lips curling in disgust. "You really think that weakling would have survived a battle? The man was blind and useless. Stop clinging to false hope, Eleanor. He's gone. Accept it." Eleanor's voice rose, thick with anguish and defiance. "If Asher were here, none of this would be happening! You wouldn't dare treat us this way!" Juliet's eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with venom. "If you ever mention his name again, I'll make sure you regret it," she threatened, her tone cold and deadly. She then turned to Julian and continued "Asher was a broken man, Julian. And when news of his injuries reached me, I knew he wouldn't survive it." She gave a bitter laugh, her eyes glinting with something dark. "As far as I'm concerned, he's dead. His honor, his strength-gone forever." Julian's lips curled into a smug grin, savoring the sound of Asher's name being erased from the world. "So, the great Asher Blackmoor is really gone, huh?" he said with an almost gleeful satisfaction. "The man who thought he could conquer everything, reduced to nothing. I couldn't be happier." Juliet's voice was cold, almost indifferent. "Yes, he's dead. And good riddance. He was a useless fool, wasn't he? Couldn't even defend his own life, let alone his family. Juliet consumed in her blind rage, had no idea of the truth. She had believed the rumor of Asher's blindness. Asher had purposefully spread the false rumor of his blindness to mislead their enemies. The enemies, thinking their leader was weak and vulnerable, hesitated to strike with full force, believing they were facing a weakened battalion. But what they didn't know was that Asher was still the sharp, tactical mind that had led them to victory in every battle. Whenever they went for battle, he wore a mask to conceal his identity, allowing him to lead his soldiers undetected. The battles were won before the enemies even realized what hit them. Only one person had known the truth-the ruler of Drakmont, who had been in on the plan and had secretly supported Asher's ruse. Together, they had outsmarted both their enemies and their own people, turning Asher's supposed downfall into a strength, and ensuring the protection of Drakmont. Meanwhile, Asher had continued to send money to Juliet, believing she was still the woman he had married, the one who cared for his family as he did. Instead of using the money for the family, she began squandering it, indulging in luxuries while Asher's parents-who had once been treated with love and care-suffered in silence. They were not longer able to afford their medical bills, and their living conditions worsened as Juliet became more ruthless, more detached. And when the news of Asher's death seemed final, it emboldened her greed. And whenever Eleanor asked for anything, Juliet's answer was always the same. "Don't ask me for anything," she'd sneer, her voice dripping with venom. "Your son isn't here to send his pathetic little handouts. Maybe you should've made better choices, huh? It was then that she took the most drastic step. She decided to throw Thomas and Eleanor out of the house, their belongings discarded like garbage. She had no use for them now that their son was dead, or so she thought. Eleanor's face crumpled with disbelief. Her hands trembled as she took a step toward Juliet, her voice barely above a whisper. "Please, Juliet... you must help us. Thomas... he's barely hanging on. You have to help him, or we'll lose him too. I can't bear to lose both my son and my husband. Please..." Her voice broke, tears welling in her eyes as she sank to her knees in front of Juliet. But Juliet's gaze hardened, her eyes filled with contempt as she stood tall over Eleanor, who was still kneeling before her. "You gave birth to a loser, Eleanor. A man who couldn't even save himself, let alone his family. Asher was nothing but a failure." Her voice dripped with venom. Eleanor's hands shook as she clutched at Juliet's feet, her heart breaking with every cruel word. "Please, Juliet, I beg you," she cried, her voice raw with desperation. "He was never a loser. Asher fought so hard, not just for Drakmont, but for us. He loved you, he loved all of us. You can't mean this. Please..." But Juliet's cold laugh echoed through the room, a cruel sound that seemed to mock every word Eleanor spoke. "Loved us? Ha!" She scoffed, her voice filled with disdain. "He was weak. Too weak to even survive a battle. And you, his mother, are nothing more than a pathetic woman who's only been burdened by his failures. Maybe if you had taught him to be a real man, none of this would have happened." Suddenly, Juliet's lips curled into a deceptive smile, her eyes glinting with a malicious shine. She leaned down, her voice low and calculated. "I'll help you, Eleanor," she said, the words dripping with insincerity. "But only on one condition." Eleanor, still kneeling on the cold floor, looked up at Juliet, her tear-streaked face filled with a flicker of hope. "Anything," she whispered, her voice hoarse. "Please, just save Thomas. He's all I have left."