"I said, enough!" the emperor ordered. All of this was beginning to get on his nerves. "Now that we know she did it, it proves that Hansen is indeed innocent. Guards, take Felicia out of here and have her beaten to death."

"No, no, please, Your Majesty! I didn't do it! I'm innocent! I'm innocent!" Felicia screamed in fear for her life.

"Your Majesty, there's still something I have to say!" Shirley opened her mouth and stopped them.

With a wave of the emperor's hand, the guards stepped back. Not having the patience to let this matter drag on, he asked, "Make it quick. What else do you want to say?"

"I'm also guilty, Your Majesty. Mister Hansen held my mother and brother hostage and used them to threaten me to poison Lady Carrie. She was the biological mother of Mister Hansen's deceased wife. That left me with no other choice but to poison Lady Carrie. I know full well that I won't be able to escape death, but I'm still grateful because Lady Carrie had been good to me. For that reason, I've decided that I must tell you everything..."

"You bitch! You are talking complete nonsense!" Hansen hurled back at once. Hearing that frightened him so much that the color was flushed out of his face. At that moment, he had no idea why Shirley would suddenly bring that up and tell others about it, let alone the emperor himself.

"Stop spouting nonsense, Shirley! You may get others into trouble!" Kate exclaimed in a forbidding tone, looking as though she would have no qualms about killin

s feeling remorse for what she had done. It wouldn't have had to come to this if only she didn't catch Felicia and have her taken here in front of the emperor. At this point, she would feel extremely satisfied as long as her son would be able to go on living here. Unfortunately for them, he was going to be imprisoned in the borderland as a slave.

"I've made up my mind. You may take your leave," the emperor said in a resolute tone.

"Your Majesty, please! I only have one son. Do you really have the heart to leave me all by myself?" Kate cried out, pleading for his forgiveness.

"What nonsense are you spewing? Kevin has a number of sons. Each of them is yours. Everyone calls you 'Mother.' You just said you only had one son, so does that mean you don't think of those other children as your own?" the emperor roared, fuming with intense rage.

"I... That's not what I meant. Your Majesty, please spare Hansen. I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have been so unreasonable. Please just spare Hansen and I swear I won't pursue the matter anymore. Your Majesty, I beg you!"

"I've had enough of your blabbering! Go home and reflect on what happened! If you don't listen to me, I'm going to teach you a lesson!" Waving his hand in utter disgust, the emperor ordered his guards to send Kate out even if they had to drag her. This sent shivers down Charles' spine as he broke out in a cold sweat. He understood that everything was over now and no one would be able to do anything about it.