Chapter 1093 Fortune Or Ill Fate
Natalie was shocked. She thought that the jade key was related to the royal family’s secret, but as it turned out, the jade key was related to the treasures of the royal mausoleum instead. “Mr. Varre, why are you sure that this is the key?”
“I was obsessed with gem carving back then. That man had used my wife and Annie’s life as bait to make me loyal to him. He wanted to create this key according to the records in the old books,” Varre said agitatedly, his eyes bloodshot.
“Somehow, that man managed to find countless books with the key’s descriptions, and I tried many to recreate it with multiple jade stones, but none could be used to unlock the royal mausoleum’s secret room.” “Anna and her mother?”
“Annie hates me because I’m the reason her mother died…” Varre uttered in a pained voice. “I could carve all kinds of sculptures beautifully, but I could never carve out the mysterious jade key. The man thought I wasn’t serious about the job, so he fed Wilna a poison he had developed. It made her body puff up like a ball, and in the end, she exploded. Annie had to witness her mother’s death.”
“What?” Natalie’s jaw dropped at the revelation.
No wonder Varre came to a remote monastery that doesn’t even show up on the GPS to be a nameless monk despite having such a luxurious life in the past. No wonder those cruel words could come out of the gentle Anna’s mouth even though it’s obvious that Varre is dying. So this tragedy is related to this jade key…
“Mr. Varre, have you ever… explained this to Anna?” Natalie could not help but ask. “What good would the explanation be to Annie? It’ll only make me feel better, not her.” Varre bitterly shook his head. “Annie loves her mother. If she finds out that the man had a hand in her mother’s death, she will certainly seek revenge. That man is a powerful figure. Only by becoming a hermit did I finally have these twenty years of peace. Annie will only risk her life if she seeks revenge. I don’t want to lose my daughter after losing the woman I love. I’d rather have Annie blame this on me and think of me as the evilest person in the world so that she can live a simple life. As her parent, I don’t wish for her to achieve great things. I just hope that she’ll be safe and sound in her life. That’s all…”
Natalie was stunned to her core to hear their history.
“Mr. Varre,” she muttered, “you’re telling me these…”
Varre inclined his head and whispered, “Miss, you’ve gotten the real jade key, but this jade key could be your fortune or your ill fate. I’ve withdrawn from society for years, and I’ve gotten used to this life. Unless the matter concerns Annie, I don’t wish to intervene in mortal affairs anymore. I’ve told you everything I know about the story of this jade key, and I’ll fulfill Annie’s request. I hope my words will be able to provide you more insight into your future and less ill fortune.”
A pause after, he continued, “Another thing—a selfish wish of a dying monk. I wish to tell you the secret I’ve kept all these years. It has been tormenting me.”
When Natalie left the meditation room, she could not help but turn to give one last glance at Varre, who was concentrating on engraving the jade.
She thought that she would only be asking Varre to replicate the jade key for this trip of hers.
She never thought that she would learn the rumors behind the jade key and Anna’s tragic past.
Recalling Anna’s hesitance the night before, Natalie suddenly realized she now understood everything.
Still… Varre reminds me of my mother. My mother brought me to a border town in Chanaea after I was born. After she passed away, she left a letter, but she never once mentioned that I wasn’t Thomas’ daughter. She only said she hoped that I would have a peaceful, simple life. What difference is my mother’s wish from Varre’s? Hiding that piece of information from me so that I won’t be caught up in perilous situations.