When Jeffrey spoke, I wasn't surprised at all. The Hales had stayed powerful for generations because of him. He wasn't like Malcom, who only cared about quick gains or temporary advantage. Jeffrey made decisions with a long view, the kind of clarity only someone seasoned in leadership could have.
Camilla had gambled everything on her pregnancy. She thought the life growing inside her would guarantee her a place in the Hale bloodline. What she didn't expect was that Jeffrey the one who valued lineage above everyone else would be the first to reject her.
At his age, he wanted to see a proper heir born from a union he approved of. But even with that desire, he didn't hesitate to dismiss Camilla and the child she carried.
"Jeffrey," Camilla said, voice shaking with desperation, "this is the first child of the Hales' next generation. It might be a boy. How can you turn your back on that?"
