Make France Great Again-Chapter 971 - 962: The Eve of the Split

As Emile Olivier stepped out of the carriage near his residence after returning from the Tuileries Palace and bid farewell to the driver, he was gently embraced from behind.

Facing the unexpected "attack," Emile Olivier wanted to break free but heard his wife’s voice from behind, "Darling, you finally came back!"

Upon hearing such a familiar voice, Emile Olivier slowly lowered his hands and said softly, "Yes! I’m back!"

After the couple lingered affectionately for a moment at the street corner, Marie Thérèse Olivier released Emile Olivier, allowing him to turn around and face her.

Only then did Emile Olivier realize that his wife, Marie Thérèse Olivier, was wearing just a thin coat at the moment, and the cold wind was brutally attacking her body, causing her to shiver. Her petite nose sniffled from the cold, looking very much like someone who had just been bullied.

Seeing this, Emile Olivier felt a surge of heartache and hurried to wrap his coat around her, speaking with a reproachful tone, "Why did you come out wearing so little! You really don’t take care of yourself!"

"I’m worried about you!" Marie Thérèse Olivier responded to Emile Olivier with a look of grievance, "You left at 2 p.m. and have been gone for a full six hours!"

"I couldn’t leave!" Emile Olivier explained to Marie Thérèse Olivier.

"Couldn’t leave?" Marie Thérèse Olivier swept her hair back with her hand, her delicate nostrils quivering. She took a deep breath and asked, "Why could Ernest Picard return earlier than you?"

"Ernest Picard?" Emile Olivier paused for a moment, seemingly realizing something, and quickly asked Marie Thérèse Olivier, "Did Ernest Picard come to our home?"

"It wasn’t just Mr. Picard; Mr. Enon and Mr. Favre came to visit us with him!" Marie Thérèse Olivier informed Emile Olivier.

Upon hearing this, Emile Olivier’s expression became solemn, and Marie Thérèse Olivier, standing by, also asked Emile Olivier nervously, "Olivier, what’s wrong with you?

Your expression looks so unpleasant!"

To prevent his wife from worrying, Emile Olivier quickly smiled at her and said, "It’s nothing! I just thought of some things!

By the way, did Enon and Favre say anything when they came over?"

"Not really!" Marie Thérèse Olivier shook her head in response to Emile Olivier, "Mr. Favre just asked where you went and why you hadn’t returned yet."

"What did you say?" Emile Olivier asked urgently.

"I told them I didn’t know where you were right now either!" Marie Thérèse Olivier replied to Emile Olivier, "Then they left!

By the way! Darling, where did you go?"

Hearing Marie Thérèse Olivier’s answer, Emile Olivier suddenly felt that his days in the Republican Faction might be numbered.

If Enon and Favre knew he had met with Emperor Jerome Bonaparte... no, they probably could guess that! What should I do?

As Emile Olivier pondered these questions in his mind, Marie Thérèse Olivier’s voice came to his ear, "Olivier!"

Coming to his senses, Emile Olivier paused for a second, then responded to Marie Thérèse Olivier, "I’m here!"

"We should go back!" Marie Thérèse Olivier gently pointed at Emile Olivier’s thin coat with her finger, "If you catch a cold, that wouldn’t be good!"

"Mm! Okay!" Emile Olivier and Marie Thérèse Olivier returned home together.

Just as Emile Olivier stepped into the house, he immediately smelled the aroma of food and promptly asked Marie Thérèse Olivier, "Have you not eaten yet?"

"No! What about you?" Marie Thérèse Olivier shook her head and asked back.

"I have!" Emile Olivier responded to Marie Thérèse Olivier and then recounted his meal with Emperor Jerome Bonaparte to her.

Marie Thérèse Olivier quietly listened to Emile Olivier’s words, then frowned and told Emile Olivier, "Darling, you shouldn’t have agreed to dine with the Emperor!

This will put you in an awkward position within the Republican Faction!"

"I know!" Emile Olivier replied to Marie Thérèse Olivier with a bitter smile, "I couldn’t outright refuse His Majesty!

After all, he is the ruler of a nation!"

From Emile Olivier’s words, Marie Thérèse Olivier sensed a tone of compromise, words that Emile Olivier would never have said before.

With a serious expression, Marie Thérèse Olivier asked Emile Olivier, "Darling, I want to know what you plan to do now?"

"Do you want to continue being the opposition to the Empire, or do you want to stand on the side of the Empire?"

Emile Olivier shook his head and said to Marie Thérèse Olivier, "I don’t know what to do now!"

"Olivier, you know!" Marie Thérèse Olivier said firmly, "You surely know what to do!

I promise you, no matter what choice you make, I will support you!

I will always stand by your side!"

After saying this, Marie Thérèse Olivier held Emile Olivier’s hand and looked at him with deep affection.

Feeling the warmth from Marie Thérèse Olivier’s hand, Emile Olivier lifted his head and looked at her with a touch of gratitude in his eyes.

"Olivier, I believe in you! No matter what choice you make, I’ll bear it with you!" Marie Thérèse Olivier responded to Emile Olivier.

Emile Olivier looked touched, smiled, and said firmly to Marie Thérèse Olivier, "Thank you for your support! I already know what I should do!"

"Then I can enjoy my meal in peace!" Marie Thérèse Olivier responded to Emile Olivier with a smile as well.

Then, as Marie Thérèse Olivier enjoyed her modest dinner, she asked Emile Olivier what he had eaten at the Tuileries Palace.

Emile Olivier recounted the food he had at the Tuileries Palace to Marie Thérèse Olivier, who laughed and replied that it seemed the food at the Tuileries Palace was not any better than theirs.

She thought that the food at the Tuileries Palace should consist of various wild dishes she had never tried.

"Perhaps it’s because His Majesty the Emperor is frugal!" Emile Olivier suggested uncertainly.

"Why is he so frugal! He’s already in control of a country!" Marie Thérèse Olivier said, puzzled.

"I don’t know either!" Emile Olivier shook his head, "Perhaps it has something to do with his character!"

"That doesn’t seem right! I heard that Prince Monfort’s monthly expenses are not small!" Marie Thérèse Olivier showed her knack for gossip again, "It doesn’t make sense that the father is a spendthrift and the son is frugal!"

"I don’t know about that!" Emile Olivier shook his head and replied to Marie Thérèse Olivier, "Or maybe it’s because the Emperor’s desire for power exceeds his desire for money!

So he doesn’t mind what he eats!"

"That sounds reasonable!" Marie Thérèse Olivier nodded in agreement to Emile Olivier.

"Alright! Enough talking, you should eat!" Emile Olivier urged Marie Thérèse Olivier to eat quickly.

Marie Thérèse Olivier followed Emile Olivier’s request and began eating heartily.

...

Early the next morning, a neatly dressed Emile Olivier left the residence to attend the Republican Faction’s gathering.

There, Emile Olivier saw Jules Favre, Jacques Louis Enon, and Ernest Picard.

At that moment, Favre was looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze, as if interrogating a prisoner.

Jacques Louis Enon also showed a hint of wariness, appearing to suspect Emile Olivier as well.

"Good morning, Mr. Favre, Mr. Enon!" Facing their doubts, Emile Olivier responded without any hint of fear.

"Mr. Emile Olivier, can you assure me, as a Republican, where you went after yesterday’s meeting?" Jules Favre questioned Emile Olivier high-handedly.

"I was called by the Emperor; he wanted me to join their camp!" Emile Olivier replied candidly to Jules Favre.

"Did you accept?" Jules Favre continued to question Emile Olivier.

Emile Olivier shook his head and replied to Jules Favre, "No! I did not accept Emperor Jerome Bonaparte’s invitation!"

"And then?" Jules Favre continued.

"Then, we just had a meal together, nothing more!"