Chapter 1010

Carissa smiled sweetly at Rafael's early return, her eyes warm. "Have you settled all the cases?"

"Not yet, but I didn't feel like staying up tonight," Rafael replied, meeting her gaze. His hard features softened unconsciously. A smile touched his eyes as he sat beside her.

Jacob glanced back and called for drinks. "My throat's on fire! Get some cold fruit juice."

Violet laughed. "What kept you so busy today, Jacob? Your voice is hoarse."

"Running around the shops, negotiating," Jacob said, nodding respectfully to Carissa before sitting.

Violet, uninterested in the details, turned to Rafael. "You said you know something about Jessica. What's going on with her?"

"Her finances were always shaky," Rafael explained. "The treason investigation revealed that her shop profits were funneled to Eleanor. She also owned shops with other women, including Lady Josephine and Lady Dakota—all implicated in the case. After the investigation, shops linked to the case were sealed, leaving her with two private shops registered under Henry's name. After his execution, those were seized. She'd hidden this from the Marquis of Ironridge, hoping to avoid his disapproval. With no income, she started loan-sharking. She even borrowed 10,000 silver coins from Lady Molly, claiming a business venture and a 50/50 profit split."

Violet's face soured at her cousin's involvement.

"Recently, authorities cracked down on illegal lending, and she was caught. Fined a large sum, the money left from her divorce was insufficient. She sold her properties and jewelry to pay the fine; otherwise, she'd have faced jail. She still owes Lady Molly 10,000 silver coins plus interest. Lady Molly's debt collectors pursued her, leading her to the workshop."

"She brought this on herself! After all that, she still loan-sharked. The king wasn't even involved in the treason case, yet she couldn't keep a low profile? She has no one to blame but herself," Violet spat disgustedly.

Chapter 1010

"How much was the fine?" Carissa asked curiously.

"100,000 silver coins," Rafael replied.

Violet's eyes widened. "That much? How much did she lend out?"

"50,000 silver coins. The fine is double that," Rafael explained. "Usury is serious, and the king's cracking down. She was unlucky. Ian's people are handling this; no mercy."

Carissa frowned. "How much interest did she collect? Did she force anyone to sell their children or worse?" She knew high-interest lenders were ruthless, often forcing repayment through such cruel means.

Jacob chuckled. "The funny part is, she didn't profit from the interest. The court investigated as soon as she started lending. Now, she can't recover the 50,000 silver coins and still owes the fine."

Violet raised an eyebrow. "So, the borrower got off easy?"

"Not at all," Rafael replied. "Since usury is illegal, the 50,000 silver coins were also confiscated."

Carissa's eyes widened. "So, she lost 150,000 silver coins? That's enough to bankrupt anyone!"

"Exactly," Rafael confirmed. "Otherwise, why sell her properties? She still owes the fine and Lady Molly 10,000 coins. This mess is tied to Yuvan, and Ian's watching him closely. He has no sympathy for Jessica. She's been trying to use her connections, but Ian's ignoring her."