Chapter 1033 (+25 Bonus)
Carissa hopped down from the railing outside the pavilion, plucked a rose, and bit it. She flipped three times, then nimbly swung herself back up, landing lightly beside Violet. Stretching out her arms, she offered the rose, still in her mouth, with a smile. Tiny beads of sweat dotted her forehead, but her eyes twinkled.
Violet snatched the rose, glaring playfully. “Seriously? You’re the Hell Monarch’s princess consort, flipping around like that? Isn’t that embarrassing? Do you have no shame?”
Carissa’s cheeks turned pink. “What could I do? I offended you, Ms. Spencer,” she laughed. “Have you forgiven me yet?”
Violet sighed. “I wasn’t really angry. Come on, let’s go to the workshop and find Jessica.”
She pinched Carissa’s arm and glared at Travis. “Still laughing? You’re going to dislocate your jaw.”
Travis, tears welling in his eyes, laughed uncontrollably. “You guys are killing me! You looked like a monkey.”
Carissa and Violet ignored him and left the pavilion. As they walked, Violet kicked Carissa and muttered, “You idiot.”
Carissa stuck out her tongue. “Who told you to fall for it?”
Violet chuckled, but Travis’s words brought a pang of sadness. Tears welled in her eyes. It had been so long since Carissa had goofed off like that.
They entered the workshop through the back door. The front was swarmed by a dozen locals shouting, throwing rocks, splashing dirty water, and tossing old shoes.
Carissa asked Brock, a burly guard Hannah had sent, if he’d been watching.
He nodded. “They switch shifts every couple of hours. Some are townspeople, others are stirring trouble.” Brock, courtesy of Hannah, had been guarding the place since the unrest began, protecting the property and its occupants.
Chapter 1033 (+25 Bonus)
Sensing something was wrong, Violet asked, “Where’s Jessica?”
Brock replied, “She’s been hiding in her room and refusing to come out. For days, she hasn’t cleaned. Selma told her she’d get no food, but she’d rather starve than open the door.”
“Which room?” Carissa asked.
“Room One, Peaceful Wing.”
Brock called Selma, the elderly maid. “Selma, tell Jessica Lady Carissa and Ms. Spencer are here.”
Carissa stopped him. “No need. We’ll go ourselves.” Carissa knew Jessica: when things got tough, she hid.
The residential wings were named Peaceful and Fortunate. Though Jessica hadn’t formally moved in, Selma had arranged for her to stay in Room One, Peaceful Wing.
At the door, Selma knocked. “Jessica, open up.”
A panicked voice replied, “I’m not opening the door! You can’t make me leave!”
“We’re not asking you to leave. Lady Carissa and Ms. Spencer are here,” Selma called, knocking louder.
Hurried footsteps stopped. Silence followed. Carissa and Violet exchanged a confused glance.
“Open the door, or we’ll break it down,” Violet said, knocking.
A muffled voice whispered, “I won’t come out! I know you’re going to throw me out!”
“If you don’t open the door, we will throw you out,” Violet said coldly.
Jessica’s sobs filled the air, raw and uncontrollable, for fifteen minutes before subsiding. Then, a broken voice said, “I didn’t mean to hurt her child.
Chapter 1033 (+25 Bonus)
Her mom went too far, so I gave her laxatives. I know I’m not a good person. I’ve fallen from grace, but I never meant to kill anyone.”
“Open the door and talk. We won’t throw you out until everything’s clear,” Carissa said firmly.
Violet, however, kicked in the window, climbed through, and unlocked the door from inside. A broken window was easier to fix than a damaged door.
Jessica was hidden in the wardrobe. Violet dragged her out. Her eyes were swollen, and she stared at Violet’s fist, trembling. “I won’t leave.”
More tears streamed down her face.
Violet released her, her voice cold. “If you don’t want to leave, tell us the truth. What have you done? Don’t think you can fool us—we’ll find out everything.”