Chapter 1035

Violet couldn't help but think Jessica was something else—bad, without a doubt, but also foolish. She probably inherited her foolishness, which Eleanor must have accepted and moved on from. Otherwise, why would Eleanor have kept everything from her daughter after all those years of planning?

With that thought, Violet asked, "How much do you know about your mother's situation?"

"What's it to you?" Jessica instantly tensed, eyeing her warily. "Don't try to frame me. I don't know anything!"

Seeing how defensive she was, Violet decided not to push further, instead asking about the maids from her former household. She seemed to think they were trustworthy and loyal.

"Even after my divorce, I didn't take them with me," Jessica said. "They won't be mistreated at Ironridge Estate; Madam Margaret is lenient. There's no reason for them to suffer with me."

Carissa raised an eyebrow. "You've never considered that Serena might try to harm you? How did the medicine end up switched so carelessly?"

"She wouldn't dare," Jessica responded firmly. "Since she entered the house, she's relied on me for everything. Why would she harm me?"

"You say that, but didn't she sell you out?"

Jessica paused, then instinctively defended Serena. "She was afraid they would find out, so she sold me out. She only added laxatives to the medicine. She didn't actually harm anyone."

"You're such a good person," Violet said sarcastically.

Hearing the sarcasm, Jessica turned away, silent.

Carissa found the situation incredulous but pressed on. "But this concerns the family heir. Didn't the Marquis of Ironridge's family investigate further?"

Jessica sneered bitterly. "Madam Margaret was sick, and so was Emma, who was barely clinging to life. The marquis sent a housekeeper to investigate, and after Serena betrayed me, I simply admitted it. Since I confessed, they didn't pursue it further. After all, in their eyes, what cruel things couldn't I have done?"

Violet clicked her tongue in disbelief. "Unbelievable. You handed all the dirty work to Serena, without knowing what kind of drug she used or how much. You look down on her, yet you trust her so much. Do you really think she won't cause trouble? Even the meekest rabbit will bite when cornered. And Serena? She's a weasel."

Violet despised the Warren family and wasn't surprised by their schemes. She believed Serena was the true mastermind.

But Carissa disagreed. While Jessica had ordered Serena to administer the laxative, and Serena had done so, someone else must have been pulling the strings.

She asked, "Flora lost her child, but your husband didn't divorce you then. Were you only divorced and cast out after you pushed Serena into the lake and they found out you were involved in usury?"

"That's right," Jessica admitted bitterly. "But they had already been planning to cast me out. They just piled my offenses together to make it seem more justified."

Violet chuckled cynically. "Well, don't feel too unfairly treated. They didn't cast you out for trying to harm the heir or the concubine. If they had, you'd be locked up. Madam Margaret treated you decently, considering."

At those words, Jessica recalled something and began crying again. After her sobs subsided, she blinked her swollen eyes open, barely able to see through the slits in her eyelids.

"I remember… When I first entered the family, Madam Margaret treated me well. But I was arrogant and unruly. I thought, with my parents' backing, I could look down on everyone. I even thought Madam Margaret was trying to curry favor with me.

"After my mother was imprisoned and my father executed, I truly thought the sky was falling. When I was downgraded to commoner status, I thought they would be desperate to get rid of me. But… I never expected they'd still keep me around until now," she said.

Carissa asked, "What kind of person was Lady Emma? You knew her for many years. You must know her nature better than anyone."