Chapter 1043 +25 BONUS

Carissa furrowed her brows, already suspecting Emma's involvement. Knowing how unkind the years at Ironridge Estate had been to Emma—managing the household and bearing children—Carissa desperately hoped it wasn't her. Jessica frequently criticized Emma; and although Emma was Margaret's niece, she wasn't the primary wife. While she oversaw household affairs and social engagements, her standing was always questionable.

Violet was also frustrated. "What should we do? Could it really be her? If it's her well, the woman is dead. Will the Marquis of Ironridge and the old matriarch even believe this? And there's no solid evidence that Emma arranged everything before her death. The testimony of one maid isn't enough. She could easily say I coerced her."

Carissa thought for a moment. "Then let's have Luke summon Giles again. This time, we'll question him ourselves."

"That seems like the only option," Violet concurred. "After all, everything traces back to him. He definitely wouldn't target Jessica without reason—someone must be pulling his strings."

Carissa nodded and instructed someone to get Luke. Once they understood Giles's involvement, they might piece things together.

Luke was stunned to hear Giles was behind the schemes. His round face twisted with anger. "So, everything he told me before—was that just to mislead me so I'd report back to Her Grace?"

"That's a strong possibility," Violet replied. "He might have intentionally mixed up the facts, making us believe Jessica was a villain. She may be one, but in this case, she might be innocent."

"Right," Carissa said, trying to reassure Luke. "He's making sure we jump to conclusions and distrust Jessica. He probably didn't mean to deceive or manipulate you on purpose. Let's get to the bottom of things first, and we can confront him once it's clear."

While Carissa wasn't entirely sure of Giles's intentions, she didn't believe him malicious. After all, if he were truly deceitful, Luke wouldn't have maintained their friendship for so many years.

Luke's face paled slightly. "Never mind. If he really did use me, then I can't say anything. After all, it wasn't entirely appropriate for me to ask him about the inner workings of the marquis's household. I just thought that, after all these years of friendship and because we come from the same place, he wouldn't deceive me."

"How much do you know about Giles?" Violet asked.

Chapter 1043 +25 BONUS

Luke calmed down. "He's loyal, no doubt. When Lady Emma managed the household, she relied heavily on him. She promoted him to steward and even married one of her personal maids to his son. In terms of loyalty, he's far more dedicated to Lady Emma than to the Marquis of Ironridge's family."

Hearing this, Carissa and Violet exchanged glances. It seemed increasingly likely that Emma had orchestrated everything.

Luke went to invite Giles to Glimmering Tower, while Carissa and Violet went to Arcane Sanctum. They sought out Sebastian to ask whether a stable pregnancy could be threatened by taking laxatives.

Sebastian explained, "It depends on the dosage. If too much is taken and it causes severe diarrhea, it could result in a miscarriage. If the dosage is small and there is proper treatment afterward, there shouldn't be any issues, especially with a stable pregnancy."

He looked up at them sharply. "Are you asking about the concubine from Ironridge Estate?"

Violet's eyes lit up. "Sebastian, you're incredible! How did you know we were talking about her?"

Sebastian chuckled. "It's common knowledge in the capital now. She was given several doses of laxatives by Jessica, which caused a miscarriage and possibly damaged her womb."

"It wasn't a few doses," Violet frowned. "There were laxatives in the pregnancy supplement she was taking."

Rowan walked up. "That concubine who lost the baby had been taking medicine to promote blood circulation and reduce stasis. But the medicine was switched out a while ago."

Violet and Carissa both reached for Rowan's arm. "Who told you this? Tell us everything."