Chapter 1051

Camila settled into the third room of the Peace Wing, becoming Skye Embroidery's first true resident. When Violet saw Camila delicately stitching a flower at the embroidery frame, a quiet smile of satisfaction touched her lips. The start had been arduous, but it was a start. Violet clung to the hope that, in their darkest moments, women without other recourse might find refuge at Skye Embroidery before considering death.

Elsewhere, Serena returned to her family following her divorce. Viola, thoroughly displeased, forbade Serena from setting foot in their home. However, Barrett insisted on bringing Serena back to Valor Estate, prompting Viola's furious retreat to her own family's home. There, in her mother's sitting room, Viola wept bitterly, lamenting Barrett's decline. "He's lost his position, neglects his duties, and is nothing but a useless wreck! I can't live like this anymore!"

Evelyn, weary of similar complaints, offered little reaction, instead staring blankly as Viola cried herself hoarse. Zoey, however, possessed no such patience.

"If you can't live like this, then divorce him," she snapped. "But don't think for a second you can come crawling back here afterward! Maybe try your luck at Skye Embroidery—but don't count on them taking you in. After all, you had more than a hand in pushing Amelia to her death."

Viola paled at the mention of Amelia, her sobs abruptly ceasing. Lacking the courage to confront her sister-in-law's accusations, she sulked for two days at Silverstone Estate before returning to Valor Estate in shame.

Meanwhile, Zoey visited Skye Embroidery, meeting Camila and privately inquiring with Violet. "Is there any way you can help her find justice?"

Violet's response was practical, if disheartening. "I've already sent Claire to investigate her claims. But even if we clear her name, the dye shop she lost… I doubt it can be returned. Women, aside from their dowries, were not permitted private property."

Leaving the workshop, Zoey reflected on her own precarious situation. Beneath the veneer of her charmed life, the grand estate was riddled with problems, like fine silk infested with lice. She couldn't afford to wait idly for disaster. Her children were too young for marriage, but it was time to lay the groundwork. Dowries and engagement gifts required careful preparation; such matters weren't left to the last minute in families of their status.

Zoey resolved to prepare, sensing a pressing urgency. Whether for engagement gifts or dowries, meticulous recording and official approval were necessary. She reorganized her own dowry, securing its storage, and purchased several shops to augment her daughter's future inheritance—a move her practical and affectionate mother-in-law would surely approve.

Although her daughter was too young for marriage, Zoey began considering arranging a match early. The future was unpredictable, especially given her husband Oliver's uncertain prospects; his career, she knew, would likely never regain its former momentum.

That evening, chaos erupted at the Drunken Blossom tavern. The Earl of Delmarsh's second son attempted to set the building ablaze over a dispute with a courtesan. Swift action from bystanders prevented a devastating fire.

The incident sparked outrage, especially when the young man's position in the Garrison Unit came to light. Rumors of reckless behavior among Garrison Unit members spread rapidly, reaching the Oversight Department and eventually the court.

Salvador, though initially reluctant, had little choice but to act given the public outcry. He ordered Carissa and Max to conduct a thorough investigation. For days, high-ranking officials knelt outside the royal study, pleading for leniency for their sons. Their tears only served to sour Salvador's mood. Dismissing them with a scathing rebuke, he grudgingly promised mercy.

Summoning Carissa afterward, Salvador reviewed her findings. Initially assuming a simple case of spoiled nobles bullying merchants, he discovered the full extent of their crimes: arson, murder, and the abduction of young women, all in collusion with moneylenders.

"Hand them all over to the Supreme Court," Salvador thundered. "Let the law deal with them harshly!"

Carissa bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty. I will see to it immediately."

Salvador recognized the decision to crack down on the Garrison Unit as Carissa's. While initially angry, the evidence left no doubt—these men were dangerous and needed to be stopped. His anger softened, and he offered grudging but sincere commendation.