Chapter 1197

Carissa arrived to find chaos. People milled outside, gossiping instead of addressing the situation. Inside, angry accusations filled the air. She instantly grasped the situation.

Parents surged towards her, demanding answers, though couching their demands in polite inquiries. Their tone, while firm, lacked the earlier harshness. Carissa remained outwardly composed, but inwardly, she fumed. The incident, occurring on the last day before the holiday, was infuriating.

The academy gates had been open, allowing students to collect their belongings. Servants of the noble families were always diligent; trouble was unexpected. Yet, intruders had exploited the opportunity, slipping in unnoticed amidst the arriving parents and creating a potentially horrific situation. Their brazen actions constituted a direct attack on Gracewood Women's Academy.

"I will ensure everyone receives a full explanation," Carissa stated.

"Your Grace, how will you explain this? Who will believe our daughters were unharmed?" one parent demanded.

"Precisely! So many men, so many witnesses. Even if nothing happened, it will be said that something did," another chimed in.

"Why weren't there more guards?" another parent questioned.

Seeing Carissa cornered, Rosalind, wiping away tears, stood. "Please don't worry, everyone. None of the students were harmed. The intruders only managed to grab me."

Stunned silence followed. No one expected Rosalind to take the blame. Even if she had been held, concealing the incident would have been preferable. Her admission, so publicly declared, would surely damage her reputation.

Catherine quickly interjected, "You weren't really grabbed. Don't speak such nonsense. The intruder didn't succeed."

But Rosalind remained resolute. "The intruder did hold me, but thankfully, no harm came to the students. Everyone is fine. Please don't worry."

A hushed silence fell. Some mocked her; others looked on with pity. A few understood: she was shielding the other students. As Trevor's granddaughter, the blame would fall solely on her, sparing the others. The narrative would shift to Rosalind's near-assault, rather than the attempted violation of all the students.

Carissa watched Rosalind with a heavy heart. If she had arrived sooner…

Claire, filled with guilt, confessed she had been in the restroom. Had she been present, she could have stopped the intruders.

Carissa instructed, "Bring me a basin of cold water."

Carissa quickly noted the intruder's strangely reddened eyes—he had been drugged, explaining his audacious actions.

The cold water was brought. As Carissa poured it over the man, he shuddered violently, his eyes, though confused, still lingering hungrily on the young women.

He appeared to be in his forties, rough-faced and sunburned, with stubble and simple clothes, bearing the marks of hard labor. Though not tall, he was powerfully built.

Chapter 1198