Chapter 395

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The mention of Verdant Monastery caused Yuvan's family members' faces to change instantly. His eldest son, Randall, was about to sit when he heard it.

"Verdant Monastery?" he asked abruptly. "Do you know how our mother is faring?"

"Not well!" Carissa said, looking directly at Randall. "If you care about her, why didn't you go see her yourself?"

Randall glanced at Yuvan, who remained indifferent and silent.

"I was at the academy and couldn't leave," Randall replied awkwardly.

"Is that so? With so many people at Horizon Estate, no one could leave? Only two maids were sent to attend to her. If it weren't for Sebastian's apprentices, Jasmine and Ivy, how long could she have lasted at Verdant Monastery?"

Sabrina, who had always looked down on Carissa because of her divorce, was displeased by her words. "I didn't realize my cousin-in-law had such a penchant for meddling in other people's affairs," she said.

Carissa's gaze cut through Sabrina like a knife. "And I didn't know there were such ungrateful daughters in this world," she retorted.

"How dare you!" Sabrina's eyes immediately reddened. "What an outrageous accusation! How could you possibly know if I'm ungrateful? Have you seen how I treated my mother?"

"I didn't, but I saw that when your mother died, not a single one of you was there," Carissa replied coldly.

Randall staggered back in shock. "What? Mother has passed away?"

Tears streamed down his face; he seemed unable to believe it. Seeing his tears, Carissa wasn't sure if they were genuine.

Sabrina and Stephanie stared blankly for a moment before their eyes filled with tears, though none fell.

Yuvan pressed his hand to his chest and sighed heavily. "If I had known her illness was so serious, I would have stopped her from going to Verdant Monastery. She insisted on going to fulfill a vow made years ago, so that Melanie's family could find peace in the afterlife."

Before Carissa could respond, Violet, standing behind her, visibly enraged, spoke.

"This is the first time I've heard someone blame his dead wife because he abandoned her for a favored concubine. No one wants to be away from their husband and children when seriously ill, only to die quietly in a cold, desolate monastery. It's clear you forced her to go. If you had treated her with any kindness, she wouldn't have died so early," Violet ranted.

"Preposterous!" Yuvan's face darkened. "Who are you to dare speak so recklessly about my family matters in my presence? She went of her own volition. Everyone in the household can testify to that."

Violet sneered coldly. "Once someone is dead, you can say anything. But I hope that before you die, Prince Yuvan, you also find a monastery to die alone in, without any of your children by your side. If you manage that, then I might believe your deceitful words."

Fiona sized Violet up, noticing her haughty and aloof demeanor. She guessed she must be a noble lady from the capital.

"May I ask which family you are from?" Fiona asked. "Why speak so harshly? Do you know that cursing a prince is a serious crime? I won't hold your youthful indiscretion against you this time, but should there be another, I will ensure you are severely punished."

"How imposing you are, Lady Fiona!" Violet retorted sarcastically. "Cursing a prince is a grave sin, but persecuting a princess consort to death—does that not count as a major crime? Even when Lady Avis was gravely ill, you sent her a divorce agreement. Was that really for a divorce? It was a death warrant. You seemed to want her to die sooner."

"What divorce agreement?" Randall looked at Yuvan in disbelief. "Father, you sent a letter of divorce to Mother? What did she do to deserve that?"

Yuvan frowned. "Sit down. Do not speak nonsense. There was no divorce agreement. It must be a baseless rumor."

He had ordered the agreement burned after it was shown to Avis. Therefore, even if Rafael and Carissa had gone to Verdant Monastery, they wouldn't have found it. At most, they would have heard a verbal account from Sebastian's two apprentices.

However, Carissa reached into her sleeve and pulled out the divorce agreement. She threw it at Randall with a cold expression.

"Look for yourself and see if it's in your father's handwriting."