Chapter 780

Cecilia wore a simple, pale blue dress; the wide sleeves of her outer garment made her look incredibly light and graceful. Despite bearing three children, her skin remained radiant and wrinkle-free. Her long hair was styled in a bun adorned with pearl-encrusted hairpins, adding to her refined and otherworldly appearance. It was clear she lived a comfortable life within the Duke of Oakspire’s family, untouched by hardship. She was genuinely cherished.

Carissa had encountered other concubines' daughters, but only Cecilia exuded an air of someone untouched by life's trials. There was a softness about her, a sense of being delicately cradled.

When Cecilia arrived, her demeanor was courteous. She performed a graceful curtsy, keeping a respectful distance from the men. When Carissa called her full name, her expression remained calm, as if anticipating this moment. She knelt, lifted her head, and her eyes reflected acceptance. "Yes, my name is Cecilia Kingsley. I am not without family. Lord Henry is my father; I am part of the Kingsley family and Grand Princess Eleanor's household."

Her statement hit the main hall with jarring intensity, silencing everyone. Gareth's eyes widened in shock, his gaze filled with fury. "What? You're Lord Henry's daughter?"

"I'm sorry, Lord Gareth," Cecilia said, her head lowered, her voice steady, showing no tears. "I deceived you and everyone else."

"What?!"

Gareth raised his hand, ready to strike, but the anger dissipated when he saw Cecilia's red-rimmed eyes. She was still his favorite concubine and the mother of his two sons.

As Gareth slowly lowered his hand, Michael entered with the Capital Guard and the scribe. Carissa instructed the scribe to take notes and repeated Cecilia's statement. Afterward, she turned to Norman. "Did I make any mistakes, Lord Norman?"

Norman was stunned, his gaze fixed on Carissa's serious, composed face. A wave of indescribable shame washed over him. He recalled the chaos that had erupted in his household when Carissa first arrived—they had acted like monkeys. Only his eldest son—whom he had always disregarded—had attempted to reason with them. Yet, no one had listened to Mikhail.

"There was no mistake," Mikhail replied on Norman's behalf, his expression grave. "You have an impressive memory, Commander Sinclair. Not a single word was wrong."

"That's good to hear," Carissa said. Turning to Gareth, she added, "Lord Gareth, you might as well take a seat. I still have a few questions for you and Lady Cecilia regarding the weapons."

Gareth, arrogant moments before, now felt a chill run down his spine. Many blueprints for armor and weapons were stored in his study, accessible to Cecilia. When he worked late, she was often at his side.

Carissa asked, "Lady Cecilia, have you ever delivered any blueprints for weapons and armor from the Ministry of Defense to Eleanor?"

Gareth's heart raced as he stared at Cecilia, terrified she would reveal she had stolen his designs.

After a moment of silence, Cecilia said, "I served Lord Gareth in the study and saw those blueprints. I stole two pages and sent them to Eleanor."

Gareth felt as if he might faint.

Norman's gaze shifted to his favorite son; the usual approval in his eyes was replaced by simmering anger. He had always believed Gareth resembled him most in temperament and style. But now, it was clear only their tempers matched—there was no trace of Norman's caution. Gareth hadn't even known Cecilia's background yet had pampered her for years. And he'd allowed her access to his study, where she could see the weapon designs! Armor and crossbow designs were the most sensitive of secrets—civilian replicas were far inferior to those produced by the Ministry of Defense.

With Cecilia's confession, the color drained from the faces of the Duke of Oakspire's family. Moments before, many had claimed Carissa was merely asserting authority. Now, they were all silent.

Chapter 786 (This chapter heading is now correctly placed)