Chapter 835

Hearing Chardone's remarks, Tara concluded that the deal was definitely not with that side of the family. Recalling Monday's events, Detective Paneca couldn't help but fear it was probably because of her feeling for her freed servant. "Forget about her," she muttered. "Where can the poorly managed minor post be for so long?"

And if he does return, does she really think?

Tara grew concerned. "Shouldn't we send someone to look for her? Madam Amelia rarely goes out somewhere without saying anything."

Paneca's expression darkened with irritation. "No need to look for her. If I do that, she'll think too highly of herself. She was wrong from the start for mismanaging the household, and she even had the audacity to ask me to sell my jewelry to make ends meet. Where has all the money gone?" Tara, though sharing Paneca's foul mood, defended Amelia.

"For days, Madam Amelia has been hardworking and hasn't complained. She attended to you daily while caring for the children."

Paneca scoffed. "Hardworking? Is she merely trying to serve me? Shouldn't she care for her own children? Why do you make it sound like I'm being unfair to her? Has she ever gone without food or clothing since marrying into our family? She's been pretending to be ill to avoid her responsibilities, and I've turned a blind eye to her antics. Once Benjamin returns tonight, I'll teach her a proper lesson and see if she dares to act out again."

Tara could only say, "We'll wait and see if she comes back."

"She'll definitely return. Didn't you see how she looked when I mentioned divorce? She was completely wrecked," Paneca said confidently.

Recently, she'd observed that some people were like birds, deliberately hiding their wings. They seemed docile and gentle, but the moment things didn't go their way, they would fly off and never return. Others were like crickets whose wings had been clipped, unable to fly away, like Aurora. And some were born without wings or even proper legs, unable to fly or walk far, like Amelia. If Rebecca couldn't control the first two types, she certainly wouldn't struggle with the last. She had no…

At Northwatch Estate, the gatekeeper swung open the front gate early in the morning and was startled to find a woman curled up next to the stone lion. Wrapped in a blue cloak, she was shivering from the cold. From the way she was dressed, she didn't appear to be an ordinary commoner.

"Excuse me, ma'am, who are you? What are you doing here?" the gatekeeper asked.

The woman pulled down her collar slightly, revealing her face.

The gatekeeper blinked in surprise. "Wait! Aren't you Madam Amelia? Why are you here? Are you looking for our mistress? She's at Hell Monarch Estate."

It was indeed Amelia. She had left Valor Estate in the early hours of the morning but had no idea where to go. All she could think about was her desperate desire to escape, even if it meant dying outside rather than within its walls. As she wandered aimlessly, she found herself at the gates of Northwatch Estate. She knew Carissa wouldn't be there, but somehow, it felt right to come. Perhaps Carissa was the only person in this city who had ever offered her warmth.

Leaning against the stone lion for support, Amelia stood up, shaking her head. Her lips were turning purple from the cold, and her voice trembled. "N-no… I'm not looking for her. I just… I was just tired and needed to sit for a moment… I'll be going now."

With that, she wrapped her cloak tighter and turned to leave.

Finding her behavior strange, the gatekeeper hurried inside to inform the steward, Frederick, who rushed out upon hearing the news. But by the time he reached the entrance, she had vanished. Though Frederick held a grudge against the Warren family, he recognized that while Amelia might be foolish, she wasn't malicious.

"Was she already freezing when you found her?" he asked the gatekeeper.

"Yes, sir. She must have been sitting there for quite some time. It looked like even standing up was a struggle for her, and her lips were purple. I think she must have arrived in the middle of the night."

Frederick pondered for a moment. "In the middle of the night? The troubles of the Warren family aren't our concern, but if she came here at such an hour and something happened, it could easily land us in trouble. I need to go to Hell Monarch Estate and inform Lady Carissa."