Chapter 850

Benjamin agreed with Gregory but stubbornly believed Amelia first needed Rebecca's forgiveness. He understood his mother's reaction wasn't entirely unjustified. If Amelia continued threatening suicide, the situation would repeat. To stop it, he hardened his heart and ignored her.

That night, the temperature dropped sharply. The cold seeped into the bones of the kneeling Amelia, who had remained frozen in place most of the day, resembling a statue. Tara draped a cloak over Amelia's shoulders before going inside to persuade Rebecca. The old woman refused, insisting her daughter-in-law remain kneeling until the next day.

"If I don't punish her severely, how will she ever realize her mistake?" Rebecca said coldly.

"But it's so cold, and Madam Amelia has already caught a chill from the water. She might become worse," Tara urged.

"No more talking! Close the door. If anyone else begs for her, she'll kneel again tomorrow!" Rebecca snapped, her voice low and menacing.

Tara dared not argue. She snuck out, added another layer to Amelia's clothing, and dismissed the other maids. She returned to sit with Rebecca, who often woke several times a night. Previously, Amelia had tended to her, preventing Amelia from getting proper rest.

In the middle of the night, Rebecca rose to use the chamber pot. Tara stepped outside to fetch the spittoon. Reaching the door, she saw a shadow illuminated by the dim corridor lanterns, hanging from a tree opposite Rebecca's room. Tara slipped, screaming in terror.

"Help! Madam Amelia has hanged herself!"

Hearing Tara's cry, Rebecca rushed out. Seeing a woman hanging from the apple tree—her eyes seemingly alive, staring blankly—Rebecca fainted from shock.

Soon, Valor Estate blazed with light as everyone rushed over. Amelia's body had stiffened. She had used a frayed rope found discarded in the yard, hanging it from the apple tree. There was nothing to stand on below, indicating she had climbed the tree, slipped the noose around her neck, and dropped. The apple tree's branches were thin, but Amelia was slender, so it supported her weight. She hadn't perished in the river; she had hanged herself outside Rebecca's door.

As Barrett carefully lowered Amelia's lifeless body, Benjamin trembled, sobbing uncontrollably. He wanted to hold her one last time but hesitated. Just the previous night, he had promised to treat Amelia better—then she had been alive. Now, she was a corpse, and death instilled dread.

Amelia died on a cold night, leaving no words for the Warren family. Everything she needed to say had been spoken at Arcane Sanctum.

Charlotte heard the commotion. Learning what happened, her heart nearly shattered. Ignoring her illness, she climbed from bed with her maids' help and rushed over. Seeing Amelia's body, Charlotte wept openly.

"Oh, what a tragedy!"

She draped her cloak over Amelia's body, then glared at Benjamin, raising her hand to slap him. But what good would it do? With Amelia gone, Charlotte no longer cared about the family's affairs.

Through his tears, Benjamin cried, "I didn't know it would come to this! I thought she wouldn't really kill herself. Why did this happen? She almost died once! I even saved her! Didn't she just have to apologize to Mom? Why did she do this?"

His future lay in ruins. His wife's suicide would lead people to believe he mistreated her, irrevocably shattering his prospects.

Barrett also felt deep sadness. After arguing with Viola, he hadn't checked on his mother that evening. He returned only after the palace gates closed, going straight to bed, unaware his sister-in-law had been kneeling outside his mother's courtyard.

Chapter 850