Chapter 851

Rebecca awoke, her eyes fixed on the ceiling. The horrific image of Amelia hanging outside her door remained vivid. A chill ran through her; her chest felt heavy.

After a long silence, she spat out bitterly, "What a wretch! A wretch who doesn't appreciate her blessings!"

Tara had cried herself to sleep, regretting not checking outside. If only she had left earlier! Perhaps she could have saved Amelia. Her heart ached with sorrow.

Hearing Rebecca's harsh words, Tara softly defended Amelia. "Madam Rebecca, Madam Amelia did her best to care for you. Now that she's gone, please stop cursing her."

Rebecca snapped back, "Why shouldn't I curse her? If she wanted to die, she could have done it farther away! Dying at my doorstep—who is she trying to upset?"

Her outburst ended in tears. "I never imagined she was so vile. Hanging herself at my door cements my reputation as a heartless witch! Now, my son and grandchildren will struggle to find brides. Why do I have such a miserable fate? One after another, they're all the same kind of trash! It's ruined! Our family's reputation is destroyed! This might even tarnish Barrett's future!"

Rebecca wept in despair, but shed no tears for Amelia.

The next day, the news reached Hell Monarch Estate. Since it was a holiday, Rafael and Carissa planned to visit the academy and take Ryan out to eat. However, Violet arrived with the news about Amelia, relayed by Claire.

Carissa paused, her mind blank. "She hanged herself? There was no way to save her?"

"She's dead," Violet confirmed.

Carissa sat stunned, choked up despite herself. After all, she and Rafael had rescued Amelia; he'd even scolded her for the risk.

"Why did this happen?" Rafael asked. He knew Amelia had jumped into a river and Carissa had saved her. She should have been carefully monitored to prevent another suicide attempt. How could so many people have failed to watch over her?

Violet explained, "They say that after she returned from Arcane Sanctum, that old witch forced her to kneel as punishment from dawn till dusk. Tara found Amelia hanging outside the old witch's door in the middle of the night."

Rafael's expression darkened. "She was punished? What is wrong with that family? After something that serious, they punished her instead of comforting her?" Suicide was an act of utter despair.

Carissa remained silent, a deep sadness weighing on her heart. Amelia chose death rather than leaving the Warren family; without them, she lacked the skills to survive. She was timid, weak, and had no one to rely on. Without them, she had no way to go on. If there was another way, who would choose death?

"Carissa, don't be too upset," Rafael said, noticing her pain.

"I'm fine," she replied, though her brow remained furrowed.

She replayed the events. Perhaps, even in Arcane Sanctum, Amelia hadn't truly abandoned suicidal thoughts.

Violet sniffled. "Why didn't she think of her children?"

Carissa remembered Amelia's children, caught between a domineering grandmother and weak parents—just as timid and frail.

Then, a realization struck her: Amelia's death was revenge against Rebecca. Hanging herself at Rebecca's doorstep wasn't merely about scaring her or tarnishing her reputation. It was about Arcane Sanctum only acknowledging Amelia and selling Snowdrop Pills only to her. With Amelia gone, the other Warrens couldn't purchase them.

By taking her own life, Amelia had also dragged Rebecca down. Without Rebecca's control, Benjamin wouldn't cling to his devotion, and their children wouldn't remain so weak.

Of course, this was speculation. Only Amelia knew her true thoughts.