Chapter 139: Nicole’s Suicide

Nicole walked back slowly, her tears falling ceaselessly. Faith, seeing her distress, tried to console her. “Don’t be sad; your mother is just angry right now. Once the young master is saved, everything will be fine.” Nicole didn’t respond, only continued to cry. The stains on her shoes stubbornly resisted her attempts to remove them.

Suddenly, Michelle called out from behind. “Nicole,”

Nicole wiped her tears and turned. She had always kept her distance from her cousin, who was roughly the same age. Since childhood, Michelle had always seemed scheming to her. This time, Michelle’s greeting was equally cold. With a forced smile, Nicole replied, “Michelle.”

Michelle looked at her sympathetically. “Don’t be upset. This is not your fault.”

Nicole shook her head. “I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”

Michelle sighed. “If things were different, I would have helped you with Priscilla, but now… I’m just a discarded woman. No one listens to me anymore. It’s difficult for you, isn’t it? Priscilla has always been biased. The rumors outside already call you an old maid, someone who brings misfortune to her husband.”

“And now, you dare to come back and ask for a match? The insults are unbearable. These days, no one comes to ask for your hand in marriage. If it were any other family, of similar status, the door would be broken down with suitors. But you, you just want to avoid trouble, and that’s understandable. Why doesn’t Priscilla understand your heart? Why can’t she consider your feelings?”

Michelle’s words drained the color from Nicole’s face, her shock evident. She trembled and asked in a weak voice, “People are saying I bring misfortune to my husband?”

“People are ignorant and don’t know the truth. Don’t take it to heart,” Michelle said, trying to comfort her. “What you’ve gone through isn’t the worst. Look at me—I’ve been through worse and I’m still here. You just need to endure. Pain is a part of life. It’ll pass.”

Nicole sank into despair. “With rumors like this, no one will want to marry me.”

Michelle paused, then softly replied, “Not everyone thinks that way. There will always be those from humble backgrounds who would still want you. You’re beautiful, after all.”

Faith, who had been standing nearby, felt uneasy. Although Michelle’s words were intended to comfort, she sensed they would only worsen Nicole’s state. She quickly intervened, bowing to Michelle. “It’s getting cold, and Nicole isn’t well. I’ll take her inside.”

Michelle gave Faith a cold look, but her voice remained polite. “Alright. Take her inside and try to comfort her. With Braden’s troubles, Priscilla must be upset. Everything will be fine later.”

Faith nodded and turned to Nicole. “Let’s go inside now.”

Nicole, overwhelmed, allowed Faith to lead her away.

Once inside, Nicole kicked off her embroidered shoes and grabbed a handkerchief, scrubbing desperately. Faith approached and gently took the handkerchief. “Don’t bother cleaning them. I’ll wash them for you.”

The shoes were made of crimson satin, with a small pearl embedded at the toe—a gift from Priscilla, symbolizing Nicole as her cherished daughter. Nicole had always treasured them deeply.

“Don’t wash them,” Nicole snapped, grabbing the shoes back. “It won’t come off anyway.”

Faith paused, looking at her with concern. “Please don’t do this.”

“Go away. I want to be alone for a while,” Nicole said, her voice distant.

Faith reluctantly agreed. “Alright, I’ll go wash your clothes and make you some soup.” With that, she left the room.

It was during the second watch of the night when Nicole was found hanging. Faith, having prepared the soup, noticed Nicole hadn’t touched it. She had gone to bed early. Concerned, Faith went to check on her, only to find Nicole lifeless, hanging. She quickly cut her down, but Nicole’s breath was almost gone. Faith screamed and cried hysterically.

Priscilla and Prudence rushed to the scene, their faces paling with shock at the sight of their daughter. Priscilla sobbed for a long time before she could speak. She rushed to Nicole and cried, “Why were you so foolish? Isolde tricked you—at least take revenge on her first! Why did you have to do this?”

Vance, who had been drinking and just arrived home, saw the scene and immediately stormed over. “What are you crying for? Get a doctor!”

Priscilla kicked Faith, who was kneeling and crying, and yelled, “What are you still doing here? Get the doctor!”

Faith, snapping out of her shock, scrambled to her feet and rushed out in panic.

Prudence, her voice low, commanded, “Wait.”

Faith froze, looking back at Prudence with tear-filled eyes. Priscilla and Vance also turned to Prudence. Prudence, her gaze cold and full of sorrow, looked at the nearly lifeless Nicole. Earlier, when Faith had pressed on her chest, Nicole hadn’t woken up. There was sadness in Prudence’s eyes, but more so a ruthless calm. She took a deep breath and said, “She’s gone. Tomorrow we’ll tell everyone she died suddenly of illness.”

“Why?” Vance asked urgently, though usually cold-hearted, he still cared deeply seeing his daughter in this state.

“She hanged herself, don’t you understand?” Prudence snapped. “Why did she hang herself? She was a good girl—why would she do that? If word gets out, what’s left for us? Your son’s in jail, and now this… another suicide. Do you really want Vance’s name to be dragged through the mud?”

Priscilla’s panic rose. “Yes, yes, she hanged herself. If it gets out, our family’s reputation will be ruined. Braden’s engagement will be affected, not to mention Martha. What about your career, too? How do we explain this?”

Vance, furious, shouted, “Are we just supposed to watch her die?”

“Calling a doctor won’t change anything,” Prudence said coldly. “Tell everyone that anyone who speaks of this will have their legs broken and be sold.”

Faith collapsed to the ground in despair, her cries echoing in the night. She suddenly stood up, determined, and ran toward the Pearl Tower. It was all Isolde’s fault. If not for her, Nicole wouldn’t have been scolded and wouldn’t have fallen into such despair.

When Faith reached the Pearl Tower, Hattic, the night guard, grabbed her by the arm and shouted, “What are you doing here?”

Faith sobbed loudly and yelled toward the house, “Isolde, you killed Nicole! You have a cruel heart! You’ll never escape the consequences!”

Hattic slapped her hard across the face, enraged. “You little brat! Coming here in the middle of the night to curse Nicole? Are you looking for death?”