Chapter 171: The Fall from the Cliff +8 Pearls

Normally, Clark would tend to Prudence's illness in the evenings, but tonight, she insisted Braden stay with her for one last night. After all, tomorrow he would be returning to prison.

After leaving Blesertin, Clark went straight to the Pearl Tower to check on Isolde. But to his surprise, the place was eerily empty—not a soul in sight, not even a maid. He stood still for a moment, a question brewing in his mind. Where had she gone?

He could ask no one—he certainly couldn't approach Geoffrey, not when it might anger him to discover Isolde had disappeared at night. Lately, the atmosphere between them had been tense, and Clark knew it.

As he wandered outside Normont Chamber, he spotted Michelle.

“Clark, looking for Isolde?” Michelle asked with a smile, her eyes bright and calm, the scars on her face softened by her grin.

“Michelle,” Clark said, studying her. “Do you know where Isolde has gone?”

Michelle shook her head lightly. “No idea. She’s always here one moment and gone the next. Maybe she went back to Windermount? Or perhaps to the shop, or even to Montlins Manor. Who knows?”

Montlins Manor seemed a possibility, but Windermount? Clark doubted it. With Prudence in such a critical state, there was no way Isolde would leave now. Michelle’s strange response left Clark unsettled, though he couldn’t quite place why.

“Something seems interesting, huh?” Michelle said with a playful grin before turning to go inside.

Clark’s confusion only deepened. What did she mean by that?

He returned to Wyngor Chamber, where Cooper greeted him. “Clark, have you eaten?”

“Not yet, but I’m not hungry,” Clark replied as he sat down and took a sip of water. “The Pearl Tower was empty. Did you pass by there today?”

Cooper leaned in and lowered his voice. “A lot of people were around the Pearl Tower tonight. Geoffrey and Harlan both went, but I didn’t hear any loud noises. Though I did hear Geoffrey scolding Harlan, and Harlan… well, he didn’t back down. After that, the lights went out.”

Clark frowned. Could it be that Isolde and Geoffrey had a fight?

“I’ll go find Harlan,” Clark said, standing up.

“Harlan left the estate,” Cooper replied.

A sense of unease gripped Clark. Something wasn’t right tonight; he could feel it in his gut.

Meanwhile, Britney had witnessed the events at the Pearl Tower and rushed to find Hattie.

Breathless, Britney relayed the entire story to Hattie, who immediately turned to Ryker. “Take good care of Marley. Sadie will come tomorrow.”

Ryker nodded. “Understood. You go ahead.”

Ryker watched her go, his mind racing. He knew about Prudence’s illness, though he didn’t understand all the details. Still, he could guess that sending Isolde away had Prudence’s fingerprints all over it.

But then, he thought of Isolde. Even if she were sent away, would she really not know how to return to Argentum? Unless… they planned to strike along the way.

Ryker couldn’t help but think of how formidable Isolde, Hattie, and Hazel were when it came to defending themselves. It wasn’t going to be easy for anyone to succeed.

For now, there was no need for him to choose sides. After all, Sadie would soon marry Clark, and Sadie’s role in this whole mess would become more important with time.

He entered his room, where Marley, still in her nightgown, appeared. Her eyes were wide with concern. “Is Mrs. Langley in labor?”

“No, not yet. In a few days,” Ryker reassured her. “Mrs. Langley is resting now. Someone’s with her. You need to sleep, too. Tomorrow, she wants sesame cakes. Get up early to make them,” Ryker said as he helped her back inside.

Marley took a few steps, then suddenly turned and glared at him. “You… You’re with Matilda, aren’t you? Why are you so close to me? Are you planning to harm Mrs. Langley?”

Ryker blinked in surprise. She’s known me for days and never recognized me… so why tonight?

It seemed that Sadie’s treatment was working.

He forced a smile. “You’ve been sick. Mrs. Langley asked me to check on you. Don’t you remember? She said you need to rest up. You’ll have to help take care of Isolde once you’re better.”

“Isolde? Is that the daughter? Has she been born?” Marley mumbled.

Meanwhile, a carriage crept out of the city under the cover of darkness, its driver none other than Harlan. Though Geoffrey had forbidden him from going, Harlan insisted on personally escorting Isolde back to Windermount.

The journey would take at least five or six days, so Harlan tried to get as far from Argentum as possible while Isolde remained unconscious. Once she woke, he could slowly persuade her to leave the city temporarily, with the promise of returning once Prudence was gone.

The road was treacherous, especially as they neared Wamond Vale, a notoriously dangerous cliffside. One wrong turn and the carriage could tumble straight down into the abyss below—where not even bones would be left behind.

Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves cut through the night air, growing louder by the second. Harlan froze in shock, seeing several horses charging down from the mountain. They were moving too fast, reckless and wild, as if driven by some unseen force.

Harlan’s heart skipped a beat. Those horses will crash into my carriage!

He whipped the reins, trying to steer his horses out of the way, but it was too late. The crazed horses were too close, too fast.

With a terrifying crash, the horses collided with his carriage, sending it careening off the road. Harlan barely had time to react before he was thrown from the seat, his body tumbling down the steep slope. He managed to grab a small tree branch to stop himself from falling further, but the carriage and two horses continued their deadly descent, disappearing over the edge.

Harlan turned his gaze toward the dark abyss below, a scream ripping from his throat. “No!”

In that moment, a cold flash of steel gleamed in the moonlight, and a sharp pain pierced his arm. Before he could react, a man’s hand seized his wrist, twisting it violently. Harlan’s body was flipped, and he found himself back on solid ground, but only for a moment.

Five men in black emerged from the shadows, their movements swift and deadly. Harlan, caught off guard and without a weapon, could only evade, dodging their strikes as best as he could.

“Who sent you?” Harlan gritted through clenched teeth, his heart pounding with rage and fear. He could see clearly now—the crazed horses had been a diversion, a trap. These assassins had been sent to finish the job.

One of the men grinned, cold and merciless. “We’re from the Duke’s estate. Ten million for your heads. Very generous.”

Harlan’s body was already battered, and as the men closed in, he realized he had no way out. Every strike felt like a death sentence, his blood spilling to the cold earth.

With one final, desperate effort, he threw himself toward the edge of the cliff, rolling in the chaos. A sword pierced his side as he fell, but it didn’t stop him.

There was nothing but darkness, and the sound of his body crashing into the rocks below.

Long after, a dull thud echoed in the distance.

The assassins, hearing the sound, dispersed into the night, leaving the scene shrouded in silence. The moon hid behind a cloud, and the stars flickered dimly. The night swallowed everything—except the blood staining the path below.

No one would ever know what had truly happened here.