Chapter 37: You Are Ungrateful +8 Pearls

After Jacqueline left, she circled the outside to ensure no one was following, then slipped into Matilda’s room.

“You mean she really plans to sell the estate?” Matilda asked, her voice trembling with anger. She had long used this estate as her temporary refuge—spending a few days here each year—and now that little wench had stolen her designated room. Matilda’s resentment burned hot.

“Isolde said that since the estate has been losing money, it’s useless to hold onto it—it would be better to sell,” Jacqueline reported.

Just then, Michelle strode in, dismissing Jacqueline with a curt gesture. Sitting down opposite Matilda, she asked, “What are you so worried about?”

Matilda’s voice quivered as she replied, “I fear that if this plan backfires, and she does sell the estate… You’re with the Velmonts now, and your future depends on this estate and those two shops. Don’t you forget—the estate and shops aren’t even in our name yet; they’re still under Prunella’s name.”

Michelle’s eyes narrowed maliciously. “Once she’s found guilty, she’ll never see the light of day again. And whose name will the estate be under then? I’m Prunella’s flesh and blood—legitimately in line to inherit. Otherwise, all those annual memorials would be a sham if I couldn’t even call her ‘mother.’”

Matilda glared bitterly. “Every year at the memorial, when you call her mother, I feel as though I’m dead inside.”

“Come now,” Michelle chided sharply. “Why sweat over such sentimental nonsense? Though Prunella is gone, Father never stopped cherishing her. If he’s pleased, then we must play to his tastes—after all, it’s we who will profit in the end.”

Matilda’s voice was tight with anger. “But he’s been mourning her for years! How can I ever be content?”

Michelle’s tone turned severe. “What does contentment matter when profit is on the line? If you fall out with Father, he’ll reclaim Prunella’s entire estate. And then what will become of you and your brother? And don’t you dare blame me—henceforth, you’ll do as Father instructs, and see that your brother shapes up. Grandmother’s share is the real prize; if we can placate Father and reclaim even a portion of what Grandmother holds, you and your brother will be set for life.”

Matilda forced a submissive reply, “Alright, I understand.”

Michelle regarded her mother with a mixture of exasperation and pity. In her eyes, Matilda’s narrow-mindedness and obsession with immediate benefits were a hindrance. She relied too much on Uncle—and while her maternal family might have been important, they weren’t something to depend on for a lifetime. Why not focus on consolidating power at the Duke’s estate instead?

After a few more admonishments, Michelle changed the subject. “I’ve arranged everything with the estate’s staff. As long as we follow the plan, it’ll go smoothly. And you’ve been in touch with Uncle, right? When is he coming?”

Matilda replied confidently. “Tomorrow’s a holiday for officials. I’ve summoned him for early in the morning, and even arranged for a few distinguished guests to come enjoy some leisure time at the estate. Don’t worry—they’re all on his side.”

Michelle’s eyes narrowed into a cold smile. “Good. Then I’ll head over to Eleanor’s quarters first.”

“Good,” Matilda urged.

Chapter 37: You Are Ungrateful +8 Pearls

Meanwhile, Isolde had been waiting in her room for half an hour—neither the overseers nor Otto had shown up. Helena remarked, “Miss Langley, it seems they’ve all taken Mrs. Langley’s orders to heart and don’t consider you important at all.”

Isolde’s expression remained calm. “It’s nothing. If they don’t come, so be it. Just as expected.” Yet her words were spoken with chilling determination.

Helena, puzzled, asked, “What do you think Mrs. Langley’s up to? Inviting you here under the guise of returning the estate, yet deliberately giving orders that undermine you—aren’t you worried Harlan might report this to Geoffrey?”

Isolde smiled thinly. “When things don’t add up, there’s always a conspiracy behind them. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Helena frowned, worry etching her features. “In this estate, everyone is on their master’s payroll. We’re at a disadvantage.”

“Not exactly a brawl,” Isolde laughed lightly, “but having a crowd on your side certainly helps.”

Helena muttered, “Whether it’s a fight or not, numbers are numbers. I remember back at Belleview Manor, when we quarreled with the neighboring estate—the fight was won simply because we outnumbered them.”

To Isolde, those days felt like a distant memory. Back then, the managers of the neighboring estate were brutal, always encroaching on Belleview’s lands. The dividing boundary slowly shifted year after year, bullying the inexperienced overseer at Belleview who had neither strong backing in Windermount nor an imposing presence.

In a fit of fury, Isolde had rallied everyone at the estate—those with hoes grabbed hoes, those with cleavers wielded them, and those with yokes swung them. Over a hundred people blockaded the mountain road leading to the rival estate, beating anyone in their path. By the time they were done, the boundary had been pushed back by over an acre of land.

Ever since that day, no one dared bully Belleview Manor again. And the name “Isolde” echoed through all of Windermount.

“Back then, we were truly happy,” Isolde murmured after a long silence.

Later, when Isolde finally summoned the overseers, they didn’t come until Michelle herself brought them in. The moment they entered, they were ordered to kneel and pay their respects to Isolde.

Seated, Michelle spoke gravely, “Isolde, these people were all once nurtured by our late mother. They’ve dedicated their lives to this estate. If you sell it, what will become of them?”

Isolde’s gaze fell on the cup she’d been drinking from. Slowly, water seeped from the rim as she traced coffee stains with her fingers on the table. “Then it’s none of my concern anymore,” she replied coolly.

At that, Estella knelt, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded, “Isolde, please don’t sell the estate! Montlins Manor was left to you by Prunella—Prunella used to love vacationing here. How can you live with yourself if you sell it?”

Chapter 37: You Are Ungrateful +8 Pearls

Isolde looked at Estella, her tone shifting slightly. “You claim you were nurtured by my mother, is that so?”

Estella, a hint of haughtiness in her voice, responded, “Randy and I were both handpicked by Prunella in her early years. She trusted us implicitly. Every time she came, she’d summon us to attend to her needs.”

“Really?” Isolde’s eyes darkened subtly.

Estella continued, “If you don’t believe me, ask Harlan. When Geoffrey and Prunella arrived back then, Harlan was there too.”

“And where did my mother stay when she came?” Isolde pressed.

With a note of pride, Estella said, “She stayed in this very room. I remember Prunella loved to sit outside, watching the jujube trees, even having Randy pick them for her.”

Isolde’s laugh was chilling. “So it turns out, you truly are my mother’s people.”

“Indeed,” Estella replied. “We were more than two, but after Prunella died, the others left. Only a handful of us—old hands, really—remained to maintain her estate. Even if it’s unprofitable, we never abandoned it. Isn’t it true, Isolde? Michelle tells me you even received gold from the King. Why not reinvest some of it here, and let Montlins Manor flourish as it did when Prunella was alive?”