Carissa deliberated for a moment before ordering that Eric be brought in for questioning.


    In the side room, a charcoal stove was set up with a fire poker roasting over it. After a while, the fire poker was glowing red-hot halfway through. Seeing this, Eric was so frightened that he nearly wet his pants. He fell to his knees and pleaded, "Your Highness, spare me! Please spare me!" Carissa sat upright, frowning slightly. "Why would I want your life? I just need you to answer a few questions truthfully."


    Eric nodded vigorously. "I will tell you everything I know."


    Carissa held up the purchase ledger. "Is Jessica aware that you''ve been purchasing cheap, rough goods?" "Yes, of course! She was the one who instructed us to get them."


    "Did you inform her that the gold used in the jewelry is impure and might cause problems?"


    Eric''s eyes shifted nervously as he replied, "I did mention it, but Lady Jessica said it didn''t matter. She said if there were problems in a few years, we''d be closed by then anyway."


    Carissa sneered. "Would the shop be closed, or would you all have shifted the me to Lady Helen?"


    Eric fell silent, unable to respond.


    Carissa did not press further, instead asking, "The shop has been running for several years now. Have you receivedints from customers about impure gold? How have you handled them?" Luke was standing by. He lifted the fire poker, and waved it.


    Terrified, Eric trembled and answered, "We''ve been giving out some inexpensive gifts to silence theints. This year''s business has been good, and Lady Jessica''s n is to close the shop after August next year, once the wedding season is over."


    "That''s it?" Carissa scoffed. "I said to tell me the truth. You''re only giving me half the story. Do you want to see if you can swallow this fire poker?"


    The fire poker was thrust directly in front of Eric, who screamed in terror and fell to the ground.


    "No! Please! I''ll tell you everything!"


    Carissa''s voice was cold, "Then, speak honestly. If you le, you''ll end up swallowing this fire poker."


    Eric stared at the glowing fire poker, and didn''t dare to withhold any information. He prostrated himself heavily on the ground and said, "Your Highness, I will tell you the truth!


    Lady Jessica ns to shift all the


    me onto Lady Helen when the matteres to light. As Lady Helen is the mother of the Hell Monarch, she can handle the bacsh. Then, Grand Princess Eleanor will step in to arrange thepensation. As for the


    be


    paid with the cheap stock from The Gilded Tower...


    He paused, hesitating. If he continued, it would be even more serious.


    However, Carissa didn''t need him to say more.


    "So, Grand Princess Eleanor will gain


    a reputation for supporting themon people, while Lady Helen. and Prince Rafael be the targets of public scorn. Moreover thepensation consists of the store''s cheap goods, which are hardly worth much. When att is said and done, Grand Princess, Eleanor and Jessica will have profited


    immensely, gaining both money and


    fame."


    Eric''s face turned pale, and he dared not utter a word. Clearly, the Hell Monarch''s princess consort had already figured everything out.


    After sending Eric away, Carissa


    sneered, "She really is something else, stepping on Mother and Rafael to elevate herself. She wants to win the people''s hearts while currying favor with the noble families Luke, what do you think she''s nning?"


    Luke thought for a moment and replied, "I''m but a dim-witted humble servant, Your Highness. I truly don''t understand."


    Eleanor was the grand princess, and her nephew was now securely on the throne.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    What other ambitions could she have?


    Luke couldn''t guess, and Carissa wasn''t sure either.


    It couldn''t just be about securing Jessica''s position in the capital or in the Marquis of Ironridge''s family, could it?


    Regardless, since the scheme had alreadynded on Helen and Rafael''s household, they couldn''t be left to do whatever they wanted.


    Carissa instructed the ountant to calcte the investment and the funds Helen had provided over the years, along with the profits divided at seventy percent, and then report the total amount.


    Carissa returned to her room and changed into a water-blue brocade dress with floral embroidery. She donned a ck cloak, concealing the red whip strapped to her waist, making it barely visible.