The weather grew hotter, and the people in Hell Monarch Estate had already begun using ice on a daily basis to keep the ce cool.


    Rafael still hadn''t sent any letters back, and Carissa was growing worried. Although he had gone with her martial uncle, the mission to rescue the hostages in the Sandoria border city was extremely dangerous, especially with Sandorian soldiers stationed there. ording to the information ire had gathered, there were inclothes guards stationed around Valor Estate. They changed shifts day and night. It seemed the king was aware that someone intended to harm Aurora.


    The situation in Westhaven remained unclear. However, the special investigator, Patrick, had returned to report on the case in Brightmoor District. The massacre of L''s family had been rified-someone had used a Soulgrip Threadworm on L, causing her to lose her sanity and murder her entire family. The culprit was a local small merchant named Mason.


    The murderer had already confessed, and faced justice. The motive behind the crime was that both families were engaged in the same business, but the deceased''s family had built a reputation for phnthropy, which allowed them to seize Mason''s business. Enraged by this, Mason bribed James to use the parasitic worm on L, driving her mad and leading to the murder.


    The special investigator had the authority to act first and reportter. After the murderer confessed, Patrick ordered the Brightmoor District authorities to execute Mason and his wife to avenge the victims.


    As a result, the case didn''t need to be reviewed by the Supreme Court.


    Carissa learned about this from Ivy when she returned.


    Ivy said that in court, the murderer had wept bitterly. He imed that his actions had been a momentarypse in judgment, and expressed deep regret. Seeing his remorse, Patrick spared Mason''s children and only executed the couple to close the case. Carissa felt something was off.


    In business, conflicts and killings can happen in the heat of the moment. However, this was clearly a premeditated plot, and it involved the use of a rare parasitic worm that few knew about.


    Even if Mason and his wife knew about the threadworm, the n required several precise steps. First, they had to bribe James to poison L. Then, they needed to control the threadworm in L tomit murder. Each step had to be executed wlessly.


    It wasn''t that Carissa underestimated small merchants, but the case involved a deliberate massacre. Once L was convicted, she would definitely be sentenced to death.


    If it were a crime of passion, Carissa would have fewer doubts, but this case was still fraught with discrepancies.


    "Ivy, what do you think?" Carissa asked.


    Ivy appeared veryposed. "I don''t know much about the case, but Mason did indeed confess."


    Violet was sitting nearby. "Even if you find the case suspicious, it''s of no use. The man''s been executed. Besides, you can''t interfere in the case."


    Carissa frowned, worried that it might be a miscarriage of justice. But as Violet had said, the case was beyond her control.


    "Let''s not discuss that. You know Samuel has returned to Gracehold Estate, right?" Violet said.


    "Yes," Carissa replied, fanning herself with her hand-held fan. The weather was unbearably hot, and her silk gown was sticking to her back, making her ufortable.


    "I also heard that he''s ming Ruby''s departure on Leona and me. There''s been chaos in the household. A person as arrogant as him can''t believe he''s been abandoned. He needs to believe his own lies before he can effectively manipte others," she added.


    Violet spat dismissively. "na said.


    he''s been making indirect remarks in


    the household, using you of


    instigating the duchess. He only.et


    dares to make a scene in the house and doesn''t have the courage to


    "Leona must be having difficult days during her pregnancy," Carissa said, her heart aching for her cousin. "Fortunately, she''s managed to hold her ground."


    "Yeah. Samuel has caused trouble


    for her a few times, but she''s remained resolute. As for Leona''sThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    parents, don''t know what''s wrong don''t know what''s with them. They visit frequently urging her to tolerate Samuel. They


    said that since Ruby is gone, making Samuel happy will improve their future."


    Carissa propped her chin on her hand, deep in thought. "I might understand if ordinary people are weak andafraid. But he''s a prince He''s so scared of being sent to his own fief that he hides away and lets his daughter suffer. Do you think that''s reasonable?"


    Violet considered this. "It''s not very reasonable, but that''s how he is. Do you think there''s something wrong with him?"


    "It''s hard to say," Carissa said, unwilling to suspect any ulterior motives.


    Still, unreasonable things often had underlying reasons, though what those reasons were was hard to determine.


    "Even if a person doesn''t seem special, they still have some fundamental traits that can''t be ignored."


    No one in the capital paid much attention to Harvey and Heather. Their presence was too insignificant, and their public reputation was so weak that paying too much attention to them would only make one seem foolish.