Thomas met Zoey''s gaze, feeling a knot in his throat. It was a matter of a man''s dignity, and he wasn''t sure how to articte his thoughts.


    "Do you know everything?" Zoey asked, studying his expression.


    "I can''t say I know everything." He sighed deeply before asking outright, "After I left for the Southern Frontier, did she develop feelings for my cousin? Did they exchange tokens of affection?" "Tokens of affection?" Zoey wasn''t aware of that detail.


    Thomas stood and walked to the drawer behind his desk, pulling out an emerald pendant. "I found this under the bed where she used to sleep. It was wedged between the foot of the bed and the wall. I recognize it. It belongs to my cousin." Heughed bitterly.


    "It was under her bed. She must have taken it out at night to look at as she thought about him. When did she start liking my cousin? I always thought we had a loving marriage, but it seems she was hiding someone in her heart all along. You knew about this, didn''t you?" Hearing him speak like that, Zoey felt a pang of bitterness. Here was a man so pure-hearted, he couldn''t even bring himself to consider the darker implications of finding that pendant. He could only imagine Vi had pulled it out during a sleepless night. He was a man who had escaped captivity and helped build a spywork-someone who had fought through hell. He should have been capable of the most meticulous and skeptical thinking about everything.


    Yet, he had never once questioned Vi.


    Zoey didn''t dwell on the sorrow in his eyes. She took a deep breath, andid it all out.


    "About six months after you went to the Southern Frontier, she returned home and knelt before my mother-inw. She said she wanted to stay at Silverstone Estate for a month. At the same time, she asked for medicine to induce a miscarriage." The emerald pendant ttered to the floor, and Thomas'' face turned ashen. "What?"


    Zoey turned her head away, and continued, "My mother-inw called me in. Vi was crying and exined that during the Farrell family''s head''s birthday banquet, she had drunk too much and went to rest in her room. Your cousin was also present at the residence at the time. He had gotten drunk as well, and identally stumbled into the backyard. Vi felt dizzy and went out looking for Julia, since all the servants were busy in the front yard. Somehow, the two of them met in their drunken state, and


    she... mistook him for you. That''s


    what she told us."


    Details could cut deeper than any de, which was why Zoey chose not to share them. When Vi returned, she hadn''t divulged the specifics either. She had just given a brief exnation of what had happened. It was only because Zoey felt that something didn''t add up that she pressed for more answers.


    In truth, Vi hadn''t mistaken Ss for Thomas. She knew exactly who he was. She had been feeling so lonely for so long, and the alcohol clouded her judgment. She had seen Ss'' handsome face and had drunkenly tumbled into his arms, calling out for Thomas in a daze. She was the one who had initiated the kiss.


    Zoey''s words hit Thomas like a lightning bolt. His mind wentpletely nk, and for a long moment, he couldn''t say a single word.


    Seeing his stunned expression only tightened the ache in Zoey''s chest. Yet, some truths had to be spoken boldly, or they would fester in silence and be even harder to voice.Text content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "As her sister-inw, I shouldn''t be telling you any of this," she began, "I should be burying these sordid details. But if she weren''t nning to divorce Barrett and remarry you, Iè would''ve never said a word. Do you know she returned to Silverstone Estate today, just like she did back then, begging for medicine to abort the baby? After the abortion, she ns to divorce Barrett and reunite with you. I had no choice but to


    with the abortion."


    Thomas was in shock, unable toprehend what he had just heard. He stared at Zoey; he opened his mouth several times, but was unable to form any words. It was as if something was lodged in his throat. Despite the sweltering summer heat, he felt a chill run through his entire body.


    He would rather Vi had developed feelings for his cousin, yearning for a love that could never be, than face this harsh reality.


    Zoey turned her face away to wipe her tears before looking back at him.


    "Thomas, this concerns the


    reputation of the Earl of Silverstone''s family. If you have any grievances or feel you deserve some form ofpensation, I can arrange that But please, keep this matter private. I don''t want anyone to know. I''m telling you this to prevent her from continuing to deceive and hurt you time and again. Just consider that I''m looking out for you and agree to keep this to yourself, will you?"