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    The Marquis of Grovehill''s family had long been one of the prominent families in Starhaven. But the older the family got, the more they found themselves in a difficult position.


    The main issue was that the family had grown rapidly, but there wasn''t enoughnd or ie to support everyone and maintain the wealth and status of the family.


    The current marquis was Henry''s father, Martin. Under his leadership, the family had gradually declined. After so many generations of wealth, the strict family rules had loosened, and the younger generation was less willing to endure the hardships of studying or practicing martial arts. Since they still had their noble status, they felt they would always have afortable life.


    If it weren''t for Henry marrying Eleanor, the Marquis of Grovehill''s family might have already fallen into obscurity. Martin held no official position in the court, and very few members of the family held posts above the fifth rank.


    As Violet stepped into Grovehill Estate, she noticed several intricately carved family crests-evidence of the Marquis of Grovehill''s family''s once-great prominence. They seemed fearful of being forgotten, with two crests prominently disyed in the main hall alone. The hall''s decor showed signs of age, but the luxurious wooden furniture, seasoned by time, radiated a subtle, understated elegance.


    When it came to matters of marriage proposals, it was best to avoid having too many people present as it could hinder the process. So, Gemma invited them to the side hall and sent for Lisette.


    Violet noticed that Gemma had taken good care of her appearance. Despite her age, she still looked well. Henry also resembled her, especially in their brows and the way they spoke. "Please have some coffee," Gemma said with a warm smile.


    She looked kind, but Violet knew Gemma was aware of the whole n. Lisette wasn''t really from the Gemma''s family, and her name wasn''t Lisette. Lisette Sanford was an identity Eleanor had fabricated. Creating a false identity for a Sanford family member surely required the cooperation of Gemma''s own family, right?


    As they sipped tea and exchanged pleasantries-polite ttery on both sides-Violet noticed Gemma eyeing Thomas several times. The rumors about him and Vi had circted widely before finally settling down in recent days.


    Gemma sipped her tea, and thought to herself that Thomas was indeed a striking young man. It was no wonder Vi was so persistent.


    "Alice, you''re truly blessed. Thomas is brave and capable, and he has aplished much for the kingdom. Once he marries and starts a family, you will enjoy a life offort," she remarked.


    Alice smiled and said, "Yes, we hope he will marry soon. I''d like to hold my grandchild soon!"


    Alice''s eagerness was evident, which prompted Gemma to summon a maid and instruct softly, "Please remind Lisette not to keep our guests waiting too long."


    "Yes, Madam Gemma!" the maid replied, taking quick, light steps to the door before turning to leave.


    In her chambers, Darin was already dressed, but she hesitated to leave.


    As she gazed into the mirror, a wave of conflict washed over her. Eleanor had saved her life and brought her back to the pce, providing her with luxurious clothing and plenty of food. Though she wasn''t


    ustomed to such opulence, she knew it was Eleanor''s kindness. The debt she owed Eleanor was


    something she felt she could never repay.


    Eleanor intended to marry her off, and Darin would have epted any suitor-even one with a limp or blindness-so long as his intentions were honorable. Yet, the night before arriving at Grovehill Estate, Eleanor had a heart-to-heart with her. The first question Eleanor had asked was, "You said you wanted to repay your debt. Do you still mean that?"


    Though Darin was just a young


    woman, she believed in keeping her word. If she said she would repay her debt she intended to do so. But after affirming hermitment, she was taken aback by the shocking revtion-she was to marry Thomas, and draw him closer to Yuvan''s side.


    arryCcontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    If her efforts failed to sway Thomas, she was to find an opportunity to kill him.


    The thought left her utterly flustered.


    During her time at Harmony Pce, Darin had noticed some strange urrences, but there were ces she couldn''t go. Though her suspicions nagged at her, she dared not investigate further.


    One night, she had been jolted


    awake by a woman''s scream echoing through the halls. She


    rushed to the door to see what had happened, only to be stopped by a guard who insisted she return to her room. He imed a thief had been caught, and was being punished.


    However, the scream she had heard was unmistakably female.


    It was true that women couldmit theft, but to sneak into a grand princess'' residence? Did such a bold female thief exist? It was almost impossible to even imagine.


    "Ms. Lisette, the people from the Farrell family have arrived," a maid said, entering her room and urging her to hurry. "Madam Gemma requests that youe out quickly."