Chapter <b>853 </b>


    After Amelia’s death, Vi had no choice but to continue managing the household.


    The ounts were in dire straits. Vi was reluctant to dip into her personal savings, so she decided to take a step <b>back </b>and visit Charlotte. She ced the family’s ount ledger on the table and suggested


    that the older woman take over.


    Charlotte was still grieving Amelia’s death. Her anger red at Vi’s actions, and the older woman immediately flung the ount ledger back at her.


    She stormed into Reba’s room, dering, “I demand <b>a </b>separation of the family!”


    “Isn’t there already enough gossip about us? What do you think people will say if we split the family now?” Reba snapped, fuming.


    “It’s your sins that brought this upon us! Why should I suffer alongside you? We’re separating the family! When the mene home tonight, we’ll sit down together and discuss how to divide things up.”


    “You’re being utterly unreasonable! How can we separate now? The money’s gone, the properties are gone. -what do we have left to divide?”


    “I’ll build a wall to separate us and make a separate entrance for my residence!” Charlotte snarled, her resolute tone making it clear she was not going to negotiate or back down.


    “You’ve lost your mind! Your branch of the family has no resources, no connections! How do you think you’ll fare after a separation?” Reba shot back.


    “Anything is better than being pointed at and insulted because of you! I’m done with this. The shops andnd your family sold were public property. I don’t care how you do it–you must return the portion that belongs to us.” N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    With that, Charlotte stormed out in a huff, leaving Reba seething.


    “I’m going to die from anger! What’s Vi thinking? She’s supposed to manage the household, yet she runs off to Charlotte’s side of the family?! And that wretched Amelia–she’s dead, yet she still won’t let anyone have peace!”


    She ordered Vi toe and scolded her in person, telling her not to stir up trouble and to manage the household properly. If there wasn’t enough money, she should cover the shortfall herself, and once funds were avable, they could pay her back.


    The anger didn’t dissipate. It merely shifted from Reba to Vi.


    Vi felt a sharp pang of anger in her heart. How dare Reba <b>ask </b>her to cover the household expenses out of her own pocket? The nerve of her!


    However, not covering them was not an option. Amelia’s funeral had cost a small fortune, nearly draining their monthly funds.


    Now, the household needed money for various expenses–the servants‘ monthly allowances had to be disbursed, the winter clothing bills needed to be settled, and preparations for the New Year celebrations were piling up.


    Vi was overwhelmed with a multitude of tasks, her stomach in knots as shemented her misfortune.


    She was pouring both money and effort into this ce; it felt like she was losing everything.


    Following the royal edict mandating his participation in special training, Barrett <b>spent </b>his days training with Violet. The training grounds were located at the Capital Guard headquarters, but Violet couldn’t be there all the time. She reserved her lessons for her three personal apprentices and only conductedrge group sses when enough students gathered.


    As a result, Barrett, the newly appointed Crown Guard Commander, often found himself polishing weapons under Violet’s orders.


    Amelia’s suicide hit Barrett hard–he knew his wife was involved in it. If it weren’t for Vi’s domineering attitude, histe sister–inw might not have taken such a drastic step. So, he preferred to be at the training grounds polishing weapons rather than face her at home.


    The second snowfallsted for two days, falling in fits and starts. Valor Estate’s charcoal supply was running low, leaving the days and nights ufortably cold. Reba required a steady supply of charcoal to endure the winter, so Vi gritted her teeth and used her own money to buy several cartloads


    Despite Vi’s efforts, Reba still caught a chill and fell ill. Her weakened condition triggered old ailments, necessitating another round of Snowdrop Pills.


    Vi pulled out ten silver coins and sent someone to purchase the pills, but this time, the staff at Arcane Sanctum refused to sell any to them. They had previously made an exception because Amelia had knelt in the freezing cold, impressing Sebastian with her devotion. Now that Amelia was gone, there would be no more Snowdrop Pills for the Warren family.


    Several people from Valor Estate took turns disguising themselves to buy the pills, but none seeded.


    Feeling a rising sense of urgency, Barrett considered asking his contacts in the Capital Guard for help, unaware that purchasing Snowdrop Pills required a prior diagnosis. Sebastian insisted that one must truly be in need before one could buy the pills.


    As Reba’s condition worsened, she felt terrible every day.


    She sent for Vi and said, “You… You should do as Amelia did and go to Arcane Sanctum to kneel for


    the medicine.”


    Utterly shocked, Vi immediately shouted, “Are you out of your mind? You want me to beg for medicine while I’m pregnant?”


    “You’re so disrespectful!”


    Reba gasped for breath, her eyes filled with an unfathomable rage. She picked up a cup next to the bed and hurled it <b>at </b>Vi’s head with all her might.