Eleanor was clearly irritated and said, "Have them brought in and seated in the side hall for a while. There's no need to take them to the main hall. I'll join them after I finish my dinner."The steward went out personally to handle the situation. Noticing that they were bringing in items that didn't look like gifts, he asked Helen, "May I ask what you've brought, Your Grace?"Helen was about to blurt out that it was the account books, but Carissa interjected first, "They are some old manuscripts for Grand Princess Eleanor to review."The steward's eyes brightened at the mention of manuscripts. Could they be Kyle's manuscripts?He immediately ordered refreshments to be served, then went to report to Eleanor and Jessica."Manuscripts? Kyle's?" Eleanor asked slowly."I'm not sure. She didn't say, and I didn't dare to ask," the steward replied.Jessica had only recently learned about the Mystic Pearls and the three thousand silver coins, which had left her very angry. Now, seein
Eleanor nodded thoughtfully. "I remember you mentioned before that the shop's initial reputation wasn't good."Jessica vented her frustrations, "That's right! Despite several years of operation, it failed to make a profit and has been running at a loss. We had to resort to discounts and promotions at the end of the year just to cover costs for rent and wages. I truly feel guilty towards Aunt Helen. She believed in me, and invested in The Gilded Tower with me. Yet, instead of earning any profit, we've only faced losses.""Business is tough these days, Jessica. There's no need to feel too guilty. I'm sure Mother understands, don't you, Mother?" Carissa interjected.Carissa turned to look at Helen.Helen felt a bit confused. What was with the look?Carissa had instructed her to stay silent if possible before entering, and now, she was being questioned.But, catching Carissa's subtle hint, she could only nod and respond awkwardly, "Yes."Carissa continued off Helen's answer, "Yes, e
Eleanor and Jessica's expressions changed at the mention of the Supreme Court. They knew all too well that the current head of the Supreme Court was Rafael. Eleanor glanced at the boxes of account books. "Since Eric deceived you as well, and you've already reviewed the account books, Jessica will also need to go through them. Leave the books here for now. After we've completed our review, we will visit you personally to reconcile the accounts. Once the evidence is clear, we'll send it to the authorities for proper action."Carissa sipped her coffee and smiled. "Aunt Eleanor, I'm rather impatient by nature. The account books are here. Please have your accountants come over immediately to review them. If more accountants are needed, I can send someone to Ironridge Estate to bring over their accountants as well. We'll sort it out tonight, and the accounts can be recalculated by tomorrow.""No, you can't go to Ironridge Estate!" Jessica stood up, her face pale. Margaret and Leopold
In the blink of an eye, more than ten people surged into the room. At Eleanor's command, they headed towards the account books.Helen was frantic. "Grand Princess Eleanor, what are you doing? The account books are clearly correct! Why are you trying to hide them?"Eleanor glanced at her own fingers, then lazily gave Helen a sidelong look. "How do I know you haven't tampered with them?""Then, let's review them together. If we do it together, we'll find out if there's been any tampering, won't we?"Eleanor snorted derisively. "There's no need to trouble yourselves. Since you've already reviewed them, it's our turn now."Jessica barked, "What are you waiting for? Take them away!"Carissa held her whip in one hand, and hurled her cup at one of the guards. The cup struck him squarely on the forehead and he collapsed, unconscious.Carissa stepped forward, her whip cracking through the air with sharp, resounding snaps. The ten or so guards, despite not being lined up, all received las
Seeing Carissa's smile, Eleanor felt a deep-seated revulsion. Carissa's resemblance to Melanie was too striking. Both mother and daughter were insufferable.Carissa maintained her pleasant smile. "We're here to settle accounts openly and honestly. I'm not sure why you're making such a fuss, Aunt Eleanor. Is there really something shady happening? Mother, after we sort things out at Ironridge Estate, you'll need to host a gathering so everyone can discuss this matter properly."Jessica retorted angrily, "What nonsense are you spouting? What could be shady? Haven't I sent the account books for Aunt Helen to review all this time?""It's quite a coincidence," Carissa said, her tone growing stern. "The account books you sent to my mother-in-law are completely different from those I found at The Gilded Tower. The books you provided show losses, while the ones from The Gilded Tower show profits. Do you think there's something shady going on?"Jessica was exasperated. "Why are you talkin
Four hours passed—no more, no less. Outside, night had long fallen. The cold was even harsher.The accountant with the long beard came in to make a report. "Grand Princess Eleanor, the accounts have been thoroughly reviewed. There are no discrepancies with the numbers compared to the ones Lady Carissa has shown us.""That's outrageous!" Eleanor smashed another cup, which crashed loudly. The sound startled Helen awake. she looked at Eleanor with sleep-laden eyes, bewildered by the fury radiating from the latter.Eleanor's voice was filled with rage as she declared, "How dare that vile servant falsify accounts and embezzle Helen and Jessica's money? I will make sure he is severely punished!"Carissa released Helen and said, "It's enough that we've settled the accounts. Since Eric is the one at fault, there's no need for you to get involved, Aunt Eleanor. I'll have him sent to the Supreme Court to recover all the embezzled funds.""Carissa!" Eleanor's tone softened considerably a
Under the bright lights, Carissa carefully counted the banknotes. It was indeed the full amount of The Gilded Tower's profits over the years, with not a single cent missing. She received the banknotes, along with some loose change.Watching Carissa's meticulous counting, Jessica felt a gnawing rage. But at least the matter was settled for now, and she let out a small sigh of relief.Unexpectedly, Carissa said, "Tomorrow, we'll proceed with selling the shop. I'll have someone spread the word that Aunt Eleanor and Jessica managed the shop. With your reputations attached, many interested buyers are likely to come forward. We'll set a minimum price of 250,000 silver coins. How does that sound?"Jessica's face turned ashen. "What? You want to say that my mother and I are managing the shop? Absolutely not!"The Gilded Tower had a bad reputation, notorious for its poor quality and frequent cost-cutting. Spreading such news would tarnish both Jessica and Eleanor's reputations. Jessica wa
Carissa leaned back in her chair, her long legs and tall frame giving her an imposing presence. A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips, and her eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She was pleased Helen hadn’t fallen for Eleanor's trap, even though her response had seemed rather forced.When Eleanor's attempt to provoke failed, she simply smiled. "Yes, those with capability should be in charge. But I seem to recall you once complained about this being Carissa's second marriage and how she was unworthy of Rafael. And now, in just a few days, she's got you wrapped around her finger. Quite the skillful move. Helen, I'm worried that if you stay in this estate, she'll have you dancing to her tune in no time."Carissa's smile faded, and she said coldly, "That's enough. We'll proceed as I've said. I'm done here. Goodbye.""Hold it!" Eleanor's voice was sharp and commanding. "Carissa, don't think you can just walk away!"At her shout, Helen flinched instinctively.However, Carissa