When fate plays its hand (Miranda)

Chapter 1044 Sebastian's apprentices were well-connected in the capital's medical circle and quick to catch wind of any news.

As the controversy surrounding the workshop and Jessica grew louder, many in the medical community began to gossip. They questioned how a single dose of laxatives could lead to a miscarriage.

One person muttered, "She's been drinking Redroot Restorative all along, and that's meant to stimulate blood circulation. That stuff can be dangerous, potentially causing excessive bleeding if taken in excess. How could she not lose the baby?" The gossip spread quickly, reaching Rowan's ears. Naturally, he investigated further. It didn't take long before he found out that the person who had spoken was Aaron Hawthorne's apprentice. Aaron was the personal physician to the Marquis of Ironridge's family, although he also ran his own small clinic and had several apprentices. Rowan dug deeper and discovered that Aaron, under someone's orders, had been sending a special blend of herbs to Ironridge Estate every day. The mix included a small amount of Redroot, combined with other herbs, all masked with dried fruits to hide the taste.

At Glimmering Tower, a middle-aged man with a few strands of gray in his hair was speaking to Luke about the marquis' household.

"If not for Jessica's interference, Lady Emma wouldn't have passed away so suddenly. She was so upset. Since she entered the marquis' household, Jessica made things difficult for her at every turn. Her life was full of grievances and at such a young age, she fell ill and passed away. It was heartbreaking for us servants to see," he said, his voice still carrying bitterness.

Luke listened, his expression impassive. He looked up, his voice cool as he asked, “I heard Lady Emma lost a child last year. Is that true?" Still lost in his feelings, Giles instinctively nodded. He was about to speak when he suddenly realized what he had done.

At that moment, Carissa and Violet walked through the door.

His eyes widening with surprise, Giles immediately stood up and bowed. "Greetings, Your Grace." Carissa studied him for a moment before smiling. "Giles, please sit.

He paused, clearly uncomfortable. "I dare not, Your Grace. I'll stand and wait on you." "Please sit," Carissa said warmly. "I've asked about you several times but never properly 13 425 BONDS Chapter 1044 thanked you with a cup of coffee. That was rude of me.” She sat down first, raising her eyes to look at him and gesturing to the chair across from her.

Giles instinctively glanced at the door, where he noticed a woman standing. He immediately recognized her-Violet from the Spencer family in Ebonflow, who had helped organize the workshop.

He hesitated, unsure whether to leave or remain. He stood with his hands hanging loosely at his sides, his face betraying uncertainty as he glanced at Luke, who remained silent.

Luke's gaze was cool, as if to say, 'You deceivedonce. Don't expectto let it slide without a response." "If you prefer to stand, that's fine. I have a few questions, and I hope you'll helpwith them," Carissa spoke up, breaking the tension.

Giles bowed slightly. "Your Grace, please ask. If I don't know the answer, I will do my best to find out for you.' "You must know something about this. It has cto our attention that it was you who spread the rumors tarnishing Jessica's reputation and the workshop's name. I want to know why you did that and who gave you the order?" Carissa asked.

Giles's face drained of color, turning as pale as a sheet. His eyes widened in panic as he immediately denied it. "Your Grace, where did you hear such things? I never did anything to harm the reputation of the workshop. There must be smisunderstanding." "There is no misunderstanding," Carissa replied coolly, her eyes sharp. "It's fine if you don't want to answer that question. But I have another one. After Lady Flora becpregnant, she was taking pregnancy supplements. However, somehow, that medicine was switched out with Redroot Restorative. Do you know anything about this?" } Giles was visibly startled, his face full of disbelief. "How could that be? The pregnancy supplement was personally brewed by her mom. She has given birth before, so if anything had been added to the medicine, she would have known. And Redroot Restorative has such a strong taste-it's impossible to hide." Carissa's voice was filled with pointed meaning as she said, "If the dosage is small, the taste is mild. Otherwise, why would it take over a month for the effects to be seen? A who stronger dose would have caused a miscarriage with just one use. And the person brewed the medicine wasn't Lady Flora's mom. It was the other concubine in the household, Serena.

"Don't bother denying it. I've already looked into it thoroughly. The Mystic Army has investigated the source of the herbs, the daily dosage, and how the leftover herbs were +25 BONUS Chapter 1044

disposed of. If this were solely a matter of the Marquis of Ironridge's family, I wouldn't involve myselfm However since it involves the workshop, I can't stay silent. So, tell me, Giles, do you want to escalate this or do you wish to handle it quietly?" Giles remained silent, his mind racing. He was unsure how much Carissa truly knew and feared she might be bluffing.

Violet spoke up loudly, "What's there to decide? Just present the evidence and report it to the authorities. Even if NO the culprit is dead, the deeds they committed still need to be accounted for."

"No!" Giles suddenly dropped to his knees, panic flashing across his face. "This has nothing to do with Lady Emma! She's already gone; we cannot disturb her spirit. Your Grace, please, it was all me. I did it all. I was also the one who spread the rumors about the workshop." Carissa's gaze turned cold as she stared at him. "'Ms. Spencer didn't even mention Lady Emma, yet you're in such a hurry to bring her up. I suppose it's tfor us to report it to the authorities." Giles pressed his head to the ground, his fear genuine. "Please, Your Grace! Whatever you wantto do, I will do it. If you want my life, I will gladly give it up without a word of complaint.”