Chapter 5

A sharp, deafening silence filled the room. My mind went blank. My parents... were killed by Edward?

I had always believed it was an accident, that they were killed by mountain bandits during a business trip.

I had grieved, fallen sick for weeks.

Edward had been there, taking care of me, managing everything, comforting me.

I had been so grateful, and I had become even more devoted to him.

But now... it was all a lie.

It was him. He killed my parents.

Fury burned through me, searing every inch of my body, my heart pounding painfully.

Edward, I swear, I'd tear you into pieces, or I'd never rest.

Edith looked at me with concern, her thoughts full of worry. 'My lady... are you all right?

'Poor Mr. and Mrs. Shaw, they were killed by that bastard.

'Don't worry, my lady. I'll go report this to the authorities at once. I'll take it to the king. That monster will pay for this.'

"No," I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm.

Report it to the authorities? Edward was a court official, and with the Grant family backing him, there was no way to bring him down with just the testimony of two servants. It would only tip him off.

What I wanted wasn't just his death. I wanted him to be disgraced, ruined. I wanted him to lose everything.

"Bind them up, gag them, and lock them in the secret chamber," I ordered coldly. "Remember, don't kill them. They still have their use."

"Yes." Edith didn't quite understand, but she followed my command without hesitation.

I would make them understand what hell truly meant.

*****

The next morning, just as the first light of dawn crept in, I sat by the bed, eating the calming soup Edith had made.

Suddenly, the door burst open.

Edward stormed in, his face full of worry, his eyes scanning the room. "Isabel, have you seen Tommy?"

I set the bowl down and feigned weakness, coughing a few times. "What's wrong, Edward? Why are you looking for a servant so early in the morning?"

Edward's gaze shifted nervously. "It's nothing. That fool didn't come back to his room last night. I can't find him anywhere. I need him for something urgent."

I sneered inside. Urgent? More likely, he was in a hurry to check if the tonic had been administered.

"I slept deeply last night and didn't hear a thing. Maybe he ran off to have fun somewhere," I said.

Edward stared at me for a moment, his eyes searching. Seeing my pale face, he seemed to believe I had really been up all night. He finally relaxed.

It seemed the drug hadn't taken effect yet, or maybe Tommy hadn't gotten around to acting yet. Regardless, as long as it hadn't been discovered, everything was fine.

Edith stood quietly to the side, watching, but her thoughts were full of scorn. 'That heartless bastard. He's panicking now because he can't find his accomplice.

'And he actually dares to test my lady? He should take a look at himself before making demands.

'Look, my lady, he's shaking his leg. That's guilt. He's desperate to pay off a mountain of gambling debts.'

Something clicked in my mind. Gambling debts? That explained everything. No wonder he was so eager to get my shop's money yesterday. He must have been drowning in debt.

"Is there something troubling you, Edward?" I asked carefully. "If it's about the money, I've already had the manager arrange it.

"But the business hasn't been doing well these past few days. I'm afraid I won't be able to raise the three million dollars right away."

Edward's face darkened immediately at my words. "Can't raise it? How is that possible? Those are the Shaw family's shops."

He paced the room in agitation. "Isabel, please, think of something. Even if it's just 700 thousand dollars... no, even 300 thousand would be fine."

Seeing his desperation, I started plotting my next move.

"I do have 300 thousand dollars available," I said slowly. "But I was planning to use it for Lady Bertha's birthday celebration. If you're in urgent need..."

"Urgent. Extremely urgent." Edward grabbed my hand eagerly, his eyes burning with greed. "You're the best, Isabel. Just give me the money now, and once I... once I make some, I'll pay you back tenfold, a hundredfold!"

Tenfold, a hundredfold? I sneered inside. Since you were so eager to gamble, I'd help you out.

"Alright, I'll have someone bring it to you." I called Edith over and whispered a few instructions.

Edith nodded in understanding and left immediately.

This wasn't just about getting the money. It was about setting a trap for my dear husband.

Edward took the money without a word of thanks, rushing off in a hurry.

Watching his retreating figure, I gave a cruel smile.

"Penny," I called out.

"Yes, my lady?" Penny answered.

"Go fetch the senior managers my father left behind. I have something important to discuss," I said.

Half of the underground gambling dens in Highburgh were secretly funded by the Shaw family. Edward wanted to turn a profit? In his dreams!

I would make him lose every penny of that 300 thousand dollars and burden him with a debt so massive he'd never be able to repay it in this lifetime.

In the evening, the news arrived. As expected, Edward had gone to the largest gambling den in the western part of the city, "Paradise House."

He had lost 300 thousand dollars and even borrowed money at high interest, hoping to recover his losses.

The more he gambled, the worse it got. In the end, he even mortgaged the Grant Manor and signed a debt note for 30 million dollars.

Edith listened, her face flushed with excitement. 'Perfect. That bastard finally got what he deserved.

'Thirty million dollars. He wouldn't be able to repay that even if he sold himself.

'My lady's plan was brilliant. She had walked straight into the trap.'

I remained calm. Thirty million? This was just the beginning. The best part was yet to come.

"Go, pass this information to Charlotte." I lifted my cup and blew lightly across the surface. "Tell her that Edward went to the gambling house to try and win enough for that richly decorated tapestry she's been eyeing."

The messier, the better. I loved nothing more than watching them go at each other.