Chapter 111

The entire duke’s estate felt shrouded in a heavy gloom, the atmosphere so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

Even before the court had ended, Henry returned home with a stormy expression on his face. Burning with rage, he headed straight to Emerald House.

The door flew open with a loud crash as he kicked it in, startling both Eloise and Willow, who screamed and jumped to their feet.

Henry strode up to Eloise and, without a word, slapped her hard across the face.

Eloise cried out, clutching her cheek as she collapsed to the ground.

Still looming, he moved to strike her again, but Willow dropped to her knees in front of him, crying bitterly and calling out, “Father, don’t hit Mother! Hit me! It’s all my fault!”

The word “Father” pierced Henry’s heart like a needle. Looking at his daughter’s delicate, tear-streaked face, his anger softened somewhat.

Willow had been raised by his own hand. Ever since she was a child, whenever she made a mistake, she would softly call out “Father” until his fury melted away.

But the mistake Eloise had made this time nearly dragged the entire family into ruin; it threatened to destroy the legacy he had spent years building.

His fists clenched, his face still twisted in fury, but his voice to Willow was unexpectedly gentle: “Willow, get up.”

“No! I won’t! It was my ideal. Just punish me…” Willow sobbed, her voice trembling. Her cries seemed to exhaust Henry. He exhaled deeply and collapsed into a chair.

Seeing that Henry no longer intended to strike Eloise, Willow quickly helped her up. “Mother, please get up.”

Eloise cried until she had no tears left. That slap had frozen her heart. After over twenty years of marriage, her husband had actually laid a hand on her.

She sat silently, full of grievance.

Seeing her like that only fanned Henry’s anger. “You’re foolish! How could you do something so immoral? Our family is a noble household with a hundred-year legacy of scholarly virtue. How can you taint it with the stench of money?”

He added, “What you’ve done is no different from those crooked merchants!”

In their society, merchants ranked the lowest among the four social classes: scholars, farmers, artisans and merchants.

Eloise kept her head bowed, eyes red-rimmed, and said nothing.

But when she heard Henry call her a “crooked merchant,” she suddenly raised her head and roared back, “Henry!”

She shouted his name, nearly hysterical. The sudden outburst stunned both Henry and Willow.

Eloise stood trembling, pointing a finger at him in fury. “You pride yourself on your scholarly background. You think you’re so noble, so above the filthy world of commerce. But don’t forget: the only reason you’ve gotten to where you are today is because of your greed!”

Her words left Henry speechless. His face flushed with rage and shame.

When Eloise married into the duke’s estate, the household was already on the brink of financial ruin.

It was her dowry, and the money from Margaret’s shops, that kept the family afloat for years.

If it weren’t for Eloise’s careful management, the duke’s estate might’ve collapsed long ago.

“Everything you eat, wear, and use is bought with silver! Do you really think your meager official salary could support this mansion?” She was like a different person, yelling at Henry with wild abandon, stomping on his dignity.

Henry had never seen her like this. He was so angry he couldn’t speak. The veins on his forehead bulged, and he looked ready to explode.

Even Willow was trembling with fear, her sobs barely audible now. She glanced cautiously at her mother, then at her father, not knowing who to comfort.

Inside the room, tension crackled like drawn swords.

The servants outside had long since fled. When Nicolas walked in, the scene that greeted him was total chaos.

His arrival slightly eased the pressure in the room.

Henry sank into his chair and clutched his chest with a heavy sigh. Eloise quickly turned away to wipe her tears, Willow looked at Nicolas and called out softly, “Nicolas.”

Her eyes darted anxiously between their parents. Nicolas understood and nodded slightly, pretending not to notice the mess as he stepped inside.

Eloise quickly composed herself. When she turned around, her tears were gone, though her eyes were still red. She asked with forced calm, “What did you find out?”

Nicolas leaned back wearily into a chair, Willow hurried over to pour him some water. He took a sip and finally said, “The matter is… tricky.”

“What do you mean? With our connections, this shouldn’t be too hard to handle. We have money.” Henry was confused. Many court officials ran gambling dens secretly. Everyone knew, but no one said anything publicly.

But their wine shop had only been open for half a month and was already shut down completely. It didn’t make sense.

Nicolas looked helpless. “Prince Xander has taken over the case.”

“What?” Lady Eloise and Willow gasped at the same time, their faces full of shock.

They looked at each other and saw the same fear in each other’s eyes.

Eloise asked in confusion, “Wasn’t he recovering from illness? Why would he suddenly investigate a gambling den?”

“Yes, Nicolas, I thought Prince Xander was gravely ill?” Willow hinted, her voice cautious.

Nicolas shot her a look, and Willow quickly lowered her gaze.

He understood what she meant. Xander had been bedridden recently and had shown no interest in politics. It was indeed strange for him to suddenly lead such an investigation.

Nicolas sat up a little straighter and explained the intelligence he had gathered. “Those who gambled at the tavern weren’t just idlers. Many were young heirs from wealthy families. Some stayed out all night, lost most of their wealth, and even embezzled funds, reaching into the national treasury.”

He continued, “Several court officials submitted a joint memorial. The King was furious but didn’t order a public investigation. Instead, he quietly handed the matter to Xander.”

At that, Eloise and Willow turned pale, their bodies trembling. Now they understood why this was no small matter.

The money they had amassed had essentially come from the national treasury.

If this went wrong, it could cost them their heads.

Eloise collapsed into a chair, her face full of dread.

Willow’s face went pale, and tears streamed down her cheeks. “Nicolas, I didn’t know it would come to this… What do we do now!”

“Right now, the only way out is to return the money,” Nicolas murmured weakly, then collapsed into his chair, completely drained.

Henry’s face twitched with fury. “But Prince Xander is known for his iron will. If he’s taken charge of this matter, there will be blood. Everyone knows his methods. Unless someone dies, he won’t stop.”

“How much do we need to return?” Eloise asked in a trembling voice.

Nicolas looked at her, then slowly said, “At least 300,000 coins.”