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She needed to think of a way to divorce Blake. After that, Thomas would surely marry her again. At that time, she would be the wife of a third-rank major general. Then, it wouldn’t be hard for him to secure a title for her. Compared to her excitement, Poppy was nearly terrified to the point of losing her mind.
She had heard most of the conversation between Viola and Thomas, even from a distance. Viola intended to divorce Blake and remarry Thomas, and it seemed that Thomas was in agreement.
Once back at the estate, Poppy made an excuse to go out for supplies and headed straight to Silverstone Estate.
When she arrived, she was brought before Zoey and quickly relayed everything she had overheard between Viola and Thomas.
Zoey sighed heavily after hearing the news. Despite all her precautions, they had still fallen short.
How could Thomas not care if Viola claimed her life was in danger? He had always been a man of deep feelings and loyalty. Zoey dismissed Poppy, instructing her to report anything else that came up.
“Madam Zoey, what should we do now?” Jane asked anxiously. “If she truly divorces Mr. Jaffe, what will happen to the Earl of Silverstone’s family’s reputation? It could ruin the marriage prospects for the other ladies in the family!”
Zoey thought for a moment before responding. “The Jaffe family is a pit. If Viola wants to leave, I won’t stop her. If she returns to us, I will welcome her. But if she wants to return to Thomas, I can’t agree to that.” Jane whispered, “But Mr. Thomas seems to be in agreement, Madam Zoey. If Madam Viola really does get a divorce and comes back, returning to the Farrell family might not be a bad choice.”
“That’s unacceptable!” Zoey’s voice was firm. “I won’t allow that to happen. Jane, you’ve worked for me for many years, so you should know how I am. Also, you know that some things can’t be hidden forever. She came back home to terminate her pregnancy then, and we only ever had one physician in our residence. How difficult would it be to investigate?”
Jane was aware of this fact too, and her heart raced with fear. “Surely they wouldn’t investigate that matter without reason?”
“That’s hard to say.” Zoey’s eyes darkened. Her voice was thick with frustration, something she had been swallowing for years but could neither spit out nor ignore. “If she truly intends to go down that path, I will speak to Thomas myself.”
Jane quickly intervened. “You can’t do that, Madam Zoey! Madam Evelyn would be furious with you, and there’s no reason to disclose the sordid affairs within our own household!”
Zoey closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. All of this was giving her a headache, leaving her overwhelmed and frustrated.
Jane continued to urge her, “Madam Zoey, if you tell Mr. Farrell about this, the Earl of Silverstone’s family will lose all dignity if he makes a scene. You absolutely can’t do that! And if the earl finds out that you instigated it, he’ll be furious!” Thinking of her husband in the Southern Frontier only added to Zoey’s headache. Back in the capital, Oliver used to listen to her, taking in her advice to some extent. Some things could be discussed without things going awry. However, the disagreements and arguments between them had always been numerous. She had to patiently analyze each issue with him and convince him bit by bit.
It was just like teaching a child.
Yet even when Oliver did comply, resentment lingered in his heart. His capacity to accept a wife with a broader vision than his own simply wasn’t there, and that was a fundamental dilemma in Zoey’s life. Everyone had their share of disappointments. No one lived entirely free of burdens.
Kayla was now living a good life, but how had she endured the previous years? Who knew the pain she had endured?
Sophie now basked in Prince Rafael’s love, drawing envy from others. But who could truly understand the anguish of losing her entire family?
Fate dealt everyone their share of suffering. It was up to them to manage it and carve out a smooth path for their lives and futures.
Unlike Viola, who rushed toward anything good, only to turn her back the moment something felt off. Such fickleness was not just a betrayal of womanly virtue-it showed a complete disregard for even the most basic principles.
“Jane, I am the Earl of Silverstone’s wife. I must think of our family’s future,” Zoey said slowly after a long silence. “I won’t oppose Viola’s divorce, but if she clings to Thomas and hopes to return and bask in his riches, she doesn’t deserve that. It would weigh on my conscience. I know exactly what kind of man Thomas is. Even if he finds out, he wouldn’t make a fuss or shout it from the rooftops. This also concerns the reputation of the Farrell family. If I tell him, I would only bear the resentment of my mother-in-law, my husband, and Viola.”
She rubbed her forehead, then continued, “If kignore everything, I won’t offend anyone. But if she goes back to Thomas, the reputation of the Earl of Silverstone’s family with be ruined. The single women in our family will have a hard time finding suitable matches, and my daughter Will suffer the most. And if the Farrell family catches wind of this… Well, I don’t need to spell out the consequences, do I?”
Jane felt a pang of sympathy for her mistress. Ultimately, Zoey was the one who would bear the burden, so she suggested, “Why not discuss it with Madam Evelyn? She might offer some insight into the situation.” “Mother won’t agree to tell Thomas about this.”
“That would still be Madam Evelyn’s decision, so you wouldn’t have to shoulder the blame later.”
Zoey sighed deeply, feeling as if new wrinkles were forming on her brow. “Jane, do you think I’m afraid of the blame? All I want is to have a clear conscience. I shouldn’t have helped her then. Back then, I considered the fact that she and Thomas were ultimately still a married couple at heart. She cried and begged me, swearing she would never do it again. I was just too softhearted.”
“But that’s not your fault! It was Madam Evelyn who insisted you help her,” Jane said, unable to watch her mistress wallow in self-reproach. She knew the circumstances clearly, and had personally prepared the medicine.
“Few people know about this. But if anyone picks up on something, it won’t take long for the truth to come out. After all, when the physician prescribed the treatment, it matched the time she spent at Silverstone Estate to recuperate.”
Thomas was unaware of Viola’s return home to recuperate. But once
Viola really divorced Blake, the
Farrell family would certainly bring it up. Thomas might wonder what illness would require Viola to stay at her family home for more than a month.
The Farrell family hadn’t suspected anything back then, but once they reflected on it-especially with Viola’s turbulent marriage to Blake and if she really divorced him-doubts would definitely arise. “Summon Viola back home tomorrow,” Zoey said firmly.
Zoey would use this situation as leverage. Viola could divorce Blake, but she couldn’t go back to Thomas.
That was the line that couldn’t be crossed.
The next day, Zoey sent someone to bring Viola to Silverstone Estate. However, Viola replied that she wasn’t feeling well and would return on another date. She was plotting how to discuss the divorce with Blake, and didn’t want her family to know just yet. However, Blake had been on night duty lately. He slept during the day, which left them with little time to talk. It wouldn’t do to bring up the divorce out of the blue without any preparation-there had to be some sort of commotion first.
Since Viola’s visit to Richspire Peak, she had felt utterly exhausted. There were two days when she slept through the afternoon, not waking even when Blake returned from his shift. It was only when Poppy nudged her awake for dinner that she finally stirred. Fatigue, drowsiness, and a slight sense of nausea plagued Viola. On top of that, her monthly cycle was delayed by several days. With all the facts combined, she couldn’t shake the worry that she might be pregnant.
Calculating the dates in her mind, she recalled how Blake had spent nearly every night at Grace Mansion during what had been the most romantic phase of their marriage. Panic set in as she fervently hoped she wasn’t pregnant.
She didn’t dare call for a physician to come to her, so she donned a veil and headed to a physician’s office with Poppy to get checked.
At the physician’s office, an elderly physician with silver hair smiled and said, “Congratulations, my lady. You are indeed pregnant.”
Viola felt her blood run cold. Even though she had suspected for days, the confirmation left her reeling.
How could she be so unlucky? Why did it have to happen now?
If she had become pregnant before Thomas returned, she wouldn’t have entertained any other thoughts. But now that she had opened up to Thomas, her feelings were uncontainable. If she had become the wife of a third-rank major general and gained a title of nobility, it would have fulfilled all her aspirations in this life.
However, the arrival of this child threatened to shatter everything she had worked for.
She returned to Silverstone Estate in despair, and ordered everyone out of Evelyn’s quarters.
Then, she knelt on the ground before her mother, just as she had years ago. She raised her head, trembling all over, panic and desperation flickering in her eyes.
“Mom, please help me,” she pleaded, “I can’t keep this baby.”
Evelyn nearly fainted at Viola’s words as she exclaimed, “What are you saying? Is the child not your husband’s again?!”
For noble families, this was a nightmare from the past.
Tears streamed down Viola’s cheeks. “It’s Blake’s. But Mom, I’ve reconciled with Thomas. He promised that if I divorced, he would marry me again. I can’t keep this child.” Evelyn struck Viola across the face sharply, and Viola’s face snapped to the side. Yet she quickly turned back to face her furious mother, her own body trembling with defiance. “Mom, if you don’t help me, I’ll kill myself right now!”
Evelyn’s vision blurred, and pain constricted her chest. She pressed her hand to her heart, and slowly collapsed to the ground.
“Mom! Mom!” Viola cried out in panic, wrapping her arms around her. “Someone! Mom has fainted!”
After the family physician administered treatment, Evelyn gradually regained consciousness.
With a weary gaze, she looked at Zoey and Luna. “You two stay. Everyone else, leave.”