Tears streamed down Lily’s face as she pleaded, “I’m so sorry, mother. Can you ever forgive me?”
“Of course, my darling,” said Isabella, her voice brimming with sorrow. “I’ll do everything in my power to free you from this dreadful place.” She then turned to the man accompanying her—Ted, her lawyer—her gaze sharp and accusing. “Ensure my daughter’s release immediately! Money is no object; just remove her from this...this squalor!”
The guard’s expression twitched at the word “squalor.” Ted wiped the sweat from his brow before speaking. “M-My lady, I’m afraid her release isn’t something I can arrange. Per the dictates of the kingdom’s code of law, Lady Lily is presently indicted on several counts. It is a fundamental principle of law that an individual, once formally accused, must be detained to obviate any potential tampering with witnesses or evidence. The situation is, I’m afraid, beyond my control.”
“How dare you suggest my darling Lily would ever do such things!” Isabella exclaimed, her voice firm with conviction.
“My lady, please. I understand your wish to stand by family, but the law must be upheld,” Ted implored.
Frustrated, Isabella struck the bars with her hand. “Then what am I paying you for if you can’t even manage that?!”
“Mother, I’m innocent! It’s all, all Chloe’s fault!” Lily yelled, her victim complex reaching its breaking point. “I only wanted to bring her home. If I hurt her, it’s only because she wouldn’t listen!”
Isabella tenderly consoled her. “I know, Lily, I know. My sweet, dear baby could never commit a crime. It must be some mistake, a clerical error. Have faith, Lily. Your mother will get you out of this mess.”
“Mother...” Isabella whimpered, tears streaming down her face.
What am I seeing... Ted watched the scene unfold in disbelief, the twisted display of maternal affection before him stirring a deep sense of unease. Composing himself, he interjected, “There’s a hearing scheduled for next week. Both the accused and the victim will be present, and a judge will deliver a verdict shortly after.”
Victim? The word caught Isabella’s attention. In other words, Chloe... She turned to Ted. “To confirm beyond question, you’re certain there’s no chance I could face charges in this matter?”
Ted’s face was anything but reassuring. “I’m certain—is what I wish I could say, my lady. I must remind you there is a separate ongoing investigation into Chloe’s mistreatment in Shadaf, which could have...separate implications.”
“Mistreatment? I am hardly in the mood for jokes!” Isabella replied, aghast. “That girl is a curse, a blight upon our family! All I ever did was remind her of her place!” Her hands slammed on the table, her voice rising in agitation.
Ted did not look amused. “Is Your Ladyship able to produce causal evidence linking Lady Chloe to these ‘disasters’?”
“Causal? Spare me your jargon!” Isabella shot back. “The deaths in my family, my own illness, all followed Chloe’s birth. What more proof do you need?”
“Tragic as the passing of the late Lord Ardennes and your son is, they cannot serve as legal evidence against Chloe. The extenuating circumstances Your Ladyship is likely hoping for can only be considered in the face of concrete evidence. Otherwise, the allegations against Lady Chloe will likely be seen as abuse and battery.”
In the Kingdom of Rose, acts of violence committed against others were unequivocally classified as criminal offenses, but in practice, family violence frequently eluded scrutiny. The provisions were there to permit full prosecution; they just weren’t exercised unless a case attracted significant attention, which, in this case, it had. The royal investigation had already uncovered evidence of Chloe’s maltreatment and forced labor since her early years.
Isabella’s frustration boiled over. “Whose side are you on? You think Chloe is the victim here? What about my suffering?”
Ted was resolute. “I side with the law, my lady. Personal feelings or comparisons of suffering hold no sway in court. The judge’s decision will be based on the facts presented.”
Ted’s words left Isabella in a state of stunned silence. Deep down, some part of her had known—had perhaps always known—that Chloe was not the cause of her family’s misfortunes. Yet Isabella, set in her ways and temperamental from birth, had chosen to ignore this. People often established their beliefs first and only later sought facts to justify them—a pattern Isabella exemplified. She had wanted a convenient scapegoat for her anger and frustration, found it in Chloe, and over time, this belief that Chloe was “cursed” hardened in Isabella’s mind, impervious to rational scrutiny.
Ted continued, “At the current juncture, Lady Lily may owe substantial restitution, along with the possibility of several years’ imprisonment and hard labor. Should the abuse charges hold, the sentence will be accordingly more severe. As your attorney, I will strive to mitigate the sentencing, but I advise you to brace for the worst.”
Isabella wasn’t listening to Ted’s explanation. Her mind was already whirling with machinations, plotting her next move. She knew the key evidence against them would be testimonies from Chloe and the household staff. If allowed to give their statements, the odds would be stacked overwhelmingly against them.
The household staff I can silence, but Chloe...
Chloe was the problem. After what happened with Lily, Chloe’s word carried more weight. Discrediting her would be no easy task. If undermining her testimony was unfeasible, then ensuring she couldn’t testify became the only viable strategy.
“Mother...” Lily’s voice was a whisper, tinged with desperation.
“What is it, Lily dear?” Isabella replied.
Lily beckoned Isabella closer and whispered something in her ear; Isabella’s eyes shot open. She then looked at Lily, a soft, unsettlingly determined look replacing her earlier frustration. “Yes, Lily dear. Rest your pretty little head. Your mama will take care of it. All of it.”
Ted, observing this exchange, felt a chill run down his spine, compelling him to intervene. “Your Ladyship, while I fear I may be stating the obvious, I feel I must say it all the same. While you are not yet officially under suspicion and are free to move about, I must caution against any further complications before the hearing. Our position is precarious enough as it is.”
Isabella’s response was distant, her smile chilling. “Of course; I understand the situation perfectly,” she said, her tone unnervingly calm.