When fate plays its hand (Miranda)

Chapter 1051 Camila settled into the third room of the Peace Wing, marking the arrival of Skye Embroidery's first true resident.

When Violet saw Camila sitting at the embroidery frame, delicately stitching a flower, she couldn't help but smile with quiet satisfaction.

It had been an arduous start, but it was a start nonetheless. Violet clung to the hope that, in their darkest moments, women with nowhere else to turn might think of Skye Embroidery before considering death.

Elsewhere, Serena had been sent back to her family after her divorce.

Viola was thoroughly displeased, refusing to let Serena set foot in their hagain. However, Barrett had insisted on bringing her back to Valor Estate. Furious, Viola stormed off to her own family's home.

In her mom's sitting room, Viola wept bitterly, lamenting Barrett's state. “He's lost his position, he neglects his duties, and he's nothing but a useless wreck of a man! I can't live like this anymore!" Evelyn, weary of the many similar complaints, barely reacted. Instead, she stared blankly ahead and let Viola cry herself hoarse.

However, Zoey had no such patience.

"If you can't live like this, then divorce him," she snapped. "But don't think for a second you can ccrawling back here afterward! Maybe try your luck at Skye Embroidery-but don't count on them taking you in. After all, you had more than a hand in pushing Amelia to her death." Viola paled at the mention of Amelia's name, her sobs abruptly silenced. She had no courage to face her elder sister-in-law's accusations. After sulking for two days at Silverstone Estate, she returned to Valor Estate in shame.

Meanwhile, Zoey made her way to Skye Embroidery and met Camila in person. She had heard whispers of Camila's plight and decided to inquire directly with Violet.

"Is there any way you can help her find justice? Zoey asked privately.

Violet's answer was practical, if disheartening. 'I've already sent Claire to investigate her claims. But even if we can clear her name, the dye shop she lost... I doubt it can be returned to her." Zoey stayed silent. She knew Violet was right. The dye shop had been Camila and her husband's shared venture, but it was legally in her husband's name. Women, aside from 1/3 +25 BONUS Chapter 1051 their dowries, were not allowed private property.

After leaving the workshop, Zoey reflected on her situation. She might appear to live a charmed life, but she knew better than anyone the fragile threads holding it all together. The grand estate she managed was riddled with problems beneath the surface, like fine silk infested with lice. She couldn't afford to walt idly for disaster to strike.

Her children might still be too young for marriage, but it was high tshe began laying the groundwork. Dowries and engagement gifts needed to be prepared well in advance. In families of their status, such matters weren't left to the last minute. Suitable items had to be carefully acquired and stored away for the right time. Zoey resolved to prepare. Her instincts told her she had little tto spare.

Whether it was the engagement gifts or dowries, Zoey knew it all had to be meticulously recorded and approved by the authorities. In the past, she had thought she had plenty of tto prepare. Now, however, urgency pressed on her.

She carefully reorganized her dowry, making sure it was securely stored. Then, she purchased several shops to add to her daughter's future inheritance. Her mother-in-law, a practical woman with a deep affection for her grandchildren, would not object. Rather, Zoey expected Evelyn to praise her for her foresight and prudence. Though her daughter wasn't yet old enough for marriage, Zoey began thinking about arranging a match early. The future was too unpredictable, especially given her husband Oliver's increasingly uncertain prospects. She had known him long enough to recognize that his career would likely never regain its former momentum. That sevening, chaos erupted at a tavern, Drunken Blossom.

The second son of the Earl of Delmarsh caused an uproar when he attempted to set the building on fire over a dispute involving a courtesan. Thanks to the swift actions of bystanders, the fire was extinguished before it could spread, avoiding a devastating catastrophe.

The incident sparked outrage across the city, especially when it cto light that the young man held a position in the Garrison Unit Stories like the competing for the top courtesan were the talk of the town, and the people loved to gossip about it. Soon, rumors were all over the city, with everyone revealing the reckless behavior of syoung troublemakers in the Garrison Unit.

The Oversight Department caught wind of it and reported it, and the matter eventually made its way to the court.

While Salvador had been reluctant to act against the Garrison Unit before, the public furor left him little choice. He ordered Carissa and Max to conduct a thorough investigation and restore order.

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For days, high-ranking officials knelt outside the royal study, weeping and pleading for leniency, for theirgans. Their tears only served to sour Salvador's mood further. Dismissing them with a scathing rebuke, he grudgingly promised to show smercy. Once the court had dispersed, Salvador summoned Carissa to the study.

Carissa entered with calm determination, presenting her findings before he could even speak.

Salvador flipped through the documents, his expression growing darker with every page. At first, he had assumed the matter was simply a case of spoiled noble brats bullying merchants and causing minor trouble. But as he read on, the full extent of their crimes cinto view-arson, murder, and the abduction of young women, all in collusion with ruthless moneylenders.

"Hand them all over to the SuprCourt," Salvador thundered, his voice cold with fury. Let the law deal with them harshly!" Carissa knelt, bowing her head in acknowledgment. "Yes, Your Majesty. I will see to it immediately."

Salvador knew that the decision to crack down on the Garrison Unit was hers. He had been somewhat angry at first, but now, the evidence she Π had uncovered left no doubt-these men were dangerous and needed to be stopped before they brought ruin to the empire. His anger softened, and he offered a few words of commendation, his tone begrudging but sincere.

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