Chapter 27 Jessica Elopes with Noe, Reputation Ruined
# In the Main Hall
Mabel, dressed in fine clothes and wearing an ornate headdress, had a stern expression that made her seem unapproachable.
Before the person she wanted to see arrived, she kept her eyes lowered and didn't even take a sip of the Hamilton family's tea.
"Mabel," Clio came over with a maid, "I was just thinking of sending someone to your place. On Christmas Eve, I'll call Reid and Brynn too. Wouldn't it be nice for the family to gather together?"
Mabel gave Clio a cold look too.
"No need. On a day like Christmas Eve, Clio wouldn't want to hear me say unpleasant things, would she?"
"Mabel, why be like this? We're family after all."
Clio sat down in a chair as she spoke: "Recently my husband Patrick has been highly valued by His Majesty. I heard Ethan did very well on the martial arts exam, but it's been a year and he still hasn't been given an official position."
"Tonight, have Ethan come over and tell Patrick about your difficulties. If he helps put in a good word with His Majesty, I'm sure Ethan will get an official position soon."
"Maybe he could go to the Guard Office and keep my Michael company. He must be lonely by himself."
Mabel gave a cold laugh: "No need for Clio to worry. The appointment letter came down the other day, assigning Ethan to fill a vacancy in the Doyle Guard."
"What?" Clio blurted out, then quickly recovered with a forced smile. "Don't you have to start at the Guard Office first to join the Doyle Guard?"
But Mabel didn't elaborate, only saying: "How would I know?"
Just then, Emma appeared at the door.
"Mrs. Mabel Hamilton," Emma curtsied, "Ms. Cressida Hamilton invites you to her room for tea."
Mabel immediately stood up and walked out the door without giving Clio another glance.
After they left, Clio's hand clutching her handkerchief slammed on the table.
"Cressida must have secretly helped Donny's family!"
"Mrs. Clio Hamilton, why is Ms. Cressida Hamilton helping outsiders?" Tatum said.
Clio was so angry her chest hurt.
How many years would her Michael have to work hard at the Guard Office before he could join the Doyle Guard?
That position meant patrolling for the Doyle family once you entered the palace. If you were lucky enough to become commander of the Doyle Guard, you'd be a close confidant of the Doyle family.
"She has such good connections but doesn't think of her own brother. Instead she helps outsiders. Usually Donny's family doesn't interact with us, and it's not like she can't see that. That hateful woman!"
At this point, her face looked terrible as she clutched her chest.
Tatum quickly tried to calm her: "Mrs. Clio Hamilton, please calm down. Ms. Rose Hamilton said your heart condition can't handle anger. You need to take care of yourself."
Clio took a deep breath: "You're right. I need to take care of my health. When Patrick comes back, I'll tell him about this."
Meanwhile, Emma was carrying tea to enter the room.
The maid Orla deliberately stood guard outside the door with a big smile: "Emma, let me take it in for you?"
"No need." Emma dodged directly and entered with a cold expression.
The four maids exchanged glances, all seeing the resentment in each other's eyes.
Since coming to Cressida's courtyard, they hadn't been given important duties.
Lika had tried to assert authority earlier and embarrass Cressida, but instead Cressida had hit her leg with a ruler, and she still hadn't recovered!
Echo lowered her voice: "You all watch here. I'll go tell Mrs. Hamilton."
She hurried off.
Inside the room, Mabel held her hot tea and looked around at the furnishings.
Finally, her gaze settled on Cressida.
"Cressida, I won't beat around the bush with you. Just tell me straight—what are you after by helping Ethan get this official position?"
"Mabel, you've misunderstood me. What could I be after? It's just that last time I heard Jessica mention it, I learned that Ethan still didn't have an official position."
The martial arts exam wasn't easy. The first preliminary round alone required standing out from three thousand people.
Ethan was different from Michael—he was willing to work hard and had always been diligent in martial arts training.
Cressida looked thin and cool, and when she lowered her eyes, it was even harder to read her emotions.
Mabel watched her for a while, then said: "Our family never owes favors for nothing, especially to your family."
"His Majesty has already given you many rewards, so I won't add to that. I heard you most want to find your wet nurse Ingrid. I've found out where she is."
Mabel pulled a piece of paper from her sleeve and handed it to Cressida.
Cressida took it and saw it was a letter from Ingrid.
She said that after Clio kicked her out of the household, she returned to her hometown. Thanks to Mabel's help, she now had the money to return to Emerald City.
"My people will send her back to Emerald City. Whether your mother agrees to take her on as a servant, I can't control. That's your own business."
Mabel stood up after speaking: "I've repaid your favor. From now on, we owe each other nothing."
She turned to leave decisively.
"Mabel!" Cressida called out to her. "After Ethan becomes part of the Doyle Guard, he still has a long road ahead."
Mabel narrowed her eyes: "What exactly are you trying to say?"
Cressida lowered her head: "I want to ask Mabel to work with me. I'll use my brother's achievements to expand connections, and I'll also be a help to Ethan."
"In this family, Mother favors her goddaughter, Father only cares about his own fame and fortune, and Michael isn't close to me either. I need family, allies."
"Helping Ethan is just the first step. From now on, I'll be on the same side as Donny and Mabel. What this family owes you, I'll make them repay!"
A brief silence.
"Cressida, you're too capable. Our family can't help you." Mabel's attitude remained cold.
"Today they can delay Ethan's official position. Tomorrow they'll find ways to interfere with Jessica's marriage. You're smart—you should be able to figure that out."
Cressida's words suddenly changed Mabel's expression.
Mabel didn't care about anything except Jessica and Ethan.
Cressida: "To know if what I'm saying is true, Mabel only needs to pay attention to that Noe Lester at the Hamilton family academy and Jessica."
Mabel's expression stiffened, as if she'd thought of something.
She didn't even spare time for goodbyes and left quickly, eager to verify this.
Watching her back, Cressida slowly sat down.
The Hamilton family had an academy where the children basically studied until adulthood.
The Noe that Cressida mentioned was a commoner from a declining family.
Noe had been hired to teach at the academy because of his considerable talent.
In her past life, when Cressida was locked in her room, she heard that Jessica had eloped with Noe.
Although Jessica was quickly found by Donny, somehow the news spread.
When a noble woman elopes with a lover, it becomes gossip for people's leisure time.
Almost overnight, all of Emerald City knew that Jessica had eloped with Noe, and people made up stories about her losing her virtue, spreading rumors everywhere.
It was after that when Jessica hanged herself in her room. After her death, Donny's family moved away from Emerald City.
Although Cressida didn't know the specific details of what happened—in her past life she could barely take care of herself.
But she could confirm that Noe was found by Clio specifically to target the immature Jessica.
Because later Cressida saw Noe come to the Hamilton Mansion to collect money.
To destroy a woman, first destroy her reputation.
Clio's methods were always vicious, and when she struck, she drew blood.
But too bad for her—in this life, she wouldn't get her wish.
That evening, Mabel sent a servant to deliver a food box to Cressida. Under the dishes was a note.
Cressida pulled it out and saw only the words "You must keep your promise."
She knew this meant Mabel had accepted her.
Tonight was Christmas Eve. Fireworks bloomed everywhere, and you could hear firecrackers in the alleys from far away.
Finally free from restrictions, people enthusiastically prepared for the new year. It was said that many people had set up tablets to honor Cameron. The people all knew that their current peace was bought with Cameron's life.
Cressida was in a good mood and gave Emma a generous reward.
Just then, someone sent by Clio came to invite Cressida to the front hall to enjoy a feast with everyone.
Cressida really had no interest in eating with them.
Besides, she could guess that since Mabel had come today and Patrick must have learned about Ethan's situation, going there would inevitably lead to arguments with them.
Cressida wasn't interested in this kind of argument that produced no real results.
However, thinking of what happened at this time in her previous life, she had no choice but to make the trip.