Chapter 74

Chapter 74
Sloane's POV

I took a deep breath. No point beating around the bush. "Do you know what really happened when Saskia fell down the stairs ten years ago?"

Anna's hands stilled on the linen. Something flickered across her face, surprise. But she kept her voice respectful when she answered.

"Miss, I wasn't there when it happened."

"When I found out what had happened, Miss Saskia was already unconscious and on her way to the hospital. You were locked in your room."

"Who was there when it happened?"

"Master Zaid and Lady Eloise both said you pushed Saskia down the stairs." Anna's words were careful. "There weren't any servants with you children at the time."

"So the only witnesses were Zaid and Eloise?"

"Yes, Miss. Zaid said he saw it happen, and Lady Eloise was the first one to reach the scene." Anna paused, then added quietly, "Your father didn't hesitate to believe them."

I felt that familiar rage building in my chest.

"What about me?"

Anna's expression softened with something that might have been pain. "You denied it completely. You cried and insisted you hadn't pushed anyone. But no one believed you."

"My other relatives, where were they?"

"Your grandparents had passed when she was very young," Anna explained. "Your mother's family wasn't in the capital. There was no one to stop Master Juan from sending you away."

The more I heard, the clearer the picture became. Sophia had been completely alone, with no one to defend her against Eloise's accusations.

"Anna," I said carefully, "what did you think when it happened? Did you believe I did it?"

Anna was quiet for a long moment. When she finally spoke, she looked around nervously before leaning closer.

"Miss, I probably shouldn't say this." She hesitated, then continued. "But it never made sense to me. You loved Saskia. You always protected her from Master Zaid's teasing."

"And Master Zaid?" I prompted.

Anna's voice got even quieter. "Master Zaid had always been... rough with his sisters. He knew how to be cruel without the adults seeing it."

My heart started pounding.

"What about Eloise's reaction?"

"Lady Eloise seemed almost... prepared." Anna chose her words carefully. "Like she knew exactly what needed to be done. She kept telling Master Juan that you were dangerous, that she had to be sent away immediately."

Because she orchestrated the whole thing.

"And after I was gone?"

"Lady Eloise's position in the family became much more secure." Anna's meaning was clear without her having to say it outright.

I thought about Saskia, "What was Saskia like when she recovered?"

"She was in the hospital for two months. When she woke up, her memory of that day was hazy." Anna paused. "But she changed. She became very quiet, kept to herself. Sometimes I would see her staring at Miss Sophia's old room."

Like she knew something but couldn't remember what.

"Anna, do you think Saskia remembers more than she's admitted?"

Anna nodded slowly. "I think Miss Saskia might know more than she's ever said. But she was so young, and after the trauma..." She trailed off.

I felt pieces clicking into place in my mind. Eloise needed Sophia gone to secure her position. Zaid was jealous and easily manipulated. And Saskia has been living with the guilt all these years.

"Is there any physical evidence from back then?"

Anna shook her head. "It's been too long, Miss. And at the time, no one thought to preserve anything."

"What about Nia? How much does she know?"

"Nia was Lady Eloise's closest confidante back then. She knew many things." Anna's expression darkened. "But after what happened yesterday..."

Right. Nia was being sent to exile, which meant Eloise was about to eliminate a key witness.

"Anna, thank you for telling me this." I placed my hand on her arm. "Please don't mention this conversation to anyone. Especially not Eloise."

"Miss, you need to be careful." Anna's eyes were filled with worry. "If Lady Eloise suspects you're looking into the past..."

"I know. But some things need to come to light."

Anna nodded reluctantly.

Eloise's POV

The next morning, I made my way to Juan's study. My heart was beating faster than usual, but I kept my expression perfectly composed. This was a delicate conversation, and I needed to handle it just right.

I knocked gently on the door frame. "Darling, do you have a moment? I wanted to discuss Nia's situation."

Juan looked up from his papers, gesturing for me to enter. "Of course. Come in."

I walked in with just the right amount of concern on my face. "I've been thinking about what you decided regarding Nia. How exactly are you planning to handle this?"

"I've already discussed it with Sophia," Juan replied, not looking up from his documents. "Nia and her family will be exiled to the northern territories. It's more merciful than she deserves, considering what she did."

Perfect. I felt a rush of satisfaction, but kept my voice carefully neutral. "And when will this happen?"

"Three days from now. The escort will take them at dawn."

I nodded thoughtfully. "You're not planning to... show mercy, are you? I mean, given how long she worked for our family?"

Juan finally looked at me directly, his eyebrows raised. "Are you suggesting I should be lenient? I thought you'd be furious about what she did to Sophia."

"Lenient?" I let my voice rise with indignation. "Absolutely not! What Nia did was unforgivable. She nearly destroyed Sophia's reputation, betrayed our family's trust." I paused, then added with conviction, "I completely support your decision. In fact, I think exile is more than she deserves."

Juan studied my face for a moment, then nodded with approval. "Good. I was concerned you might be too soft-hearted about this."

"Never," I said firmly. "Nia made her choice. She'll face the consequences."

After I left Juan's study, I went straight to my room and locked the door behind me. My hands were shaking slightly, not from fear, but from excitement. Everything was falling into place perfectly.

Three days. That gave me exactly the time I needed to make arrangements.

I sat at my writing desk and began planning. The journey to the northern territories would take them through the Black Forest, a perfect place for an "accident" to occur. Wild animals, bandits, treacherous paths... so many natural dangers that could explain why a family simply disappeared.

I need reliable people for this. I thought about the contacts I'd cultivated over the years, the kind of people who asked no questions as long as they were paid well.

Marcus and his crew. They'd helped me with certain... problems before. Efficient, discreet, and most importantly, they knew how to make deaths look accidental.

I pulled out a piece of plain paper and began writing a coded message. By tomorrow evening, I'd need to have everything arranged. The message would go out through my usual channels, and by the time Nia's escort left the estate, Marcus would be waiting in the forest.

It has to look completely natural. Bandits attacking a small convoy, or perhaps wild beasts. The guards might survive to tell the tale of how they tried valiantly to save the family but failed. So tragic. So unfortunate.

I finished the letter and sealed it with plain wax, nothing that could be traced back to me. Tomorrow, I'd find a way to get it to the right hands without anyone noticing.

The thought filled me with deep satisfaction. Nia knew too many secrets, had seen too much over the years.

I walked to my mirror and practiced my expression of shocked grief for when the news would eventually reach us. "Oh, how terrible! Poor Nia and her family! Such a tragedy that they encountered bandits on the road!"

Soon, all the threats to my position will be eliminated. I smiled at my reflection.