At those words. Adeline immediately stood straight and snatched the box from Eliza''s hands, snapping. You should ve brought this back earlier! Why wait until now? If people didn''t know better, they''d think Your Grace still had feelings for Calebt


    But as soon as she looked inside, her eyes widened and she eximed, "What? Why is it cracked?"


    She grabbed the emerald hairpin in a rage and eximed, ''Do you even know what this is? This was supposed to be passed down to the next daughter-inw of the Marquis''s estate! Now that you''ve broken it, how is it supposed to be passed on?"


    “Enough.” Eliza shot her a cold look and spat. "Let''s be clear-this hairpin wasn''t broken by me. Your precious son smashed it with his own hands. If you don''t


    believe me, go ask him yourself. Don''t lose your mind in front of me.


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    "Nonsense! My son would never do such a thing, he "Adeline instinctively tried to defend her son, but Eliza cut her off mid-sentence


    Eliza said, “Right, he wouldn''t. He does things like stealing and framing people. Like, say, sneaking off with your Snow Cream, Lady Adeline, and pinning it on me. Isn''t that right?".


    A half-smile tugged at Eliza''s lips, her eyes filled with biting sarcasm.


    Hearing this, Adeline''s face flushed red as she boiled with rage.


    What do you mean by stealing? That was my Snow Cream! My son just borrowed his mother''s things, that''s all. How''s that considered heft? Adeline snapped back.


    Mmm, true. He just used it on someone else, so technically it''s none of my business. As long as you''re happy. Eliza replied,


    As if Adeline could possibly be happy about that!


    Adeline''s face turned ashen with fury.


    Heaven knew how her heart shattered when she discovered that her son had secretly taken all her Snow Cream to win over Sophie!


    Her heart had bled.


    Three full jars of Snow Cream were all gone. Not a single drop left for her.


    Every time she thought about it, Adeline felt like crying all over again.


    Che had nearly managed to forget the whole thing after so much time had passed, but this little brat, Eliza, just had to bring it up again.


    adeline was fuming. Normally, she would''ve pped Eliza across the face already.


    But after Dale''s warningst time, Adeline didn''t dare act recklessly again.


    No matter how furious she was, all she could do now was re daggers at Eliza


    s long as she didn''ty hands on her, and as long as she didn''t say anything too offensive, Eliza wouldn''t be able to do a thing to her.


    fter all, even if Eliza had be the Holy Lady, Adeline was still Eliza''s aunt by blood.


    lizz might''ve left the Signor family, but that blood the remained, and as long as it did, Eliza wouldn''t darey a finger on her.


    deline strongly believed that familyes before all else, and even as the Holy Lady, Eliza still had to follow that rule!


    Tinking that. Adeline gave a cold snort, CANT nce over Eliza, and turned the conversation back to the main issue.


    Now that this emerald hairpin is broken, and you say it wasn''t you who broke it, you''d better have some proof. Otherwise, I can''t take ar fall for destroying a family heirloom of the Marquis''s estate."


    family heirloom of the Marquis''s estate? Eliza thought as she nearlyughed aloud when she heard that.


    ady Adeline, if the Marquis''s household is truly so poor that you can barely put food on the table, you could''ve just said so, I might ve pared you some money as a token of goodwill"


    liza scoffed inwardly, ''An emerald hairpin worth barely six hundred dors, and that''s considered a family heirloom?


    What a joke


    ou- Adeline - eyes widened in fury as she exuned. "You se blind if you can''t we its worth! This was passed down to me by Madam evill herself, and I passed it on to you. Who knew you''d turn out so disappointing


    ou couldn''t even win over my sun. What use are you? Adeline curled her lip and quickly tried to hide the flicker of guilt in her eyes.


    Iright, maybe it''s not exactly an heirloom, she admitted silently. "But it was passed down from Ma-dam Nevill to me, and I ined ass it to my daughter-inw. If it''s passed from generations to generation, and always goes to the ughter-in-w su why shouldn''t it


    With that thought, Adeline felt more self-assured, but Eliza had long since lost interest in continuing this nonsense.


    Eliza cut her off, "Alright, you can keep telling yourself that. I''ll be going now.


    She turned to


    leave.


    Just then, a carriage arrived outside.


    Eliza recognized it instantly as it was the Marquis''s carriage.


    And sure enough, in the next moment, Caleb and Dale stepped down from it together.


    Caleb looked up and stared in surprise when his feet touched the ground. He asked. "Eliza? What are you doing here?"


    Eliza thought. That''s what I was going to ask you.


    "Didn''t the gatekeeper of the Marquis''s estate just go in to announce my arrival? And yet neither Dale nor Caleb knew I was here?" Dale gave his son a hearty smack on the back of the head and greeted Eliza, "Your Grace"


    Your Grace


    Caleb finally came to his senses and awkwardly followed suit, bowing beside his father as he stammered, "Your... Eliza gave a brief nod in return and replied calmly, "I''m just here to return the engagement token. Now that it''s done, I have other matters to attend to. Please excuse me."


    With that, she turned to leave.


    "Wait! Caleb blurted out


    He didn''t know what came over him, but he just instinctively stepped forward to block her path.


    But now that he had stopped her, he had no idea what to say


    "You... you''re already here. Why don''t youe inside and have a seat first?" he stammered awkwardly.


    Eliza''s expression instantly turned icy, as if she were staring at a ghost. She was speechless.


    She coldly refused, "Td rather not. I''m afraid if I go in, I won''t be able toe back


    Caleb hadn''t caught her meaning yet and replied, "Why would that happen?"


    No sooner had he spoken than Eliza''s face twisted into pure mockery as she said, "Why wouldn''t it? What if you, Lord Caleb, suddenly get a wild idea again? Like getting a bunch of people to trap me inside and threatening me with public opinion? Then I really won''t be able to leave."


    The moment she said that, Caleb''s face flushed crimson, just like his mother''s earlier. But in his case, it was out of shame and panic. Dale, who had heard every word, narrowed his eyes slightly and looked Caleb in the eye, clearly saying, "We''ll talkter.” He turned to Eliza and said, "Your Grace, please forgive my useless son


    He''s done something he shouldn''t have. I''ve failed to teach him properly. But no matter what, I will give Your Grace exnation. It''s just that out here isn''t the best ce to talk. Su could I trouble Your Grace toe inside, for my sake?"


    4 proper


    Eliza had been about to refuse but before she could even open her mouth, Adeline''s voice drifted up behind her in a hushed mutter that she clearly thought was quiet enough. "What''s there to exin? She already broke the heirloom we passed down to our daughters-in-w. I haven''t even asked her to pay for it, and now she wants an exnation?"