456.Chapter 456


    She replied, "Dn... He''s already out of Hasen City, and not at Scecrest Manor either. He said he had urgent business and won''t be back anytime soon."


    Hearing that, Nn raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised.


    He thought, ''Could it be that something truly earth-shattering had urred within the Duke''s estate?''


    He said, "It''s okay if we can''t reach him. I''ve already got people digging deeper. We''ll find out soon enough."


    He got a team of pros under him.


    Digging up dirt like this was child''s y for them.


    Even the Duke''s estate wsn''t immune. Unless they silenced everyone involved, there was no way to keep so many mouths shut.


    Take today''s scandal with Sophie and Caleb, for instance. Gabriel might have immediately ordered everyone to keep quiet, but the news still slipped out.


    Sure enough, by that afternoon, Ross came bouncing in, practically glowing with excitement, eager to spill thetest gossip to Nn and Eliza.


    He said, "Your Grace, Holy Lady! You won''t believe the dramaing out of the Duke''s estate!


    "It all started when Sophie stole thirty-five strings of coins from Dn..."


    Ross thenunched into a vivid, animated retelling of the chaos that had unfolded at the Duke''s estate over the past two nights.


    When Eliza heard that Gabriel had decided to punish Sophie based on Benedict''s stance, she was momentarily surprised, though it all seemed to add up.


    She said, "Sophie poisoned Benedict ages ago, but she still hasn''t handed over an antidote. The whole thing dragged on because Benedict was either unconscious or refusing to talk after waking up. It''s been hanging over everyone for ages. "Then Dn stormed into the Duke''s estate, airing all of Sophie''s dirtyundry, stealing money, disrespecting our mother''s remains. Old grudges and new offenses piled up, forming a mountain of usations that crushed Sophiepletely. This gave Benedict the perfect opportunity to act.


    "It came down to two choices, either they all go down together, making life miserable for everyone, or Gabriel kicks Sophie out of the Duke''s estate."


    Nn raised an eyebrow, "Looks like the Duke chose thetter."


    "Exactly. Even now, he''s still bending over backward to look out for Sophie." Eliza sneered.


    She thought, ''Thought Gabriel wanted to sent up an arrangement for Sophie, he didn''t go to those men from wealthy families.


    ''The schr he picked for her is no doubt someone handpicked by Gabriel. He must be a promising young talent entirely under his thumb.


    ''So even if Sophie marries him, she won''t have to suffer.


    ''Who knows? With Gabriel pulling the strings, that schr might end up making it big in a few years.


    ''If things had gone as nned, Sophie could''ve gone from being an illegitimate daughter to the wife of a celebrated schr.


    ''Too bad all of Gabriel''s careful nning for his beloved daughter ended up being a waste.


    Looking at how things turned out, it was clear Sophie''s clueless brain never caught on.


    She drugged Caleb, slept with him, and made sure the whole city knew about it. In the end, neither the Duke''s estate nor the Marquis''s estate had any way out.


    To save face, Sophie had no choice but to marry into the Marquis''s estate.


    "She''s still so naive, Eliza said with a faint smile, "My aunt is not someone she can mess with."


    Sophie already crossed Adeline once, getting her son''s leg broken. That leg had still not healed, and now she had dragged


    him into another mess.


    There was no way Adeline would let this slide.


    Sessfully unlocked!


    If Sophie believed that she could walk into the Marquis''s estate as the official wife


    of Caleb, she would be dreaming.


    457 Chapter 457