Chapter 4: Whispers in the Shadows
The sun had set, bathing the Everhart estate in the dim glow of twilight. Celia sat by the window of her room, the cool night air brushing against her skin. Her mind was restless, replaying the events of the tea party. Lady Cassandra's subtle defensiveness had been a crack in her perfect facade, but it wasn't enough. Celia needed more than a hunch to uncover the truth.
The system chimed softly in her mind, breaking her train of thought.
---
New Task: Uncover a connection between Lady Cassandra and the mysterious servant from the banquet.
Reward: +200 points.
---
Celia frowned. A connection? That meant Cassandra hadn't been an innocent victim in the scandal. The question was whether she had orchestrated it or merely been a pawn in someone else's game.
A knock at the door drew her attention. "Come in," she called.
Lila entered, her expression unusually serious. "My lady, the Duke requests your presence in the study."
Celia raised an eyebrow. It wasn't often that her father summoned her at this hour. "Did he say why?"
"No, my lady. Only that it's urgent."
---
When Celia stepped into the study, her father was seated at his desk, a stack of papers in front of him. Beside him stood a man she didn't recognize—a tall, broad-shouldered figure with sharp features and an air of quiet authority. His dark hair was tied back neatly, and his piercing gray eyes locked onto hers the moment she entered.
"Celia," the Duke began, gesturing for her to sit. "This is Lord Adrian Blackwell. He is investigating a series of incidents involving corruption among the nobility. I've asked him to assist with your inquiry into the Wexley banquet."
Celia blinked, surprised. "Corruption?"
Adrian inclined his head. "Lady Everhart, it seems your poisoning scandal may be tied to a larger web of deceit. Several noble families have reported similar incidents—rumors, scandals, even blackmail. Someone is manipulating the social hierarchy, and I intend to find out who."
Celia studied him carefully. There was something about Adrian's presence that unsettled her—not in a threatening way, but in a way that made her acutely aware of his sharp mind and unwavering focus.
"I see," she said cautiously. "And what makes you think the Wexley banquet is connected to this… conspiracy?"
Adrian's lips twitched in the faintest hint of a smile. "Because Lady Cassandra Wexley is involved in every single case."
The room fell silent. Celia's grip on the armrest tightened. Cassandra wasn't just hiding something—she was at the center of it all.
---
The following day, Celia and Adrian met in the estate's drawing room to discuss their next steps.
"We need to find that servant," Adrian said, his tone brisk. "If he was acting suspiciously during the banquet, he may have been the one who delivered the poisoned wine."
"I've already asked my father's steward to look into it," Celia said. "But tracking down a servant from three years ago won't be easy. Most of the staff at the Wexley estate have likely been replaced by now."
Adrian nodded. "True. Which is why we'll need to question the remaining staff discreetly. If Cassandra catches wind of this, she'll shut us down before we get anywhere."
Celia's brow furrowed. "You seem awfully confident that Cassandra is behind all of this. What if she's just another victim?"
Adrian gave her a long, measured look. "Do you believe that?"
Celia hesitated. In her past life, she had wanted to believe Cassandra's innocence. But this time, she couldn't ignore the mounting evidence.
"No," she admitted. "I don't."
Adrian's expression softened slightly. "Good. Then we're on the same page."
---
That evening, they paid a visit to a former Wexley servant who now worked at a modest inn on the outskirts of the city. The man, a wiry figure with a nervous demeanor, greeted them with a wary glance.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, his voice trembling. "I had nothing to do with Lady Cassandra's poisoning."
"We're not accusing you of anything," Adrian said calmly, stepping forward. "We just want to know if you remember anything unusual from that night. A new servant, perhaps? Or someone acting suspiciously?"
The man hesitated, his gaze darting between Adrian and Celia. "There was… someone new," he admitted. "A footman. I don't know his name—he didn't stay long. But I remember seeing him slip something into Lady Cassandra's wine."
Celia's heart pounded in her chest. "Did you tell anyone?"
The man shook his head. "I didn't dare. The Wexleys are powerful people. I didn't want to lose my job—or worse."
Adrian nodded grimly. "Do you remember what he looked like?"
The man paused, his brow furrowing. "Dark hair, average height… and a scar on his left hand. That's all I can recall."
Celia exchanged a glance with Adrian. It wasn't much, but it was a start.
---
As they left the inn, Celia couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled in her chest. The pieces of the puzzle were starting to come together, but the picture they painted was far more sinister than she had anticipated.
"Do you think the footman was working for Cassandra?" she asked quietly as they walked back to their carriage.
"It's possible," Adrian said. "Or he could have been working for someone else entirely. Either way, we need to find him."
Celia nodded, determination hardening her resolve. She had spent her previous life as a pawn in someone else's game, but not this time.
This time, she would uncover the truth—and she wouldn't stop until the entire web of lies had been unraveled.