A few minutes earlier, Emma and Livia had driven away. Emma, unable to hold back her curiosity, asked, "You don't actually believe her, do you?"
"Of course not," Alia replied calmly. "Her parents traveling without informing her? That's impossible. And if they had told her, why would she have returned? Naturally, she's lying. But if I expose her directly, she'll only spin more lies. I know her—if she truly intends to leave, she'll do it tonight. Let's drive away for a while, then secretly return to the village entrance. It's the only road out. We'll catch her there."
As expected, Alia's plan worked. They 'caught' Elise.
The night was deep, the countryside road silent. Only the wind rustled the treetops with a whispering sound. Emma and Alia stepped out of the car, walking unhurriedly toward Elise's vehicle. The black silhouette of the car stood in the dim light, like a silent confrontation waiting to unfold.
Elise sat frozen in the driver's seat, her eyes flickering with unease as her fingers nervously traced the steering wheel. On the passenger seat lay a suitcase—undeniable evidence of her true intentions. She was indeed planning to leave, and perhaps far away.
Alia's gaze darkened as she took in the sight of the luggage. Her voice turned colder. "Where are you going?"
Elise's hands clenched involuntarily. She stammered, "I… I was just heading back to the castle."
"The castle?" Alia let out a sharp laugh, her tone piercing. "Then why did you pack your bags in advance? And why didn't you mention this earlier?"
Elise bit her lip, her body trembling slightly, as if struggling to come up with another excuse. But Alia didn't give her the chance. Her gaze bore into Elise, her voice devoid of warmth. "Are you still trying to lie to me? Elise, you know I've never treated you as a mere maid. You are family—my most trusted sister. No matter what happens, I will help you. I'll give you one more chance. Think carefully—what exactly are you doing?"
The words struck Elise like a blade, cutting through the last of her pretense. The tears she had been holding back finally spilled over, her lips trembling as she choked out, "I… I, Livia…"
She lowered her head abruptly, her shoulders shaking, tears soaking into her collar.
Alia watched her cry, a complex emotion flickering in her eyes. She sighed softly, then reached out, gently patting Elise's shoulder. Her voice softened. "Alright, don't cry. Let's go inside and talk."
Emma, who had been wearing an amused smile earlier, also nodded, pulling open the car door. "Come on, it's too cold out here."
A few minutes later, the three of them sat in Elise's room. The warm yellow glow of the lamp cast their shadows on the walls, and a faint woody scent lingered in the air. Yet, the atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy.
Elise curled up in the corner of the sofa, her hands tightly clasped together, her eyes still red. She bit her lip before finally speaking in a choked voice. "It's not that I didn't want to tell you… I just… didn't know how."
Alia sat beside her patiently, speaking in a gentle tone. "Take your time. We're listening."
Elise took a deep breath, forcing herself to steady her emotions before she finally began her confession.
It turned out that despite all their precautions, Elise and Adrian's relationship had been exposed. They had always been careful—especially Adrian—avoiding crowds whenever he came to see her, meticulously planning each meeting to minimize the risk of discovery. But somehow, someone had still noticed. And the news had reached Edgar's ears.
Alia's brows furrowed as she raised a hand to rub her temple, sighing inwardly. My foolish brother… I warned him to be discreet, and yet he still got caught. Couldn't he have met Elise outside the castle? The place is crawling with our father's spies. Many of them have watched Adrian grow up—they would notice even the smallest irregularity. He might have been careful the first few times, but the more often it happened, the greater the chance of slipping up.
Taking a deep breath, her expression grew colder as she stood up. A sharp glint flashed in her eyes. "And then? Did Father threaten you? I'll go talk to him!"
Elise's head shot up in alarm, shaking urgently. "No—Lord Edgar didn't threaten me… nor did he force me to leave." Her voice trembled, her fingers gripping the hem of her dress. She hesitated for a long moment before finally seeming to make up her mind. Slowly, she pulled out a neatly folded letter from her pocket and held it out to Alia.
"He… he sent me this."
Alia lowered her gaze. The handwriting on the paper was unmistakable.
It was a letter from Edgar.