I Was Meant to Be the Evil Wife, But the Cold Marquis Fell for Me - Chapter 38

“As you all know, this is Van, the gardener who has long tended the estate’s gardens, and Marie, one of the maids. Van, tell us about the matter.”

Van bowed slowly, holding his hat to his chest, and began carefully.

“I had been cultivating lilies since just before Madam came to the house. I hoped they might bring her some comfort. They had finally bloomed beautifully, and I looked forward to showing them to her. But…”

He lowered his eyes.

“…Just before that, all the pots were smashed.”

Liliana gasped, struck by the thought that the gardener had grown lilies for her sake. She had never imagined such kindness of welcome.

“And upon closer inspection, one pot was missing.”

At once she recalled the lily pot that had fallen from the balcony above.

“Then, from the main hall’s balcony, I heard a loud crash. I rushed over and found Madam beneath the balcony and the missing pot shattered before her.”

As Van spoke, Liliana remembered the sight: white lilies scattered with soil, spilling from the broken pot.

—One misstep, and she could have died.

“Madam said it had fallen from above. The way it broke confirmed it. The soil scattered as if dropped from far higher than waist height.”

Van’s face was grave.

“Madam lamented the poor flowers. I told her the bulbs were intact, that they would bloom again next year. She was relieved… and she called me by name, thanked me for always tending the flowers…”

His eyes glistened with tears.

“But then—this maid…”

He glared at Elina, anger unhidden.

“She claimed Madam had smashed the pots because she disliked the flowers. Impossible! I was furious, but had no proof.”

His testimony ended. Leivis nodded.

“And when you heard Elina was under house arrest, you came to tell me this.”

Van bowed deeply, his eyes full of trust.

Leivis turned to Marie.

“After that, I questioned everyone again. Marie gave an interesting account.”

Marie hesitated, then spoke carefully, nervously.

“I saw Elina carrying a lily pot that day. I thought she was bringing it to Madam’s room. She seemed in a hurry… Later, she no longer had it. Perhaps she left it on the balcony.”

She glanced around, blinking long, but continued firmly.

“Then I saw her cleaning the stair landing. I thought she had spilled soil while carrying the pot. Then there was a loud crash. I suspected she had broken it, and went to check the balcony but Madam stopped me.”

Marie looked at Liliana, speaking gently.

“Madam asked me to clean the floor, it was slick with wax and dangerous. I checked, and indeed it was. So, I cleaned it.”

Leivis nodded, turning to Liliana.

“Liliana, at that time you injured your foot. You said you tripped for no reason but wasn’t it from nearly falling down the stairs?”

—Again, she could not speak. Not even nod.

Her body froze, eyes squeezed shut.

—But it was true. She had nearly fallen, thought she would die. She sprained her foot, later collapsing onto Leivis in his study, tangling her hair in his button, sewing it back after he cut it free.

“…From their accounts and the positions, Elina, you tried to drop the pot on Liliana’s head, didn’t you?”
“N-no, I would never!”
“And you spread vile rumors to tarnish her reputation among the servants.”

Elina’s eyes widened, tears streaming.

“Why do you always suspect me? I said it wasn’t me…”

Leivis turned to the housekeeper.

“What do you think?”

The housekeeper bowed, troubled.

“…It is my failure. Elina often shirked work, disappeared… Perhaps during those times…”
“No! Madam broke the pot herself. I watched her do it!”

Elina insisted, eyes clear.

“Elina. Lift this.”

Leivis calmly pointed with his staff to a vase on the desk.

(Ah—)

Liliana gasped. It was the same vase used in the garden “experiment” earlier that day.

Elina’s bonds were released.

“This is easy.”

She lifted it proudly.

“Put it down.”
“Yes.”

She set it lightly on the floor.

“Lift it again.”
“Yes.”

She raised it easily, holding it before her.

“That vase matches the size and weight of the lily pot.”
“Oh, really?”
“Then tell me, how did Liliana break it? You said you saw.”
“Of course, she lifted it like this, and dropped it onto another pot.”
“I had Liliana try earlier. She couldn’t lift it.”
“…Eh?”

The vase slipped from Elina’s hands, crashing to the floor.

A dull thud echoed. Water spilled, flowers spread across the floor.