In A World Full of Silence, My Heart Will Find Its Way To You - Chapter 87

“Come in.”

At the Countess’s indifferent voice, a familiar figure entered without her even turning her head. It was Lady Vianne, the head maid.

The Countess tilted her head slightly and looked toward the head maid.

Beads of sweat had gathered on Lady Vianne’s forehead, though her grey hair was tightly pulled back without a single strand out of place.

“My lady, I have urgent news. Let me clear the area first.”

When the head maid sharply glanced at the maids, they quickly left, sensing her cold tone.

“What is it?”

“My lady, something terrible has happened. It’s about…!”

Lady Vianne raised her voice unintentionally but quickly looked around and lowered it.

“Well… we just received word from our men—they say they lost Lenny.”

“Lost Lenny? Are you saying she escaped?!”

“She had been staying at the house you provided, but… she’s very quick-witted, as you know.”

“Why are they handling things so poorly?!”

As the Countess’s face turned red and her voice grew loud, the head maid hurried to explain.

“The search party found out through local informants that Lenny was staying at an inn nearby. They rushed over, but someone appeared out of nowhere and interfered. They couldn’t catch her.”

“Someone appeared out of nowhere?”

“I suspect…”

The head maid hesitated, then continued while watching the Countess’s sharp gaze.

“Someone is definitely following us—someone suspicious of the Count’s death.”

“Who? This was all thoroughly planned. Not even the nobles have said a word. Who would dare suspect… who?!”

“Judging from the appearance and circumstances… it seems to be Master Eric.”

“Eric? Did you just say Eric?!”

The Countess raised her voice without thinking, then quickly lowered it. Her eyes widened with shock.

“How could Eric have noticed anything? He wasn’t even at the mansion that day!”

“I don’t know the details yet. Maybe he sensed something.”

“No matter how much he investigates, he won’t find anything. There’s no proof…”

Suddenly, something flashed through the Countess’s mind. A chill ran down her spine.

The written pledge bearing her seal. She had given it to use Lenny, who wouldn’t cooperate otherwise.

She had thought nothing of using a lowly servant and discarding her afterward, but now it had come back to bite her.

Everything now felt cold, like winter winds returning.

She stood frozen in place, her pupils trembling as if even her bones had gone cold.

“My lady, we will find Lenny as soon as possible. So please…”

“How do you expect to find her now that she’s in Eric’s hands?!”

The Countess screamed. Her sharp voice rang through the air, her furious eyes unrelenting.

The head maid spoke cautiously, watching her mistress.

“Even if she is with Master Eric, Lenny is the servant who killed the Count. It will be hard for her to avoid severe punishment. Surely, she wouldn’t confess that with her own mouth.”

“She might have made a deal with Eric. He needs her too. What now? Didn’t I tell you to silence her as soon as the job was done?!”

“I… I’m sorry…”

The Countess ground her teeth in rage. The head maid lowered her head, consumed by fear.

The Countess was afraid. She had fought fiercely to win her position as head of the family.

She had committed cruel and dreadful acts to place Edward as the family head.

No one was supposed to suspect anything—but Eric was digging into it.

Of all people, it was him.

A tenacious life. A tangled, cursed fate. At this rate, everything was at risk—her position, and the fragile status she had restored for her son.

The head maid, her eyes marked with years of experience, cautiously studied her mistress’s expression. She swallowed dryly and spoke again.

“My lady, that’s not the only problem. I haven’t told you everything because I feared it would worry you.”

“What now?”

“The maids sent a letter. Apparently, Aria has returned.”

“Aria? That girl who ran away? How dare she show her face again?”

“She’s now working again as Master Eric’s maid.”

“She came back here, bold as ever? And Edward hasn’t thrown her out yet?”

The Countess shook her head and clicked her tongue, clearly frustrated by her son’s behavior.

The head maid took a deep breath before continuing.

“My lady, please don’t be too shocked. In fact, the Count has officially proposed to Aria. He plans to make her his wife.”

“Wife? Did you just say he wants to make Aria the Countess?!”

The Countess’s green eyes shook violently in disbelief. It was too outrageous to accept as truth.

The head maid spoke respectfully, but with visible concern.

“Breaking off the engagement with Lady Cecil was bad enough, but now he wants to marry a maid? The nobles will laugh. What could the Count be thinking…?”

The Countess remained silent. Her face looked more serious than ever.

Her cold, piercing gaze scanned the room, then returned to the head maid.

“After everything I did to get this position… Am I the one who’s going to destroy it all?”

Then she remembered something the late Count had said to her.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t entrust the family to Edward. He acts too recklessly. I’ve already made my decision.”

His solemn, firm eyes had held no hint of deceit. It was his true conviction for the family’s sake. She had felt it.

She had understood his passion for the family’s business.

She thought it was just a temporary decision for the family’s benefit. That things would change after Edward’s wedding.

All the dreams she firmly believed in came crashing down.

Maybe it all started then—this moment had been coming.

A shadow began to fall over her once-beautiful eyes. The confident pride of a woman who had seized the family was nowhere to be found.

Countless emotions clashed within her.

How long had she been silent? Her sharp eyes turned to the head maid.

“I will return to Bailey Manor.”

“But you just got back…”

“I must fix this before Edward makes things worse. Otherwise, we’ll lose all chances of recovery. We must stop rumors from spreading in high society.”

“Yes, my lady. I will follow your orders.”

The head maid nodded with shining eyes. The Countess turned toward the sunlit window, her eyes now like a viper’s.

“I won’t let them live. That arrogant Eric… and that girl too…”

She muttered through clenched teeth, eyes burning with hatred.

Inside Emperor Carlos’s Audience Chamber.

Count Cecil sat alone in the tidy room, dressed in formal uniform. His eyes were full of thought as he looked outside.

The bright morning sunlight blended perfectly with the grandeur of the castle.

When he heard someone at the door, Count Cecil quickly stood.

Emperor Carlos, returning from observing the royal guard’s sword training, entered the room. In his white uniform and red cape, he sat across from Count Cecil.

“Count, have you been waiting long? What brings you here this early?”

“I greet Your Majesty.”

Count Cecil bowed with proper manners and sat down.

“Your Majesty, I need to speak about the Bailey family’s steel business.”

“Count, that matter was already settled through the royal meeting. You know my nature. Once I decide something, I do not go back.”

Carlos narrowed his eyes and leaned back with folded arms, his tone relaxed.

His imperial presence was enough to intimidate most people, but Count Cecil’s steady gaze showed no sign of backing down.

“In fact, there is a serious issue with the Bailey family’s business.”

“An issue?”

“It’s about the trade negotiation rights Your Majesty granted them. There are rumors that all those rights, including with the Kingdom of Atil and others, are being transferred to Grand Duke Stuart.”

“What are you talking about? Transferring trade rights?”

“I was shocked too when I heard. At the time, because of Your Majesty’s words, many nobles, including myself, gave up those rights. And now someone dares to transfer them without your permission?”

Carlos’s eyes grew heavy with confusion.

This hadn’t been mentioned in Eric’s recent letters. It was clearly the will of Edward, the current head of the Bailey family.

‘He really is a fool, just like the rumors say. Trying to ruin his own family. But why…?’

Lost in thought, Carlos clenched his hand on the armrest.

He didn’t know Edward’s exact reasons, but one thing was clear: that decision had placed both him and Eric in a difficult position.

Count Cecil would not miss such a golden opportunity. He had come to take back those negotiation rights.

And Count Cecil’s success would mean the Empress Dowager’s power would only grow stronger.

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