Chapter 2

Chapter 2

This day, I was cleaning the backyard as usual when I saw Theresa storming towards the study with a dark expression. She pushed the door open forcefully and stepped inside.

Rita, who was attending to the ink and brushes, was startled by Theresa's sudden entrance.

"Why are you so jumpy? Are you hiding something?" Theresa glanced at Rita with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Neal paused his writing, frowned, and waved Rita away.

"What madness is this again? You do this every day, aren't you tired of it?"

Theresa's smile turned sinister. "Could it be that our dear Rita has caught your eye? After all, she does bear a slight resemblance to that lady in the palace..."

Neal's face turned red with anger. "How dare you! Do you even know what you're saying? This is outrageous!" With that, he stormed out of the room.

Not long after, Rita disappeared. Theresa told the butler that she had found a good husband for the obedient and gentle Rita and arranged her marriage, then asked him to recommend another servant for the study.

"A girl will eventually get married. She can't work in the study forever. This time, find a young man," Theresa said nonchalantly.

The servants in the residence all praised Theresa for her kindness, even towards a mere maid. But I knew the truth. Rita had likely been sold to a brothel, just like I had been in my previous life, never to return.

The study was then assigned a young man. He seemed clever, and Neal had no objections. In fact, he appreciated the peace and quiet a male servant brought, and soon forgot about Rita's replacement.

But the young man was Theresa's spy. While I was sweeping the courtyard, I often saw him passing messages from the study when Neal was not around.

I couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. Theresa was setting herself up for a fall. I didn't even need to look for opportunities; she was handing them to me on a silver platter.

Theresa's family, the Spencer family, had indeed held a lot of power during her grandfather's time, wielding great influence. However, they had since declined. Although many of their descendants still held official positions, none were particularly significant. If they could obtain first-hand information from high-ranking officials, they could maneuver more effectively in the court and rise in ranks.

But secretly passing information was precisely what Neal despised the most. Neal prided himself on his integrity, and due to his noble status, he loathed underhanded dealings. If he found out about this, his disdain for Theresa would only grow.

That night, while Neal was flipping through some newly acquired books, he found a note tucked inside one of them.

[The young man is Theresa's spy]

Neal calmly placed the note in the candle flame and watched it burn, deep in thought.

The young man, confident in his role as Theresa's informant and knowing that Neal rarely concerned himself with household matters, brazenly passed messages without any attempt to hide it. Catching him in the act was a simple task.

Within a few days, Neal's men caught the young man red-handed and brought him before Neal.

Surrounded by guards wielding sticks and looking menacing, the young man was terrified. Before any punishment was administered, he confessed everything about being bribed by Theresa.

Neal was furious. He stormed into Theresa's courtyard and loudly demanded an explanation. Theresa, looking aggrieved, said, "Why are you so angry, my husband? I bribed the young man only to learn about your work so that my family could assist you in the court. This benefits your career, doesn't it?"

Neal sneered. "You know very well whether it's for me or for your family! I wondered why my recently handled documents were being addressed in court the next day by your brother. So it was you!"

In front of Theresa, Neal ordered the young man to be beaten with thirty strokes and then kicked out of the house. He also decreed that henceforth, he would personally select anyone working in the study, and then he left the courtyard.

Theresa's face was ashen. After Neal left, she uncharacteristically lost her temper in front of the servants, knocking everything off the table in a furious outburst.

I was called to clean up and saw her in a state of fury, completely devoid of her usual dignified demeanor. It was immensely satisfying.

This was just the beginning. Every malicious deed you have done, I will lay bare before Neal, making him completely lose faith in you.