Semua Bab The Warning in Gold: Bab 1 - Bab 9

How could that happen?I turned sharply toward the woman beside me.Delia still had her arm linked through mine.She wore a pale yellow dress that made her complexion look luminous and her expression gentle.But at that moment, her eyes were fixed on Adrian Prescott.My heartbeat stumbled."Delia."My voice sounded tighter than I intended. "What are you staring at so intently?"She startled, and color climbed her throat.She lowered her lashes. "Nothing. I was only thinking that Major Prescott looks impressive in his dress uniform."Before I could question her further, a shadow fell across the table."Evelyn."Adrian had approached without my noticing.He still wore the formal uniform from the homecoming ceremony, and it held him at the same disciplined bearing he'd carried onto the parade ground that morning.But concern pressed between his brows."Why are you so pale? Are you feeling sick?"I managed a smile."I'm fine. The fireplaces are too warm, and the room feels

Delia's eyes reddened instantly. She lifted the soaked skirt, sounding flustered and wounded."A server bumped into me... I don't even know how it happened..."She looked up with tears trembling in her eyes. "Evelyn, I need to change."My fingers tightened around the handkerchief until my nails nearly cut my palm.How convenient.The spill happened at the exact moment I announced our departure.But I couldn't force her to walk out of a formal gala in a stained dress while everyone watched.I suppressed the dread inside me and signaled to Tessa."Take Delia to the guest suite and help her change. Bring my mauve evening wrap."Delia followed Tessa obediently toward the east guest wing.The tightness in my chest didn't ease.I called another staff member, Paige Rowe, and spoke quietly."Wait outside the guest suite. The moment Tessa comes out, report to me."Paige nodded and left.I remained in the ballroom while one cup of tea cooled and was replaced by another.The laught

I bent and helped Tessa rise."Don't rush. Tell us everything clearly."She took several breaths, her voice hoarse with fury."I brought Delia here to change. She asked for tea, and I turned toward the service counter."Someone struck the back of my head. Everything went black."When I woke, I was locked inside the rear storage building, gagged and bound. The men Ms. Langford sent came over the back wall and found me."Tessa turned and faced the room."I've worked for Ms. Langford for six years and I've never once lied for her. If a single word of this is false, I'll swear to it in front of a judge and take whatever comes."The suite filled with shocked voices.I turned toward Delia, my tone quiet and cold."Tessa was removed before anything happened. You say Adrian invited you here. Who saw him invite you? Who can confirm it?"Delia's face lost color.But she bit her lower lip, and tears began falling again."One of his officers delivered the message. I don't know his nam

The guest suite fell silent.Delia's crying stopped abruptly.Gavin also stopped struggling.Both turned toward me and stared as though I had become a stranger.Delia recovered first.She scrambled up and stumbled toward me.She seized my wrist hard enough for her nails to bite into my skin."Evelyn, you can't call the sheriff. The scandal will destroy the Prescott name. You're supposed to marry into this family. Don't you care how humiliating this will be?"I tore my arm from her grasp."When you accused my fiancé of assault, did you care about my dignity?"When you undressed and staged this scene beside him, did you care about the Prescott family?"Delia stumbled backward and struck the low couch. Her lips trembled, but she had no answer.Gavin straightened nearby and forced a laugh."Evelyn, you're exaggerating. I lost that medallion several days ago. Anyone could have dropped it beneath the window. It proves nothing.""Mr. Finch, you heard Gavin claim he lost the meda

Six months later, the criminal cases and civil trust proceedings were resolved.Gavin pleaded guilty to conspiracy, assault, unlawful restraint, evidence fabrication, and attempted trust fraud. He received a lengthy prison sentence and was permanently removed from every Prescott family trust and management position.Delia pleaded guilty to conspiracy, filing a false accusation, evidence fabrication, and her role in Tessa's assault. She received a multiyear prison sentence followed by supervised release.The scandal ended my father's political career. He wasn't reappointed to the Northfall Commerce Commission and accepted a minor administrative post in the remote county of Greyhaven.Vivian received a formal eviction notice from the Langford residence and left Ravenmere. She knelt outside my home for an entire day before departing, but I refused to see her.I later heard that she returned to the small town where she grew up. After that, no one mentioned her again.Gavin's crimes l