The Debt Of Fate-Chapter 281: Causing a scandal

Leah felt as though she were dreaming when the guard told her someone was there to see her. Since being sent to the dungeon, she had received only a single word of comfort from Duchess Anita, who had once promised that when everything calmed down, Leah would be released. Yet more than a year had passed, and there had been no news.

She had been a maid all her life, but serving at the duchess’s side meant she had always eaten warm food. Even when the duchess lost her temper, it could not compare to the suffering Leah endured now—the bitter cold, the stifling heat, and the constant hunger. There was barely anything to eat.

Even her family has cared little about her even if they had benefited from her years of serving the duchess.

At times, she thought she would die there. And yet, suddenly, someone had come to see her.

Her heart raced. She wondered if the duchess had finally remembered her, or if it was one of the relatives who had abandoned her after she was thrown into prison. After all, the crime of attempting to harm a member of the royal family was no small matter.

With her heart pounding, Leah stepped forward—and saw an unfamiliar face. All the hope in her heart vanished, especially when she noticed the maid was dressed in palace attire.

She wondered if Anastasia had suddenly remembered her and wanted a chance to deal with her personally. Her heart beat faster in fear after all, all this years she had been the knife that the duchess had used to hurt her for years. She could still remember how she tormented Anastasia. The more Leah thought about it, the more afaird she got, she wanted to return to her cell, but she knew she had no choice.

Years locked away without visitors meant she had no idea what was happening in the kingdom.

"Come with me," the maid said, her gaze giving nothing away.

Leah nodded and followed. She had already learned that whatever was meant to come could not be avoided.

The journey from the dungeon to the Queen Mother’s quarters took a long while. Along the way, Leah overheard a few pieces of gossip. The one that left her most shaken was the news that Elizabeth was now the queen. The hope she had long since lost began to stir once more.

"Let her change into something clean before seeing Her Grace," Miss Margaret ordered when she saw Leah’s worn and filthy clothes.

Leah felt relieved upon hearing this. It confirmed her assumption, The duchess must have remembered her and is keeping her promise. She went to change, but her hope shattered the moment she faced the calm expression of the Queen Mother.

"You will be given one chance to tell me the truth about your lady," Mary said coolly. "Was the poisoning that year an order, or was your confession back then the truth?"

Back then, Mary had never believed Leah had acted on her own, but after much consideration, she had pretended to let the matter rest.

"Your Grace, I will—" Leah began, but Margaret interrupted her.

"You should think carefully before you speak. Her Grace is offering you a chance to live. Otherwise, you will die."

Hearing those words, Leah broke into a cold sweat. She did not want to die—not when there was a chance to live. She had no idea what had happened during all those months, nor how Elizabeth had become queen. The more she thought about it, the more she believed the duchess had truly abandoned her.

Though she had been loyal, she was unwilling to die for it.

"Your Grace," Leah said with her head lowered, "a servant’s life belongs to her mistress. In times of trouble, it is only right that I lay my neck down to save her."

Queen Mary’s gaze turned cold.

"Her Grace has no time for riddles," Margaret said when she noticed Mary’s displeasure. "Did you poison Lady Anastasia on your own, or was it the duchess’s attempt to steal the marriage for her daughter?"

Hearing Margaret’s words, Leah grew desperate. The Queen Mother’s cold gaze made her heart pound.

"Your Grace, I acted under my lady’s instructions. No matter how well regarded I was, I was still only a servant. It would have been impossible for me to obtain such poison on my own. I would never dare lie to Your Grace," Leah said firmly.

She had made up her mind to betray Anita. After all, the duchess had been the first to abandon her. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

Mary sneered. "I must truly look like a fool. Back then, you insisted the crime was yours. Now you dare accuse your lady? Margaret, what is the punishment for such a servant?"

"Your Grace, she may either be hanged or fed to the dogs," Margaret replied. She understood that beneath the Queen Mother’s gentle smile lay a ruthless heart.

"Then—" Mary began, but Leah spoke first.

"Your Grace, I am not lying. This is the truth."

"Who are you, that your words should be taken as truth?" Margaret snapped. "Why should Her Grace believe you? Duchess Anita is a noblewoman known for her kindness and grace. Even after you poisoned Lady Anastasia and nearly ruined her reputation, she sought to free you the moment her daughter became queen. Yet you—"

Margaret stopped and looked at Leah as though she were a fool. Tha game was of the mind, many people suck to the truth when they were at a dead end.

Leah was alarmed. For a moment, she wondered if betraying the duchess had been a mistake. But there was no turning back now—doing so would mean certain death. After all the that would mean she lied to the queen mother .

"Your Grace, I am telling the truth," Leah said desperately. "Duchess Anita never treated Lady Anastasia as a daughter. Ask any servant in the duke’s residence—it is well known that even the maids ate better than her. If Lady Anastasia had not feared for her life, why would she have requested a personal kitchen?"

She raised her head slightly to study Mary’s expression. The coldness had eased, replaced by a faint frown. Leah’s heart raced with fragile hope.

"Being a stepmother is difficult," Mary said slowly, "but mistreatment is different from poisoning. Making Anastasia barren would bring no benefit to the Thompson household. Duchess Anita is not a foolish woman."

Leah clenched her fists, not expecting the Queen Mother to still defend the duchess.

"Your Grace, if you investigate properly, you will find that I speak the truth. I heard that Lady Elizabeth is now queen. This alone proves it was no coincidence. Whatever caused Lady Anastasia to lose her position must have been a setup. My lady would never stand by and watch Anastasia surpass her daughter."

She truly believed it was no coincidence that Elizabeth became queen just over a year after Anastasia’s marriage.

"So you claim that even without direct benefit, your lady would still harm her stepdaughter?" Mary asked coldly.

"I would never dare lie, Your Grace. Investigation will prove my words true," Leah replied, then hesitated as a memory surfaced.

"Before Lady Anastasia’s wedding, Lady Elizabeth once pushed her onto a maddened horse. It was called an accident, but I watched Lady Elizabeth grow up. She cannot bear to see others do well." Leah could only hope to give as much information as possible hoping to save her life.

Mary frowned and gestured for Leah to be dismissed. She had long suspected Anita’s involvement—this was merely confirmation.

"Your Grace, shall I verify what she has said?" Miss Margaret asked after Leah was taken away.

"There is no need," Mary replied. "Given her state, she was telling the truth. She would not dare lie to me."Everything pointed to Duchess Anita back then, but with a maid taking the blame, I chose not to pursue it." Mary gently robbed her hands against each other. Back then she had hated her husband picking an ilegitimate daughter for their son but now she felt that Anastasia was indeed a better fit. When Anastasia was married into the royal family there was no scandal. If her son had not pushed Anastasia over and over again perhaps all this trouble will not arrive.

"If only we had investigated properly," Margaret sighed. "Then His Majesty would not have married a woman like Lady Elizabeth." Miss Margaret could tell what her lady was thinking. Even as a servant she could tell that an ilegitimate daughter turns out to have better bearing than the legitimate one.

It’s was no wonder the Duke House had become just an empty shell.

Mary nodded, though she cared little for Elizabeth’s nature. Who among the nobility did not scheme for their future?

As the duke’s legitimate daughter, it was natural for Elizabeth to resent Anastasia’s rise. What Mary regretted was that Elizabeth brought no benefit to the palace—and still failed to clean up after herself, causing scandal shortly after marrying the king.