The Lady Nun Seeks Justice (Eliza Stonor) novel Chapter 299

299.Chapter 299

Eliza didn’t know of any distant relatives. Sophie must have found someone pretending to be a Stonor relative to cause trouble in the Oriphoenix Building.

Eliza studied the staff’s faces, noticing their apprehension. They had reluctantly obeyed Roger’s earlier threats, clearly terrified of him. The older employees, especially, seemed to carry the weight of his harsh leadership.

Sophie took pleasure in isolating others, leaving them feeling helpless and alone. She’d done it before, but Eliza refused to let it happen again.

“Have things been disappearing here?” she asked.

The staff chimed in, “Yes! Roger would often take things from the shop–rubies, even scraps of high–quality fabric. Those scraps might have been leftovers, but they were still valuable.”

Items at the Oriphoenix Building were always expensive, especially on the second and third floors, where custom orders were made. Customers could select fabrics for tailored clothing or precious stones like rubies and emeralds for custom jewelry.

“He didn’t just steal scraps, I even saw him stealing finished jewelry!”

Sophie had never paid attention to the accounts, so she wouldn’t have known even when the numbers were off. It made Roger bolder over time, taking what he wanted without a second thought.

The staff quickly revealed Roger’s secrets, sending him into a rage so intense he thought he might vomit blood. He was consumed by a desire to silence them all permanently.

He couldn’t risk angering Renee; she was formidable enough as it was, a living nightmare. Even more frightening was the person she held within.

“Has he taken anything these past few days?” Eliza asked sharply.

“Yes! He stole a solid gold bracelet last night! It’s worth a fortune!”

Eliza nodded with a smirk. “Renee, have two staff members escort Roger to the House of Imperial Justice. Inform them that a ‘distant relative‘ of the Duke’s estate attempted to rob my Oriphoenix Building. They may retrieve him if they compensate me.”

“Alright!” Renee replied.

With Eliza at the helm, the staff felt empowered, prompting two of them to join Renee in addressing the situation.

“No! Your Grace, have mercy! Please spare me!” Roger cried out desperately, his voice cracking. He was certain the Duke of Mowbray would end his life if he found out, but Eliza didn’t care about that.

Jacqueline hurried down the stairs, her arms laden with extravagant purchases, her footsteps echoing through the building. Eliza’s eyes glinted with amusement as she looked at the pile of clothes and jewelry, a faint smile gracing her lips.

Just as she was about to compliment the attendant, her gaze fell upon two receipts beneath the stack–custom orders for clothing and jewelry. ‘Well, well, she thought, ‘not everything is as it seems, is it?‘ A quick calculation told her the purchases totaled a small fortune.

Eliza raised an eyebrow, playfully addressing Jacqueline, “Is this enough?”

Jacqueline, misinterpreting Eliza’s tone as disapproval, was on the verge of tears. Her face flushed with shame as she clenched her fists, fighting back tears. “I–I don’t have any more money,” she stammered, having already spent everything.

Jacqueline was on the verge of losing her temper and starting an argument if Eliza didn’t back down. Thankfully, Eliza let it go and turned to say, “Escort Miss Henderson home.”

A sudden knock sounded on the door of Gabriel’s study in the Duke’s estate.

“What is it?” Gabriel asked, his voice calm, almost detached.

The steward outside quickly replied, “Lord Mowbay, the Magistrate of the House of Imperial Justice requests your presence. He asks that you come immediately.”

‘The Magistrate?‘ Gabriel frowned slightly. ‘Why would he want to see me now?‘ He couldn’t remember ever interacting with the stern man. Nevertheless, Gabriel cautiously rose from his studies and departed.

Upon Gabriel’s entrance, the Magistrate rose to greet him, stating, “My respects to you, Duke of Mowbay.”

Composed yet commanding, Gabriel took his place in the seat of honor. “Magistrate, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit today?” he inquired, his voice steady.

The magistrate explained, “A middle–aged man named Roger had visited earlier. He claims to be your distant relative, and I wanted to inform you and see how you’d like to proceed.”

“A distant relative?” Gabriel’s voice grew frigid. “If anyone in Hasen City could simply claim to be related to the Duke’s estate, I imagine we’d have quite a queue at my doorstep.”

The Magistrate hesitated, then added, “However, Lord Mowbay, it’s been said your youngest daughter claimed kinship with this man. Might I suggest you meet him personally?”

Gabriel’s face clouded over at Sophie’s name. ‘There she goes again, always finding trouble,‘ he thought, his irritation growing.

Gabriel said sharply, “I doubt you traveled this distance just to debate family ties. Tell me the real reason for your visit.” The Magistrate cleared his throat and subtly checked Gabriel’s reaction before proceeding. “Lord Mowbay,” he stated, “it appears your distant relative has been caught stealing again. We believe this wasn’t an isolated incident, and he has accumulated significant stolen goods. We require you to bail him out.”