My Bratty Wife
Chapter 87 - Eighty Seven

Chapter 87: Chapter Eighty Seven

Ryan’s heart ached for her. He could see the fear in her eyes, the terror of the unknown. He wanted to reassure her, to tell her that everything would be alright, but he knew that it was a lie. The danger was real, and they were running out of time.

Suddenly, the Viscountess clutched her stomach, her face contorted in pain. She gasped for air, her body trembling violently.

"She’s having a seizure," Ryan said, his voice filled with urgency.

The Viscountess collapsed to the floor, her body convulsing. Ryan rushed to her side, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel her pulse weakening, her breathing shallow.

"Call the doctor," he shouted, his voice filled with panic.

Thorne, who had been standing in the corner, rushed to get help. Ryan knelt beside the Viscountess, trying to keep her calm. He held her hand, his touch a source of comfort.

But it was too late. The Viscountess’s body went limp, her breathing stopped. She was dead.

Ryan, his hands trembling as he checked for a pulse for a confirmation. There was no pulse.

He looked at Thorne who just entered back inside, his eyes wide with shock. "She’s dead," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

Thorne knelt beside him, his face pale. He examined the Viscountess, confirming Ryan’s worst fears.

"It was poison," he said, his voice filled with anger. "They killed her. How do they get ten steps ahead of us?

Ryan felt a wave of shock wash over him. The woman he had just promised to protect was gone, taken from him by the same forces that had killed Lord Collin, viscount Conrad and others.

He knelt beside the body, his heart heavy with grief. The Viscountess was more than just a victim; she was a mother, a woman who had been fighting for her life. And now she was gone, leaving behind a son who would grow up without a mother’s love.

A few minutes later, the doctor arrived, his face etched with concern. He immediately began to examine the Viscountess, his hands moving quickly and efficiently.

After a few moments, he looked at Ryan, his face grave. "It’s too late," he said, his voice filled with sorrow. "She’s dead."

Ryan and Thorne exchanged a knowing glance, their hearts heavy with grief.

"What happened?" the doctor asked, his voice filled with curiosity. "She seemed healthy."

The butler, who had accompanied the doctor, stepped forward. "She has always been careful about her health," he said. "She took her medication regularly and ate healthy food."

The doctor nodded, his mind racing. "What medication was she on?" he asked.

The butler described the medications that the Viscountess had been taking, the doctor’s face growing increasingly concerned.

"Let me see the medications," the doctor said, his voice urgent.

The butler turned to leave, returning a few moments later with a small box. The doctor opened it, examining the contents carefully. His face turned pale as he looked at Ryan and Thorne.

"These aren’t medications," he said, his voice filled with shock. "These are nightshades, a highly poisonous plant."

Ryan and Thorne exchanged a shocked glance. They had been so focused on the murder weapon that they had overlooked the obvious. The Viscountess had been poisoned slowly, her body weakening with each passing day.

The doctor turned to the butler, his voice filled with anger. "Where did you get these?" he demanded.

The butler looked confused. "The Viscountess brought them home and told the maid to make tea out of it," he replied, his voice filled with innocence.

The doctor shook his head, a look of pity in his eyes. "There’s nothing more I can do here," he said, his voice filled with sorrow. "She’s been suffering for a long time."

Ryan and Thorne stood in silence, their minds racing. They had lost another victim, and the killer was still out there.

"I’ll need to get back," the doctor said, turning to Thorne. "I need to run some tests on the poison."

Thorne nodded, understanding the importance of the doctor’s work. "We’ll make sure to inform the authorities." he replied.

The doctor left the room, his footsteps echoing in the silent hallway. Ryan turned to the butler, his voice filled with determination.

"Inform the Viscountess’s relatives about what happened," he instructed. "They are the ones who can decide on the funeral arrangements and the care of her son."

The butler nodded, his face pale. "I will do as you say, Your Grace," he replied, his voice filled with sorrow.

Ryan watched as the butler left the room, his mind racing. With a heavy heart, he turned to Thorne, who had finished his task. "Let’s go," he said, his voice filled with determination. "We have work to do."

With a heavy heart, Ryan and Thorne left the house. The weight of the situation was heavy on their shoulders. They knew they had to act fast, to bring the killer to justice.

Outside, the night was dark and silent, the only sound the distant howl of a lone wolf. They found their horses in the stable, their breaths misting in the cold air. Without a word, they mounted their steeds and rode off into the night.

The wind whipped through their hair as they galloped through the empty streets. Their destination: Carleton. Their determination unwavering. They would not rest until they had found the killer and brought them to justice.

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Three days had passed since the harrowing ordeal, and a sense of unease still lingered in the air. Countess Helene and Senna, cowed by Noah’s intervention, had kept their distance, their animosity towards Suzy simmering beneath the surface.

Noah stood outside Suzy’s door, his hand hovering over the doorknob. He hesitated for a moment, then knocked softly.

"Come in," Suzy’s voice called out.

Noah entered the room, his gaze fixed on Suzy. She was sitting by the window, a book open in her lap, but her mind was clearly elsewhere.

Suzy nodded, and he entered the room, closing the door behind him.

"I found something," he said, his voice filled with a sense of urgency.

Suzy sat up straighter, her interest piqued. "What is it?" she asked, her voice filled with anticipation.

Noah hesitated, his expression serious. "Your mother was staying in this house," he began, his voice low. "Mrs. Joyce, the head chef, was her handmaiden."

Suzy’s mind raced, trying to process the information. Cassandra’s mother had lived in this house? And Mrs. Joyce had been her handmaiden? No wonder Mrs Joyce familiarity was too glaring.

"What happened to her?" Suzy asked, her voice filled with a sense of dread.

Noah shook his head. "I don’t know yet," he replied, his voice filled with sympathy. "But I do know that the gardener, who was employed here at the time, might have some answers but he was fired Twenty three years ago."

Suzy’s heart sank. Another mystery to unravel. "Find him," she said, her voice firm. "I need to know what happened to my mother."

Noah nodded, his face set in determination. "I will," he said, his voice filled with a sense of purpose."I won’t let you down," he promised.

As he turned to leave, Suzy called out to him. "Thank you," she said, her voice filled with gratitude.

Noah turned back, a small smile on his face. "It’s my job to protect you, Duchess," he replied, his voice filled with loyalty.

As Noah left the room, Suzy turned to Doris, who was busy tidying up the room. "What’s going on here?" she asked, her voice filled with confusion.

Doris paused in her cleaning, a puzzled look on her face. "I’m as confused as you are, Milady," she replied. "I’ve been serving this family since I was ten years old, and I’ve never heard anything like this about Lady Cassandra’s mother."

Suzy’s mind raced. So, the mystery deepened. Her mother had abandoned her at birth, and now there was this new information about her living here and Mrs. Joyce being her handmaiden.

"Why would they lie about her mother’s existence?" Suzy asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

Doris shrugged. "I don’t know, Milady," she replied. "All I know is that Lady Cassandra was raised by the Countess, and she never mentioned her mother."

Suzy felt a pang of sadness for Cassandra. To be in the dark that she was abandoned must have been a heartbreaking experience. But there were still so many unanswered questions.

"We need to find out more about her mother," Suzy said, her voice filled with determination. "This family is hiding something."

Doris nodded, her face filled with concern.

Disclaimer: I had an impromptu test today so I couldn’t update the story today. I want to let my loyal readers both new and old know that I won’t be uploading daily as I have to prepare for my exams. My exams will finish first week of next month. After my exam, i promise to update 2 Chapters a day. I just need your patience and support.

Wish me luck .

Yours truly

Cameron Rose.