The woman who cautiously stepped into the courtroom had a gentle impression.

At a glance, it was hard to believe that she was the woman who had tangled with a friend’s husband by hiding behind her husband. However, despite her innocent appearance, she was confidently cradling a child swathed in silk. It was for display purposes. There seemed to be no other reason.

She looked innocent, but hidden behind that naive face, there was something extraordinary.

“To cause such a disturbance and appear unfazed, she’s really shameless.”

“After all, she gave birth to a son. Moreover, look at her clothes. It’s definitely not an ordinary item. Surely, there must be someone supporting her.”
“Surely, the local Lady Fisher may not dress up like that, but who would sponsor such a woman?”

“One of those who set their eyes on Creighton, I suppose.”

Margaret Fisher’s actions deserved criticism, but there was no outright condemnation.

With a bit of luck, she could become the mother of the next Creighton heir from a forgotten village. It was time to endure the unpleasantness, even though it was challenging.

If one dealt with money in the Empire, it was rare to find a family untouched by Creighton, even a little.

The matter of determining Creighton’s owner was not solely Creighton’s problem.

“Creighton and I have been lovers for a long time.”

“How long is that period?”

“We’ve had a connection since before Creighton got married.”

“Can you specify when exactly before the marriage?”

“Creighton was known as a widower, but, in fact, it was only to show off to the public.”

Despite standing upright, tension was evident on Margaret’s face. She wasn’t accustomed to such occasions.

However, that made her words sound more plausible.

With a child in her arms, she looked pitiable, like a victim.

“For show?”

“He always wanted to be recognized properly as Creighton’s heir, so he married Creighton’s Lady just to gain that acknowledgment.”

“In that case, practically speaking, Creighton’s Lady and Lady Fisher can be considered to have parted ways, can’t they?”

“If Creighton’s Lady had been an ordinary couple, of course.”

“Are you implying that the two were not an ordinary couple?”

Margaret quickly responded as if waiting for the prosecutor’s inquiry.

The script had already been decided. All she had to do was recite the memorized story.

“The Creighton couple were not lovers for love but people who married each other based on conditions. They agreed to turn a blind eye to each other’s lovers before getting married.”

“Was Creighton’s Lady already aware of Lady Fisher’s existence?”

“Of course, she knew and even tolerated it. She let me freely move around the mansion under the guise of a friend at that time.”

“Really?”

“If not, how could I, a provincial aristocrat, have been able to associate with Creighton’s Lady?”

With a slight lowering of her eyes, Margaret weakly murmured.

The crucial thing was not the truth but fulfilling people’s desired expectations. Remembering how people reacted to her and adapting the story accordingly was all that mattered.

“Then why did Creighton’s Lady tolerate Lady Fisher?”

“As compensation for accepting me, her husband’s lover, she introduced another man’s child into Creighton.”

“Another man’s child?”
“I’m talking about Merial Creighton, the daughter of Lady Livianna Creighton.”

A sigh-like murmur erupted from the audience.

People believed in her.

Margaret gathered more courage and straightened her shoulders.

“And Lady Livianna is trying the same thing again.”

“The same thing? What are you talking about?”

“She’s attempting to disguise another man’s child as her husband’s blood once again.”

Every malicious rumor directed at Rihanna when Margaret had previously caused a scene became a reality. It tarnished her honor, portraying her as a woman who pretended to be noble in public but engaged in sordid deeds behind the scenes.

Ultimately, it would make Margaret, who would be compared to Rihanna, appear as the better person.

“When you say ‘once again,’ are you suggesting that Lady Creighton is committing adultery at the moment?”

As far as I know, yes.”

“Do you realize how dangerous your statement is?”

“Of course, I do. But I couldn’t stay silent any longer.”

Margaret trembled and carefully unfolded the cloth wrapping the baby. She was aware that everyone here was rolling their eyes to confirm how much the child resembled the deceased Lord Creighton’s face.

Margaret touched the sleeping baby’s face with her hand, proudly presenting it.

The facial features were not yet clear, so it was impossible to determine whom the baby resembled precisely. However, the soft, downy hair was undoubtedly reminiscent of Lord Creighton’s.

Unable to look at the baby’s face, Margaret pressed her forehead against it and then lifted her head again.

“Our relationship couldn’t be made public, but I genuinely loved Lord Creighton. That’s why I understand how absurd this incident is. He didn’t die in an accident. He was murdered.”

“Murdered?”

“I came forward here because I believe the culprit who killed him is his wife. Not only did she kill him, but now she’s also threatening his only child.”

Margaret couldn’t hold back her tears any longer and bowed her head deeply.

Her lips, hidden as she lowered her head, seemed to twitch, ready to burst into laughter at any moment.

It was almost time. The long patience was coming to an end, and finally, Creighton was about to fall into her hands.