Lady Edna’s entire body trembled with rage as her eyes burned with hatred. Her own son openly defied her, and now her daughter-in-law had supposedly poisoned her. The humiliation was unbearable. She gritted her teeth and roared, “What are you all standing around for? Tie her up! I’ll make her pay for this!” The servants froze, their eyes darting nervously toward Gavin. None of them dared to move. After all, with Gavin standing there, who would risk offending him? Lady Edna’s face darkened further as she realized why no one was obeying her orders. It was because of Gavin. Her son’s mere presence was enough to shield Liza completely. Her anger boiled over. If she had known this would happen, she would have never let Gavin stay in the family. Years ago, she had reluctantly acknowledged him as her son, not out of love but to avoid unnecessary trouble and use him to her advantage. She never expected him to grow up and surpass her control, let alone become the head of the Stone Family. With her fury reaching its peak, Lady Edna glared at Liza and snarled, “Fine! If no one will do it, I’ll take care of it myself! Liza, I’ll destroy your face with my own hands!” Before she could make a move, Gavin casually stepped in front of her, blocking her path. His expression was cold, his entire demeanor unshakable. Lady Edna’s voice trembled with indignation. “You’re protecting her? For this woman, you’re going against me? I’m your mother! Without me, you’d still be nothing but a worthless nobody—” “Lady Edna,” Liza interrupted suddenly, her voice calm but clear. “Why are you so certain that I’m the one who poisoned you?” Lady Edna’s eyes widened with fury. “Who else could it be? You wretched—” Liza maintained a serene expression, her innocent gaze locked on Lady Edna. “But when you were poisoned, I was locked in the dark room. Isn’t that right?”Her words carried a quiet grievance, and the room fell silent. “I understand that you don’t like me, but accusing me without evidence isn’t fair. I was under lock and key when this happened. How could I possibly slip out to poison you? If you still want to blame me, then so be it. But there are so many people here who can vouch for my whereabouts. The truth is plain for all to see.” “You—” Lady Edna faltered, unable to respond. The servants exchanged looks, whispering among themselves. They all knew Liza had been in the dark room the entire time. It was impossible for her to have been the one to poison them. Lady Edna’s accusations were starting to sound unreasonable. Audrey, who had been silently fuming, finally exploded. Her usual fragile demeanor vanished, replaced with venomous resentment. “Liza, stop pretending! Who else could it be? Only someone as malicious as you would do something like this!” Liza tilted her head slightly, unbothered by the accusation. Her voice was calm and clear. “The doctor said you were poisoned about four hours ago.” Audrey stiffened and immediately snapped back, “The doctor could be wrong!” Her hasty retort only drew mockery from those around her. The servants exchanged knowing glances, some even smirking at her desperation. Liza let out a helpless sigh, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Miss Audrey, the doctors brought in by the Stone Family are renowned experts in their field. They’ve saved countless lives. If you’re trying to discredit their judgment, that’s a serious accusation. Are you saying their skills and expertise are unreliable?” The room fell silent as the servants exchanged disapproving glances. Audrey’s words had not only made her look desperate but had also inadvertently insulted the highly respected doctors. It was clear to everyone that if she thought she could become the future mistress of the Stone Family with such behavior, she was deluding herself. Just then, the butler appeared with a solemn expression. He hesitated for a moment before bowing slightly and speaking carefully. “Madam, I’ve checked the surveillance footage from four hours ago. It clearly shows that only the three of you—yourself, Madam Thelma, and Miss Audrey—were in the tearoom. During that time, no one else entered or left.” The butler was acutely aware of Gavin’s piercing gaze, so there was no room for error or embellishment. He simply reported the facts as they were. Everyone turned to look at Lady Edna. Four hours ago, Liza had been locked in the dark room and had no opportunity to leave. Meanwhile, Lady Edna, Madam Thelma, and Audrey had been in the tearoom, a space reserved exclusively for Lady Edna’s guests. Even the servants didn’t have access to it. The doctors, who had been silently observing, spoke up with professional seriousness. “Poison from certain herbs can be inhaled through the air, but the smell is usually sharp and noticeable. However, if the poison was dissolved in water, it would be colorless, odorless, and far harder to detect. You should recall whether you drank anything during that time.” The realization dawned on everyone simultaneously. The tearoom was completely private, and no outsider could enter. The tea served to Lady Edna and her guests had already been tested and found to be clean, yet all three of them had been poisoned shortly after drinking it. It didn’t take long for everyone to draw the same conclusion: the poisoning must have come from someone within the tearoom itself. Liza let out a dramatic sigh, her face a picture of grievance and innocence. “Lady Edna, I know I don’t deserve someone like Gavin. If you dislike me so much, you could’ve just asked me to leave. But to go so far as to frame me for poisoning you… and even involve Madam Thelma and Miss Audrey in the process…” She paused, letting her words sink in, before glancing at Audrey and continuing in a softer, more resigned voice. “Wait a minute… Could this have been your plan all along? Accusing me of such a crime so that you can chase me away and pave the way for Miss Audrey to marry Gavin? I understand now. You don’t have to go through all this trouble. I’ll leave on my own!” Liza covered her face with her hands, feigning sobs. “Miss Audrey, I truly wish you happiness! Take care of Gavin… Boo-hoo…” The room was filled with an awkward silence as everyone watched the scene unfold. Gavin, who had remained quiet all this time, finally stepped forward and gently pulled Liza into his arms. His expression was calm, but his tone carried a firm sense of authority. “Don’t cry. No one will chase you away.” Liza looked up at him with tear-streaked cheeks, her voice trembling. “But… your mother doesn’t like me. She even accused me of poisoning them! If they manage to pin this on me, what will happen? How could I possibly continue living after that?” Gavin’s jaw tightened slightly, his eyes cold and sharp as they swept across the room. “No one will convict you because no one can lay a finger on you.”Liza buried her face in his chest, still pretending to sob, but the slight curve of her lips revealed her satisfaction. The entire room remained frozen in shock. No one dared to speak as they processed what had just happened. Lady Edna, Audrey, and Madam Thelma were left speechless, unable to defend themselves as suspicion now turned inward.