Liza swallowed hard, trying to maintain her composure. “Mr. Gavin, what does Lady Edna’s sore throat have to do with me? I’m just the unwanted daughter-in-law here. Why would I harm my mother-in-law?” She put on a helpless expression and continued, “Even if I did poison her, how could I possibly know that she and Audrey would drink tea? And besides, the doctors here are highly skilled. If I had poisoned them, wouldn’t they have already discovered it?” She sighed dramatically, shaking her head in resignation. “It’s fine, Mr. Gavin. If you don’t believe me, what can I do?” Gavin’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. He didn’t buy her act for even a second. In fact, everything she said only added to his certainty. The doctors had, indeed, played a role in this situation, but Gavin wasn’t naive enough to think they’d done so of their own volition. He leaned back lazily, his sharp gaze fixed on her. “There’s only one explanation: you’re part of the Medical Association. Not only that, but you hold a higher status than those doctors, which means they have no choice but to follow your orders.” Liza froze in place. Hearing his calm, almost indifferent words sent a wave of panic through her. She nearly tripped over her own feet in her haste to regain her balance. What is happening here?! How does he know this much? she thought frantically. It was true. Liza had orchestrated everything, and she had roped in the doctors from the Medical Association to help her play this out. The pollen she used was rare, sourced from a remote African tribe. By itself, it wasn’t toxic. But when combined with honeysuckle tea, it triggered a reaction that caused painful, itchy pustules to erupt on the skin. The effects would last only a few days before the toxins left the body. Liza had carefully planned this entire scheme. She thought she had covered her tracks perfectly. So how on earth had Gavin figured it all out? Gavin didn’t miss her flustered expression. He continued in his calm, deliberate tone, “You knew that Lady Edna cares about her reputation above all else. She’s proud and vain. The moment she noticed her face was disfigured, she would panic and call for the Medical Association. That was your gamble, wasn’t it? “Not only that, but the Stone Family has close ties to the Medical Association. Those doctors didn’t show up here by chance. They were waiting for someone from the Stone Family to come fetch them, and as soon as Lady Edna summoned them, they came straight to her aid.” Liza forced an awkward smile, her mind spinning as she scrambled to regain control of the conversation. “Mr. Gavin, you’re overthinking things. The doctors said that this poisonous powder has a strong smell, didn’t they? But no one smelled anything suspicious. So how could I possibly be involved?” Gavin paused, his brow furrowing slightly. That was a fair point. If the poison had such a distinct smell, how could it have gone unnoticed? Not to mention, there were surveillance cameras everywhere. Any suspicious behavior would’ve been caught on tape.Liza seized the opportunity, putting on an aggrieved expression as she clutched her chest dramatically. “See? You’re wrong about me, Gavin . I’ve been avoiding them precisely because I know they dislike me. And yet here I am, being falsely accused. It’s really too much!” With a tired sigh, she added, “I’m exhausted from all of this. I think I’ll go rest now. You can think whatever you like, Gavin.” She turned on her heels and walked off confidently, her heart still racing from the close call. Gavin watched her leave, his expression unreadable. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Liza was hiding something more. He had pieced together most of the puzzle, but there was still a missing piece. How had she administered the poison without anyone noticing? What he didn’t know was that Liza had skillfully inserted thin, poison-laced needles into their bodies when she had been close enough to do so—silent, precise, and completely undetectable. Liza walked away with a triumphant smile, though her thoughts were in disarray. How did Gavin figure out so much? she wondered. She had always been careful, but somehow this man seemed to see right through her. Still, she reassured herself that Gavin wouldn’t take any action against her. There were some secrets she simply couldn’t reveal to him, no matter how perceptive he was. For a brief moment, she hesitated. Should she just come clean and tell him everything? But then she shook off the thought. What’s the point? she reasoned. Their marriage was nothing but a contract, set to end in a year. When the time came, they would go their separate ways and become strangers again. Her Albert’s words echoed in her mind: Don’t get too attached, or you’ll only end up hurting yourself. George was in a state of panic, his voice shaky as he stammered, “ MasterGavin, I… I couldn’t find anything. There’s no trace of her on the surveillance footage.” Gavin’s sharp gaze darkened. “You couldn’t spot her?” He was confident that his deductions were correct—Liza had poisoned Lady Edna and the others, just as he had theorized. Yet, despite the many surveillance cameras in the estate, there wasn’t a single clue or image showing her in the act. George wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and hesitated before speaking again. “Young Master, maybe… maybe Young Madam only did this because she was upset on your behalf? Do we really need to dig so deep and prove that she poisoned them?” Gavin’s lips curled into a faint smile, but it wasn’t one of amusement. “Who said I’m trying to prove she did it?” George was stunned. Gavin leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful. He wasn’t looking for evidence to hold Liza accountable; his curiosity was purely about her capabilities and the secrets she seemed to hide. There was much more to her than met the eye. After all, not just anyone could associate with the Medical Association, and Liza had even managed to gain the favor of a renowned divine physician. How deep did her connections run? Suddenly, George’s face froze in shock, his gaze darting to something in the distance. “Young Master! Look over there! Isn’t that Young Madam? And she seems to be getting along a little too well with that man!” At this, Gavin turned his head sharply, his gaze following the direction George pointed. At the same moment, Liza was about to leave when she heard a gentle and pleasant voice call out to her. “Are you Miss Susanza?” She turned around, her brow slightly raised as she met the eyes of the man speaking. “Yes, I am. And you are…?” The man before her wore a warm, friendly smile. His demeanor was refined, and his tone was polite yet familiar. “My surname is Sam. I couldn’t help but notice you—I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before, Miss Susanza.”Liza’s heart skipped a beat, though her expression remained neutral. Sam? The surname alone told her he wasn’t part of the Stone Family. Only certain types of people could appear in the Stone Estate—powerful individuals, influential families, or trusted acquaintances. This man clearly belonged to one of those groups. Her Albert had mentioned that a certain “big shot’s” fiancé was in the Stone Family’s social circle. Could this man be connected to that? As she studied the man in front of her, Liza couldn’t shake a feeling of unease. His words seemed casual enough, but there was something in his tone—something deliberate. And when he said she looked familiar… Her instincts told her this encounter wasn’t a coincidence.