The Wicked Wife's Dark History Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her - Chapter 218

A family-law investigator, when a guardianship suit is filed, checks whether a child’s caregiving environment is properly arranged and then testifies in court or drafts a report to submit.

But what if that investigator finds a blot on House Bayern?

If the report contains unfavorable details—especially anything saying the ward’s surroundings are unsafe—Ash would have real trouble.

A guardian who neglects his nephew’s safety. Ash’s image would be dragged through the mud.

“Then why are we doing this at all? We’ll lose the trial anyway.”

“We’re not doing this to win the trial, so I don’t care.”

“What? Then why the hell are we—”

Count Azelot’s mouth twisted into a sour sneer.

“We lost the guardianship already. I want to at least see that bastard suffer.”

Behind him stood Duchess Nord.

‘An untrustworthy woman, but the enemy of my enemy is my ally.’

Duchess Nord promised gains equal to Ian’s inheritance, but Count Azelot didn’t trust her. He accepted the offer because, for survival, he ultimately had to curry favor with the Countess.

“How long do you think Duke Bayern will leave you be?”

Ash would know that he was the one who had suggested administering the aphrodisiac. That meant there was no guarantee they’d leave him alone even if Ian wasn’t involved.

“And what will you do with the hostages?”

Adam handed over the petition and asked. Count Azelot’s lips curled.

“Of course we’ll kill them.”

Not only the hostages, but the repairman himself. Everyone would be killed.

They’d only check whether he’d carried out the orders properly. They couldn’t leave witnesses.

* * *

Ian’s bedroom.

A chill light gathered like frost in Hozi’s eyes as he ran his fingertip along the balcony railing.

“…Well, they must have wanted someone dead. How dare they pull this stunt at the young master’s room.”

Shortly after the repairman had been there, the balcony railing at Ian’s room was found damaged.

‘Now it’s certain.’

If the aim had been to harm Ian, they would have wrecked the railing enough to cause a fall. But they hadn’t gone that far. It showed Count Azelot’s real objective was to set up a guardianship petition.

‘Just as I expected.’

The best time to make a move was when the staff’s vigilance relaxed. That is, right after the party.

Among them, the one Ash had been watching was the man who would revisit the mansion after the party: the one in charge of the single plumbing repair left unfinished. If that man used the sewage-pipe inspection as an excuse, he could easily check Ian’s room.

So as soon as the repairman left, Ash went straight to Ian’s bedroom and found the damaged railing.

Considering the repairman’s family had long traded with House Bayern, Ash’s disgust only deepened. Summary execution would have been too mild.

“Your Grace, we’ve captured him.”

A soldier had caught the repairman who’d hurriedly left the mansion a little while ago.

“W-Why, why is this happening to me…”

The repairman, trembling on his knees under the soldier’s rough grip, looked up. Ash’s gaze fell cold on him. A pale blue streak of lethal intent flashed across his eyes.

“You know why you were brought here, even if you don’t say it.”

“M-Master, I don’t know what you mean…”

Ash grabbed the balcony railing hard.

Creeak— Clank.

The metal gave an ominous sound as he spoke.

“You tried to harm House Bayern’s heir. You should have expected summary execution.”

The repairman went white at the suggestion they’d be denied a trial. A trial offers at least a chance at humane treatment. Without one, torture was almost certain.

“P-Please spare me. My family was taken hostage! There was nothing I could do…!”

Hostage. At that word, Ash’s brow creased. If the man had taken the money and sold out, Ash could either subdue him and use him as a witness or dispose of him.

Either way, it would be simple. But hostages made things complicated and messy.

“Hozi.”

“Yes?”

“First, we need to rescue the hostages.”

First they had to find out whether the hostages were still alive.

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