Liam nodded.
"It's not entirely confirmed yet whether it's a group of people. But don't worry, I'll handle it in a few days."
After hearing Liam's explanation and receiving his assurance, the anger in old Mr. Henry Williams gradually subsided. When reason returned, he thought it over carefully.
If Emma had truly wronged his eldest son, given his son's temper, he wouldn't have tolerated her. He wouldn't have allowed her to come back home with him.
Perhaps his eldest son was right. Someone was using her.
"It's no lie that you fought with that boy named Elijah last night. I want you to explain that clearly."
The old man wasn't so easy to fool. He stared at his eldest son, pressing for an answer.
"You also know Emma was in danger back in Silverdale. Elijah has always treated her like a sister. He blames me for what happened. It's just a brother worrying about his sister, nothing more."
Liam's expression remained calm. The old man studied his face for a long time but found nothing unusual. In truth, he hadn't been able to read his son's thoughts for years now.
He could only choose to believe this explanation.
When the father and son finished their conversation and stepped out of the study, they saw a different scene in the living room.
Amelia was sitting on the ground. A nearby maid was carrying a pot of black tea, now spilled across the floor. The maid's face was pale with panic. Emma was trying to help Amelia up from the floor.
"I don't need your fake kindness. Ah, it hurts!"
Amelia tried to push Emma's hand away and accidentally touched her arm, burned by the hot tea. Liam and the old man rushed forward and saw Amelia's left arm was bright red.
"What happened?"
Liam's displeased voice echoed through the living room. The terrified maid trembled involuntarily, her words shaking.
"I was bringing the black tea to the coffee table. Madam just stood up, as if to go upstairs. She didn't steady herself, and her body bumped into me. For a moment, I lost my balance, and the tray tilted. The teapot fell and landed beside Miss Amelia, who hadn't gotten up yet. It scalded her arm. I really didn't mean to, sir, young master. Please don't fire me."
The maid was about to kneel and kowtow. The maids at the Williams estate were paid more than three times what other families offered. You couldn't find a second employer in the whole city who gave such generous rewards.
Emma saw Liam looking at her coldly. She couldn't say a word. Could she say she had tripped over something, causing her body to lose balance? Clearly, Liam wouldn't believe that.
"Sister-in-law, just because you're angry with me doesn't mean you have to teach me a lesson like this. But I'm my brother's sister. How can I not be angry when I see him hurt by you like this? Isn't that inhuman?"
Amelia covered her painful arm, tears welling in her eyes as she looked indignantly at Emma.
Anyone in the room, even Emma herself, almost felt it was her fault.
Because Amelia's beauty was like an angel who had fallen to earth by mistake. It made people feel she could never be tainted by worldly affairs. How could you have the heart to argue when she blamed you with such a sad, innocent face?
Emma didn't know how to explain. She hadn't meant to do it. When she saw the teapot falling, she had even reached out to catch it. Now her palms were not only red but blistered. It was worse than Amelia's injury. But Emma didn't show her hands. She felt like she would be pretending to be pitiful, trying to win their sympathy.
The old man sent Butler Oliver to call Dr. Moore. Liam asked a servant to go upstairs and get the medicine box. But he didn't even glance at Emma. In a cold voice, he told her to go upstairs and return to her room.
Clearly, he didn't want to look at her anymore. He also felt she was inconvenient and unpleasant standing there.
Emma's eyes dimmed. She hadn't meant to hurt anyone, but she still felt guilty toward Amelia. She turned silently and accidentally brushed her palm against the corner of her clothes. The sharp pain made tears spring to her eyes.
She blinked immediately, evaporating the tears in the air, and slowly climbed the stairs. She disappeared from everyone's sight.
"Brother, how could sister-in-law betray you? You're so good to her."
When Liam wiped a small red mark on Amelia's arm, the tears in Amelia's eyes wouldn't stop. Her heart ached.
"She didn't betray me. She was framed. Don't misunderstand Emma."
Liam didn't even raise his head. He didn't hesitate for a moment.
Amelia's weeping voice suddenly made her face stiffen slightly. Then she twisted it into a pitiful, tearful angelic expression. "Well, since my brother says so, I believe it. Brother, although my sister-in-law might be a little angry because of my words, she shouldn't be so vicious as to burn me on purpose. You'd better not blame her."
Amelia's clear voice was filled with a weeping nasal tone, sounding very pitiful.
"I understand. I'll wait for Dr. Moore to come and have him look at you."
Liam replied faintly. His face was still cold. A slight curve appeared on Amelia's lips, then disappeared again.
Emma returned to the room. Since the medicine box had been taken away, she had no way to treat her injury. She looked at the few blisters on her palm. She had to find a brooch, then a lighter, to do a simple disinfection. Then, bearing the pain, she frowned and popped the blisters one by one. It was a crude emergency treatment.
That night, Liam didn't return to their room. Emma went to bed early but tossed and turned, unable to sleep. The pain in her palm made her seriously consider whether she should leave Sunrise Manor as soon as possible.
This wasn't her home. She couldn't find warmth or belonging here.
In the beginning, she had only agreed to marry Liam because of her own foolishness. Now, less than half a year later, she was already beginning to regret it.
This marriage had exhausted her, both physically and mentally. She had lost her job and faced danger several times. She had begun to feel many restrictions on her life. Even the halo of being Mrs. Williams, envied by many women, wasn't worth it.