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Mr. Anderson and Darcy kept the conversation flowing, and whenever it touched the topic of their marriage, Elizabeth saw the displeasure on Lady Anderson’s face.

Her piercing gaze fell on Elizabeth more often than not, and Darcy was very aware of this.

He could not stand anyone treating Elizabeth in such a way and looked at Lady Anderson angrily, his expression warning her to behave with respect.

Lady Anderson fumed as she saw Darcy sit next to Elizabeth.

She stole everything from us: the man I married and the man my daughter wants to marry. I cannot stand her sight.

Lady Anderson had struggled to reveal the truth about Elizabeth to her daughter. She understood that it would devastate her, as she already felt humiliated by Darcy’s marriage to Elizabeth. It was a relief to everyone once dinner ended and Darcy planned to return to Pemberley.

“Fitzwilliam, what is the plan?” Elizabeth asked in a whisper as she led him out of the house.

“Trust me, the less we speak about this, the better. Everything will be resolved tomorrow.”

“I am worried about Lady Isabella and her safety as well.”

Darcy looked at her with admiration; from what he had seen of their relationship, he was well aware of Lady Isabella’s hostility towards Elizabeth.

“You saved her life and stopped this family from undergoing another heartache.”

“Anyone in my place would have done the same.”

“I assure you we will not allow anything to happen to her or anyone in this house. Please wait until tomorrow, and we will have our answers,” Darcy reassured her.

As he rode away, he fervently hoped nothing would go wrong the next day and everything would end without causing any more distress to the family he considered his own. He was deeply grateful to Lady Martha as he realized that if not for her, Elizabeth would never be in his.

***

“Fitzwilliam, what is it? Is Lizzy all right? You seem troubled since yesterday,” Georgiana asked as she sensed her brother’s temperament.

“There is nothing to worry about, Georgiana. She is well.”

"I sense something is wrong in Ashton Park. What is it?”

Darcy felt uncomfortable revealing Lady Isabella’s affairs to Georgiana and thought it was better to keep Georgiana in the dark until the culprit was discovered. He hoped his plans would work that night.

“Please do not worry; everything is all right,” he assured her.

Meanwhile, in Ashton Park, Lady Isabella sat in deep thought; even though her husband shunned her after he understood her secret, she felt relieved after so many months to get it off her chest. She knew her marriage was in trouble but did not care about the future.

She had hurt so many people due to her lack of courage in revealing her secret, and now she was ready to face the consequences.

Elizabeth had checked on her many times during the day, and Lady Isabella felt grateful for her kindness.

“He does not want to see me anymore, Elizabeth. I have not spoken to him since last night,” Lady Isabella said as Elizabeth sat with her in her room.

“He must be angry, and I assure you that things will change after tomorrow.”

“Nothing will; either way, she died because of me. If she had not read the diary, none of this would have happened.”

“I still don’t understand why she doubted you suddenly.”

“I refused to dance with Philip during the ball, citing a headache. I have always refused to dance with him, stating some reason or the other; I think she must have observed that. As much as I tried to hide it, I think it is difficult to hide your emotions when you are in love. I knew Mr. Darcy had loved you since the night we spent in Pemberley. I could see it in his eyes.”

Elizabeth stared at her in shock.

“We were friends since childhood, and it must have been obvious to Sophia. I assume she searched my room during the ball and found the diary. I had no idea it was missing until she came to my room that night. I did not expect her to forgive me for what I had kept in my heart all these years, but as a friend, I expected she would understand me, but she did not. I do not blame her as I might have reacted similarly.”

Elizabeth understood there would be no peace in Ashton Park unless the truth came out about Lady Sophia’s death.

That night, Lady Isabella trembled as she stood in her room.

It was close to midnight, and she knew it was time to carry out the plan.

In the past months, she had trembled the same way while leaving money in the garden as instructed in the letters.

Not once had she waited to see who came to collect those.

But now, she realized she finally had the courage to unmask her tormentor.

She took the money and left her room, knowing very well that she was not alone this time.

Once she reached the garden, Lady Isabella walked to the usual spot where she left the money and held her breath.

I hope this is the last time I am doing this!

She left the money under the rock and walked back to the house, hoping against hope that she had not raised any suspicion.

The men had instructed her to act normal and stay in the room for the rest of the night, and Lady Isabella did as they requested.

She paced her room till morning, unable to understand what had transpired after she had left the money.

In the early hours, she heard a knock on the door, and a servant informed her that she was needed in the library.

Lady Isabella rushed down the stairs, unable to endure the feeling of not knowing what had happened.

She was surprised to see all the men gathered there, along with Lady Martha and Elizabeth.

“What happened?” Lady Isabella asked, not knowing whom to direct the question to.

Lady Martha held out a letter to her, and she grabbed it in a hurry. Her hands trembled as she opened the letter and immediately recognized her dearest friend’s handwriting.

Isabella,

I do not recall how I became such a coward that I am writing this letter instead of facing you after everything I said.

I still remember the day you gave me your favorite doll because I liked it so much; if I am right, we were eight years old then.

Since childhood, we have been more than friends; we have a bond so strong and deep that I have valued it more than life itself.

Whatever I said to you tonight, I am ashamed to state that I spoke out of anger.

I accused you of so many things that you were not.

The moment I stepped out of your room, I realized what I had done.

I have hurt and wounded you beyond measure because of my anger.

Please trust me, I was not angry at you for falling in love with Philip, but because you hid your feelings from me.

I distinctly remember the day I informed you that I was engaged to him; I could never be wrong as you were happy for me and genuinely so.

There was no hint of jealously in your eyes that day, but tears of joy for my happiness.

I cannot fathom how you have lived all these years, unable to forget him and not wanting to find another life but live with torment.

Every moment in his company must have been a torture to you, and still you chose to endure it.

I blindly accused you of trying to steal him from me, but now I understand why you always distanced yourself from him.

I have often noticed it, and tonight when you declined to dance with him, I finally realized that you were hiding something in your heart.

It was cruel of me to have read your diary, and I still do not know what made me do it.

I regret my actions and every word I said to you in rage.

The fact that I have been a cause of your unhappiness pains me beyond measure.

I wish I could turn back time and make everything right.

I do not know what I could do for your happiness except be the friend I always was to you.

Your secret is safe with me, Isabella; I do not want us to become distant because of this.

All I want you to understand is that I accept that you love him and do not hold you in contempt for how you feel.

But never will I doubt your intentions towards me or my family; if I ever do, it would only mock the sentiments I have held for you all my life as a friend.

I hope you can forgive me for what I said to you; you do not deserve those words, and honestly, if Philip knew how I treated you, he would never forgive me.

You are a part of our family and will always be.

I can never sacrifice our friendship, and I promise you that.

My heart aches that the man you truly love can never be yours because of me.

I would have done things differently if I had known about your feelings before my marriage.

Unknowingly, my happiness has been the reason for your misery, and my conscience will always prick me for this.

I wish I had the courage to face you now and apologize to you in the way you deserve, but I am scared to face you after hurting you in such an insensitive way.

I will find a way to put this letter in your hand before morning.

Yours,

Sophia

Lady Isabella had opened the letter without the slightest idea about the contents, revealing what it did.

Once she identified her friend’s writing, she immediately assumed it to be the letter written by her before she committed suicide, but as she read the contents, tears streamed down her face, understanding her friend’s words before her death.

She has forgiven me; how could this be possible? Then why did she end her life? Sophia, what happened to you?

She sank into the sofa and sobbed.

“I do not understand any of this. Why did she end her life after writing this?” she asked, looking at her husband.

“She did not,” Lord Ashton replied.

“Someone tell me what happened? Did you capture the blackmailer?”